[kate1963]

I bought a windows xp professional cd at a yard sale (i know bad idea) i put it on my computer and it worked great until about a week ago. Now i keep getting a window that pops up and tells me that this is not a genuine windows product. So.. i went to the store and bought windows xp home edition (i know, should have done this in the first place). So i go into add and remove programs and windows xp is not on there. I tried to put the new one on there but it wont let me because of the old one. How can i get the windows xp professional off my computer so i can put the new one on? I even went into all my programs an stuff in my computer and i cant find where it is or how to get it off here. Please help.

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Hi,

Microsoft published a key-update tool that allows you to update the (invalid) Key of your current Windows to the new one typed on the licence-sticker.
Download

Edited by BlueScreen-Bertrand, 04 September 2006 - 06:16 PM.

[BlueScreen-Bertrand]

Hi,

Microsoft published a key-update tool that allows you to update the (invalid) Key of your current Windows to the new one typed on the licence-sticker.
Download

Edited by BlueScreen-Bertrand, 04 September 2006 - 06:16 PM.

[kate1963]

Thank you for your quick response. I will do that. Is it going to matter that im going from xp professional to xp home edition?

[BlueScreen-Bertrand]

No problem, the difference between Professional and Home Edition is - explained simplified - that the PE has got more components for networking (server services, offline files, ...).
On the German MS-Website there is an overview, but I didn't find it on the english page.
http://www.microsoft...on/default.mspx

Edited by BlueScreen-Bertrand, 04 September 2006 - 06:31 PM.

[kate1963]

OK I did that twice. Both times it says "The application encountered an error while downloading files. Please ensure the machine is connected to internet an try again." I was on the internet both times. Any other ideas?

[BlueScreen-Bertrand]

Then you'd better install your new version of Windows.
Start the computer from the cd and run setup. If you are asked for the install directory, slect the old one (where Windows is already installed). All existing files will be replaced.
Your personal data in C:\Documents and Settings\Username\My Documents will not be deleted.

If you are asked for a username od password while the installation use the old values! If you do not so vou probably won't be able to access your files.

Edited by BlueScreen-Bertrand, 05 September 2006 - 05:15 AM.