I have Microsoft Windows XP Professional ; also would a system recovery cd/dvd for a microsoft windows xp home edition work?
If you use Pro CD you will install Pro. If you use Home CD you will load Home. They are not the same disk. Also keep in mind there are OEM, Retail and Upgrade disks. If the license you intend to use is for XP Pro OEM (came with your PC) you will need to use an XP Pro OEM disk.
Most XP user information is kept in the "Documents and Settings" folder on the C: drive. In that folder is a folder for each user. You can save the whole "Documents and Settings" folder or just for specific users. Some older programs or programs that do not follow XP standards might not save their data in this folder, so be sure to check around your hard drive also.
When you reload XP create a new user with the SAME name as your older user. Log in as that user. Reboot then log in as a different user. You can then copy the old user folder over the one that was just created. Many of your settings will come back.
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The only way to save your data would be to burn it to CD, DVD, external hard drive or flash drive. Using those disks would reinstall the software on your computer as if you had just bought it. It will not help you save your data.
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It would install XP Home, on your hard drive.
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If you use Pro CD you will install Pro. If you use Home CD you will load Home. They are not the same disk. Also keep in mind there are OEM, Retail and Upgrade disks. If the license you intend to use is for XP Pro OEM (came with your PC) you will need to use an XP Pro OEM disk.
Most XP user information is kept in the "Documents and Settings" folder on the C: drive. In that folder is a folder for each user. You can save the whole "Documents and Settings" folder or just for specific users. Some older programs or programs that do not follow XP standards might not save their data in this folder, so be sure to check around your hard drive also.
When you reload XP create a new user with the SAME name as your older user. Log in as that user. Reboot then log in as a different user. You can then copy the old user folder over the one that was just created. Many of your settings will come back.
References :
By clicking on Start, programs, accessories, system tools, you'll see "backup" on the menu. There you will be able to copy your important stuff to a floppy or blank cd so that it can be put back into the proper places after you've restored the Operating System. Let me know if I can help further. Larry Radio Shack 01-9590
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You can adopt system restore, in which case your data files will not be affected.However all recent software changes will go. If you want a backup, you write them in CDs. You can try to restore the computer to an older working configuration. Detailed instructions are posted at http://fixit.in/systemrestore.html
References :
http://fixit.in/systemrestore.html