Upgrade issues

[The_Other_One]

Here's a problem I had back at work one day. I was told to upgrade a computer once(something I HATE doing because it never works right...) The machine came preloaded with XP home and we had purchased a new copy of XP Pro to upgrade the machine...

I insert the disk within windows and let it do it's upgrade. Once finished, the machine reboots...heh, and the fun starts! As the machine boots, I could pick XP Pro install or XP Home. Of course, I go to the install. It loads some junk on the normal install blue screen, then I get an error stating it can't find the install files. OK, so I reset thinking I'll just go back though Home and redo the upgrade. Yeah, I start and I get some DLL's missing(sorry, it was a while back)

So basically at this point, I'm screwed. I can't get to safe mode either! I couldn't restore the registery, I couldn't do a damn thing with the machine! We ended up just loading the restore disk, non-destructive. I left after that and one of the other techs finished up, but I want to know what the HELL went wrong!

The machine was a fairly new emachines with preloaded XP Home. Some people said emachines doesn't allow updates, but I'm just not sure. Any clues? I know some stuff has been left out, but this was a few weeks back and I was a bit paniced

 

[LaptopExtreme]

Could you just do a fresh install (boot with install CD)? or was the whole point was to upgrade the OS and leave all the programs alone? Because mostlikely you'll have to reinstall all the other programs anyways.

 

[Jerkstore]

ALL machines allow updates. THAT is what hacking is all about (Make a note script kiddies)

It sounds like either the disc was damaged, or the original installation of XP Home was set up over multiple partitions (one consisting of a backup)...this is how my Acer lappy was set up when I got it, and it wouldn't let me install Pro until I removed and recombined all the partitions properly.

That's why I carry a copy of Knoppix (and the STD), Auditor, Slackware 10.2, Home OEM and Pro w/ SP2. Slackware's install disk has a great (and quick) fdisk that's saved me a LOT of headaches in the past. Whatever windows can't/refuses to do...linux can.