XP Home or XP Pro?
 

Can anyone explain in simple terms the difference between Windows XP Home and Professional editions? Basically, what extras do I get in XP Pro and, ignoring cost, are there any downsides to using Pro over Home?

Thanks

Aiglon

This link from Micro$oft describes the five basic differences.
I use 'Pro' at home and have not had any problems, although I don't think there any tangible benefits to using PRO on a standalone PC at home.

TallGuy.

Which Edition ?

a 1TG52

You beat me to it!

I use XP PRO because I can, and have not experienced any downside.

SD

Thanks guys. I had seen the MS page but i have to say, I didn't find it that helpful. I guess what would have been better would have been some kind of comparative table of features. I mean, what do you get with Pro that you don't get with Home?

I won't be running it on a stand alone PC. The PC will be networked with one other (running W98SE) but I suspect I will go for XP Home on the basis that it 'seems' to do pretty much everything I want.

Thanks again

Aiglon

When I last upgraded my machine I asked the same question. Apparently there is some advanced networking stuff in XP Pro which is useful for large networks but is unnecessary for the home user, hence XP Home is available without this and is therefore cheaper. I was advised that XP Pro is much better developed and you are less likely to run into trouble with it than if Home is used. Since I got it, I have had absoloutely no trouble at all even to the extent of setting up a radio LAN with our 2 other Win 98 machines which was easy peesy (it virtually did it itself). I have also heard of one or two people getting XP Home and then being obliged to buy the upgrade because they have run into problems. It may not be so bad now that XP home has been out there some time and maybe Mr. Gates has produced some fixes for its alleged problems.

P.P.

The NFTS file encyption capabilty and the system restore functions are sufficient reason for choosing the Pro version. Ordinary users may think that they have nothing in their machines to make hacking their machines worthwhile; actually every user has what hackers most value - storage space and an address book. Improved security and the ability to get a compromised machine back to where it was before, are well worth paying a premium for. Of course an IBM machine comes with IBM's own file encryption and restore functions embedded leaving no need to go for the XP Pro version, but most people use clones...

For what its worth, I upgraded my five yr old laptop (against Dell's advice) from 98 to XP Pro last year, had problems initially that needed a HD format to sort out - can't blame XP.

Since then its been just about bulletproof, I use it around the globe and it never gives the kind of grief 98 did when connecting to a network or plugging something new into the machine.

A previous poster alluded that XP home may not be as robust, if you can stretch to it go for the Pro version - its good.

:ok:

PS Blacksheep, don't you mean NTFS?

XP Home also places more restrictions on things like user permissions and other system settings. Most home users won't even notice, but if you like to get into the guts of the system, XP Pro is the better way to go.

goates