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saul1664
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 28
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If I reinstall Windows XP, is it going to alter file structure (or worse delete them) or shall I save important files just in case.
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evilmonkeyzz
regular
Reg'd: Sun
Posts: 2172
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If you do a repair install your files won't be deleted, if you do a clean install then the whole drive will be wiped.
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saul1664
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 28
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What's the difference. Is it the same as using the System Recovery console (which wipes out any programs added and resets the computer to what it was like when bought new which is extremely annoying).
I have XP Pro to install, previously had XP Home edition, will this just update and is there advantages of Pro over Home that is worth the install?
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evilmonkeyzz
regular
Reg'd: Sun
Posts: 2172
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You will need to wait for other replies to confirm, but I don't think that you can upgrade from home to pro without doing a clean install and losing everything on the hard drive.
I am not 100% sure though, because in the 4-5 years that I used xp everyday, I have never even used a pc running xp home!!! 
The differences between the two versions can be seen here.
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Nerval
regular
Reg'd: Wed
Posts: 212
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Quote:
I have XP Pro to install, previously had XP Home edition, will this just update and is there advantages of Pro over Home that is worth the install?
For the average user, there's no benefit to using Pro, and since you don't know the specific differences, I'd suspect that you personally will get nothing at all from changing to Pro, other than a bit of a slowdown. I know that when I evaluated both to see which to get, all the extra Pro features seemed to relate to networking facilities and other stuff that are of no interest to me, so I stuck with Home.
I wouldn't bother.
ps. Why don't you get a cheap USB external disk for backups - I got 160GB one for £39.99 - then you can keep all the stuff that matters to you copied on it and reinstalling won't be a worry to you anyway.
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RichieP
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 4763
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Back to the original question.
You can't do a repair install on XP Home with an XP Pro disk.
Back up all your data to an external device, CD, whatever.
Boot from the disk, reformat and install a clean version of XP Pro, then put all your data back.
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 OK OK I can't go any faster! aaaaaaaaaaaagh!
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 18153
Loc: Colchester
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I assume that you paid over a £100 for your copy of XP Pro so it does seem to be a waste of money if you didn't know the differences before you bought it.
Nerval is right, the main differences are in the networking area because that's what the professionals need when installing PCs in large organisations. There are also changes in the methods of applying security 'lock downs' so that users can't get to the system area.
If you are using XP in a home environment, XP Home is plenty good enough.
Incidentally, you can upgrade from XP Home to XP Pro using an 'in-place' upgrade as described here.
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Do you know that we're all in line for succession to the throne? Really?
Well, if forty-eight million, two hundred thousand, seven hundred and one people died I'd be Queen.
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saul1664
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 28
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The laptop I am running has Home Installed, but I don't have a disk, only the System Recovery Console, which wipes everything off the computer when run so it is exactly as it was when first bought, which means any programs installed in the meantime are not there and have to be reinstalled which is annoying to say the least considering I have had to do this twice in the last two months and am getting fed up with it.
Previous computer came with a copy of Windows XP Pro for some reason though XP Home was installed on it and have never used it, doesn't seem like it has any benefits to me anyway, and I can do without any further slowdown.
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Lush1965
new user
Reg'd: Sat
Posts: 4
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It's best to back up anything you couldn't live without, just in case. I just had to do a clean install because when it came down to it, XP wouldn't let me do a repair for some reason.  Good luck anyway!
Edited by Lush1965 (Sat Apr 28 2007 07:20 PM)
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