Upgrading home to pro

savemejebus

Hi,have searched the forum but couldn't find the info i was looking for so i was just wondering if anyone has upgraded their windows xp install from home to pro without doing a fresh install. it says it is possible on the microsoft site but is very vague.

MY main q's are:

Is it worth the upgrade for a normal home/office user?

Is it possible to upgrade from an xp pro cd or do you have to buy an upgrade cd?

Would any benefits be negated by waiting and installing sp2 on home in the summer?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

garthv

i upgraded and i found it horrible,
i aint the biggest microsoft fan but when i upgraded my flatscreen went total f*ucked up,i couldnt use my broadband modem and after all that i couldnt "downgrade" back to home i had to do a full re-install

quite ghey tbh

hulhi

yes, it is possible to upgrade, though in my view/experience it is always best practice to do clean install

answ:
unless you have network, worried about security, have dual CPU computer, are part of domain then it's not really worth spending money, though i have to say it is more responsive and reliable

yes, you can use either full retail CD, or upgrade disk

not, really service packs are more of a fix than feature enhancing/adding packages.

if you want to wait then microsoft is supposed to release its next version of windows codenamed Longhorn (it's only at alpha testing stage, i think) in 2005

ressem

if you want to wait then microsoft is supposed to release its next version of windows codenamed Longhorn (it's only at alpha testing stage, i think) in 2005

cough,
or 2006
or maybe early 2007.

That BSOD is your computer holding it's breath for this upcoming perfect windows 3D with sqlable file system.

Should be sevicepacked enough by Start 2008 :rolleyes:

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=15036

hulhi

ressem

i do agree with you on release dates and on its finally becoming stable, though i believe it's not my place to say when ms will release a product, it's ms's estimate that it will be 2005 so ...

Caliden

isnt longhorn the 64bit o/s or is that something else?


also i had the same problem with upgrading and i found LOADS of drivers missing
had to clean install xp home again and lost most of the stuff i hadnt backed up.



btw any1 know how to totally remove an installation of xp home from your comp?
i have a computer where it is built into it and doesnt come on cd however was given the choice of making it on 7 cd's :mad:
and i want to know how to totally remove xp home then install xp pro from fresh, get chipset files so it will detect everything

ColmOT [MSFT]

Longhorn will be the successor to Windows XP. It will ship in 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

There is no difference between Home & Pro for the home user or small office user. ONly really useful thing for an office environment is WMI & domain support.

XP Pro cd will install fine over XP home and will also maintain all your docs and settings.

WHat went wrong with Garth_Vader's upgrade I'm not sure, but it soundlsike a driver issue with the FP monitor. Garth_Vader, did the montior use drivers from Windows or provided by the vendor?

THe benefits of installing SP2 this summer are immense and are highly recommended. It will increase security a lot, install WINdows Firewall, a free firewall that will protect your system, and also has native support for BlueTooth technologies.

hulhi

Caliden

i am afraid the only way to remove it would be formatting your drive

ColmOT [MSFT]

Insert your Windows XP CD-ROM and boot from that.

You will have the option to delete and recreate the partition during setup.

D

The firewall in SP2, is that an upgrade to the existing one?

ColmOT [MSFT]

The Firewall in SP2 is redesigned and is much more feature complete.

It also firewalls IPv6.

tman

Originally posted by savemejebus
MY main q's are:

Is it worth the upgrade for a normal home/office user?

nope, i've barely noticed any differences between home & pro so far.
even if your copy of pro is free, i wouldn't bother doing it.