I Really Want To Upgrade!

[boyzeee]

1) My Harddrives are already NFTS, do I still have to reformat?

2) And WHAT is a clean install/format? And WHY would you recommend a clean install/format?

3) XP Pro or Corporate? Where should I download Corporate if that's the case (the best place)?

4) Where do I go to check and see if my CD Key is valid after installing the product? Do I first guess a CD Key? WHAT, WHY, WHERE, WHEN, HOW?! I need like a book on this! Or at least some images to help me out!

5) Can I still get auto-updates if I use a pirated copy of XP Pro/Corporate?

6) BTW I've already installed all of my Drivers on XP HOME, why would I need to redo that on XP Pro/Corporate?

7) What if I screw it all up and I install with a bad key, and uninstall, where am I then, MS DOS?! with freakin' System Restore and all of my files wiped out of my a$$?!

i will try and answer in order...

1..... if your hard drives are ntfs then you dont need to re-format, even if they were fat32 you still dont "need" to, its just ntfs is more stable and secure. this is not an issue for you.

2.....a clean install is simply formatting (wiping) your hardrive and starting from scratch, the reason its recommended is that when you upgrade and more so with the "new installation" option you sometimes get programs that will not work afterwards and with new installation option not only will they not work but they wont be in the ADD/REMOVE progs, ya hardrive will be messy with redundant folders. saying all that tho, it applies more so with upgrading from previous versions of windows, you have home edition already so it shouldnt be much of an issue upgrading but i wouldnt go for the "new" install option, just upgrade.

3.... xp pro and corp are identical to each other except corp is missing the 11 files from the I386 installation folder that pro has that make you activate it, you dont need to with corp. i would go with corp for this reason and also for the fact that in pro/home if you like to change your hardware alot or video drivers alot it will keep asking you to re activate it coz of hardware changes, if i remember correctly its 6 major changes and you need to re activate, a total pain in the arse if it aint a ligit copy!! corp doesnt do this. look in verifieds on home page for i think something like.. win_xp_corp_sharereactor.bin, its something like that anyway....def sharereactor!

4.... if you got home installed already run the bluelist keygen to find corp key, i set it to search for at least 100x and max keys to find the same as search total and tick the box to save results in txt file on ya desktop. or click my screenname and message me, i will send you a valid key, but dont spread it round to much coz microsoft will eventually shut it down with a patch just like the infamous "devils own key" (FCKGW....) there is a program called "keychange" that will let you change the key in corp after you have installed tho. just type in a valid key when asked and thats it with corp, no phone calls etc etc

5.... yes you can update at windows, click the "no i do not want to register with microsoft at this time" box when you first start windows after install then you will be anonymous, they wont know who or where you are and if microsoft ever do in the distant future catch on that your key isnt valid (which is VERY unlikely&#33 just make a new key with keygen and run keychange prog...easy!

6.... whatever type of installation you choose windows will find the hardware and freshly install it, if you are concrned there are a few progs out there that enable you to backup your drivers to disc, ie version, manufacturer etc, search in google for "driver backup software" or something like that then when you find one download it from kazaa. but i wouldnt bother unless they are specific drivers that are not windows drivers ie nvidia etc.

7... you cant screw up..corp wont let you install without a valid key simple as that, in pro its a little different because of the activation procedure as you wont know if the key you have made has been activated or not, still not an issue tho, just use activate over net, dont register, and if it says invalid key, just click the change key button and try another of ya keys, keep trying new keys til it does activate, it may take a few trys but you are getting free software! you can do it over the fone but its just longer. if you really worried clone your present drive using norton ghost to another drive or make a partition on ya current drive with partition magic and then clone, you will have a complete backup which you can just transfer back then if you worried, but i woulndnt bother, ive done this shite loads of times.

and please dont everyone mail msg me for a key..it aint gonna happen!... make ya own!. i think ive covered it all and my fingers hurt so class dissmissed!

[Eradication]

What's the difference between:

Microsoft WindowsXP Corporate Edition SP1 Integrated

and

Windows XP Pro Corporate (Bootable)



From the ShareReactor? Can't you just download SP1 from the from the other Corp anyways? And what about SP2?

[wienerschnitzel]

Both are bootable versions of windows XP Pro. but the one that says SP1 already has SP1 installed unlike the one that does not say SP1 (that does not have SP1 installed (you would have to install the Service Pack (SP) yourself)).

[Eradication]

Ok, then no big deal. Thank you wiener

[Storm]

plus 1 of them is the Corp edition (which doesnt require activation) and 1 is just XP Pro (which DOES require activation)