Windows XP Home Edition/Professional

[Gloria]

I purchased a laptop that came with Windows XP Home
Edition. For Christmas I received Windows XP Professional-
-son said it was better. Can I install the Professional
version over the Home Edition?

 

[Guest]

Better ?? only if you need the extra features it has.
more features = more problems

if it's a retail version you can do a upgrade.

 

[Guest]

I would first verify if your laptop is out of waranty.
You can install pro over home but it is not recomended.
Always go with a fresh install or even a dual boot system

 

[Guest]

Yes but they are exactly the same except Pro can join a
domain and Home cannot.

 

[Guest]

----- (e-mail address removed) wrote: ----

I would first verify if your laptop is out of waranty
You can install pro over home but it is not recomended
Always go with a fresh install or even a dual boot syste

Who doesn't recommend it and why? Installing Pro over Home is a simple upgrade (very similar to a repair install in risk and difficulty). Usually I do recommend a clean install but in the case of upgrading from Home to Pro, an upgrade install is recommended
--
Tom Porterfiel
MS-MVP Smart Displa
http://support.telop.or

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.

 

[Guest]

----- (e-mail address removed) wrote: -----

Yes but they are exactly the same except Pro can join a
domain and Home cannot.

Not quite, there are several other differences as well. Pro includes IIS, a web server that can be used if you are developing web applications. Pro supports remote desktop connections, Home does not. Pro supports Encrypted File System, Home does not. For additional information on the differences between Home and Pro see the following:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp
--
Tom Porterfield
MS-MVP Smart Display
http://support.telop.org

Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup only.

 

[purplehaz]

You can upgrade to pro if you want. It is not "better", it just has more
features that you may or may not need. Most home users don't need xp pro.
Also upgrading your laptop will most likely void the warranty and support
you have for the laptop.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I purchased a laptop that came with Windows XP Home
Edition. For Christmas I received Windows XP Professional-
-son said it was better.

Son is wrong. It's better for some people, but the same for
others. XP Professional and XP Home are exactly the same in all
respects, except that Professional has a few features (mostly
related to networking and security) missing from Home. For most
(but not all) home users, these features aren't needed, would
never be used, and buying Professional instead of Home is a waste
of money.

For details go to

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Also note that Professional allows ten concurrent network
connections, and Home only five.

Can I install the Professional
version over the Home Edition?

Yes, you can.

 

[Ken Blake]

In (e-mail address removed)

Yes but they are exactly the same except Pro can join a
domain and Home cannot.

No, that's only one of several differences.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

The two 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.

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

"Which is better?" That depends entirely upon the uses to which
you put your computer, the network environment in which you'll operate
it, your specific security needs, and your level of computer
knowledge.


Bruce Chambers

--
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