XP PRO back to XP HOME

Hello there
I have a computer which orginally came with xp home, somewhere along the line a bootleg version of xp pro was installed which inreturn makes the system unable to be updated via MS update site. I'm wondering if I followed Trevuren's directions posted here Reformatting directions will it work.?
I have the windows XP HOME cd and key that was supplied with the pc when it was bought along with a driver disk as well. However it'll be the first time I have tried reinstalling windows with only the XP CD

Sounds like it may be an illegal copy which is why you can't update, so formatting and putting the original system back is definitely the way to go, it will allow you to update etc then. The guide is almost certainly the way to go if you haven't done this before, but for me the guide looks complicated, but thats not because it's a bad guide, it's because it is written for those who don't know what to do, so they have to cover every possibility, so slow and steady through that should see you right. Now as I didn't go through that guide I will cover a couple of things to do or check first (I dare say it's in there somewhere), so first job is get the drivers for the system and burn them to disk, you do this by going to the makers site of each part and get the driver for that system and download it, I suggest creating a folder for each file, this allows you to know what each is, because often the downloads will have name you wont recognise, the LAN (Ethernet) driver is the most important, without it you wont be able to get online. Do you have net access while doing this ? I ask as it means you can get help if your stuck. The install order is important as well, but there are a couple of views on this order depending on who taught you, but for the most part you should install Chipset first, then Video followed by Sound, then LAN followed by whatever is left. Another suggestion is to slipstream a new install disk, that is if your install disk does not have sp3 (Service Pack 3) included ? Sometimes installing the service pack after can lead to weird problems, often high speed USB problems, but that aside it still makes for an easier\smoother install, I use nLite, it's very simple to use, if you want to go this route I'll happily walk you through it, just say, but as long as you have all you need first, and can get more help if you have a problem then you should be fine.

G'day 8210Guy Just here to say thanks for your reply, however I have not had time as of yet to sort the problem pc out only due to work times. I'll be giving it a shot this weekend. The orginal xp disk does not have sp3 and honestly with the problems thats been had after the release of sp3, I'm not sure I want to bother with it. I will have net access while working on the pc so thats not a problem. I do have a question though, when you talk about downloading the drivers for the system, is there a way to find out exactly what drivers came with the orginal xp home installation or would that be a guessing game? I do have a drivers disk that came with the system as it was bought, however from the looks of the drivers disk there could be a few different ones on it I'm not sure as of yet, At the moment I'd like to get a the info I can before starting the new install. Nothing worse then having to stop and wait half way through. Cheers matey

Is this a copy of windows that came with the manufacturer or is it a retail copy? More information about your computer would help especially make/model. If it is a disk from the manufacturer it should come with all of the drivers and some programs built in. Such a disk might be called a recovery or restore disk. After you install that if you want you can go online after words and update drivers. If it is a retail copy the drivers will not come with it as it is designed for any system that meets the system requirements. In that case you will need the drivers before hand because XP usually cannot use an ethernet port without the manufacturer's drivers. If it can't use the port you won't be able to access the internet until the drivers are installed. Also you should install the service pack. What I have done is to install it from MS's download. I haven't had any problems with that. If you follow Guy's suggestion to slipstream it into an installation disk you will need that anyway. If it where me I would install that before installing the drivers.

The windows disk is a retail copy, the system never came with a recovery disk in which I'm having a dummy spit over only because it'd make life a lot easier with the recovery disk. I do have a drivers disk that came with the orginal xp home edition. When I let the in-law reformatt last time he stuck the xp pro on it SILLY IDEA if ya ask me knowing it was a bootleg copy and only cause probs doing it. Which also brings me to a next question, after the clean install of xp is done is there a way to make a recovery disk for it or not? I know it can be done with Norton Ghost however I dont have that, I do have Nero 7 though I'm just not sure that'll work or not or maybe theres a suggestion of some other prog that'll do this, hint though I'm low on funds which is why I've choosen to reinstall xp myself and with the help of you guys as well in which I'm greatful for. I'm post more info about the system tonite as its 530 am and dark where I'm at and I must go to work now.

Other than backing up an installation with norton ghost or acronis the closest you can get to a recovery disk is to slipstream the necessary drivers into a windows installation disk with nLite. However I've never done that so I don't know if windows will actually install the drivers or if that is just a convenient place to put them. If you post your system information perhaps we can help you locate the drivers.

Hi, the fact sp3 has caused some people problems also highlights why it's suggested to slipstream it into a new install disk, there are far less issues that way, so I definitely suggest this is the way to go, because lets face it, worst case and you have problems you can install again, but I have yet to see a system have problems with sp3 personally, but yes there are many that have, but slipstreaming it into a new install disk is a much better approach than adding it after your installed, but without it you will have security holes and be at more risk.

As to drivers there are a couple of ways to go, if it's a store bought system you could go to the makers site and download the drivers for the OS, the next method is to identify each individual component in the system, then go to each of those makers sites and get the respective drivers from them, a useful program to aid this is Everest, expand the system summary and it lists all the parts, some parts have highlighted text, click on that to uncover a link to go to the drivers page of that item, then use the info in the summary to identify the exact driver you require, repeat this for each part and your good to go.

Now you can back up the drivers from the system, and you can add them to the slipstreamed disk, and nLite does allow the addition of drivers during the process, but I prefer not to do this, I always go for the latest drivers each time I install, I never use system disks because often they are very dated, so there is no replacement for going and getting the latest drivers each time you need them IMHO.
Also no point in backing up the system as it currently stands, not in the main part that is, obviously any files you want to keep will need to be backed up, but the system as a whole would be a waste of time as it wont be the same system\OS again.

Once you have the system fully up and running, and your happy all is well, then thats a good time to create back up's and rescue disks, but TBH I have yet to achieve this, at least where it's worked, I have tried many times, but the people I do it for always find a way to break them lol, so yes there are various ways to cover yourself when your ready, but I'd have to get someone more experienced with this to guide you there, will be interested in doing battle with that demon myself rofl.

Sorry its taken so long for a reply, ( away from home work) Syetem info Hyundai intel ® Celeron® cpu2.40GHz 2.38 GHz 736 MB of Ram Disk drives WDC WD4OOBB-OOGFAO. The drivers disk I have says ASRock Intel-SiS series IS15 version1.5 it also says it includes PC DIY Demo, user manual,drivers,and utilities. I'm not sure if all that makes sence? Now for the fun part, from what I see or can tell when XP PRO was installed I reckon there was a partition made because when I open My computer and click on the D drive you can see installations thats been made such as games and a couple other things. And then I see the letter V beside the drive that I have inserted the XP HOME disk into. I have opened the BOOT NOTE PAD and it says operating system default=multi (0) disk(0) rdisk(0) partition (1) windows. I have inserted the XP HOME disk and restarted the pc selected boot from CD and get no other options it just startsup with the xp pro.

Right o after a couple minor hang-ups, which is now fixed and the formatting started so far it looks as if everythings going well though I wont hold the breath too long cause its only just begun

Well I'm happy to say the clean install of win xp home is now done without probs. Thanks for the help and advise BenT and 8210Guy couldnt have done it with yas.

Hi shucky, Following the excellent advice you have been given by 8210GUY and Ben T and now your machine is up and running with all drivers updated, all applications installed, internet and email set up, everything virus free, all junk files deleted, defragged and running fast and smooth, now is the time to make that disc image of this "perfect state". With a disc image kept safe on removable media ( you can also keep another copy on a different partition of your hard drive) in the event of future troubles that cannot be resolved in a cost effective or timely way by the usual methods, it is an easy job to re-image your machine back to its "perfect state" You will then have a complete working system up and running in less time than it takes to walk the dog! You will just need to update things from the date your image was taken. As previously mentioned, Ghost and Acronis are good so is Paragon and some of these disc imaging applications are sometimes available free of charge from magazine offers…… If you need a completely free disc imaging application then Drive Image XML takes a bit of beating,,,,if in addition to this you make yourself a Barts Pre Installed Environment disc as well you will be as fireproof as most folks would want…………. You will be able to boot into Barts even if Windows wont start at all! Your favourite search engine will lead you to the instructions and downloads. Regards paws

Sorry for not getting back sooner, my room is like a builders yard ATM lol (redecorating and new fireplace), your issue with the Pro being there after the install was the disk wasn't formatted fully, but you appear to have figured that out now, the fact you have identified your board suggests you found the drivers for that, the mention of extra software is simply additional from the makers so is not required as such, the manuals are always handy should you wish to know something about your board. Glad you got there in the end, but as said above backing up this ideal state is a great idea, so I will leave you with those who know more about this than I, glad you got there though.