Unsure about XP Media Center edition

[Guest]

Hi. I've been happily using XP Pro since its release and love it. I'm
buying a new desktop, however, and the system that I've got my eye on comes
preloaded with XP Media Center edition. Looking through the information on
Microsoft's site and elsewhere, I'm still a little confused about what the
Media Center edition is and so I have two questions.

1. Let's hypothetically assume that I won't use ANY of the added
functionality that Media Center edition offers. Will I still have all of the
same capabilities as I have on XP Professional? Can I make the interface/OS
GUI look just like it does on all my other computers -- i.e. with a
traditional 'desktop', etc.?

2. If I can't, and if this Media Center edition is radically different from
XP Pro, is there any reason to believe that I couldn't just reformat the hard
drives and install XP Pro on it? I don't want there to be any "remnants" of
Media Center or problems with drivers, etc. (From the OS. I know that XP
has nothing to do with the hardware I'm running it on.)

Thanks for your time. I look forward to any advice or guidance you could
offer.

~ Ryan

 

[Guest]

Why not post on the Windows Media Center newsgroup? MCE 2005 is built on the
XP Pro platform. One main difference is that it can't join a domain, but I
believe there is a way around that. If you aren't going to use MCE's features
than stick with XP pro. I have MCE 2005 on a new Del 8400 and it is great. I
pop in my Metallica wit Michael Kamen and experience the concert in my office
instead of the surround sound system downstairs on the first floor when my
daugter is watching her favorite DVD. You can also watch TV and listen to
the radio on your PC. If you have never done this, watch out once you try it
you will ask your self "Why didn't I do this before?". Check out the website
the MCE website and see if it is what you need. Good luck in your research.

 

[Guest]

Answer to question one....Yes you can. Think of MCE as another application
in itself. At bootup your PC will go to the traditional destktop, but when
you launch the MCE it will come up in full screen. You can also adjust the
window size like you would in I.E. or any other app and have both MCE and XP
Pro running at the same time. You can work in office products and still
watch a movie, listen to radio and you can still listen to it by minimizing
it to the taskbar, thus getting to the traditional XP Pro desktop. It really
is a nice product.