Windows XP; downgrade Pro to Home? Or validate?

**pzkpfw** · 19th February 2011, 17:33

So my Father in-law gave me his old PC when he bought a new one.

It's got a marginally better CPU than the one my Son already had (1.6 GHz P4 versus 1Ghz Celeron), so I figured I'd set it up for him.

It was such a mess with downloads and stuff, I didn't trust what was on it, so decided to reinstall Windows.

The PC had a valid bought copy of Win XP Home on it - has the little hologram sticker with product key and all that, but, the F-in-law didn't give me his Windows CD's, so I just used a copy of XP Pro I had nearby.

The XP Pro CD didn't accept the XP Home product key (no surprise) so I just used the volume key that came with it. Unfortunately that doesn't validate (probably no surprise either) when trying to install Windows Defender etc.

So:

Can I "downgrade" an XP Pro install so an XP Home product key will work?

**steve_t** · 19th February 2011, 17:42

I don't think you can, sorry. If you have an XP Home COA, it's probably easiest to find someone with an XP Home CD and then use your key with that

**Scuba_Steve** · 19th February 2011, 17:47

Originally Posted by steve_t

I don't think you can, sorry. If you have an XP Home COA, it's probably easiest to find someone with an XP Home CD and then use your key with that

+1 to that, and aside from that pro would only offer disadvantages to your sons PC, your better off with home anyways

**pzkpfw** · 19th February 2011, 18:06

Originally Posted by steve_t

I don't think you can, sorry. If you have an XP Home COA, it's probably easiest to find someone with an XP Home CD and then use your key with that

May take a shovel to the F-in-laws office and see if I can find his disks...

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

... and aside from that pro would only offer disadvantages to your sons PC, your better off with home anyways

Yeah, agree totally, that's why I was looking to "downgrade" so I could use the valid Home key (rather than asking how to get the dodgy Pro working (though at this stage, I wouldn't object, either).

Would Windows 7 run on a 1.6 Ghz P4...? :-) Might be easier to just buy a fresh copy of Windows (gasp).

**SMOKEU** · 19th February 2011, 18:09

Check this out http://www.ubuntu.com

**steve_t** · 19th February 2011, 18:11

You could buy this

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/D...-354479987.htm

and tell the guy to bin the computer but send you the COA

**SMOKEU** · 19th February 2011, 18:14

Originally Posted by steve_t

You could buy this

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/D...-354479987.htm

and tell the guy to bin the computer but send you the COA

You can get a Windows 7 COA for free if you know what you're doing.

**mashman** · 19th February 2011, 18:14

Originally Posted by pzkpfw

.snippity

Would an original XP home disc work using your own key... if so I've got one

**pzkpfw** · 19th February 2011, 18:19

Originally Posted by mashman

Would an original XP home disc work using your own key... if so I've got one

I'd expect so. If I have no luck with the F-in-laws office, I'll propose a "deal"...

**mashman** · 19th February 2011, 18:26

Originally Posted by pzkpfw

I'd expect so. If I have no luck with the F-in-laws office, I'll propose a "deal"...

no need for a deal, i don't use it, tis yours if the hunt doesn't kill ya

**steve_t** · 19th February 2011, 21:01

Originally Posted by mashman

no need for a deal, i don't use it, tis yours if the hunt doesn't kill ya

Mashman, you're a legend. What a GC

**pzkpfw** · 20th February 2011, 18:56

Argh flippity flip. (Substitute favourite unsavoury words here).

Found XP Home disk. (Thanks anyway Mashman - awesome offer.)

But it wouldn't let me reinstall over Pro.

So followed advice here: http://www.computerrepairchorley.co....php/archives/3

...to tell Windows that it was XP Home. Which apparently lets the install disk be used to reinstall.

But the XP Home disk I've got, when booted off, seems to die after the "setup is scanning your hardware configuration" bit. The screen goes black, and never comes back.

(I've googled that, and best I can see is it can come from hardware issues. I tried pulling everything but the bare minimum out of the PC, but that didn't help.)

And of course, the install of Pro won't come up any more either, as on start-up it sees the Product ID doesn't match the version that XP has been told it is.

Geez. I've got a real valid version of Windows but can't freakin' use it.

May just need to save up and buy the boy a new PC. Goddamit!

**steve_t** · 20th February 2011, 19:12

Nah don't buy a new one, just use the windows disc and format your hard drive

**pzkpfw** · 20th February 2011, 19:20

The home disk won't finish booting; I could try the dodgy Pro disk, but might end up back in the same mess - a valid key for Home, but an install of Pro.

**steve_t** · 20th February 2011, 19:25

Originally Posted by pzkpfw

The home disk won't finish booting; I could try the dodgy Pro disk, but might end up back in the same mess - a valid key for Home, but an install of Pro.

Does it not finish booting just with the 'repair' you're trying to do, or also with the clean install after formatting your hard drive?