Installing Windows XP pro on a pre-loaded Win XP Home

[kirtan_a]

Hi,

I have a Lenovo laptop which has Windows XP Home preinstalled on it. For some reason I want to install Win XP Pro on it. How should I go about it?

- Can I upgrade a home installation to Pro?
- Can I format and install XP Pro from scratch? If so, will I be able to recover the original installation using the recovery CD provided along with the laptop?
- What limitations are there in Win XP Home? Do all programs which run on XP Pro run on XP Home?

Thanks in advance.

[jdhurst]

The issues with XP Home are network and security. Any application that runs in Home runs in Pro and vice-versa (so far as I know in my extensive testing).

I have successfully upgraded Home to Pro by inserting the Pro upgrade CD and running it. Everything was preserved that I can recall.

... JD Hurst

[kirtan_a]

Thanks for the quick reply. Sorry for the noob questions but I don't have any upgrade CD. Just a normal Win XP Pro CD which I had used for my old computer. Now I run Linux on that. So can I use that CD for upgrading to Pro? The laptop's not mine so I want to make sure before I do any changes to it.