Windows XP Home over XP Pro

[maisiegirl111]

So i got a used computer from a friend of mine and not sure of the background on the desktop other than owned previously by a law office. It had windows xp pro on it. Well it was constantly having issues here and there and a friend of mine thought he figured out how to officially fix it. He proceeded to install xp home edition on the computer and Im not sure if he installed it over the xp pro or seperately. But I cannot access any of my old files, music, anything. On the start up screen it has choice of home or pro but clicking on pro and it wont let me in at all. Furthermore the home edition is defineately not installed right either. How can i get back into my home edition. Oh and I am not a computer tech kind of person either. Simple terms please. Please help.

 

[Tedster]

do a clean install. format the old drive first.

 

[raybay]

You should still be able to see the files on the old hard drive, if he did a common install, but if he formatted the drive to install clean, you stuff may be lost forever.

I would install a new drive, and then put this old drive into an external USB enclosure to explore it for sub directories which still contain all your valuable data.

 

[maisiegirl111]

I am an ***** when it comes to computer terms...im sorry and im sure youre being helpful, but i have no idea what you are talking about! and i dont know if it was formatted.