# Install Windows XP Professional



## Dark master (Mar 16, 2005)

I have Windows XP Home edition installed on my pc, but I have Windows XP Professional on CD, but I can't install it because it says that the windows on my pc is newer than the windows on the cd. Can I make a partition on my other PC and somehow copy my whole hard drive to my other PC and format my pc and install windows professional and then put everything back on my hard drive? Or is there any other way to install windows professional without losing all my files?


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## Lax (Mar 16, 2005)

Did you try putting the XP Pro disk in another computer and seeing what it says? If it still says that the version on the computer is newer than Pro than you might have a problem with the disk. It could also be that the XP Home really is newer (newer build) than the XP Pro that you have, and in that case is recognizing this and not allowing you to install.


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## Dark master (Mar 16, 2005)

windows professional on the cd was build in 2002 and windows home edition on my pc was build in 2004, but is there another way to put professional on my pc?  can i just copy programs from program files to my other pc, then format and install professional and then put my programs back?


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## Lax (Mar 16, 2005)

It's easier to just copy the files you want saved (documents and the like) to something, format, re-install, then just install the programs again. Registry files are sometimes required/are different for Pro than Home for some programs so it's usually easier to not back up the programs.


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## Blue (Mar 16, 2005)

Reformat and instal fresh and then update er and you'll have no problems.


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## Dark master (Mar 16, 2005)

maybe this is a dumb question, but how do I format the hard drive, with windows 98 I could start cmd.exe before windows  start but I don't know how to do that with windows xp


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## lynx6200 (Mar 16, 2005)

you can boot to you xp cd an format it though there, just follow the prompts, or boot into dos, and use the command "format c:"


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## atomic (Mar 16, 2005)

I just use an old windows 98 boot disk to boot my computer to the command prompt then go from there. If you dont have one you can download a copy from http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

EDIT: or as said above just boot of the winxp cdrom and format there


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## Dark master (Mar 16, 2005)

I don't have a floppy drive. and when I boot from the winxp cd and choose install windows xp it says: 'no hard-drives found"


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## Lax (Mar 17, 2005)

That's never good. You're XP disk might be corrupted, if you have another one see if it gives the same error.


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## Dark master (Mar 17, 2005)

it's not the disk cause with my home edition disk I get the same error. I'm using an OEM computer maybe that has something to do with it. or do I have to change something in the setup. the error also says that I have to turn my hard drive on.


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## jshah41 (Mar 17, 2005)

hello there, my name is "Johnny Shah" from Bangladesh.  I am new here. this is my new post.
> If u want to install a new copy of Windows Xp u could format ur hard drive with ur XP CD. just enter in the CMOS setup > on the boot sequence choose CD ROM as FIRST BOOT DEVICE. insert ur xp dick into cd-rom and save changes of CMOS setup. now the computer will automaticly boot 4m cd-rom. and then just read the instruction carefully and format ur hard drive. if u need any further help plz email me on jshah41@hotmail.com
good luck


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## Dark master (Mar 17, 2005)

When I boot from the Windows XP cd and choose install windows xp, I get an error message saying there's no hard drive found and that I may have to turn the hard drive on.


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## Lax (Mar 17, 2005)

Is it a SATA drive or a PATA (IDE)?


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## Dark master (Mar 18, 2005)

I think it's sata, but I don't get it, my computer works fine and I've never had problems with my hard drive


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## Lax (Mar 18, 2005)

Dark master said:
			
		

> I think it's sata, but I don't get it, my computer works fine and I've never had problems with my hard drive


SATA's need to be reformated and configured differently than PATA and I'm no where near a master on that stuff, you'd have to ask Yeti or Prae.


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## Cromewell (Mar 18, 2005)

what motherboard/chipset do you have? you may need to stream SATA drivers into the install


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## Jiffyman (Mar 20, 2005)

*Don't format *

All you have to do is boot the cd and install the os in a new directory you don't have to create a new partition. Then you can take all your personal files and copy them. 

The installation will ask you where to put the files Example: C:\Windows
all you have to do is change it to C:\Windows2. Or whatever you want to call it.


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## Dark master (Mar 22, 2005)

how can I see what motherboard or chipset I have? I have a dell dimension 8400, and I think it's an intel chipset.

How do I stream drivers to the setup?


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## Yeti (Mar 22, 2005)

Oh crap, you got a Dell .  Anyway, it sounds like it could be a driver problem if the drive works fine otherwise.  Have you already cleared the HDD?  If not, and if the WinXP pro disk doesn't have SP2 on it you could try to slipstream them and maybe it would see it as being a newer version (for how to slipstream go here) Back to the driver, did the Dell come with any driver disks, most likely a floppy.  To install a third party driver you'll have to press F6 when installation starts (it will say on the very bottom of the screen).  I think its right before the files are copied.  I'm pretty sure you'll need a floppy drive to do this so you might want to get one (they cost ~$10).  Alsol, take advantage of Dell's tech support.  Use their email support, it's usually pretty good at getting back to you.  Just tell them everything you know so they don't give you some dumbass answer.  I'll try to look into the specs on your computer when I get a little free time later today.


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## Dark master (Mar 22, 2005)

I just installed a floppydrive, but I didn't get any drivers on floppy with my pc, I did get some on cd but not on one them is a hard drive driver.

Operating System	: Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (build 2600)
Processor		: 3,00 Ghz Intel Pentium 4
System Model		: Dell inc. Dimension 8400
Drives			: ST380013AS [Hard drive] (80,00 GB)

*Main Circuit Board*

Board: Dell inc. 0J3492
Bus Clock: 800 Mhz
BIOS: Dell inc. A01 07/17/2004


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## Yeti (Mar 22, 2005)

Go into your BIOS (F2 on startup).  In the drives section does it list your drive and specs?  Also what is the drive controller set to (options should be RAID autodetect/AHCI, RAID autodetect/ATA, or RAID on)?  I would also still recommend email support from Dell, it can't hurt.


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## Dark master (Mar 22, 2005)

I emailed to dell's customers support.

Drives specs:

Controller: Serial ATA
Port: SATA-0
Drive ID: ST380013AS
BIOS: this drive is controlled by the system BIOS

SATA Operation: RAID Autodetect/AHCI


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## Yeti (Mar 22, 2005)

> SATA Operation: RAID Autodetect/AHCI


I figured you might say that.  I believe that you need to install the RAID drivers in order for it to work in AHCI mode.  Try changing it to RAID Autodetect/ATA.  I think that should work.  Or you could make a RAID driver floppy disk and do the F6 driver install when installing windows.  For more info on that go here:
http://support.dell.com/support/top...kb/en/document?dn=1091375&c=us&l=en&s=gen&cs=


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## Dark master (Mar 22, 2005)

It worked, I'm installing professional right now, (this is my moms computer) thanks


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