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upgrading xp home to xp pro

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  • 25-01-2006 12:35pm
    #1
    sendic
    Registered Users Posts: 331 ✭✭


    hi all

    i have a new laptop wtih xp home. id like to upgrade it to xp pro (so i can network it in college). i've been told that removing my current OS (xp home) and then installing xp pro is a bad idea becuase a lot of the laptop drivers will already be installed with the version of xp home that its running and removing it might mess my computer up badly. is this true? it a dell inspiron B130 (i bought it in the states, its equivalent to the 1300 here)

    i've also heard that if i just pop in an xp pro disc the OS will upgrade itself without uninstalling xp home. is this correct?

    thanks for your help!


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    #2
    Nukem
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 4,082 Mod ✭✭✭✭Nukem


    No and yes (in that order) all your drivers you can get online anyways after the reinstall so dont worry and the majority of the drivers in Pro i find are better than home.You can use Evervest or whatever to get the exact type of model for everything on you lappie (see essential free software sticky)

    Drop a CD straight an and make sure you boot from CD and follow the on screen instructions. Think there is a hidden backup partition in the Dells cause they dont give you recovery disks anymore. Havent been playing with dells in ageous. Anyone wanna dive in here and answer that?


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    #3
    irlrobins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭irlrobins


    Nukem wrote:
    Think there is a hidden backup partition in the Dells cause they dont give you recovery disks anymore. Anyone wanna dive in here and answer that?

    *Dives*

    Yea all recent (within the past year) dells came with the recovery partition. They used to provide OS disks in addition, but these days they won't unless you pay an extra €7 or so.

    Imho, it's def worth paying the extra few bob. If you use the partition recovery method you'll put all the bloatware that Dell provides back on (trial versions of PSP etc). Better to wipe and reinstall Windows using CD and decide what you do and don't need.


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    #4
    Karoma
    Registered Users Posts: 19,396 ✭✭✭✭Karoma


    User Everest or DriverGuideToolkit to aide identifying & backing up current drivers. (or simply Search..) - most will be available on the Internet anyways as pointed out (check the manufacturer's site - for original or updated drivers).

    And, to do an in-place upgrade -
    backup data / recovery software / drivers (As a precaution).
    Boot into Windows.
    Pop in the CD.
    Click the buttons and read the steps.. it'll do the work. (No format,etc. required IIRC)


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