mgross333
asked on
Wil partial install of XP Pro CD into XP Home OS leave personal files intact ?
If I do a PARTIAL reinstall of Windows XP THIS WAY: OS is XP Home SP2 and CD is XP Home SP2 and I choose to install into the existing Windows partition KEEPING THE EXISTING FILE SYSTEM (which is an option that the MS install CD gives you), THEN the install leaves ALL the user's personal files (i.e the Documents and Settings tree) PLUS the entire Program Files folder UNTOUCHED . And replaces COMPLETELY the Windows folder and the Registry and the drivers. (Of course the old apps do not run because the registry has been changed).
If you do not know that this (the above claim) is true, then you should not be replying to this post. NOTE: The same is true for XP Pro CD into XP Pro OS, I know the above to be true because I have done it over 40 times !!! (I fix PCs full-time for a living and have been doing that for 2 1/2 years now).
MY QUESTION: If the OS is XP Home SP2 and the CD is XP ***PRO** SP2 (ie. the OS and the CD do NOT MATCH), is it still true that all the user's personal files in the Documents and Settings tree (i.e My Documents and Favorites and Desktop and Quicken Database) WILL BE UNTOUCHED just as if I had used an XP Home SP2 CD for the install.
Reason for Question: My XP Home CD had an accident and has a scratch on the back and evidence has surfaced TWICE now that it no longer is reliable. I will order a new one online today but it will not arrive by tonight when I have a custoner visit WHERE I MUST DO THE ABOVE. And I have an un-scratched XP Pro CD.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ENTIRE POINT OF ALL THIS is keeping the customers personal files. THAT IS WHY I AM HIRED OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR THIS "BREAD AND BUTTER" JOB for my business. Anyone can do a reformat install; the customers won't hire me for that.
If you answer this Question, please state HOW YOU KNOW THE ANSWER. i.e Have you actually done it (or similar, meaning the OS is one XP version and the CD was a different version (example OS was Pro and CD was Home) OR some other reason you feel sure about your answer.
Note: I am 99% certain using a XP Pro CD on a XP Home OS in the above manner will leave the personal files untouched (because I think that only the Windows folder and drivers are replaced) but not 100% sure. THE PROBLEM IS I HAVE NEVER DONE IT because I did not have a scratched Windows OS CD that I had to deal with before. I always used a CD that matched the OS on the PC. Note: Customer's own CD is XP Home SP1 which, for me, presents the same problem as an XP Pro CD, it is not the EXACT SAME OS and also would require upgrading to SP2 later.
Regarding Activation, I know how to call Microsoft and get that approved in every case BTW.
Regards-Mike
If you do not know that this (the above claim) is true, then you should not be replying to this post. NOTE: The same is true for XP Pro CD into XP Pro OS, I know the above to be true because I have done it over 40 times !!! (I fix PCs full-time for a living and have been doing that for 2 1/2 years now).
MY QUESTION: If the OS is XP Home SP2 and the CD is XP ***PRO** SP2 (ie. the OS and the CD do NOT MATCH), is it still true that all the user's personal files in the Documents and Settings tree (i.e My Documents and Favorites and Desktop and Quicken Database) WILL BE UNTOUCHED just as if I had used an XP Home SP2 CD for the install.
Reason for Question: My XP Home CD had an accident and has a scratch on the back and evidence has surfaced TWICE now that it no longer is reliable. I will order a new one online today but it will not arrive by tonight when I have a custoner visit WHERE I MUST DO THE ABOVE. And I have an un-scratched XP Pro CD.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ENTIRE POINT OF ALL THIS is keeping the customers personal files. THAT IS WHY I AM HIRED OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR THIS "BREAD AND BUTTER" JOB for my business. Anyone can do a reformat install; the customers won't hire me for that.
If you answer this Question, please state HOW YOU KNOW THE ANSWER. i.e Have you actually done it (or similar, meaning the OS is one XP version and the CD was a different version (example OS was Pro and CD was Home) OR some other reason you feel sure about your answer.
Note: I am 99% certain using a XP Pro CD on a XP Home OS in the above manner will leave the personal files untouched (because I think that only the Windows folder and drivers are replaced) but not 100% sure. THE PROBLEM IS I HAVE NEVER DONE IT because I did not have a scratched Windows OS CD that I had to deal with before. I always used a CD that matched the OS on the PC. Note: Customer's own CD is XP Home SP1 which, for me, presents the same problem as an XP Pro CD, it is not the EXACT SAME OS and also would require upgrading to SP2 later.
Regarding Activation, I know how to call Microsoft and get that approved in every case BTW.
Regards-Mike
You are 100% correct.
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SOLUTION
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ASKER
Thanks for your replies.
SysExpert,
(1) Regarding backing up critcal data..., there is a problem. At the moment there is no virtual memory or paging file AND AFTER FIXING THAT the correct way (via System Properties>Advanced>Perfor
(2) Regarding
> not al progams may work as expected since Home and Pro are not exactly the same.
Could you please explain what you mean with one or two examples? I do not understand what you are getting at as ALL APPLICATIONS (MS Office, Quicken, Norton AV, Adobe Photoshop Elements) must be reinstalled from CD into an existing XP Pro environement (after the reinstall) so they should all work fine, right?
To my knowledge, the only difference between Pro and Home is Pro has some networking capabilities that are useful in a corporate environment (and I think insists on logging in at boot) but my customer is at home and wired to a router which is wired to a cable modem (which suppies DSL) and I can't see what could be different. I do not know if the customer has any VPN's however.
Regards-Mike
SysExpert,
(1) Regarding backing up critcal data..., there is a problem. At the moment there is no virtual memory or paging file AND AFTER FIXING THAT the correct way (via System Properties>Advanced>Perfor
(2) Regarding
> not al progams may work as expected since Home and Pro are not exactly the same.
Could you please explain what you mean with one or two examples? I do not understand what you are getting at as ALL APPLICATIONS (MS Office, Quicken, Norton AV, Adobe Photoshop Elements) must be reinstalled from CD into an existing XP Pro environement (after the reinstall) so they should all work fine, right?
To my knowledge, the only difference between Pro and Home is Pro has some networking capabilities that are useful in a corporate environment (and I think insists on logging in at boot) but my customer is at home and wired to a router which is wired to a cable modem (which suppies DSL) and I can't see what could be different. I do not know if the customer has any VPN's however.
Regards-Mike
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mgross333 - is there any chance that you are ever going to close up some of the questions you've left hanging for 4-5-6 months?
It is very frustrating to try to help someone solve a problem when they just walk away and quit.
It is very frustrating to try to help someone solve a problem when they just walk away and quit.
ASKER
Younghv,
OFF TOPIC, NOT RELATED TO THE SUBJECT OF THIS QUESTION. RELATED TO younghv's post ONLY.
#1 If the posts help me TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM or even if it is LIKELY to be useful in the future I **ALWAYS** ASSIGN POINTS.
However, if I found the suggestions did NOT solve the problem OR my POTENTIAL customer cancelled on me (HAPPENS MORE THAN I WOULD LIKE) before I could try the suggestions out (so I do not know if they have value or not) then I do not assign points.
TWO THINGS HERE
(1) When EE recently upgraded their site in many ways, they neglected to do ONE OF THE TWO THINGS THIS EE MEMBER WANTED. Which was to put a ONE-CLICK BOX at the bottom of every EE question where the original poster could CLOSE WITH NO POINTS ASSIGNED AND NO REASON GIVEN. INSTEAD I HAVE TO GO THRU THIS LONG DRAWN OUT PROCEDURE TO GET THE JOB DONE.
Look, younghv, IT WOULD BE SO EASY to just randomly choose a post and assign points (I.E **LIE **ABOUT IT) and then I would not have to take the time to reply to questions like yours as all my Questions would be closed. UNFORTUNATELY THAT WOULD MEAN THAT OTHERS SEARCHING THE EE DATABASE would find "SOLUTIONS" that were not solutions. And they would go off and do those things and then get pissed that the so called solutions did not work. AND THEN THEY WOULD LOOSE CONFIDENCE IN EE AS A RELIABLE RESOURCE.
So I am not willing to go that route (and I suspect that a lot of EE posters **DO** go that route).
As far as a I am concered, EE should provide an EASY (ie. NO TIME NEEDED) way to close EE questions with no points assigned and not the current procedure. And I know there are REASONS why this is not done. BUT I THINK THE REASONS TO USE MY PROCEDURE OUTWEIGH THE REASONS TO NOT DO IT.
I believe the people behind EE, are not being realistic about Question poster's **TIME**.
Look, I am a one-person business here. I am the accountant, I am the grabageman, I am the salesman, I am the marketing guy, I am the webmaster for my site. I don't just have to go fix the PCs. MY TIME IS ALL I HAVE and I never have enough. There are always ten things to improve my business I could be doing THAT I AM NOT DOING because I can not find the time (unless I stop sleeping)..
And did I mention that I **ALWAYS** close questions and assign points if the answer worked (and I know it works, no guessing !!) or appears LIKELY to be useful in the future.
And that is all I have to say about your question. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING YOUR REPLY TO THE ABOVE.
NOTE: The only thing that EE did that HELPED ME in the recent revisions was allow me to post a question in more than one category EASILY. Previously I had to create a brief duplicate post in another category and include a link to the original post and assign 20 points to it WHICH TOOK ME TIME AND PISSED ME OFF as there are legitimate reasons to post in more than one category.
youhnghv, NOTE the theme that runs thru this entire reply: TIME. If you have ever tried to start a one-person business (that is your entire source of income) then you will understand what I mean.
Regards,
Mike
OFF TOPIC, NOT RELATED TO THE SUBJECT OF THIS QUESTION. RELATED TO younghv's post ONLY.
#1 If the posts help me TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM or even if it is LIKELY to be useful in the future I **ALWAYS** ASSIGN POINTS.
However, if I found the suggestions did NOT solve the problem OR my POTENTIAL customer cancelled on me (HAPPENS MORE THAN I WOULD LIKE) before I could try the suggestions out (so I do not know if they have value or not) then I do not assign points.
TWO THINGS HERE
(1) When EE recently upgraded their site in many ways, they neglected to do ONE OF THE TWO THINGS THIS EE MEMBER WANTED. Which was to put a ONE-CLICK BOX at the bottom of every EE question where the original poster could CLOSE WITH NO POINTS ASSIGNED AND NO REASON GIVEN. INSTEAD I HAVE TO GO THRU THIS LONG DRAWN OUT PROCEDURE TO GET THE JOB DONE.
Look, younghv, IT WOULD BE SO EASY to just randomly choose a post and assign points (I.E **LIE **ABOUT IT) and then I would not have to take the time to reply to questions like yours as all my Questions would be closed. UNFORTUNATELY THAT WOULD MEAN THAT OTHERS SEARCHING THE EE DATABASE would find "SOLUTIONS" that were not solutions. And they would go off and do those things and then get pissed that the so called solutions did not work. AND THEN THEY WOULD LOOSE CONFIDENCE IN EE AS A RELIABLE RESOURCE.
So I am not willing to go that route (and I suspect that a lot of EE posters **DO** go that route).
As far as a I am concered, EE should provide an EASY (ie. NO TIME NEEDED) way to close EE questions with no points assigned and not the current procedure. And I know there are REASONS why this is not done. BUT I THINK THE REASONS TO USE MY PROCEDURE OUTWEIGH THE REASONS TO NOT DO IT.
I believe the people behind EE, are not being realistic about Question poster's **TIME**.
Look, I am a one-person business here. I am the accountant, I am the grabageman, I am the salesman, I am the marketing guy, I am the webmaster for my site. I don't just have to go fix the PCs. MY TIME IS ALL I HAVE and I never have enough. There are always ten things to improve my business I could be doing THAT I AM NOT DOING because I can not find the time (unless I stop sleeping)..
And did I mention that I **ALWAYS** close questions and assign points if the answer worked (and I know it works, no guessing !!) or appears LIKELY to be useful in the future.
And that is all I have to say about your question. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING YOUR REPLY TO THE ABOVE.
NOTE: The only thing that EE did that HELPED ME in the recent revisions was allow me to post a question in more than one category EASILY. Previously I had to create a brief duplicate post in another category and include a link to the original post and assign 20 points to it WHICH TOOK ME TIME AND PISSED ME OFF as there are legitimate reasons to post in more than one category.
youhnghv, NOTE the theme that runs thru this entire reply: TIME. If you have ever tried to start a one-person business (that is your entire source of income) then you will understand what I mean.
Regards,
Mike
Mike - I also run a one-man repair shop that I started up last year.
I understand everything you are saying about 'Time'.
If you were to click the link below and ask a new two-word question:
1. "Please Delete" (no answer found) or
2. "Please PAQ" (found my own answer)
then the question would be closed in a couple of days by one of the Moderators.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/Community_Support/General/
(Just be sure to include the URL of the question you need action on.)
The total time used to make the request wouldn't be more than 30 seconds. They don't need an explanation of why - just what you want done and where the question is.
I work both sides of questions here - asking and (trying to) answer, so I also understand the frustrations involved.
Your thought on an Author being able to close their own questions has one serious flaw - many of the members here have 'free' membership and very limited points.
I can't begin to count the number of times that one of these types has tried to close/get refund on a question that has been completely and properly answered - just because they want their points back for new questions.
I will butt-out of this question now and only respond if you ask me something, but I do hope that you can see the other side.
Thanks,
Vic
I understand everything you are saying about 'Time'.
If you were to click the link below and ask a new two-word question:
1. "Please Delete" (no answer found) or
2. "Please PAQ" (found my own answer)
then the question would be closed in a couple of days by one of the Moderators.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/Community_Support/General/
(Just be sure to include the URL of the question you need action on.)
The total time used to make the request wouldn't be more than 30 seconds. They don't need an explanation of why - just what you want done and where the question is.
I work both sides of questions here - asking and (trying to) answer, so I also understand the frustrations involved.
Your thought on an Author being able to close their own questions has one serious flaw - many of the members here have 'free' membership and very limited points.
I can't begin to count the number of times that one of these types has tried to close/get refund on a question that has been completely and properly answered - just because they want their points back for new questions.
I will butt-out of this question now and only respond if you ask me something, but I do hope that you can see the other side.
Thanks,
Vic
ASKER
younghv,
OK, I have created a shortcut on my PC's desktop to
https://www.experts-exchange.com/Community_Support/General/newQuestionWizard.jsp
and have printed out your response on what to put in that Question (with URL of my EE question) and will try to use this approach in the future where I can not close by assigning points.
Regards--Mike
OK, I have created a shortcut on my PC's desktop to
https://www.experts-exchange.com/Community_Support/General/newQuestionWizard.jsp
and have printed out your response on what to put in that Question (with URL of my EE question) and will try to use this approach in the future where I can not close by assigning points.
Regards--Mike