XP Home and XP Pro Differences? 1

[lgvelez]

I have a P2 450 on my home network that has passed the XP Upgrade Advisor analysis. I have XP Pro on one computer that is more substantial than the P2, so would like to put the Home version on the P2. What are the differences, besides $100.

Thanks in advance,
Laura

Laura Velez, MCP
lauravelez@charter.net

 

[MSeng]

Windows XP Pro has the following features that Home Edition doesn't.
* SMP support (multi-processor support)
* Roaming user profiles
* Remote desktop
* Access control
* Encrypting file system
* Offline files and folders
* Remote installation service
* Windows server domain support
* Group policy
* Software installation and maintenance
* Multi-lingual user interface support

Some references:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

 

[lgvelez]

Thank you for that information! And for the MS link, that I vaguely remembered from some years ago, and could not find. The other link I had never seen before, and will peruse thoroughly. It seems as if the Home version will be very adequate for my second computer.

Again, thank you, Laura

Laura Velez, MCP
lauravelez@charter.net

 

[Shadowlover]

You may actually save money by installing XP Pro from the disk you already have on the other system and then calling Microsoft and purchasing a license for the second computer. I plan to try this when I install XP Pro on one of my other comps after this semester is over. I don't want to mess up the computer I am taking an internet corse on. I've heard it is cheaper but I haven't confirmed it yet. Good luck either way.

 

[lgvelez]

So much for trying XP on this system ... my HP Scanjet 5370C doesn't seem to support anything above ME or Win 2000. I like this scanner, and have no desire to replace it.

Laura Velez, MCP
lauravelez@charter.net

 

[MSeng]

According to the information at this Windows Platform Development page (

http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/tech/WIA/XP_WIAdrvs.asp),

the native XP drivers will function with your scanner.

I also found drivers for your scanner here --

http://www.hp.com/cposupport/swindexes/hpscanjet520500_swen.html

 

[lgvelez]

Thank you MSeng ... when I went to the HP site, they did not list the XP drivers. And when I ran the MS installation program to see if the PC was ready, it promptly told me that my scanner was unsupported. And now I see it on the list. I did go ahead and get the XP Home, and I got big red letter warnings on the screen telling me that my scanner software was unsupported. I installed as an upgrade over ME, which is not my usual procedure for a new install ... I usually don't do upgrades. Now, I will download the drivers listed, and deinstall the scanjet, and then reinstall.

How bizarre!!

Laura Velez, MCP
lauravelez@charter.net

 

[Microbe]

> How bizzarre!!

You mean "How Microsoft"

Steve Davis
hey.you@hahaha.com.au

http://www.hahaha.com.au

Me? I can't even spell ASP!

 

[conceptumator]

Another major difference between Pro and Home: Home will not connect to a domain or workgroup. Only matters if you are networking. If you have an OEM CD for Pro, you can look at

http://www.pricewatch.com

and find any number of vendors who will sell you a license (all you get is the sticker and a valid serial number) for about $110. I've done it several times at our church; totally legal and simple. Remember, though, you have to have an OEM CD to do it. I have an Open License CD at my office and I tried to use the CD for an install, then authenticate it with a purchased OEM license: no go, had to reinstall from OEM CD. Also, there are some 3rd party driver fixes for XP and HP scanners to be found if you search the web. Good luck.

 

[cdogg]

conceptumator,
Actually, XP Home should be able to connect to a workgroup no problem such as a home LAN. It's just membership to a domain that it doesn't have access to.

~cdogg

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- A. Einstein

 

[lgvelez]

Thanks for the info. I was not interested in putting XP Pro on this computer because it didn't need the heavy duty stuff on it. So I went with the XP Home. Yes, I do have a legal licensed OEM version of Pro.
Five years ago I networked our house. At that time we were on dial-up i'net connections, but soon went to broadband cable. Now I have us behind a Linksys router which is running DHCP internally, and each system is running ZoneAlarm Pro. Internally, I have all systems using Netbeui for file sharing. The XP Home edition had no problem with the networked file sharing, or accessing the i'net. However, internally I do not have any user accts set up, so it simply is working as a peer to peer workgroup.

Laura Velez, MCP
lauravelez@charter.net