Hack Windows XP Home into Windows XP Pro

[Colin Dunstan]

German Computer magazine C't is describing in its current print issue on eight pages how to change Windows XP Home to a Windows XP Professional version before install. Changing two bytes in the installation file is enough to complete this hack. Gizmodo has translated the procedure:

1. Copy the root directory and the i386 directory of the WindowsXP CD
to your harddisk
2. Extract the Bootsector of your WindowsXP CD
3. Change 2 Bytes in i386\Setupreg.hiv :
a) Open Regedit
b) Highlight HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
c) Menu: File -> Load Structure -> i386\Setupreg.hiv
d) Assign an arbitrary name to the imported structure e.g. “Homekey”
e) Goto HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Homekey\ControlSet001\Services\ setupdd
f) edit the binary key “default” and change “01” to “00” and “02” to
“00”
g) Highlight “Homekey” and select menu: File -> unload structure
4. Burn your new XP Pro CD
5. Install WindowsXP as usual. Your XP Home Key will work.

Note: You cannot apply SP2 to such a WindowsXP Pro, so step 1.b)
might be to integrate SP2 in your Installation CD

[derekweb]

I would think that would be a bit of a moot point, since you don't really get much of this when you buy a preloaded PC. /shrug/

Still, it's nice in theory. But you still get what you pay for. You might fool it in the short term, but upgrading a hack like that is going to be simply lousy for experience. You'd be much better off just getting a REAL upgraded copy of XP Pro.

I *think* I last heard MS was offering some cheap upgrade prices for people who buy an XP Pro license who already have XP Home. /shrug/ Don't quote me on that. I happen to think the worst when it comes to MS and sales, since they're over bloated on code, over priced and under par for quality.