Which to buy - XP Pro or Home?

[Guest]

I'm told by my friends that Home requires activation but XP does not. I can
get Pro on Ebay new for about $130.00 and Home for about $85. Both will do
the job for me but the I change PC's occasionally and I'm told that going
throught he repair function is a pain. Am I right in saying the extra few
bucks will save me some hassels? Or, is there a gotcha in all this?

 

[Bill James]

Your friends are wrong, there is no difference in the activation requirements between Home an Pro. If you change PCs "occasionally", and that means over 120 days, there is not hassle involved to do a new activation (not a repair). Make sure you are buying the Retail version not an OEM version if you want to avoid hassles.

--

Bill James
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User

Windows VBScript Utilities » www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips » www.billsway.com/notes_public/

 

[PA Bear]

Windows XP Comparison Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/choosing2.mspx

 

[Guest]

OK. Can I upgrade one of my PC's from an OEM Home install to a retail Pro
install w/o reloading all my apps?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I'm told by my friends that Home requires activation but XP does
not.
I can get Pro on Ebay new for about $130.00 and Home for about $85.
Both will do the job for me but the I change PC's occasionally and
I'm told that going throught he repair function is a pain. Am I
right
in saying the extra few bucks will save me some hassels? Or, is
there
a gotcha in all this?

Your friends haven't given you all of the facts. The only
versions of WinXP Pro that do not require activation are the
VolumeLicense version (minimum purchase of 5) and the BIOS-locked OEM
version that comes pre-installed on some brands of computers.

The WinXP Home and WinXP Pro versions are _identical_ when it
comes to performance, stability, and device driver and software
application compatibility, but are intended to meet different
functionality, networking, security, and ease-of-use needs, in
different environments. The most significant differences are that
WinXP Pro allows up to 10 simultaneous inbound network connections
while WinXP Home only allows only 5, WinXP Pro is designed to join a
Microsoft domain while WinXP Home cannot, and only WinXP Pro supports
file encryption and IIS. (Oh, and WinXP Pro usually costs roughly $100
USD more than WinXP Home.)

Windows XP Comparison Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Which Edition Is Right for You
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp

Windows XP Home Edition vs. Professional Edition
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

OK. Can I upgrade one of my PC's from an OEM Home install to a
retail
Pro install w/o reloading all my apps?

WinXP is designed to install and upgrade the existing operating
system while simultaneously preserving your applications and data, and
translating as many personalized settings as possible. The process is
designed to be, and normally is, quite painless. That said, things
can go wrong, in a small number of cases. If your data is at all
important to you, back it up before proceeding.

The upgrade from WinXP Home to WinXP Pro, in particular, almost
always goes smoothly, as both operating systems use the same kernel.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

OK. Can I upgrade one of my PC's from an OEM Home install to a retail
Pro
install w/o reloading all my apps?

Yes, but it's always wise to back up your important data before performing
any procedure involving a replacement of the OS.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for this input.
A friend just loaned me his XP Pro CD saying it doesn't need activation
after install. Says he's put it on 3 of his PC's and it has continued to
operate for months now. But some of the comments above tell me Home (which
always needs activation) and Pro are the same as to activation. What gives
with this?

 

[Alias]

He has a pirated copy that's been cracked. I would stay away from that if I
were you.

Alias

 

[James A. Smith]

This is a cracked copy.
Stay away from it and any other software your "friend" wishes to give you.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I'm told by my friends that Home requires activation but XP does not. I can
get Pro on Ebay new for about $130.00 and Home for about $85. Both will do
the job for me but the I change PC's occasionally and I'm told that going
throught he repair function is a pain. Am I right in saying the extra few
bucks will save me some hassels?

You have wires crossed. Legitimate versions of XP, both Home and Pro,
require activation. Any version on sale that does not is a pirated one
that you buy at your own risk and conscience (it may well at best refuse
updates).

There are cheaper 'OEM' versions, which should nominally be sold with an
item of hardware. I would be suspicious of the source of any sold on
eBay: might be OK but it is very difficult to tell. And there are
certainly scam sites offering cheap disks that will 'deliver by
International Air mail'. Oh Yeah.

But you can get OEM disks at reliable sources - I have heard you can at
WalMart. They have limitations you need to be aware of:

They will not upgrade an existing system; have to be installed clean

The only support is from the vendor. not Microsoft, judge how much that
matters to you

They cannot later be transferred to another machine; the license dies
with the one where first installed. Which sounds as if it would be
important to you. I would go for a retail home Upgrade, which you can
then transfer on and activate on a series of machines, as long as it is
only on one at any time (and if you leave it 120 days from activation on
one machine to the next it will go through each time on the Net in
seconds). BTW, contrary to what some of those friends may say, this
does *not* send any information whatever about You to Microsoft; only
sufficient about the hardware to identify it as same as last time

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Thanks for this input.
A friend just loaned me his XP Pro CD saying it doesn't need
activation after install. Says he's put it on 3 of his PC's and it
has continued to operate for months now. But some of the comments
above tell me Home (which always needs activation) and Pro are the
same as to activation. What gives with this?

In all likelihood, your friend has given you a pirated (stolen, in
plain English) copy of a Volume License version. Odds are, you won't
be able to install any Service Packs or subsequent, essential
updates/patches.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

All these responses are a big help. Thanks to Alex, Bruce, Alias, Ronnie, and
Bill for clearing up my head.