Using a Dell OEM XP Pro disk to do an upgrade from Dell OEM XP Home

Here's the situation:

(All disks are SP2)

One of our Dell desktops was seriously messed up with malware, viruses, etc.,
and we decided it would be easier to just reinstall XP Pro. However, one of
my co-workers used the wrong Dell OEM disk for the reinstall: he used an XP
Home OEM disk from another Dell that we own, rather than the Dell XP Pro
OEM disk that came with the computer in question. He also reinstalled a huge
number of applications, settings, data, etc.

I have seen it stated in many forums on the Web that an OEM XP Pro disk can
not be used to do an upgrade - it can only be used to do a full install.
However, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try using the Dell XP Pro OEM disk to do
an upgrade from Home to Pro because the worst thing that could happen would
be that it wouldn't work and we would have to start from the beginning, and the
best thing that could happen would be that it would work and we wouldn't have
to reinstall all the applications, settings, data, etc., all over again.

So I started the installation on the XP Pro CD-ROM disk from within XP Home
and it gave me an option to do an Upgrade install and I proceeded with that.
After a rather long install and a reboot, the installation was complete. The
applications all seem intact, the data is all there, under My Computer /
Properties it says "Windows XP Professional", I can turn off simple file
sharing, etc.

My questions are:
Is this going to be a stable, reliable, XP Pro installation?
and
Is there any way to test it to make sure everything is OK an XP Pro is
correctly installed?

Art V.

 

<snip>

: My questions are:
: Is this going to be a stable, reliable, XP Pro installation?

Sounds like it. These OEM disks are tied to the BIOS so perhaps it
just recognized the BIOS as a valid one for this version of the CD.

: and
: Is there any way to test it to make sure everything is OK an XP Pro is
: correctly installed?

Sure, try downloading and installing some Windows software from their
website. E.g. XP Power Toys. Last night I did that and it forced me
to install an applet that would make sure my copy of XP was legal.
Google for XP Power Toys and install one or two and you should see the
same thing. If you are able to continue you are probably good to go.
Oh, Windows Update may do the same thing.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
*******************************************************************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
*******************************************************************

 

I think you're fine. Worse case, you have to reinstall

 

Go thru the usual nonsense of applying all the fixes, patches, bandaids, rubber
bands, and tissue paper from the Windows Update web site. Along the way,
"Windows Genuine Advantage" validation will install, and check to see that your
install of Windows is legit. Whose advantage, BTW?

Because the Dell CDs are keyed to a Dell BIOS, you should be in good shape.

.... Ben Myers

 

Thanks Andrew, Tom, and Ben!

Art. V.