Convert XP HOME LICENSE to XP PRO after Acronis Universal Restore

Yes I have the discs. Are you sure of this though?? Have you done this before.

Hi There,

See the link below
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/06/13/convert-and-upgrade-windows-xp-home-to-professional-without-reinstalling/

@ram_kerala,

"The hack doesnt actually install and add in all the features from Windows XP Professional that Windows XP Home lacks of"

I would want the advanced features of XP PRO so this isn't for me

Yes, that was a TRICK to change to XP Proffessional, inorder to get all the features you need to go for a OS repair

I did repair install numerous times. If you have a Dell computer and Dell CD, you don't need any keys or serial numbers. After installation you have to install device drivers - they are on Dell web site.

I have tried doing what you are asking a few times and ultimately everytime, I end up doing a fresh install of the desired OS and then transfer all data from the old machine including desired programs from 'Program Files', then reinstall the softwares.

Problems that I have run into with the repair install usually involves invalid license key errors and being unable to activate Windows after installation.

There are softwares which claim to actually transfer programs, but I personally have not used them yet.
I have read many positive reports on this one:
http://www.laplink.com/pcmover/pcmover.html

Is there any particular reason why the customer wants XP Pro instead of Home. Did XP Home activate ok on the new PC?

One can't simply do a "license change" from XP Home to XP Pro, as XP Pro is a different version of the OS with additional programs/files/settings.

You could possibly do an upgrade of XP Home to XP Pro. You'll need a copy of OEM XP Pro install CD, and will have to edit the setup.ini file on it:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=102&threadID=241664&start=0

manav08,

The quickest and easiest way to do this is to insert the XP Pro disk while the computer is running the XP Home..... it should offer/ask you if you want to do an upgrade. Since the computer is a Dell and you are using a Dell XP Pro....it should not ask you for a Key. If it does you have it in the label attached to the pc.

I hope this is what you are asking since you did not specify clearly if the XP home computer is also a Dell...

Thanks for the everyone who commented -

This is what I did -

As suggested by KCTS I performed an UPGRADE using DELL XP Recovery Media. This worked fine except I had to use the License key from another XP PRO PC I had (remember these days PCs only come with VISTA Licenses). But anyway I put this key in and did the upgrade. Once the PC booted it prompted me to Activate Windows but when I tried to click on the little baloon nothing would show up on the screen, even though taskmanager showed that msoobe.exe process is running. Also I could not launch IE6 and it kept crashing as soon as you open it.

Next I decided I will follow medvedd advice to do a repair installation over this already corrupt installation. Did that and this time surprisingly it didn't prompt me for activation and the Windows Genuine Advantage Notification was gone. This was good!! However IE6 still wouldn't launch, everything else was fine. I downloaded the IE8 executable and installed it on top and everything seems to be working alright.

In my opinion next time I will be doing a REPAIR install rather than an upgrade, even though upgrade might work. Based on this I have decided to award 350 points to medvedd and 150 for KCTS.