XP Pro upgrade

[Terry Croom]

Hi
I'm running XP Home and am thinking about up grading to XP Pro. Can I
install XP Pro upgrade straight over WP Home or is it better to start over
with a clean install using the full version of XP Pro?

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Terry,

The upgrade can be preformed right from within Windows Home. You may
want to deactivate any antivirus application that may be running.

And of course, make a backup of any data that can not be replaced just
in case something goes wrong.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bert

Can I use just one upgrade disk for three pc's or do I have to buy one for
each ( I want to register them all).

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi
I'm running XP Home and am thinking about up grading to XP Pro. Can I
install XP Pro upgrade straight over WP Home or is it better to start over
with a clean install using the full version of XP Pro?

WinXP is designed to install and upgrade the existing operating
system while simultaneously preserving your applications and data, and
translating as many personalized settings as possible. The process is
designed to be, and normally is, quite painless. That said, things can
go wrong, in a small number of cases. If your data is at all important
to you, back it up before proceeding.

The upgrade from WinXP Home to WinXP Pro, in particular, almost
always goes smoothly, as both operating systems use the same kernel.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Alias]

Thanks Bert

Can I use just one upgrade disk for three pc's or do I have to buy one for
each ( I want to register them all).

One each is the rule.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,

You will have to purchase three retail upgrade versions of XP Pro, one
for each machine. If not, the activation process will fail.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I'm running XP Home and am thinking about up grading to XP Pro. Can I
install XP Pro upgrade straight over WP Home or is it better to start
over with a clean install using the full version of XP Pro?

Others have already answered your question. I wanted to add a question for
you:

Are you sure you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home and
Professional are identical except that Professional includes a few features
(mostly related to security and networking) missing from Home? Most home
users (even those with home networks) don't need and would never use these
extra features and will see no benefits by upgrading.

For details go to

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp>

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Also note another point, not included in any of the above: Professional
allows ten concurrent network connections, and Home only five.

 

[Guest]

Well Ken, since you mention it, I do have reservations about it. I have this
vision of upgrading every thing and finding that nothing will be the same
again. People seem to get sucked in to this never ending up grade mentallity
(myself included). I may just stay as I am....If it aint broke, don't fix it
springs to mind. Thanks.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Well Ken, since you mention it, I do have reservations about it. I
have this vision of upgrading every thing and finding that nothing
will be the same again. People seem to get sucked in to this never
ending up grade mentallity (myself included). I may just stay as I
am....If it aint broke, don't fix it springs to mind. Thanks.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

 

[Mistoffolees]

Well Ken, since you mention it, I do have reservations about it. I have this
vision of upgrading every thing and finding that nothing will be the same
again. People seem to get sucked in to this never ending up grade mentallity
(myself included). I may just stay as I am....If it aint broke, don't fix it
springs to mind. Thanks.

And that is why there are still people running Windows 3.1
or Windows for Workgroups 3.11 on computers built in the
1990's. They are content so long as the system gets the job
done. But finding experienced support for them is tough even
though the driver files, application updates, etc., have been
archived, and old hardware carefully stored away.

 

[Plato]

I'm running XP Home and am thinking about up grading to XP Pro. Can I
install XP Pro upgrade straight over WP Home or is it better to start over
with a clean install using the full version of XP Pro?

Every MS OS is best installed totally fresh. Always has been, perhaps
always will be.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Every MS OS is best installed totally fresh. Always has been, perhaps
always will be.

I don't at all agree. Unlike with previous versions of Windows, an upgrade
to XP replaces almost everything, and usually works very well.

My recommendation is to at least try the upgrade, since it's much easier
than a clean installation. You can always change your mind and reinstall
cleanly if problems develop.

Particularly in this case--XP Home to Professional--this is the easiest anmd
most likely successful of all possible upgrades, since so little has to
change. Problems with it are xetremely rare.

However, don't assume that doing an upgrade relieves you of the need to
backup your data, etc. before beginning. Before starting to upgrade, it's
always prudent to recognize that things like a sudden power loss can occur
in the middle of it and cause the loss of everything. For that reason you
should make sure you have backups and anything else you need to reinstall if
the worst happens.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Every MS OS is best installed totally fresh. Always has been, perhaps
always will be.

Why would you make such a claim? Have any documented empirical data to
support it?

Granted, many uninformed people do recommend that one always
perform a clean installation, rather than upgrade over an earlier OS.
For the most part, I feel that these people, while usually
well-intended, are living in the past, and are basing their
recommendations on their experiences with older, obsolete operating
systems or hearsay. One would save a lot of time by upgrading a PC to
WinXP, rather than performing a clean installation, if there're no
hardware or software incompatibilities. Microsoft has greatly improved
(over earlier versions of Windows) WinXP's ability to smoothly upgrade
an earlier OS.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Plato]

Why would you make such a claim? Have any documented empirical data to
support it?

Contact MS to verify. Nuff said.