Install Windows XP Professional

Dark master

Dark master

New Member
I have Windows XP Home edition installed on my pc, but I have Windows XP Professional on CD, but I can't install it because it says that the windows on my pc is newer than the windows on the cd. Can I make a partition on my other PC and somehow copy my whole hard drive to my other PC and format my pc and install windows professional and then put everything back on my hard drive? Or is there any other way to install windows professional without losing all my files?
 
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Did you try putting the XP Pro disk in another computer and seeing what it says? If it still says that the version on the computer is newer than Pro than you might have a problem with the disk. It could also be that the XP Home really is newer (newer build) than the XP Pro that you have, and in that case is recognizing this and not allowing you to install.
 
windows professional on the cd was build in 2002 and windows home edition on my pc was build in 2004, but is there another way to put professional on my pc? can i just copy programs from program files to my other pc, then format and install professional and then put my programs back?
 
It's easier to just copy the files you want saved (documents and the like) to something, format, re-install, then just install the programs again. Registry files are sometimes required/are different for Pro than Home for some programs so it's usually easier to not back up the programs.
 
maybe this is a dumb question, but how do I format the hard drive, with windows 98 I could start cmd.exe before windows start but I don't know how to do that with windows xp
 
you can boot to you xp cd an format it though there, just follow the prompts, or boot into dos, and use the command "format c:"
 
I just use an old windows 98 boot disk to boot my computer to the command prompt then go from there. If you dont have one you can download a copy from http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

EDIT: or as said above just boot of the winxp cdrom and format there
 
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I don't have a floppy drive. and when I boot from the winxp cd and choose install windows xp it says: 'no hard-drives found"
 
That's never good. You're XP disk might be corrupted, if you have another one see if it gives the same error.
 
it's not the disk cause with my home edition disk I get the same error. I'm using an OEM computer maybe that has something to do with it. or do I have to change something in the setup. the error also says that I have to turn my hard drive on.
 
hello there, my name is "Johnny Shah" from Bangladesh. I am new here. this is my new post.
> If u want to install a new copy of Windows Xp u could format ur hard drive with ur XP CD. just enter in the CMOS setup > on the boot sequence choose CD ROM as FIRST BOOT DEVICE. insert ur xp dick into cd-rom and save changes of CMOS setup. now the computer will automaticly boot 4m cd-rom. and then just read the instruction carefully and format ur hard drive. if u need any further help plz email me on jshah41@hotmail.com
good luck
 
When I boot from the Windows XP cd and choose install windows xp, I get an error message saying there's no hard drive found and that I may have to turn the hard drive on.
 
Dark master said:
I think it's sata, but I don't get it, my computer works fine and I've never had problems with my hard drive
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SATA's need to be reformated and configured differently than PATA and I'm no where near a master on that stuff, you'd have to ask Yeti or Prae.
 
Don't format :eek:

All you have to do is boot the cd and install the os in a new directory you don't have to create a new partition. Then you can take all your personal files and copy them.

The installation will ask you where to put the files Example: C:\Windows
all you have to do is change it to C:\Windows2. Or whatever you want to call it.
 
how can I see what motherboard or chipset I have? I have a dell dimension 8400, and I think it's an intel chipset.

How do I stream drivers to the setup?
 
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Oh crap, you got a Dell :P. Anyway, it sounds like it could be a driver problem if the drive works fine otherwise. Have you already cleared the HDD? If not, and if the WinXP pro disk doesn't have SP2 on it you could try to slipstream them and maybe it would see it as being a newer version (for how to slipstream go here) Back to the driver, did the Dell come with any driver disks, most likely a floppy. To install a third party driver you'll have to press F6 when installation starts (it will say on the very bottom of the screen). I think its right before the files are copied. I'm pretty sure you'll need a floppy drive to do this so you might want to get one (they cost ~$10). Alsol, take advantage of Dell's tech support. Use their email support, it's usually pretty good at getting back to you. Just tell them everything you know so they don't give you some dumbass answer. I'll try to look into the specs on your computer when I get a little free time later today.
 
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