Install Windows Xp Over Another Xp Installation?

[Thomas Dequinas]

I was wondering for a while if I could install XP Media Center Edition over Home Edition without losing my settings or files. Well I know as long as I don't reformat, my files are fine so just wondering about the settings.

I've heard you cant install Professional over MCE but I don't know about MCE over Home but I'm sure it would work. The reason I want to do this is because I have my father's Home Edition on my hard drive as a temporary solution and my sister's new laptop came with the Win XP MCE CD. This Media Center Edition OEM does not require activation and has been tested having been installed on my sister's and dad's laptops.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks B).

 

[Shane R. Monroe]

As I understand it, one of the restrictions of the Home version of XP is that you cannot upgrade it to ANYTHING else.

I'm curious why MCE? Its full of DRM and uses MS centric technology that won't give you a while lot of options .. there are many great TV-centric tools that sit atop of XP that are a lot more flexible .... www.snapstream.com has many great products I use myself.

 

[WarmFluffyUK]

I was wondering for a while if I could install XP Media Center Edition over Home Edition without losing my settings or files. Well I know as long as I don't reformat, my files are fine so just wondering about the settings.

I've heard you cant install Professional over MCE but I don't know about MCE over Home but I'm sure it would work. The reason I want to do this is because I have my father's Home Edition on my hard drive as a temporary solution and my sister's new laptop came with the Win XP MCE CD. This Media Center Edition OEM does not require activation and has been tested having been installed on my sister's and dad's laptops.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks B).

​

Unfortunately there is no upgrade version of Media Center. It is supposed to be supplied with OEM hardware only. And officially with only approved hardware.

XP Home can be upgraded to Pro, that's about it really.

Looks like you will need to do a clean install of Media Center, sowy .

 

[Thomas Dequinas]

Aw d'oh, thanks for the reply guys. I was wondering though it may just ask me if I want to overwrite the existing Win XP installation or cancel and exit? I mean I probably won't have to reformat but just reinstall Win XP, lose old installation and settings, and keep my files right?

And I said before I wanted to install this OEM version of Media Center because it doesn't require activation.

 

[Shane R. Monroe]

Be careful, my friend. ACTIVATION and VALIDATION are two different things.

Perhaps that copy won't require activation, but if you ever want to get any security updates, it WILL require validation, and if your copy has been used before, is registered with other hardware, or is (heaven forbid) a pirated copy, you're out of the running.