xp home v. pro

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

I just got a new computer. It came loaded with XP Home.

Now, I still have the XP Pro upgrade that I used to upgrade my old computer
(which seems to have kicked the bucket--thanks, Dell--but that's another
story for another day.) So I thought I'd load the upgrade. But when I went to
install, I got a message that the version I have now (XP Home) is newer than
the XP Pro upgrade.

So my question: Is there any point to upgrading to XP Pro? (Is it even still
an upgrade?)

For now, XP Home will probably suffice. But I wonder if there are XP Pro
features that I should take into account in deciding whether or not to
upgrade.

 

[R. McCarty]

XP installs will check for baseline revisions. You XP Home is likely at
Service Pack 2 level, so the Pro disk is probably SP1 or the Gold ver
and the installer considers it a step-down and will refuse to install. Do
a Slipstream operation on your XP-Pro disk to resolve that issue.

Pro is basically an extension of Home to provide for joining a Domain.
It also has more tiers of User accounts besides Limited/Admin in Home.

The following chart gives you a side-by-side feature comparison:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.mspx

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I just got a new computer. It came loaded with XP Home.

Now, I still have the XP Pro upgrade that I used to upgrade my old
computer (which seems to have kicked the bucket--thanks, Dell--but
that's another story for another day.) So I thought I'd load the
upgrade. But when I went to install, I got a message that the version
I have now (XP Home) is newer than the XP Pro upgrade.

So my question: Is there any point to upgrading to XP Pro? (Is it
even still an upgrade?)

For now, XP Home will probably suffice. But I wonder if there are XP
Pro features that I should take into account in deciding whether or
not to upgrade.

First off, the part about "Is it worth it?" is really a question you must
answer. The comparisons are there - all you need to do is look and
determine, "Do I need those features?"

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

If you decide you want to upgrade, you know you have the hardware to handle
it - because you already have Windows XP, you are just needing the extra
features of Professional. However, the CD for Windows XP Professional you
have is likely at the SP1 level and your new system is at the SP2 level.
That is the reason for the message. In your situation, (given the operating
system likely came installed and the SP2 update likely integrated..) the
only choice you really have is to slipstream/integrate SP2 into the install
and make a new CD.

How do you do that?

For you, I recommend using the application called "AutoStreamer" to
create your new slipstreamed/integrated CD.
http://www.autopatcher.com/autostreamer.html

Good Luck.

 

[Guest]

Sorry, not a techie. What's a "Slipstream operation"?

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Slipstream is the term use when you take the complete Service Pack 2 and
combine it with your D:\i386 folder, found on your older XP install. Once
SP2 is combined, you can create a newer install CD, which will also include
the SP2. Microsoft permits this.