XP Home Edition or XP Professional?

[ACE101]

Ok, so I decided to go with XP and I think my questions are over.....WRONG! :? What is the difference between XP Home Edition and XP professional? I want the best OS and don't want to be lacking any functionality. I'm a tech-head you see. So what am I giving up by going with the Home Edition?

Also, should I get the upgrade or "full version"? I have Windows 98SE but will be reformatting my hard disk and not actually doing an upgrade. How can they tell that I have a previous version of Windows?

Licensing. I have to buy 3 full versions for my 3 computers at home? Boooo!

Ron

 

[Finite]

Deffinately get the full version and if your a tech head then deffinately go with the Pro version. The proversion has alot of services built into it that the home addition does not have. FTP server, www server, the ability to run your own mail server (I think), intricate rights management options, and much more. I don't think that "home" even has IIS in it which as a tech head your going to need (assuming you have a decently fast internet connection)

As for the questio about how they can tell if you have a previously installed version of windows on your system. In the upgrade addition of any os there are files that the install is going to be looking for on the hard drive that the previous windows install puts there. If those files are not there then it will not let you install the upgrade. With some versions of windows that are ways arround this but I don't think that you can do it with XP. Even if you could its better to have the full version. As for buying a seperate disc for each pc don't do that. Just get a liscense for each pc which would allow you to legaly install the same same copy of windows XP on each.

 

[HalfCrazy]

The link below will answer all your questions.

http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=74

 

[ACE101]

Hmmmm. Somebody just suggested that I download the Windows XP Pro Corporate version from the net to try it out to see if I like it or not. What is that? The mention was that there weren't any licensing issues with it. I fully intend on purchasing my copies, but is that another version of XP? What's the differences with it? Downloadable from the net? What gives?

Ron

 

[hominid skull]

<< Hmmmm. Somebody just suggested that I download the Windows XP Pro Corporate version from the net to try it out to see if I like it or not. What is that? The mention was that there weren't any licensing issues with it. I fully intend on purchasing my copies, but is that another version of XP? What's the differences with it? Downloadable from the net? What gives?

Ron >>



I wouldn't bother, it's called warez, illegal software. The corporate version is a version of windows made for big companies so that they don't have to register every last machine on there networks - but they still need the licences for the copies that they install.

 

[Infohawk]

I understand that XP Pro has more security, encryption stuff, but can someone tell me if the following is possible under XP HOME?

Is it possible to have users who cannot access certain programs or directories. The articles that HalfCrazy linked to suggest that it isn't and that all users are admin under xp home, but maybe I'm not understanding them correctly. Can I have a user on my xp home system that can't access folders and programs I designate off limits?

 

[Colt45]

<< I understand that XP Pro has more security, encryption stuff, but can someone tell me if the following is possible under XP HOME?

Is it possible to have users who cannot access certain programs or directories. The articles that HalfCrazy linked to suggest that it isn't and that all users are admin under xp home, but maybe I'm not understanding them correctly. Can I have a user on my xp home system that can't access folders and programs I designate off limits? >>



yup, there should be no problems there

edit: actually ive never used home, so im just guessing

but every NT OS ive used has had that ability (NT4, win2k, XP pro). I dont see why the home ed. woulnt have that capability.

 

[c0rv1d43]

Please read the FAQ suggested by HalfCrazy. Some of the people who are "answering" the question evidently need to read the FAQs as badly as the person who originated the thread.

You do NOT need a full version of the product if you have a qualifying previous Windows version setup CD.

Windows XP Home Edition has no easy (GUI) means of assigning program access rights for some users and denying them to others. All regular users in WinXP Home Edition are, indeed, admin users.

- Collin

 

[spyordie007]

<< I understand that XP Pro has more security, encryption stuff, but can someone tell me if the following is possible under XP HOME? >>


Along with not being able to actually access the NTFS permissions in XP Home you cannot encrypt files, or directories.
And like Colin said, read the FAQ. FAQ are good

-Spy