Can't upgrade

[viperpa33s]

I have a Dell and it came preinstalled with Windows XP Home with SP2 and I want to upgrade it to XP Professional. First it won't let me upgrade the normal way cause it says, your current version of Windows is newer than what your installing.

So then I went into the bios and changed the boot up options so that the cd-rom will boot first. Now it is saying I can't install, even trying to create a new partition cause I have a SATA.

Is there anyway I can upgrade this computer to XP Professional? The SP2 came already installed on the computer so I can't uninstall it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


Dell 3.4ghz HT Pentium 4
Windows XP Home with SP2
1 gig DDR2 SDRam (566mhz)
250 gig SATA hard drive
DVD rom
DVD-RW
Nvidia 256mb GeoForce 6800
Broadcom NetXtreme ethernet card
no floppy drive

[bigz]

Let me guess you have a xp pro disc prior to SP2 ... ? if so you will need to totally get a full install disc... More then likely. You will probably have to delete the partition and return your current disc and get a full disc... Get an OEM if u can (only stipulation is that u got to buy hardware with it to agree to the MS licensing scheme)... Apparently MS is not requiring OEM users to online Activate... more on that issue at www.slashdot.org

[viperpa33s]

Thank for the info and was afraid of that.

I do have to say that SP2 sucks. They make it harder for you to upgrade and with this new requirement to call everytime you reinstall Windows, they are just trying to inconvenience you even more. So now I have to pay on average $300 for a copy of Xp Professional instead of $175. If that isn't a ripoff, I don't know what is. I do have to say that using the computer is no easy task anymore and becoming very expensive


Thanks again

[bigz]

To help you easy the 300 dollar pain... get this and why your at it pick yourself up an extra stick of ram... FYI MS is currently forcing every1 to SP2...
Hopefully soon linux will come and redeem us innocent people... God Bless!!!
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...102-153&DEPA=6

[bigz]

One question? Why didn't you get XP Pro installed with your dell in the beginning? I believe its an average of a increase of 75 $'s could of saved you some unneeded aggrivation... Good Luck

[viperpa33s]

The reason why I didn't get XP Pro was because I didn't really think about it at the time. Your right, it was only like $75 more and probably was well worth to get. Had many other things on my mind at that time and it just slipped my mind.

Cheers

[glc]

Why don't you slipstream SP2 into your XP Pro CD?

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/Windo...p2-bootcd.html

[viperpa33s]

Thanks glc, never even knew you can do that. I just got up and is having some coffee but is going to try it in a few.


Thanks again

[macko72]

If your slipstreaming is not successeful(not helping to upgrade) you should try to flash bios, cos they(dell and companies like that) are locking some features and you can't upgrade or install new hardware without asking them(they need more money from you).
I had expirience simillar to yours but with different manufacturer since then I'm building my on computers.(I've bought new BIOS online for $21 or was it $23 and with all support and manuals flased my bios and unlocked all locks from manufacturers.).

[bigz]

Would Not recommend above post!.... My pop has a home business and he has a Alienware computer Top of the line AMD FX 55 and I went to the abit-usa site to get the latest bios for the mobo. Those bios i d/led corrupted the present ones on the board. Called Alienware was on the Phone for many hours and found out that they have a customized special BIOS programs and updates engineered on their site for their customers and jus from experience of owing 10 dell computers is they use their custom crappy BIOS and i would not want you to go into doing this experiment and having to call dell and get their BIOS put back on.... My Recommendation is to steer clear of that... Only use the BIOS updates on their Dell support website. Good luck.... Heed this warning it was a nightmare!!!!

[viperpa33s]

This is true, some computer and even hardware manufacturers try to make themselves unique from the competition but it also causes headaches when one tries to update. Thinking that one program or update is good for all when it's not.

Thanks for all the input

[viperpa33s]

I tried the "slipstream" method and I now have XP Professional installed.

Thanks glc for the that tip

[macko72]

Originally Posted by bigz Would Not recommend above post!.... My pop has a home business and he has a Alienware computer Top of the line AMD FX 55 and I went to the abit-usa site to get the latest bios for the mobo. Those bios i d/led corrupted the present ones on the board. Called Alienware was on the Phone for many hours and found out that they have a customized special BIOS programs and updates engineered on their site for their customers and jus from experience of owing 10 dell computers is they use their custom crappy BIOS and i would not want you to go into doing this experiment and having to call dell and get their BIOS put back on.... My Recommendation is to steer clear of that... Only use the BIOS updates on their Dell support website. Good luck.... Heed this warning it was a nightmare!!!!

That is called unsuccessful, flashing don't know is your pop choose BIOS update by hemself or some other way.
I had Bios agent(software) witch sends report directly to bios manufacturer on my case it was AWARD and you can see this if you go on AWARD's site.
http://www.esupport.com/ here check this out.

[bigz]

I chose the BIOS myself using the FlashMenu BIOS updater for ABIT...