HELP!!!!Dodgy XP Pro

[robconroy]

A while back a friend did some house sitting for us & I let him use my pooter.

When we got back, he told me he'd upgraded XP home to XP pro. Thanked him & thought nothing more about it cos I couldn't tell the difference apart from the fire up screen.

However, when I tried to install SP2, guess what, it told me to sling my hook cos I was running a pirate copy of windows.

I tried to reinstall Home edition (proper MS licensed disc), but it wouldnt let me cos it was a "downgrade". The only way I could put it on was to basically turn my pooter into 2, one running pro, one running home.

Now SP3 has been announced & I dont want to have to find "cracked" versions of it like I had to with SP2.

Is there anyone out there who can supply me with easy to follow instructions for removing the pirate XP Pro, & reinstalling the legit XP Home? My friendly local computer shoppe wanted what I consider to be megabucks for it.

[CV21]

Had the same problem, which is one of the 2 reasons I just rebuilt my computer. First reason I found I was running an illegal copy of Win XP Pro after a guy built up the original computer for me. 2nd I wanted to move up from a 1.2g processor. I purchased a new copy of Win XP Pro along with a new motherboard and processor. When done I couldn't load the new Windows nor could I load the old windows even with their install cards and discs. Had to wipe the drives completely clean and then I was able to install the New Win XP Pro. There may be another solution, but I'm not aware of it.


Now the only problem I have is I cannot load the new Win XP Pro into the old computer. According to the way I read it, I have to wait at least 120 days before I can use the New Windows Disc again, or apparently call Microsoft and get some kind of new code to use the New Disc again. Been a long time since I've had to call MS and in those days it was nothing but a hassle. Don't know if it still is, but I'm guessing it will be.

Good luck with your problem.....:icon29:

CV21

[robconroy]

Oh man, I have to wipe the drives????? I've got about 25 gigs of stuff to back up onto cdroms!!! and I'm bound miss something important, probably belonging to Mrs Rob. and she WILL notice if I lose any of her stuff!

Any other suggestions? if not, how do I go about wiping my drives & whats the procedure after that? In English please not techno, I'm a bit thick.

[Butcherbird17]

Do you have Windows Genuine Advantage installed on the XP pro partition? If so you can turn it off and install SP2. My copy of XP pro is legit, but have update's disabled. Got tired of having to run that everytime I check for updates, so did a little searching and found a way to turn it off.

Open IE goto Tools > Manage Add-ons. Select "Add-ons that have been used by Internet Explorer" from the dropdown menu
Now find the "Windows Genuine Advantage" Add-on and disable it.
Thats it, install sp2 and check for updates.

Mods if you find this info illegal please delete/edit my post.

Joe

[CV21]

I hope that works. I had disabled WGA and even finally deleted it from the computer including the registry and still could not download anything from windows. They will allow security updates on an illegal copy but nothing else I am told. I was able to download security updates but nothing else no matter what I tried.


CV21

[Butcherbird17]

Thats really all you need to get (security updates) or critical updates. Everything else like drivers or not considered critical.
Its also a good idea to save to disk sp2, then burn it to cd. If you have an older copy of XP like mine. This way you can install it before you get connected to internet, then installing your isp. Then do any critical updates. Or you can make a copy of XP and do a slipstream and add sp2 to it. Then put your original copy in a safe place and use the backup you just made with sp2 installed already. Here is a good link on how to do this http://www.neowin.net/articles.php?action=more&id=94

Joe

[CV21]

My new legal copy of Win XP Pro already has SP2. Would this proceedure allow me to make a copy of this Gold CD for backup as well as allow me to install it in the old computer without waiting the 120 days MS requires??


CV21

[Butcherbird17]

CV21, Being that your new XP disk comes with sp2 already, there is no need to do what I posted. But you can make a copy of it, and put away original for safe keeping if you like. On installing to another PC, that would be a no go. But I have never tried to do that.

Joe