Windows XP upgrade

[Boria Condrey]

I am looking at new laptops and they are all coming preloaded with XP media
Edition. I need to use XP Pro.
Can I upgrade from Media Edition to XP Pro or will that be a downgrade?
Will it hurt to change from Media Edition to XP Pro?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

There is not "upgrade path" from Windows Media Center Edition
to Windows XP Professional. You should purchase a new laptop
that comes with Windows XP Professional preinstalled. Dell offers
its customers a choice of factory installed operating systems.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Boria Condrey"

| I am looking at new laptops and they are all coming preloaded with XP media
| Edition. I need to use XP Pro.
| Can I upgrade from Media Edition to XP Pro or will that be a downgrade?
| Will it hurt to change from Media Edition to XP Pro?

 

[Boria Condrey]

OK, Thanks,
Thats what I wanted to know.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am looking at new laptops and they are all coming preloaded with XP
media Edition. I need to use XP Pro.

Are you sure? If you need to join a domain, yes, you need XP Professional.
Otherwise there's nothing in XP Professional that isn't also in Media
Center.

Can I upgrade from Media Edition to XP Pro

No.


or will that be a
downgrade?

Yes.

 

[Boria Condrey]

No, I am not sure but XP pro works now so why not stay with it.

I don't really know what it means to join a domain. I am on a wireless
network but I don't believe I join a domain for that. Not sure though.

 

[Ron Martell]

No, I am not sure but XP pro works now so why not stay with it.

I don't really know what it means to join a domain. I am on a wireless
network but I don't believe I join a domain for that. Not sure though.

Windows XP Media Center has been described as "XP Pro on steroids".

Basically it *is* XP Pro except that it lacks the ability to join a
Windows Server Domian (which is important for larger business and
government networks) and with extensive added capabilities for
multimedia (audio, video, TV, etc).

Hope this explains the situation.
Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

No, I am not sure but XP pro works now so why not stay with it.

Because MCE is exactly the same as Professional (except for the one
difference I noted below) with additional features. If you don't use any of
those additional features and don't need the domain, you'll never notice any
difference.

And because installing Professional costs money. If there's no advatage to
having it, its not worth any money.

I don't really know what it means to join a domain.

It means to participate in a server-based network, normally in a large
corporate setting.

I am on a
wireless network but I don't believe I join a domain for that. Not
sure though.

If you don't know, almost certainly not. If if this is a home network, it's
almost always a workgroup (peer-to-peer) network, not a domain.

Save your money and stick with MCE. It will be fine for you.