Should I be using XP Pro instead of XP Home?

[NoelS]

I've noticed that almost everyone else is using XP Pro and I'm wondering what I'm losing by using XP Home instead? I've been using XP Home for a couple of years now with no problems, even on my home network... Should I change, and if so, why?

Noel

 

[Megatomic]

If you've been using it for years with no problems then you're not missing anything. I've used both and my experience was the same in both versions.

 

[NoelS]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
If you've been using it for years with no problems then you're not missing anything. I've used both and my experience was the same in both versions.

Megatomic,

Thanks, that makes me feel better about being a "homey"

Noel

 

[Megatomic]

No problem at all. My wife's laptop runs XP Home and for what she and I do (I have XP Pro) there is no difference between our machines. Just FYI, one of the biggest difference between the two is that Home won't connect to a domain whereas Pro will. In your home you won't miss that feature.

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: NoelS
I've noticed that almost everyone else is using XP Pro and I'm wondering what I'm losing by using XP Home instead? I've been using XP Home for a couple of years now with no problems, even on my home network... Should I change, and if so, why?

Noel

There is no performance difference between the two. The only thing you lose are the ability to join a domain and the ACL capability of NTFS. I'm using Windows XP Pro because I got it from my work's VLA. We can use Vista Business too but I've tried it 3 times and I cannot stand it.

 

[Jeff7181]

Another difference that average users would encounter before NTFS or domain issues is the inability for XP Home to host an RDP session.

 

[mechBgon]

XP Pro also offers the Encrypting File System, Backup (including Automated System Recovery), local group policy, local security policy, and the Software Restriction Policy option, plus support for true dual-processor systems with two CPU sockets.

I find Group Policy and SRP useful enough that I would/did pay the extra for XP Pro (or Vista Business in this day & age) just for them alone. But I'm just crazy like that

 

[Megatomic]

And obviously, none of the features in XP Pro that are missing from XP Home are going to be important to your typical home PC user. I beta tested XP and received 1 Pro license and 8 Home licenses for my trouble. My free license is the only reason I'm running Pro now.

 

[papaschtroumpf]

the inability to connect to a machine running Home with Remote Desktop is the killer for me. It's an essential feature to me, whereas others wouldn't care at all.
All alternatives like PCAnywhere, VNC, etc... don't come close to the ease of use or performance of Remote Desktop (it hurts to say it, but it's the truth)

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
And obviously, none of the features in XP Pro that are missing from XP Home are going to be important to your typical home PC user. I beta tested XP and received 1 Pro license and 8 Home licenses for my trouble. My free license is the only reason I'm running Pro now.

I'd be shocked if more than 1/4 of the members here fall in to the "typical home user" category.

 

[Ichinisan]

Remote Desktop and MMC User accounts are my primary reasons for demanding Pro. Before the updates for Hyperthreading and Multi-Core CPU support in Home, SMP was another one. That said, I "forgot" that my laptop didn't have Pro on it for over a year and a half, even though I used it as a Remote Desktop client almost daily. If you don't routinely run into the arbitrary limitations of Home Edition, you're OK. The no-password Administrator account accessible only in Safe Mode has really surprised quite a few Home users when they were in a pinch, so security is another thing to think about (though those users are glad for the account they didn't know about).

 

[Megatomic]

I'd be amazed if more than a few AT members had domains at home, too.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I'd be amazed if more than a few AT members had domains at home, too.

Don't need a domain to make use of Remote Desktop... which is what I consider to be the single biggest reason to buy Professional rather than Home. I use it every day on average.

 

[Megatomic]

When I leave work, I leave my work at the jobsite. If they need me, they're gonna have to call me and it's going to cost them plenty. I've asked them about telecommuting, and even though they'd save money in many instances they refuse to allow it.

Jeff, what do you RDP into? Is it work related and if so do you get paid for your time?

 

[Jeff7181]

You can use the RDP client on an XP Home machine, just can't host an RDP session on an XP Home machine.

But no... it's not work related... I RDP to the computers in my house. I have three computers in three different rooms. It's convenient not to have to buy applications for all three computers or walk from room to room. I can just RDP to a computer that has a program I need and use it. Also, one computer runs Vista Business, another XP Professional, and another with WHS and an XP VM.

Mapping drives over the network is nice, but not always enough.

 

[Megatomic]

I see. We have 3 laptops in our house. And aside from Office 2003, Windows, and a few games all our software is freeware. It's a similar situation at work, too. All the general use PCs are configured with the same software, but we do have a network spanning control system that is built on Wonderware, and I do RDP into the engineering workstation (Server 2003 from any general use PC (XP Pro) to configure the controls or make logic changes.

But with a house of only 2200 or so square feet, there is really no inconvenience in actually visiting another computer. It would take all of 30 seconds to get there.

 

[NoelS]

Hey folks,

I really appreciate all the replies and comments. I'm long ago retired, so don't have a need for using a remote desktop. Most of the extras in Pro are items that I probably wouldn't use at home, so I guess I'm probably a typical home user, at least in my applications... I do use wireless all the time with my laptop (XP Home) and am connected to 2 home-built PCs (also XP Home) through a Verizon router's wireless connection. Also, I'm still a Fat32 believer, so don't use NTFS... Not even sure that I would ever have need to connect to a Domain except through my ISP...

Since MS's support of XP is such a short term thing these days, I may still buy a copy of XP Pro to try out some of the additional features. I'm planning a new build and this may give me a chance to check it out.

Again, thanks for all the help,

Noel

 

[Jeff7181]

You're probably right, NoelS. I bet you'd benefit more from having a Windows Home Server if for nothing else than to do automated backups of all your computers.

 

[Megatomic]

Jeff, you like WHS so far? I've thought about setting one up, but I already have a NAS. Aside from backups, what would be the benefit to WHS over NAS?

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: papaschtroumpf
the inability to connect to a machine running Home with Remote Desktop is the killer for me. It's an essential feature to me, whereas others wouldn't care at all.
All alternatives like PCAnywhere, VNC, etc... don't come close to the ease of use or performance of Remote Desktop (it hurts to say it, but it's the truth)

Is that for real? I was under impression the newest version of VNC > remote desktop. as far as ease of use goes, I dont see anything overly complicated about VNC (besides setting up a SSH session which I am ignoring at the moment)

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
Another difference that average users would encounter before NTFS or domain issues is the inability for XP Home to host an RDP session.

Moot because of freeware like VNC.

Originally posted by: mechBgon
XP Pro also offers the Encrypting File System, Backup (including Automated System Recovery), local group policy, local security policy, and the Software Restriction Policy option, plus support for true dual-processor systems with two CPU sockets.

I find Group Policy and SRP useful enough that I would/did pay the extra for XP Pro (or Vista Business in this day & age) just for them alone. But I'm just crazy like that

Made moot with dual/quad core processors. XP Home supports those.

I find Group Policy and SRP useless for the home environment. You also forgot IIS on your list though, since we're going to list them all apparently.

Originally posted by: papaschtroumpf
the inability to connect to a machine running Home with Remote Desktop is the killer for me. It's an essential feature to me, whereas others wouldn't care at all.
All alternatives like PCAnywhere, VNC, etc... don't come close to the ease of use or performance of Remote Desktop (it hurts to say it, but it's the truth)

How about the ability to see what is being done on the desktop? RDP will lock the workstation. At work we use it as a last resort because of that. You cannot interact with the other person.

It's also a pain in the ass for people connected via VPN. If you RDP into a computer connected via VPN then it will log the user off and kick the VPN session...

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Jeff, you like WHS so far? I've thought about setting one up, but I already have a NAS. Aside from backups, what would be the benefit to WHS over NAS?

It's kinda neat. Not sure it's worth $180 though. Pretty much any idiot can use it... that's a plus. There's not a lot it does that you can't do with something else... it just makes it easier and quicker (setting user permissions on a single screen by checking/unchecking boxes). I think the thing I like most about it is the backup feature. Automated incrimental backups of all of my computers is pretty convenient. I also liked it for its ability to stream music and video to my Xbox.

My beta license ends in a month, so I'm debating buying an XP Home license for $90 to throw on this box and create network storage and no frills PC for family to use... or buying WHS for $180 and keeping the convenience I'm enjoying right now and then just create a locked down user account for familiy members to use on the PC rather than running XP in a virtual machine like I do now to accomplish those goals.

*EDIT* Restoring from backup is also painless. Put the CD in the computer, boot from it, select which computer you're restoring and from what date you want to restore, click next and wait while it pulls the data over the network.

Another nice feature is the way it stores backups. My laptop has 45 gigs of data back up, my desktop has 50 gigs of data backed up, and a backup of a PC I no longer have with another 35 gigs of data. That's all occupying just 82 GB on the server. Apparently, even data from different backups on different PC's is never duplicated. If I have file A on two PC's, the data is written to disk once and each backup points to it.