Restoring Windows XP home with a pro disc?

Question

I recently got a computer from a friend but it needs to be restored. The problem is he has none of the discs that came with it. It's a Dell with XP Home edition loaded in it. I was gonna buy a friends Windows XP Pro edition disc for really cheap but i was wondering if i would be able to restore it's system files with a XP pro disc?

Answer 1

You wouldn't be able to restore the XP Home files no. What you would have to do is a clean install with the XP Pro disc, which would mean losing any and all files on the drive.

Cheers

Answer 2

XP Home and XP Pro are two separate versions.

If your friend installed Pro on his computer, you cannot buy and use his CDs. Here is why:

“When you buy Windows XP in a shrink-wrapped box, you are allowed to install one copy on one PC. When Windows comes pre-installed on a new PC, it stays with the PC. You cannot transfer it from the bundled machine to a different machine. MS uses a technique called “BIOS locking” to make sure the copy stays ties to that specific PC forever.

Windows installer makes you type the 25-character code that’s printed on the case. The Product Activation program looks at various serial numbers inside your PC – the processor, network card, disk drives, etc. – mixes them together, and produces a second 25 character code that identifies your PC. These 50 characters, together, are called the Installation ID.

When you activate XP, you give MS the 50-character Installaton ID. If nobody else activated that 25-character code or if it has been activated with that specific Installation ID (which means you activated this particular copy of XP from the same PC twice) MS send back a 42-character Confirmation ID. The Installation ID and the Confirmation ID are stored on our PC.

If that 25-character code has been already been used on a different PC you will be notified that the number of times you can activate Windows with this product key has been exceeded.”

Source: paraphrased from p. 18, Windows Gigabook for Dummies, by Peter Weverka et al.
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Go back and reread the 1st paragraph. I'm wondering that if XP Home is in your friend's name and the program is "locked" to that computer, could your friend come over and contact Dell for you? Just maybe they would sell him the XP Home CD for a small fee.

Answer 3

XP living living house and XP expert are 2 separate adjustments. interior the journey that your chum put in expert on his laptop, you're able to be able to not purchase and use his CDs. top it quite is why: “as quickly as you purchase living living house windows XP in a shrink back-wrapped container, you're allowed to place in one reproduction on one laptop. on a similar time as living living house windows comes pre-put in on a sparkling laptop, it keeps to be with the laptop. you're able to be able to not bypass it from the bundled device to a distinctive device. MS makes use of a technique mentioned as “BIOS locking” to make constructive the reproduction keeps to be ties to that distinctive laptop consistently. living living house windows installer makes you form the 25-character code that’s imprinted on the case. The Product Activation utility looks at countless serial numbers indoors your laptop – the processor, community card, disk drives, and so forth. – mixes them jointly, and produces a 2d 25 character code that identifies your laptop. those 50 characters, jointly, are mentioned because of the fact the installation identity. as quickly as you turn on XP, you furnish MS the 50-character Installaton identity. If no person else activated that 25-character code or regardless of if it quite is been activated with that distinctive installation identity (which skill you activated this quite reproduction of XP from an identical laptop 2 circumstances) MS furnish decrease back a 40 2-character confirmation identity. The installation identity and the confirmation identity are saved on our laptop. If that 25-character code has been already been used on a distinctive laptop you would be notified that the form of circumstances you're able to be able to turn on living living house windows with this product key has been exceeded.” source: paraphrased from p. 18, living living house windows Gigabook for Dummies, by making use of making use of Peter Weverka et al. ******************** bypass decrease back and reread the 1st paragraph. i'm thinking that if XP house is on your chum's call and this technique is "locked" to that laptop, ought on your chum come over and touch Dell for you? basically probable they could sell him the XP living living house CD for a small fee.

Answer 4

if you have the xp home installer, you can reformat the pc - just be sure to back up your data. place the cd/ dvd in the drive, then boot up your pc. you will see at the start it will ask you if you like to boot using your cd... press any button to boot using your cd and follow directions. if you cannot see this, upon booting you will see press delete to go to setup, press delete many times when you are booting to go to setup - and configure to boot cd/ dvd drive first before the hard drives.