[Uncle Ben]

Is it possible to upgrade an installed version of Windows XP Home (SP2) to
Windows XP Professional?

I bought a brand new laptop and it came with Windows XP Home. After using
it for a month, I decided to purchase the Windows XP Professional package.

Do I need to reformat my laptop in order to install Win XP Pro? Or, can I
just upgrade my XP Home with all data intact to XP Pro?

Thanks.

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

An upgrade to Windows XP Pro will not affect your current programs or files
if you use the following procedure:

1. Purchase a conventional "Retail Upgrade Version" of Windows XP Professional.
2. Uninstall your antivirus program.
3. Perform a backup of your important documents and files to a CD.
4. Disconnect all hardware peripheral devices, except the monitor, keyboard and mouse.
5. While running Windows XP Home, insert the Windows XP Pro CD in the drive and select
the default "Upgrade" setup option. [Do not select "New Installation"]
6. Visit the Windows Update site to download all the critical updates.
7. Reinstall your antivirus program and defrag your drive.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Uncle Ben" wrote:

| Is it possible to upgrade an installed version of Windows XP Home (SP2) to
| Windows XP Professional?
|
| I bought a brand new laptop and it came with Windows XP Home. After using
| it for a month, I decided to purchase the Windows XP Professional package.
|
| Do I need to reformat my laptop in order to install Win XP Pro? Or, can I
| just upgrade my XP Home with all data intact to XP Pro?
|
| Thanks.

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Uncle Ben,

> Do I need to reformat my laptop in order to install Win XP Pro?

No, you don't. You only need a WinXP Pro retail disk (Full or Upgrade
version). An OEM Full version will not do.

> Or, can I just upgrade my XP Home with all data intact to XP Pro?

You can, provided that the retail version of WinXP Pro that you purchased
also already has SP2 installed. Otherwise, you will need to either remove it
from the WinXP Home installation first, or create a slipstreamed copy of
your WinXP Pro disk. I can provide instructions if needed.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Uncle Ben" <spamfree@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:%23$eYqwhaFHA.2128@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Is it possible to upgrade an installed version of Windows XP Home (SP2) to
> Windows XP Professional?
>
> I bought a brand new laptop and it came with Windows XP Home. After using
> it for a month, I decided to purchase the Windows XP Professional package.
>
> Do I need to reformat my laptop in order to install Win XP Pro? Or, can I
> just upgrade my XP Home with all data intact to XP Pro?
>
> Thanks.
>
>

[Ken Blake]

In news:%23$eYqwhaFHA.2128@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl,
Uncle Ben <spamfree@nospam.com> typed:

> Is it possible to upgrade an installed version of Windows XP
> Home
> (SP2) to Windows XP Professional?
>
> I bought a brand new laptop and it came with Windows XP Home.
> After
> using it for a month, I decided to purchase the Windows XP
> Professional package.
>
> Do I need to reformat my laptop in order to install Win XP Pro?
> Or,
> can I just upgrade my XP Home with all data intact to XP Pro?


Yes, you can upgrade XP Home to Professional. There is no special
upgrade version just for this, but the regular XP Professional
Upgrade works fine (although it doesn't say so on the box).



But 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 don't need and would never use
these extra features and will see no benefits by upgrading.


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

[Plato]

Uncle Ben wrote:
>
> I bought a brand new laptop and it came with Windows XP Home. After using
> it for a month, I decided to purchase the Windows XP Professional package.

What feature(s) of XP Pro do you need?






--
http://www.bootdisk.com/

[Uncle Ben]

The reason why I want to upgrade from XP Home to XP Pro is that I want to
develop on Visual Studio.NET 2003.

XP Home doesn't have IIS, and Pro does.


"Uncle Ben" <spamfree@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:%23$eYqwhaFHA.2128@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Is it possible to upgrade an installed version of Windows XP Home (SP2) to
> Windows XP Professional?
>
> I bought a brand new laptop and it came with Windows XP Home. After using
> it for a month, I decided to purchase the Windows XP Professional package.
>
> Do I need to reformat my laptop in order to install Win XP Pro? Or, can I
> just upgrade my XP Home with all data intact to XP Pro?
>
> Thanks.
>
>

[Uncle Ben]

IIS

for Visual Studio.NET 2003 development


"Plato" <|@|.|> wrote in message
news:42a3ae40$0$84147$bb4e3ad8@newscene.com...
> Uncle Ben wrote:
> >
> > I bought a brand new laptop and it came with Windows XP Home. After
using
> > it for a month, I decided to purchase the Windows XP Professional
package.
>
> What feature(s) of XP Pro do you need?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> http://www.bootdisk.com/
>
>

[Tim Slattery]

> I bought a brand new laptop and it came with Windows XP Home. After using
> it for a month, I decided to purchase the Windows XP Professional package.

> Do I need to reformat my laptop in order to install Win XP Pro? Or, can I
> just upgrade my XP Home with all data intact to XP Pro?

A XP Professional upgrade CD will upgrade your machine without losing
any installed programs or data.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(DTS)
Slattery_T@bls.gov