XP Home to XP Pro

[Mooseyguy]

I want to upgrade my computer from XP Home. I'm accustomed
to Win2k Pro and XP Home isn't comfortable to me. Is there
an advantage (other than cost) to get an upgrade to XP Pro
that writes over XP Home or a full new XP Pro install?

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

If you alread own XP Home, with a retail CD, it will serve as proof of eligibility, so you can do a "clean" installation of XP using the Upgrade version. The only difference between the full version and upgrade is the upgrade will not do a clean install, without an existing OS being installed, or having the CD for a "qualifying" product.

 

[JAX]

Doug,

You can do a "clean install" with an upgrade disk. You do not have to have
another OS installed. On a clean install, you will be prompted to insert the
9x or up CD to verify eligibility for an upgrade. There will be no part of
the other OS installed.

Your information would be confusing to most.

JAX


If you alread own XP Home, with a retail CD, it will serve as proof of
eligibility, so you can do a "clean" installation of XP using the Upgrade
version. The only difference between the full version and upgrade is the
upgrade will not do a clean install, without an existing OS being installed,
or having the CD for a "qualifying" product.

 

[mooseyguy]

Thanks! My XP Home OS came with the laptop and is legal.
I have heard that it is better to do a new install of XP
Pro rather than overwriting XP Home with XP Pro.

-----Original Message-----
If you alread own XP Home, with a retail CD, it will

serve as proof of eligibility, so you can do a "clean"
installation of XP using the Upgrade version. The only
difference between the full version and upgrade is the
upgrade will not do a clean install, without an existing
OS being installed, or having the CD for a "qualifying"
product.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"Mooseyguy" <[email protected]> wrote

in message news:[email protected]...

 

[Alex Nichol]

I want to upgrade my computer from XP Home. I'm accustomed
to Win2k Pro and XP Home isn't comfortable to me. Is there
an advantage (other than cost) to get an upgrade to XP Pro
that writes over XP Home or a full new XP Pro install?

An upgrade copy will achieve exactly the same result - the only
difference being that its setup makes a check for the existence of a
qualifying product.

Aside from that - is your trouble actually one of missing facilities
that were in 32000 and are only in the Pro version of XP? (Like
Internet information server, or access control at file/folder level).
Or is it just the 'look and feel? - which will be exactly the same in
Pro, and which in either can be switched over mostly to Classic style if
you are more comfortable with that

 

[Alex Nichol]

Thanks! My XP Home OS came with the laptop and is legal.
I have heard that it is better to do a new install of XP
Pro rather than overwriting XP Home with XP Pro.

There are people who will always say that: in general they are wrong
these days, and especia;lly in going from Home to Pro. Just run the CD
from the existing system, enter Install, continue with Upgrade. If that
does not work out and you need to restore to the Home and then do a
clean install, take New Install instead of Upgrade. When it asks where,
hit ESC, delete the current partition and make a new RAW one. By that
time the eligibility check has been made

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

I want to upgrade my computer from XP Home. I'm accustomed
to Win2k Pro and XP Home isn't comfortable to me.

You will probably find XP Professional equally uncomfortable.
Except for a few extra features in Professional (mostly security
and networking-related), Home and Professional are identical.

But if it's the new interface you don't like, it's optional (in
both Home and Professional). To use the classic interface,
right-click on the desktop and choose Display, then on the Themes
tab, choose Windows Classic.

Is there
an advantage (other than cost) to get an upgrade to XP Pro
that writes over XP Home or a full new XP Pro install?

The two are identical except for requirements to install. Since
the Upgrade is cheaper and you qualify for it, that's what you
should get.