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General discussion

Windows XP Pro Installed over XP Home - Can I Uninstall Pro Manually and Protect Data?

Mar 10, 2004 7:17AM PST

I've had XP Pro for awhile. Had installed it on 2 computers before and then reverted back to Windows 2000. Now I've got a newer computer that came with XP Home. I installed XP pro over that, but it only gave me 30 days without entering a different Product Key than the one I had.

I had tried Uninstalling XP Pro, but there was no option to do so in the Add/Remove Programs. Now it's been 30 days and XP Pro won't let me log into the computer unless I get a new Product Key.

Will Microsoft give me a key at least to temporarily get back into the computer to backup some files before having to do a fresh install? Or if I do a manual uninstall of XP Pro, will that just revert to XP Home, or will I lose my data on the hard drive?

Discussion is locked

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Re:Windows XP Pro Installed over XP Home - Can I Uninstall Pro Manually and Protect Data?
Mar 10, 2004 8:18AM PST
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Re:Windows XP Pro Installed over XP Home - Can I Uninstall Pro Manually and Protect Data?
Mar 10, 2004 8:19AM PST

"Will Microsoft give me a key at least to temporarily get back into the computer to backup some files before having to do a fresh install?"

I can't say, but my bet is "unlikely." But I will share a solution.

"Or if I do a manual uninstall of XP Pro, will that just revert to XP Home, or will I lose my data on the hard drive?"

Danger lurks on this path. As you see at http://tips.oncomputers.info/archives2004/0401/2004-Jan-11.htm you can use a KNOPPIX CD to bootup and backup what you forgot to save elsewhere.

Bob