Windows XP Home Edition to XP Professional

[Mark Waco]

I had to rebuild my Sony Vail computer because the onboard graphics unit quit
functioning. I uploaded and installed an Intel chipset revision they
recommended which rendered my Sony Vaio motherboard useless. So, I ordered
a motherboard, powersupply, and memory from Tigerdirect. My intent was to
just replace these components and use the existing HD and CD/DVD drives. The
motherboard came and it did not fit in the Sony box. So, I got a case that
did fit. Machine is 5 years old so it is time for an upgrade.

Installed all the components. Original Sony had XP Home edition. Computer
did not boot into the OS. Could not find my repair disks that I had made
when computer was originally bought. Not sure if that would work anyway
since this is an OEM version of XP Home Edition specific to Sony Vail.

Found a Windows XP Professional recoverydisk that came with my HP laptop a
few years back. I installed this to a different directory (Windows2) and now
have a dual boot situation. But I would like to take Home edition all the
way off the machine.

The question is how do I install this Windows XP Professional and still
retain all of the other software applications that were installed on the Sony
Vail?

Is it possible to install XP Pro to the same windows directory that Home
edition was on and retain all of the other applications? I know that
upgrades will just overwrite the OS files and leave the data as before. I am
not sure changing from Home Edition to XP Pro.

If not, how do I migrate the applications over to the windows2 directory. I
can move the files and directories but how do I get the registry to
acknowledge this?

I legally can use the XP Pro since the laptop is now relegated as a backup
when my desktop goes down.

 

[Rich Barry]

Mark, you will probably have to reinstall all the programs that came
with the Sony. If you don't have the original programs then you are out of
luck.
Since you changed the motherboard the reason the XP home did not boot
is that it was looking for the original motherboard components and they no
longer
existed. Unless the motherboards were identical. I would format the
drive and do a clean install of WinXP Pro.

 

[Andrew E.]

Neither "recovery cds" will work with another motherboard,they only work
with the equitment it came with from the mfg.Since you won't have an
operating system on the hd to upgrade to either version of xp,& w/o a
previous windows OS cd from microsoft,you'll need a full retail copy of
xp.The
upgrade versions won't install.

 

[smlunatick]

I had to rebuild my Sony Vail computer because the onboard graphics unit quit
functioning.  I uploaded and installed an Intel chipset revision they
recommended which rendered my Sony Vaio motherboard useless.   So, I ordered
a motherboard, powersupply, and memory from Tigerdirect.  My intent wasto
just replace these components and use the existing HD and CD/DVD drives.  The
motherboard came and it did not fit in the Sony box.  So, I got a case that
did fit.  Machine is 5 years old so it is time for an upgrade.

Installed all the components.  Original Sony had XP Home edition.  Computer
did not boot into the OS.  Could not find my repair disks that I had made
when computer was originally bought.  Not sure if that would work anyway
since this is an OEM version of XP Home Edition specific to Sony Vail.

Found a Windows XP Professional recoverydisk that came with my HP laptop a
few years back.  I installed this to a different directory (Windows2) and now
have a dual boot situation.  But I would like to take Home edition all the
way off the machine.

The question is how do I install this Windows XP Professional and still
retain all of the other software applications that were installed on the Sony
Vail?  

Is it possible to install XP Pro to the same windows directory that Home
edition was on and retain all of the other applications?  I know that
upgrades will just overwrite the OS files and leave the data as before.  I am
not sure changing from Home Edition to XP Pro.

If not, how do I migrate the applications over to the windows2 directory. I
can move the files and directories but how do I get the registry to
acknowledge this?

I legally can use the XP Pro since the laptop is now relegated as a backup
when my  desktop goes down.

You can not "legally" use the older Sony laptop's XP Pro since:

1) It is probably a customized Sony OEM version. It might require the
"original" Sony motherboard in order for it to work

2) Any OEM license is tied to the first PC / motherboard it got
installed on. We do not own any version XP. We are granted the
"right" to use XP on one PC at a time (retail) as per Microsoft's
EULA. However, since the OEM versions exist, Microsoft does not
"grant" the right to transfer the license to a different PC /
motherboard. Since it was on a Sony based PC, only Sony can grant you
this transfer. Since you have completely rebuilt a different PC,
which is not from Sony, you are not "really" entitled to use the XP.