From XP pro to XP home, question

[gizbug]

Just got a new system, and it has XP Home loaded on it. I do have XP Pro disk next to me though. Wondering if it is even beneficial to upgrade to XP pro over Home?
Was reading this about XP Pro-- Multi-processor support - Windows XP Pro supports up to two microprocessors, while Home Edition supports only one.

So if i have an intel core duo 2 e6600 processor, its not making use of it fully in xp home?

 

[pkme2]

My preference is Win XP Pro.

My laptop came with XP Home which is on a separate HDD.
I installed Win XP Pro on that laptop's 7K60 HDD.

 

[Aluvus]

XP Home supports dual core processors just fine. But it does not support 2 separate processors in separate sockets.

 

[duuuma]

i'm curious about this too and was wondering if XP Home upgrades to Pro. specifically, if i installed my XP Pro cd in my laptop that already has XP home, would it install like an upgrade?

 

[Nothinman]

and was wondering if XP Home upgrades to Pro. specifically, if i installed my XP Pro cd in my laptop that already has XP home, would it install like an upgrade?

No, MS has never supported that.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

and was wondering if XP Home upgrades to Pro. specifically, if i installed my XP Pro cd in my laptop that already has XP home, would it install like an upgrade?

No, MS has never supported that.

Huh? What am I missing here? Me-thinks the N-man missed his morning coffee.

Assuming your XP Pro disk is Retail Version (either Full or Upgrade), then, yes, you can upgrade your XP Home to XP Professional. You don't need to re-install anything. I WOULD make backups of any critical data, just to be safe.

If your XP Pro disk is OEM, then, no, an upgrade from XP Home is not supported. OEM XP Pro CDs don't support upgrades, only "fresh" installs.

And, for some reason, this thread is entitled "From XP pro to XP home", which seems to be the opposite of the actual question the OP has asked.

 

[gwag]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

and was wondering if XP Home upgrades to Pro. specifically, if i installed my XP Pro cd in my laptop that already has XP home, would it install like an upgrade?

No, MS has never supported that.

must be sarcasm.

 

[Nothinman]

Huh? What am I missing here? Me-thinks the N-man missed his morning coffee.

Not really considering I hadn't been to bed yet and I don't drink coffee =)

I know I've read that MS doesn't support XP->XP upgrades, not saying that it might not work but that they don't support it even if it does.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
I know I've read that MS doesn't support XP->XP upgrades, not saying that it might not work but that they don't support it even if it does.

I'm staring at the printed manual that comes with Retail Windows XP Professional, Upgrade Edition (the blue box):

"You can upgrade to Windows XP if all the the folowing are true:
1) You're already using a previos version of Windows that supports upgrading:
a) Windows 98
b) Windows ME
c) Windows NT 4.0
d) Windows 2000 Professional
e) Widows XP Home Edition"

It's always worked for me...I've upgraded PCs from XP Home to XP Professional many times, without incident. But I HAVE heard complaints from other consultants that they occasionally have problems with the Home--->Pro upgrade. I don't know what kinds of problems they've seen.

I always recommend a full backup before any major OS upgrade. I had a Win95--->Win98 upgrade go badly once when the install CD couldn't be reliably read....it did a pretty good number on the hard drive structure.

 

[Nothinman]

Odd, maybe it was Pro->Home that I'm thinking of then.

 

[Aluvus]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Huh? What am I missing here? Me-thinks the N-man missed his morning coffee.

Not really considering I hadn't been to bed yet and I don't drink coffee =)

I know I've read that MS doesn't support XP->XP upgrades, not saying that it might not work but that they don't support it even if it does.

I have personally upgraded Home (OEM) to Pro. Easy as pie. The reverse, I don't think you can do.

 

[RebateMonger]

Pro--->Home is definitely NOT supported. Neither is MCE--->Pro.

Home--->Pro is supported.
Microsoft.com: XP Professional Upgrade Requirements