Silly Windows XP Media Center Question...

[wayliff]

Is Windows XP Media Center...

XP Pro + Media Center Stuff

or

XP Home + Media Center Stuff

or if I am wrong...what to expect?

Thank you.

 

[loup garou]

XP Pro + Media Center Stuff - official capability to join a domain.

 

[wayliff]

Crap---Why would I want to stay with the XP Pro if the Medica Center has additional capabilities and found cheaper @ the egg.

Thanks again.

 

[stash]

MCE 2005 is really neither. The actual OS install disk, CD1 is XP Pro SP2. However, when you use the second CD to install MCE2005, it changes or disables certain things in the initial install. It does not officially allow you to join a domain, because that would break the fast user switching functionality that is necessary for media center extenders. The only way to get a MCE2005 box on a domain is to upgrade a MCE2004 machine that is already a member of a domain. If you do a clean MCE2005 install, or upgrade a machine that is not already on a domain, the option to join is not available. Also, upgrading a MCE2004 domain member to MCE2005 will break the media center extender features.

However, MCE2005 DOES have remote desktop, which Home does not. It also supports EFS, multi-processor machines, IIS and dynamic disks, all Pro-only features.

 

[rbV5]

If you do a clean MCE2005 install, or upgrade a machine that is not already on a domain, the option to join is not available.

Actually, it is available during a clean install of MCE 2005. I was given the opportunity to join a domain during the install (you only get the initial opportunity, after the install you cannot join a domain).

 

[stash]

Was that before or after the CD2 part of the install? I've never done a MCE install, so I'm just curious.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: STaSh
Was that before or after the CD2 part of the install? I've never done a MCE install, so I'm just curious.

IIRC, it was during the second CD installation (I didn't pay that close attention so I couldn't swear to it) I was suprised since I had read that you couldn't join a domain unless you upgraded from MCE 2004(which I don't have), but my MCE rig was connected to my home network and I was given the option to join a domain during the installation (I didn't because I had planned on getting an extender for my xbox).