Uninstalling and reinstalling/upgrading xp!!HELP

[trishbaby100]

OK I have had a notification that I have an illegal copy of windows xp installed,
I have put it off and put it off fixing this, now many programs are being affected and it has caused audio problems and so on,
I have just purchased the Windows XP home edition which includes Service Pack 2

How do I go about uninstalling the illegal XP that is on the system and installing the new one?
(The last version that I had a sticker for is Windows 2000 professional) before the illegal upgrade was installed.)

If anyone is willing to help me though this detailed step by step so that I can finally have a fully working pc back that would be wonderful.It is not that I am lazy I just want to make sure that I do this right for the last time rather than take it in to a pro again.LOL

Thank you!
Trish
(as I start reading the information/directions now.....)

[UncasMS]

if your current version is a PRO version then you will have to install windows and all applications from scratch as you wont be able to install the HOME edition over the pro

if you have a home edition installed now then simply try installing the new version over the old


in any case: backup your user data!

[anonymez]

yup clean install needed, back up data to another media and pop in the cd, iirc should give you the option of a clean install

[trishbaby100]

ok I tried installing the program and it stated that it cannot complete the installation.
I deleted the xp service pack 2 from the add/remove progs and restarted, tried to install again and nothing,
what do I have to do to restore back to then Windows 2000 pro. Because thats what i have the sticker for on the side of the pc.
Or any other suggestions would be great,

[Chewy]

back up all data

go into bios, tell it to boot to the cd, install xp, if it asks for a previous version, put the w2k cd in

[trishbaby100]

OK it is stating that the illegal copy is a Windows XP Professional.
I only have the sticker for the old "Windows 2000 Pro, but the not the cd as that was done at a store.

[Chewy]

what version of xp home did you buy?

[trishbaby100]

i bought the upgrade to windows XP home edition

[trishbaby100]

version 2002

[trishbaby100]

ok so I have called the 1-800# for microsoft have been told that I have to take back this upgrade.And have someone professionally install the software all over again and pay to have it all installed again also! Because the guy that I had come into my home installed an illegal version of XP professional I cannot upgrade to anything because the Pro Xp is the highest version.
This sucks!

[Chewy]

You can do a clean install with the upgrade, legal and by the book, you will have to delete the present install and have a 2000 cd(borrow one).

http://www.theeldergeek.com/clean_installation_of_windows_xp.htm

[trishbaby100]

I will attempt to get my hands on the 2000 pro cd and see what I can do.
Thank you

[Chewy]

further light reading

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=use+windows+xp+upgrade+for+clean+install&btnG=Google+Search

[trishbaby100]

OK in getting the delete part complete,
I checked throught the help and support section on how to best delete the XP professional.
It stated that I could not uninstall the Xp pro if I upgraded from a Windows 2000 pro.
I checked in the Add/remove prog and there was many,many things such as updates for xp pro,security updates,hot fixes for xp pro but no actual installation app or uninstall app.
So what is my next step?
I will read from the above link.
Also should I not have had the installation cd given to me when I bought the pc from the company for the Pro 2000?

[Chewy]

One of the best things about an xp cd is the ability to delete partitions and recreate them. There is one snafu in this mess, I am probably wrong thinking you could use the upgrade and supply a W2k disk when asked before install,
get a W98 disk instead. Any W98 disk, Bill and cohorts in crime should be horsewhipped thru Redmond for their system of robbing you of your hard earned cash.
I just buy the oem versions

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16837102059

and a piece of hardware