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You can't repair a home version using a Pro disk. Besides that, there is also no legal way of downloading an XP install disk, so where did you get that iso from? Besides it's being pirated, It will probably contain lots of malware, and you can have problems with activation.<br />
<br />
It would probably be simpler and make more sense to move over to a real, still supported OS. Whaz are those programs you are using? Many Linux Distro's which are free (although they do like a small donation towards their project) Come with a lot of software included in their base system, so it is likely that almost all of those tasks you are doing with your XP box can already be done out-of-the-box, and if not, it is very easy to install additional software for free directly from the repositories using the distro's Package Manager. Nothing is easier. Most of those modern distro's are also very easy to use and install, much easier than Windows.
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These are loads of ancient Windows apps. I thought now xp was out of support, microsoft had made it freely available.<br />
The PC is also being used by an elderly person, so the shock of the new might be too much!<br />
Is there any way of repairing an old Home XP?
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No, M$ hasn't made it freely available just because it is out of support. Many Distro's have a Windows look alike, so there is practically nothing new to learn. I've replaced XP on my parent's PC with Linux (first Zorin OS, now MakuluLinux Aero), and they had no problems with the new OS. But in order to make a recommendation I'd really need to know the PC's hardware and also what programs are used.
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If i was prepared to lose all the apps there wouldnt be an issue, I'd get a new PC! Its cos of all these old apps, I don't know where all the old install disks are, the old license keys, etc. <br />
So you reckon there is no repair facility for the old home edition?
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ignoring the .iso source for a minute - you did run the Pro disk Setup from within a running session of Home didn't you? &nbsp;If you boot to the Pro image all that will happen is you create a new installation of Pro.
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<i>I'd get a new PC! Its cos of all these old apps, I don't know where all the old install disks are, the old license keys, etc. </i><br />
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You are going to have to solve this problem. <br />
<br />
If you wait a few months from now, ALL Windows computers will have to have Windows 10 and will not run earlier operating systems. &nbsp;Your ancient software is not going to run anyway. <br />
<br />
So you might as well start planning for a new computer, new operating system and new software. There is not really another way at this point.
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If we knew what those &quot;old apps&quot; were, it may be possible for us to give you suggestions for replacements.
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I don't want to replace them!!!!!! I just want to keep using them. If i was prepared to wipe the disk and start again, I wouldn't be asking any questions. Its only fixing this install of win XP home i'm interested in. <br />
Maybe one of those registry cleaners might make a difference....are any of them genuine do you know?
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XP is long dead and forgotten. Much software today has removed XP versions. <br />
<br />
It is also possible to do enough damage that only a Repair Install or Fresh Install will fix the issues. For this, you need the XP CD.
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So what exactly were the stages you went through with your download?<br />
<br />
The normal outcome from launching from XP Pro within an XP Home session would be an attempt by the system to upgrade the Home install to Pro.<br />
<br />
Did you boot from the Pro .iso ?? If you did you just created an empty Pro installation.<br />
<br />
There are also multiple possible versions of the installation CD available, using the wrong one will mess up your original installation in a way that can range from simple to fix to fatal :(<br />
<br />
An outline of the mess you may be in here:<br />
<a href="https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/3218/XP-OEM-and-the-repair-reinstallation-which-disk-do-I-need.html" rel="ugc">https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/3218/XP-OEM-and-the-repair-reinstallation-which-disk-do-I-need.html</a>
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Blimey, just read that article, it looks complex.<br />
I did try to run the install from within the already booted XP Home , but it just hung, so i tried boot from the disk, that's when I got the winows.0 folder, and two installed OS's.<br />
Do you think i can run an upgrade from the pro .iso?
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I'm hoping for a silver bullet.....a simple fix that will give me another 10yrs...that actual symptom is that all the web browsers have broken, and i can't get them back working - that's chrome+firefox (clean/reinstall/clean/rei<wbr />nstall/sec<wbr />urity scans everything so I thought an OS upgrade), IE 8's doesn't seem welcome anywhere anymore.<br />
The other apps+speed are ok.
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Chrome at least is still supported on XP SP3 until April 2016 and FF 44 is also good so it looks more like what you want is a fix for why your browser crashes than a reinstall. &nbsp;I see you've already got some help there in your other question, what was the outcome with MBAM? Are you on a home network or connecting directly out to the Internet?<br />
<br />
TBH I'd leave the XP Pro disk alone for the time being :)
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the simplest is to find an XP install cd with the same cversion and language as you have<br />
look around by friends, and co-workers<br />
shops probably have these still - you could ask them for help, since it is for a repair, you have a valid licence - yes?
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I guess a way is to build a VM with Windows XP in order to keep your ancient programs ...just look for &quot;Xp mode&quot;
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<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
I'm nursing an ancient XP machine that i would love to get few more years out of as is, but the OS has been getting very ropey, so I thought I might download the latest XP install disk, and upgrade the existing XP home.<br />
So I get an XP Pro SP3 download iso, but when i run the install, I don't get the upgrade/repair option, I just get 'new or existing partition' I choose 'existing' (obviously i don't want to format the disk, I'm trying to preserve my ancient apps).<br />
I can still boot into the ropey Home edition, and i can see two Windows folders Windows + Windows.0<br />
I was hoping for a registry repair and my old apps working in the new version, but if i boot into the new OS, nothing's been imported from the registry, and i can't access the Control Panel/add remove programs....is there a 'Repair OS and keep your old apps' option with XP?
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I'm nursing an ancient XP machine that i would love to get few more years out of as is, but the OS has been getting very ropey, so I thought I might download the latest XP install disk, and upgrade the existing XP home.
So I get an XP Pro SP3 download iso, but when i run the install, I don't get the upgrade/repair option, I just get 'new or existing partition' I choose 'existing' (obviously i don't want to format the disk, I'm trying to preserve my ancient apps).
I can still boot into the ropey Home edition, and i can see two Windows folders Windows + Windows.0
I was hoping for a registry repair and my old apps working in the new version, but if i boot into the new OS, nothing's been imported from the registry, and i can't access the Control Panel/add remove programs....is there a 'Repair OS and keep your old apps' option with XP?

XP Install woes

Microsoft Windows XP is the sixth release of the NT series of operating systems, and was the first to be marketed in a variety of editions: XP Home and XP Professional, designed for business and power users. The advanced features in XP Professional are generally disabled in Home Edition, but are there and can be activated. There were two 64-bit editions, an embedded edition and a tablet edition.