XP Professional Upgrade Version

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Guest

Hi,
I need to know whether I can purchace Windows XP Professional Upgrade (from
the local Staples, Best Buy, etc.) and install it on 2 or 3 computers already
running XP Home, or if I need to buy multiple licences (from MS Volume
Licencing Program).

There is a computer in my home that I want already to upgrade, but I'm
thinking about upgrading a couple of others when I move for networking
purposes. I would greatly appreciate any help I can get on this, since I
can't seem to find the answer on the Microsoft Windows web site.

Thanks in advance,
-Christopher Isherwood
 
Christopher said:
I need to know whether I can purchace Windows XP Professional
Upgrade (from the local Staples, Best Buy, etc.) and install it on
2 or 3 computers already running XP Home, or if I need to buy
multiple licences (from MS Volume Licencing Program).
Click to expand...

One License allows you to install (upgrade) and use Windows XP on *one*
computer.
If you want to to install on more than one compiuter (or even more than once
on one computer) - you, according to the language of the EULA, must have one
license per innstallation.
There is a computer in my home that I want already to upgrade, but
I'm thinking about upgrading a couple of others when I move for
networking purposes. I would greatly appreciate any help I can get
on this, since I can't seem to find the answer on the Microsoft
Windows web site.
Click to expand...

Any reason you think you need Windows XP Professional?
 
You need to purchase a new Windows XP Pro license for each
computer you wish to upgrade.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

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

:

| Hi,
| I need to know whether I can purchace Windows XP Professional Upgrade (from
| the local Staples, Best Buy, etc.) and install it on 2 or 3 computers already
| running XP Home, or if I need to buy multiple licences (from MS Volume
| Licencing Program).
|
| There is a computer in my home that I want already to upgrade, but I'm
| thinking about upgrading a couple of others when I move for networking
| purposes. I would greatly appreciate any help I can get on this, since I
| can't seem to find the answer on the Microsoft Windows web site.
|
| Thanks in advance,
| -Christopher Isherwood
 
Christopher said:
I need to know whether I can purchace Windows XP Professional Upgrade
(from the local Staples, Best Buy, etc.) and install it on 2 or 3
computers already running XP Home, or if I need to buy multiple
licences (from MS Volume Licencing Program).

There is a computer in my home that I want already to upgrade, but I'm
thinking about upgrading a couple of others when I move for networking
purposes. I would greatly appreciate any help I can get on this,
since I can't seem to find the answer on the Microsoft Windows web
site.
Click to expand...


No. The rule is quite clear. It's one copy (or one license) for each
computer.

There's nothing new here. This is exactly the same rule that's been in
effect on every version of Windows starting with Windows 3.1. The only thing
new with XP is that there's now an enforcement mechanism.

If yours is a retail version, not an OEM one, you can buy extra licenses
(see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/addlic.asp). But it's
not generally a good deal. The problem is that Microsoft sells additional
licenses at only a small savings over the list price. You're almost
certainly better off just buying a complete second copy from a discount
source.
 
I would like Pro because there are other people in my house who use the
computers, who I would like to keep my files from. The problem is, with home,
I can't modify the permissions the way I want in Home Edition.

Thanks for the help everybody.
-Christopher Isherwood
 
Hi,

You can modify permissions in XP Home, you just have to do it in safe mode.
From there, you can logon as administrator and have access to the security
tab in any folder's properties.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Rick said:
Hi,

You can modify permissions in XP Home, you just have to do it in safe mode.
From there, you can logon as administrator and have access to the security
tab in any folder's properties.
Click to expand...

Although your account types are restricted on Home to Limited or
Administrator. No Power User accounts etc. The latter are useful for
some common but idiotic software packages that won't run properly in
Limited accounts.
 
The problem with some software packages is that they create an installation
folder but do not give the limited user accounts the right permissions.
Since limited users usually default to having only read permissions on newly
created folders, therein lies the problem. The software installation
packages need to account for this during setup, and many do not. The "Power
User" account has the right level of access by default, so that's why it's a
nice workaround in XP Pro, but it doesn't resolve the underlying issue.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Rick said:
You can modify permissions in XP Home, you just have to do it in
safe mode. From there, you can logon as administrator and have
access to the security tab in any folder's properties.
Click to expand...

Mike Williams wrote
Although your account types are restricted on Home to Limited or
Administrator. No Power User accounts etc. The latter are useful
for some common but idiotic software packages that won't run
properly in Limited accounts.
Click to expand...
The problem with some software packages is that they create an
installation folder but do not give the limited user accounts the
right permissions. Since limited users usually default to having
only read permissions on newly created folders, therein lies the
problem. The software installation packages need to account for
this during setup, and many do not. The "Power User" account has
the right level of access by default, so that's why it's a nice
workaround in XP Pro, but it doesn't resolve the underlying issue.
Click to expand...

Not sure if I would even classify it as a "work-around". More of an "easy
way out". *grin*

There are still too many applications out there that do not set the
permissions correctly on systems. Too many where not only has one have to
go through and change the permissions on the folder in which the
applications was installed - but possibly even one or two individual files
in the Windows or System32 directory so that changes to that file can be
made by limited users. What about the registry permissions - I have, on too
many occasions, had to scour through registry entries and change the
permissions on those so I would not have to use anything above "user level
permissions" on my installs/distributions.

I would not expect the normal run-of-the-mill home users to have the
knowledge or desire to do such things.. Applications that still present
these problems and have been updated since around 2002 - I would say are
"badly written" in my opinion. Especially if their target audience is
Windows users.
 
Shenan said:
I would not expect the normal run-of-the-mill home users to have the
knowledge or desire to do such things.. Applications that still present
these problems and have been updated since around 2002 - I would say are
"badly written" in my opinion. Especially if their target audience is
Windows users.
Click to expand...

Sony and Phillips are two major perpetrators of this syndrome. Their
(respective) Sonic Soundstage and Digital Media Manager software for
synching MP3 players with Windows both require the user to have Admin
rights. Sony allows Power User, which is not available on XP Home, and
thus is more dangerous to those people less likely to know how to
protect themselves.
 
Christopher said:
Hi,
I need to know whether I can purchace Windows XP Professional Upgrade (from
the local Staples, Best Buy, etc.) and install it on 2 or 3 computers already
running XP Home, or if I need to buy multiple licences (from MS Volume
Licencing Program).
Click to expand...


You need to purchase a separate WinXP license for each computer on
which you install it. (As long as you have multiple identical licenses,
it doesn't matter if you use the same CD for the installations, as long
as you use a different license each time.)

Just as it has *always* been with *all* Microsoft operating
systems, it's necessary (to be in compliance with both the EULA and U.S.
copyright law http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/117.html), if not
technically) to purchase one WinXP license for each computer on which it
is installed. (Consult an attorney versed in copyright law to determine
final applicability in your locale.) The only way in which WinXP
licensing differs from that of earlier versions of Windows is that
Microsoft has finally added a copy protection and anti-theft mechanism,
Product Activation, to prevent (or at least make more difficult)
multiple installations using a single license.

One can buy additional licenses, assuming one already has a retail
license. Naturally, Microsoft cannot sell additional OEM licenses. Be
aware, however, that you'll probably pay more this way than you would if
you were to buy a second copy of WinXP from a discount retailer;
Microsoft will only offer you a 15% discount off their MSRP.

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Home Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/addlic.asp

Additional Licenses for Windows XP Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/addlic.asp

Microsoft's Volume Licensing plans are targeted for the
corporate/institutional market, rather than the home consumer market.
The minimum number of licenses that can be so purchased is, I believe, five.

Microsoft Licensing
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/default.mspx

Volume Licensing Overview
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/default.mspx

There is a computer in my home that I want already to upgrade, but I'm
thinking about upgrading a couple of others when I move for networking
purposes.
Click to expand...


There's no technical need for all of the computers on any given network
to use the same OS, but the choice is yours. (And, admittedly, a common
OS does sometimes make configuration easier.)

I would greatly appreciate any help I can get on this, since I
can't seem to find the answer on the Microsoft Windows web site.
Click to expand...

A quick search reveals:

Retail Software License Terms
http://www.microsoft.com/legal/useterms/default.aspx


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry
 
Mike said:
Although your account types are restricted on Home to Limited or
Administrator. No Power User accounts etc. The latter are useful for
some common but idiotic software packages that won't run properly in
Limited accounts.
Click to expand...


You may experience some problems if the software was designed for
Win9x/Me, or if it was intended for WinNT/2K/XP, but was improperly
designed. Quite simply, the application doesn't "know" how to handle
individual user profiles with differing security permissions levels, or
the application is designed to make to make changes to "off-limits"
sections of the Windows registry or protected Windows system folders.

For example, saved data are often stored in a sub-folder under the
application's folder within C:\Program Files - a place where no
inexperienced or limited user should ever have write permissions.

It may even be that the software requires "write" access to parts
of the registry or protected systems folders/files that are not normally
accessible to regular users. (This *won't* occur if the application is
properly written.) If this does prove to be the case, however, you're
often left with three options: Either grant the necessary users
appropriate higher access privileges (either as Power Users or local
administrators), explicitly grant normal users elevated privileges to
the affected folders and/or part(s) or the registry, or replace the
application with one that was properly designed specifically for
WinNT/2K/XP.

Some Programs Do Not Work If You Log On from Limited Account
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q307091

Additionally, here are a couple of tips suggested, in a reply to a
different post, by MS-MVP Kent W. England:

"If your game or application works with admin accounts, but not with
limited accounts, you can fix it to allow limited users to access the
program files folder with "change" capability rather than "read" which
is the default.

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:c

where "appfolder" is the folder where the application is installed.

If you wish to undo these changes, then run

C:\>cacls "Program Files\appfolder" /e /t /p users:r

If you still have a problem with running the program or saving
settings on limited accounts, you may need to change permissions on
the registry keys. Run regedit.exe and go to HKLM\Software\vendor\app,
where "vendor\app" is the key that the software vendor used for your
specific program. Change the permissions on this key to allow Users
full control."


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry
 
Not replying to anyone in particular, just adding my two cents to the
thread.

While I agree in principle that it is preferable to run as a limited user it
is not practical for most people. You have to be an expert user in order to
get programs to run as a limited user :-)

Kerry
 
I know I can modify the permissions in safe mode, but they only work on the
local system. Since there are multiple computers in my house, some running
home, others running 2000 professional, I want to share some of my folders on
each computer. The problem, is that when I modify permissions, machines
running home can't access the files. So it completly defeats the purpose of
setting permissions if I cant even access them.

Microsoft made networking easy for the average person who doesn't have a
clue on security issues, but they messed up badly for those who have
extensive knowledge. Domains seem to work allright, but Peer-to-Peer newtorks
are a pain. I hope they correct these stupid problems.

-Christopher Isherwood
 
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