can SP2 be installed over existing XP pro?

devips said:

A friend of mine here has a machine with XP Pro , which umm is not so legit.
Now he has purchased a legitimate Winxp Pro , but does not want to make a clean install so as to retain the existing applications. Can SP2 version be installed over the existing XP OS? particularly when keys for the two would be different?

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Yes, as it will ask the serial again, you can do it. And even if it does not ask the serial again on upgrading, you can change the serial with Windows Key Finder and Changer from *www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Decrypting-Decoding/WinKeyFinder.shtml

Congrats on your friend for purchasing legal Windows... As khattam has pointed out, you can change serial of Windows without reinstalling... After that, if the system has not got SP2 yet, I strongly recommend that you immediately do that... Follow that up with a full version of AutoPatcher and the system will be updated with latest windows patches...

@Vimal, please read the post completely before starting your post...

Arun

Thanks guys for the response. For Vimal, I was not advocating piracy. I was just trying to know if a later version of winxp can be installed over an earlier version, without going through the clean install rigmarole.

I think no need to reinstall Windows, only change the number as asked by khattam_. If it does not work then reinstall.

drsethi said:

I think no need to reinstall Windows, only change the number as asked by khattam_. If it does not work then reinstall.

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Thanks. I will advise my friend to do as you suggested.