XP Home or XP MCE 2005

Question

I just pruchased a used laptop and it came with XP Home installed. It  came with a Reinstallation DVD (operating system) that is not the XP Home version, but XP media Center. I would like to know how difficult or risky it would be to change from the Home version to the media center operating system. There are no issues with the operating system. I have Media Center Edition on a desktop and my kids are already quite familiar with the layout and set up so I thought I might make things easier if both systems were the same. Any thoughts?  The laptop is 11 months old so it has the system restore feature. Would this be lost if I set up a new operating system install? Thanks

simpswr · Answer

What sticker do you have on the bottom of the laptop? . .The one with the COA . .  Unless it is for MCE, you cannot install MCE unless you buy a copy.

tgsmith · Answer

Dad22,

Is the MCE Reinstallation DVD for a Dell? If not, don't use it. MCE is only sold preinstalled on OEM PCs (Some Custom Build Shops are now able to also offer MCE on their systems). To determine if the used laptop came with XP Home or XP MCE, check the Windows Product Key Label on the bottom of the laptop. Does it say Windows XP Home or Windows XP MCE 2005?

A reinstall of Windows XP will destroy the Dell PC Restore (Ctrl-F11) partition. Likewise, any Recovery Console command that rewrites the master boot record; i.e., fixmbr or fdisk /mbr, will make the PC Restore partition inaccessible.

Denny Denham has an excellent site on XP installation procedures for Dells : http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm#Install.

Hope this info helps you make a decision on whether or not to proceed with XP MCE installation.

Tony

Dad22 · Answer

The bottom says Windows XP Home Edition. Probably by mistake the operating system dvd originally supplied with the computer (reinstallation DVD) is the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. It is from Dell for Dell and it states already installed on your computer. It is brand new in the shrink wrap. I think they just supplied the wrong one. So  I have a laptop that came with XP Home but no reinstallation DVD. I was just hoping it would be easy to install and make both computers running the same operating systems. I figured it would simplify our lives.

tgsmith · Answer

Dad22,

I doubt that the MCE DVD is a mistake. The original owner may have requested a reinstallation CD for his preinstalled XP Home and received the MCE DVD which is basically an extension of XP Home. Next question. Does the Dell Reinstallation DVD for MCE have a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) with a Product Key? If it does, then review the Windows XP installation procedures on Denny Denham's site that I mentionned earlier, and install the MCE if you desire. If it doesn't have a COA Product Key, it should still install and activate since it's a genuine Dell Reinstallation DVD. Worst case might require activation by telephone. Do not repartition the drive. Just install MCE on the partition that currently has XP Home installed. If you have any problems let us know.

Tony

Message Edited by tgsmith on 07-27-200612:25 AM

Dad22 · Answer

My biggest fear is messing up the partition and losing the ability to do a system restore. The previous owner put about 150 hours on the computer. Its basically brand new. When the previous owner removed his personal files he left everything in the recycle bin 20 items tops mostly word docs. Easily removed. Its really a clean system with no issues. It will be a hard call. So glad to have discovered the forum. I have been using Dell desktops now for the past 10 yrs.

tgsmith · Answer

Dad22, You're welcome.  Let us know how things turn out. Helps everyone viewing these posts. Tony

Dad22 · Answer

Yes Certificate of Authenticity with a product key. Thanks for all the help and input.

tgsmith · Answer

Dad22,

I sensed your hesitancy. That's why I recommended that you not repartition or format the existing partitions. There is a way to reactivate the PC Restore partition as long as you don't resize or format it and the utility partition. Sounds like you've got a pretty clean system right now that is working great. I would probably hesitate to change it also. If XP Home ever completely fails, you have two options: Use the PC Restore or install MCE.

Tony

Dad22 · Answer

After going back over the responses your conclusions were right on. If something does happen. I will have two options. Something tells me that I might be asking for trouble. Great advice and help. Thanks again.

oldtraveler · Answer

Create a Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image or similar of your current XP Home installation. Then you could go ahead and try the MCE installation which if not to your liking could be easily reversed back to your original XP Home quickly and easily.

simpswr · Answer

For future readers of this thread . . MCE 2005 is XP Professional , with the Media Center overlay. . and the ability to join a domain disabled.

Windows General

XP Home or XP MCE 2005

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