[BNM] pc of string question - insight valued like ambrosia for the mind

[Yan_fit-pixels]

Hi,
I am a mac user by default but four months back had reason to purchase a pc.
I had it built locally in london (since moved to worthing) and I said I 
didn't need to buy a system with it because I had a bona copy of XP Home 
with VPC 7 for mac.

The guy who built it put a hookey copy of XP pro on anyway and needless 
to say I never got round to trying to install my genuine XP Home edition.

I have now experienced the dreaded blue screen of death and I find that 
my XP Home is only installable on a mac.
Furthermore Microsoft refuse to swap it for a pc version which is also 
rather annoying.

All my software now crashes the pc apart from web browsers and the Nero 
program. I can't even run System Restore which I presume might have helped.

I have, however, ordered a copy of XP Pro but what I'm wondering is, 
will I have to completely wipe my hard drive to reinstall or will I be 
able to simply replace the system?

Any advice, knowledge or comments on the penuriousness of microsoft 
welcomed, nay, fêted.


Regards
Yan