Windows XP Professional

[Andrew]

Is there a difference between the version of Windows XP
Professional that microsoft sells on its website and the
version found in retail stores. For instance the product
found at
http://www.microsoft.com/PRODUCTS/info/product.aspx?
view=22&pcid=2abf99cd-a5e4-469c-802e-55ca8ec542d5&type=ovr
has an item #E85-01011, while the same product at
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?
j=1&id=1051806637688&skuId=4272307&type=product has an
item #E85-00086. I did some research which only confused
me more. When I looked up item number E85-00086 on the
web it shows up as an OEM version. Why then would it come
in a full retail box. Someone told me that cd's packaged
by Microsoft use item E85-00086, while third party
companies that package Windows XP for microsoft use E85-
01011. Can anyone please help me make some sense of this
as it is making me nuts.

 

[Ron Martell]

Is there a difference between the version of Windows XP
Professional that microsoft sells on its website and the
version found in retail stores. For instance the product
found at
http://www.microsoft.com/PRODUCTS/info/product.aspx?
view=22&pcid=2abf99cd-a5e4-469c-802e-55ca8ec542d5&type=ovr
has an item #E85-01011, while the same product at
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?
j=1&id=1051806637688&skuId=4272307&type=product has an
item #E85-00086. I did some research which only confused
me more. When I looked up item number E85-00086 on the
web it shows up as an OEM version. Why then would it come
in a full retail box. Someone told me that cd's packaged
by Microsoft use item E85-00086, while third party
companies that package Windows XP for microsoft use E85-
01011. Can anyone please help me make some sense of this
as it is making me nuts.

You would have to ask Microsoft directly by telephone or through their
web site about their SKU numbering system and how that relates to the
various product versions.

Insofar as I am aware there are only 4 versions of Windows XP being
sold direct to the general public:
Windows XP Home Retail Upgrade
Windows XP Home Retail Full Install
Windows XP Professional Upgrade
Windows XP Professional Full Install

All 4 versions come in Microsoft retail boxes - green for Home and
blue for Professional. The Retail Full Install versions have the
following information on the front of the box:
"For PCs without Windows or PCs with Windows 95 or earlier versions."

I have acquired Windows XP a couple of times direct from Microsoft and
I could not detect any difference between those versions and the
versions being sold at our local Staples. However I did not get into
the nitpicking details of cross-checking SKU numbers


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."