Can I run embedded XP on a regular computer?

[Guest]

I am hoping for some insight here. Any advice is appreciated.
Currently here is our company's typical system:

Intel based PC (various cpus, etc.)
Windows XP Pro.
Programming in VB6
Some third party addons for VB (OCXs)
Also a third party OPC for instrument communication.

I am wondering if I can go to embedded XP (to lose some of the unnecessary
services with the hope of reducing problems such as crashes, etc..)
Can I just put embedded xp on a regular computer or must it be on an
embedded controller?
Can I run VB6 (or an installation from a VB6 application)?

Am I crazy lol? The overal goal is to make our test systems more reliable.
We run 24/7 automated tests that are based on Windows because we do other
things such as Access, Excel, Word on the same PC. (going to another OS is
not an option at this point).

These test systems talk to various test equipment. We occasionally have
crashes and I'm wondering if a "scaled down" version of Windows, without
unnecessary services, would be less likely to crash.

Does this make sense? I'm hoping for advice.

Thanks!

Jeff Scharpf
Senior Engineering Technician
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp.

 

[John Coyne \(eMVP\)]

Hi Jeff,

you can absolutely run XPE on a regular PC... good rule of thumb -
XPE=XP pro. (if it works in XP Pro, it will work in XPE with some
configuration.)

You should probably look into licensing restrictions however... XPE devices
cannot be used as general purpose PC's... Apps have to be line of business
and necessary for device's functionality. Embedded Distributors can get you
copies of the Licensing. I happen to be one, so if you contact me OL, I can
get those for you.

HTH,
JC

--
John Coyne
eMVP
Windows Embedded Black Belt
Arrow Electronics, OCS division



When replying directly to this message remove the NOSPAM_ from the address

 

[Guest]

Jeff,

You can license and use XPe as John mentioned.

Just an additional comment...

I do not think that running on XPe would directly correlate to fewer
crashes. For 24/7/365 industrial automation applications that you are
probably running in addition to Access, Excel, etc., often the crashes are
related to the application(s) (including Microsoft's) having resource and /
or memory leaks. If you did not write the test applications and if you
haven't already done this, I would say that you should monitor memory usage
and application resources (e.g. GDI Objects, handles), and you may be able to
isolate the offending application(s). Fixing this may then become the more
difficult task. We had / still have a problem with application resource
leaks and XP Themes enabled. There is a non-released patch from Microsoft
that we have been using for a while now (6-9 months), and to tell the truth,
I do not know if the final QFE patch has been released (my developers track
the issue so it's been a non-issue for our applications). We recommend to
our customers to disable XP Themes (this is available in XPe too) and
24/7/365 will get closer to 365.

Your worst case scenario... make sure that you reboot the computer before
starting a test sequence. It may result in fewer crashes when you can least
afford to have one...

Good luck,
Joe