How Do I Boycott Windows Upgrade/Downgrade errors?

[AdamGreen]

I have On my Laptop Windows XP Home Edition.
My computer has recently become clogged in spyware and viruses and have not been removed by 3 diffrent anti-virus programs, causing my laptop to work incredibly slowly. :unch:

I have now got a Windows XP Professional Edition CD which i have tried to install but i get the classic "Windows Installation cannot continue as the operating system you are trying to install is older than the version on your computer" message (words to that extent)
And i would like to know how can i bypass this error and put Windows Professional Edition on my laptop to replace Home Edition?
A friend of mine said something about Booting off the CD in the BIOS menu but that went in one ear out the other.

If someone could explain how i could do it then please let me know i would be very grateful:-

Adam@MercuryDisco.co.uk
AIM/AOL: MercuryDisco

Thanks,

Adam :zzz:

 

[RealBlackStuff]

You need to create a new XP-Pro CD with SP2 slipstreamed into it
http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

 

[Nodsu]

Yes, you should boot from the Windows CD in order to make a clean install.

Since you are asking this question.. Are you sure you know what you are doing?

 

[r_chowdhury]

If you are not intending to delete the partition and install again, you have to consider a newer version Disc.

 

[gooderguy]

Could use more info like the manufacture of the laptop (Compaq, IBM, Dell, Toshiba, etc...). Laptops typically come with either some kind of restore/recovery CD or Windows XP CD. Either way, as long as you backed up your personal files or don't need them, it looks like your best bet is to completely re-install Windows XP which will wipe out your drive.

You will have to boot from the CD either way. Now if you have restore or recovery CD that came with it. Insert them into the CDROM and reboot. Do the same thing if you just have a Windows XP CD (home or pro).

To make your CDROM is not set as a bootable, you will need to go into what is called the BIOS to set it as a bootable device. Now to get to the BIOS depends on what kind of laptop you have. Typically when you first turn it on, tap on the DEL key till you get a black or blue screen with white text. If the DEL key doesn't work, it may you can try other keys, again depending on the manufacturer of the laptop, try tapping F10, F2 or F1.

Once in the BIOS, look for something along the lines of boot order or boot devices and try and set your CDROM is set as the first boot device. There are several different BIOS types so you will have to try and figure it out.

Once you set the CDROM as bootable, when you boot with a recovery or restore disc, it should prompt you for some kind of installation or restore so just follow instructions. I suggest doing full restore that will wipe out all existing data on the hard drive (including any malware).

If you use a Windows XP CD, then it should prompt you to "press a key to boot from CD", you got 5 seconds to press a key then it will boot from the XP CD. From there you want to select Install Windows XP, accept license agreement, then delete all existing partitions before installing. When prompted to format drive, just select NTFS quick format.

Now Windows XP does a pretty good job at installing drivers on laptops but if you have problems with video, sound, modem or network after installing, you will have to go to the laptop manufacturer's web site (Compaq, IBM, Dell, Toshiba, etc...), find, download and install drivers for your laptop.

If you need more help, please post more info like what type of laptop you have and whether you have original CDs for it and what it says on the CDs.

Good luck.