Windows Media Centre

[Scott]

I have learnt Windows Media Centre is the highest edition of Windows XP. As
I need to have domain connection, I tried to install Windows XP Pro over
Windows Media Centre and there is an error message to warn that the XP Pro
is a lower version of existing OS. However, Windows Media Centre does not
provide domain connection. How can I make a Windows Media Centre to have
domain connection. The XP versions cause me quite confused. Can anyone
have any cure to it.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Elmo]

I have learnt Windows Media Centre is the highest edition of Windows
XP. As I need to have domain connection, I tried to install Windows XP
Pro over Windows Media Centre and there is an error message to warn that
the XP Pro is a lower version of existing OS. However, Windows Media
Centre does not provide domain connection. How can I make a Windows
Media Centre to have domain connection. The XP versions cause me quite
confused. Can anyone have any cure to it.

Thanks,

Scott

Neil Smith offered this:

Update : Wikipedia notes this issue, under Versions : "This version
also removes the ability for a MCE computer to join an Active
Directory domain."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP_Media_Center_Edition

However the linked hack appears to suggest this can be overcome :
http://www.tss2000.nl/vbforum/showthread.php?t=50

The specific MS documentation on this is here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887212/EN-US/

 

[Rock]

I have learnt Windows Media Centre is the highest edition of Windows XP.
As I need to have domain connection, I tried to install Windows XP Pro over
Windows Media Centre and there is an error message to warn that the XP Pro
is a lower version of existing OS. However, Windows Media Centre does not
provide domain connection. How can I make a Windows Media Centre to have
domain connection. The XP versions cause me quite confused. Can anyone
have any cure to it.

All but the first release of Media Center cannot join a domain after it's
been installed. I believe you can join these later releases to a domain
during installation but I'm not sure on that.

Since Media Center is a superset of XP Pro (except for the domain aspect),
there is no downgrade path. If you want to install XP Pro it will have to
be as a clean install.

FYI, there is a newsgroup for the media center edition.
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter