[-OCM770-]

a freind of mine came to my house the other day and without asking me cuz i was at the movies he tried to do me a "favor" installing xp pro over my home edition, i thanked him and later i found out he caused me a problem because he had not put in a legitimate key. I am now stuck with an illegal version of xp pro, and i dont want to pay the money to buy a legitimate key. I would like to downgrade from xp pro to home without havking to reformat my hardrive or reinstall the OS as said on other forums of other help sites similar to this one but not as good



Help would be greatly apreciated.




PS. the only discs i have are the six backup cds for my xp home version.

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Personally, I would not have thought it possible, but I think I found an article on the MS website that tells you how. They said this:

To uninstall Windows XP

• Click Start, click Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs.

• Click Windows XP, click Remove and then follow the instructions on your screen.


Let me know how it goes.

[computerwiz12890]

Personally, I would not have thought it possible, but I think I found an article on the MS website that tells you how. They said this:

To uninstall Windows XP

• Click Start, click Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs.

• Click Windows XP, click Remove and then follow the instructions on your screen.


Let me know how it goes.

[-OCM770-]

First of all, thanks and second will this eliminate all the OS or just the pro version adn finally three can you post the link were you read the MS article??

[-OCM770-]

O NO!! now ill realy need the link, windows xp is not listed under add/remove programs!!

[computerwiz12890]

Please download and open hijackthis If this is your first time running it, click on None of the above, just start the program

Now click Config, click Misc Tools
Click "Open Uninstall Manager"
Click "Save List" (generates uninstall_list.txt)
Click Save, copy and paste the results in your next post.

[-OCM770-]

here you go

Attached Files

•  uninstall_list.txt   2.05KB   587 downloads

[computerwiz12890]

Hmm...you're right. There's nothing there that would allow you to uninstall XP Pro.

Lemme do some more research...

[-OCM770-]

sure, np i can wait i just dont want to have illegal stuf on my PC.


thanks

[computerwiz12890]

I'm a quick researcher, found the answer already.

It's not possible: Matrix of upgrading/downgrading

According to this upgrade chart, you can't do a downgrade from Pro to Home. It looks like you'll have to backup all of your stuff and do a clean install of XP Home.

Another idea is to install Home in a dual boot configuration. Then transfer all your stuff to Home, and then delete the Pro edition. If you want, I can walk you through that, but this method is much more complicated. And I'd have to do research first to make sure everything goes right. Could take a while

Edited by computerwiz12890, 07 May 2006 - 06:39 PM.

[-OCM770-]

ok (sigh) i have two choices keep the pirated version and buy a key or, reinstall (shivers) i wont dual boot in anyway ive done it before and i almostt destroyed my drive ive learned my lesson there, i guess ill buy the key but thanks

[computerwiz12890]

I'd really consider the backup and reinstall (to save money).

If you ever need a special tool from Microsoft, or if your computer's hardware changes too much, you will have to validate your copy of Windows. And when you try to validate it...it will fail. And you must validate your copy after you change a good bit of the hardware on your computer (i know, that's a really stupid feature, but it's required for XP Pro). And when you fail to validate it, XP Pro has a feature that will lock you out of your computer until you successfully validate it.

It's your choice...

Edited by computerwiz12890, 07 May 2006 - 06:57 PM.

[wannabe1]

Not to be a butt-inski......

How many Windows folders are displayed in the C: drive. Is there a Windows and a Window0 or similar? How about one named WINNT?

Open Control Panel and double click on the "System" icon. Under the "Advanced" tab, in the "Startup and Recovery" section, click on the "Edit" button. A notepad window will open. Copy and paste the contents of that window here for me.

wannabe1

[-OCM770-]

Ill buy a new key besides i wanted xp pro so ok and for wanabee1 theres only the folder in C:\ (well various ones but only one windows folder and i have show hidden folders checked

[-OCM770-]

OK I HAVE A DOUBT BEFORE MAKING A WOTHLESS PURCHASE, what key should i buy cuz my notebooks key can be used for 2 cpu's one desktop and one notebook, but my freind upgraded my machine so can i use that key or is it wortheless?

[computerwiz12890]

what key should i buy cuz my notebooks key can be used for 2 cpu's one desktop and one notebook

I don't quite understand what you're asking. If you already have a key that is good for 2 computers, then you can install it once on a laptop and once on a desktop. What would you need to buy?

but my freind upgraded my machine so can i use that key or is it wortheless?

If your friend's key is good for more than one computer (which I doubt), and they have not used it to its limit, then you could use it. But be careful with that, since you have no control over what they use that key for or how many times they've used it. It would be better to get your own.