XP Home -vs- Pro

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill Martin
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Bill Martin

Six months ago I bought my wife a new computer, but she's finally said
she's had enough with Vista and wants me to put XP on it. Basically
because it's too slow despite having all the eye candy, animations,
etc. turned off and being run with the old Win98 "classic" interface.

Fine. I know XP drivers are available for the machne so I ordered a
copy of XP-Home over the web. But the thing is that they sent me
XP-Pro instead. So my question is whether there's anything about Pro
that should keep me from installing it? Specifically whether whatever
they added to XP to make it "Pro" will slow it down any? Or can I
just turn off those features and have your basic Home version?

My understanding (quite possibly flawed) is that Pro is just Home with
some additional bolt on software functions built into it, but the
basic code it runs is the same. True?

Thanks.

Bill
 
Bill said:
Six months ago I bought my wife a new computer, but she's finally said
she's had enough with Vista and wants me to put XP on it. Basically
because it's too slow despite having all the eye candy, animations,
etc. turned off and being run with the old Win98 "classic" interface.

Fine. I know XP drivers are available for the machne so I ordered a
copy of XP-Home over the web. But the thing is that they sent me
XP-Pro instead. So my question is whether there's anything about Pro
that should keep me from installing it? Specifically whether whatever
they added to XP to make it "Pro" will slow it down any? Or can I
just turn off those features and have your basic Home version?

My understanding (quite possibly flawed) is that Pro is just Home with
some additional bolt on software functions built into it, but the
basic code it runs is the same. True?
Click to expand...

If they sent you Pro instead of Home, you got a good deal. The main
differences between Pro and Home are that with Pro you can create
fine-grained permissions and join a domain. It is unlikely that your wife
will want to do either of these things, but since you have Pro it will be
just fine. Pro has not got stuff "bolted" onto it and will not be slower
than Home.

Malke
 
No reason not to use pro, just has some additional networking and security
features, nothing needs turning off, she likely won't notice the difference.
 
Bill Martin,
"I know XP drivers are available for the machine so I ordered a copy of
XP-Home over the web."

If you purchased your copy XP from places like EBay.com or Amazon.com, make
sure the Product Key (COA) that was included, is a legal/valid one for the
version of XP that was sent. If you purchased it from a company like
www.newegg.com , then you should not have a problem.

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No reason not to use pro, just has some additional networking and security
features, nothing needs turning off, she likely won't notice the difference.
 
Six months ago I bought my wife a new computer, but she's finally said
she's had enough with Vista and wants me to put XP on it. Basically
because it's too slow despite having all the eye candy, animations,
etc. turned off and being run with the old Win98 "classic" interface.
Click to expand...


Just a guess, but the new computer is probably underpowered for Vista.
Many people don't realize that Vista needs more than XP does, and get
a machine underpowered for Vista. In particular, almost everyone needs
2GB of RAM, and performance is likely to be poor with less.

Fine. I know XP drivers are available for the machne so I ordered a
copy of XP-Home over the web. But the thing is that they sent me
XP-Pro instead.
Click to expand...


At the same price? Great! Lucky you!

So my question is whether there's anything about Pro
that should keep me from installing it?
Click to expand...


Nope, not a thing.

Specifically whether whatever
they added to XP to make it "Pro" will slow it down any?


Nope.


Or can I
just turn off those features and have your basic Home version?
Click to expand...


There's nothing to turn off, either. Simply don't use the extra
features in Professional, if you don't need or want them. For example,
Professional can join a domain, and Home can't. If you don't need to
join a domain, just don't do it--there's nothing to turn off.

My understanding (quite possibly flawed) is that Pro is just Home with
some additional bolt on software functions built into it, but the
basic code it runs is the same. True?
Click to expand...


I wouldn't use the words "bolt on," but yes, that's essentially true.
Here's my standard post on the difference between the two:

XP Professional and XP Home are exactly the same in all respects,
except that Professional has a few features (mostly related to
networking and security) missing from Home. For most (but not all)
home users, even those with a home network, these features aren't
needed, would never be used, and buying Professional instead of Home
is a waste of money. In general, unless you need to join a domain, you
probably don't need Professional.

For details go to
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

Also note one other point not mentioned on any of those sites:
Professional allows ten concurrent network connections, and Home only
five.
 
Bill Martin said:
Six months ago I bought my wife a new computer, but she's finally said
she's had enough with Vista and wants me to put XP on it. Basically
because it's too slow despite having all the eye candy, animations,
etc. turned off and being run with the old Win98 "classic" interface.

Fine. I know XP drivers are available for the machne so I ordered a
copy of XP-Home over the web. But the thing is that they sent me
XP-Pro instead. So my question is whether there's anything about Pro
that should keep me from installing it? Specifically whether whatever
they added to XP to make it "Pro" will slow it down any? Or can I
just turn off those features and have your basic Home version?

My understanding (quite possibly flawed) is that Pro is just Home with
some additional bolt on software functions built into it, but the
basic code it runs is the same. True?

Thanks.

Bill
Click to expand...


Bill, for the cost of XP, more memory could have been purchased for the
Vista system..


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Bill, for the cost of XP, more memory could have been purchased for the
Vista system..
Click to expand...

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

Been there, done that. It's maxed out at 2GB. Intel dual core
machine. Runs much more slowly than her old 512MB Celeron if you can
believe that. Let me ammend that a bit. Frequently it's plenty fast,
but it also hits patches where it's just very sluggish.

Over the past six months I've disabled everything I can find including
all the disk search indexing, etc.

If it were my machine I'd keep banging my head against it trying to
figure it out, but she's hit the end of her patience and I can
sympathize with her request.

Bill
 
Just a guess, but the new computer is probably underpowered for Vista.
Many people don't realize that Vista needs more than XP does, and get
a machine underpowered for Vista. In particular, almost everyone needs
2GB of RAM, and performance is likely to be poor with less.
Click to expand...

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

You're right that the machine is underpowered for Vista. It is a dual
core Intel processor though, maxed out with 2GB RAM and more disk than
it can ever use.

One of my peeves is that Vista is a nice system on a high end machine
- but then they forced the vendors to also install it on bottom end
equipment where it's a dog. And to add insult to injury, then they
brag up how many copies of Vista people have "chosen" to buy. Ah
well...

I've snipped off a lot of your other comments to simplify Ken, but
they were all helpful to me. Thanks.

And thanks to all the others who responded with assistance.

Bill
 
On Tue, 5 Aug 2008 11:29:46 -0400, "Mike Hall - MVP"


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

Been there, done that. It's maxed out at 2GB. Intel dual core
machine. Runs much more slowly than her old 512MB Celeron if you can
believe that. Let me ammend that a bit. Frequently it's plenty fast,
but it also hits patches where it's just very sluggish.
Click to expand...



Actually 2GB is fine for most people running Vista. It's what I'm
running on at the moment here, with no performance problems. In
general, it's only those running particularly memory-hungry
programs--doing things like photo-editing or video-editing--who need
more.

So my earlier guess that the machine is underpowered is probably
wrong. My next guess (still just a guess, though) is that the machine
is infested with malware--a very common problem these days.
 
Actually 2GB is fine for most people running Vista. It's what I'm
running on at the moment here, with no performance problems. In
general, it's only those running particularly memory-hungry
programs--doing things like photo-editing or video-editing--who need
more.

So my earlier guess that the machine is underpowered is probably
wrong. My next guess (still just a guess, though) is that the machine
is infested with malware--a very common problem these days.
Click to expand...

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

That's one of those things I can't answer definitively Ken. I have
considered it, and have run multiple malware scanners on it with no
result though. Both virus and spam scanners. I've also gone through
the startup list pretty ruthlessly and disabled anything I didn't feel
was absolutely essential.

Also it's been slow since day one, but then on day one it had all the
Vista bells and whistles active and only 1GB RAM initially. As I've
deactivated things the machine has gotten better, but still not
acceptable. It is the bottom level Compaq laptop so I'm not surprised
it struggles under Vista.

I figure I'll proceed with the XP somewhat tentatively by installing
it as a dual boot setup along with the original Vista. That will also
make it easier to run comparison tests later on. With luck I'll get
to it this weekend.

Bill
 
Just to add, I have a pretty basic Dell with Visa, moderate dual core, 2gb,
vista business, I was pleasantly surprised by its performance, but then I
dont run games.
You dont have a power hungary anti virus / security suite do you, eg Norton?
 
------------------------------------------------

That's one of those things I can't answer definitively Ken. I have
considered it, and have run multiple malware scanners on it with no
result though. Both virus and spam scanners. I've also gone through
the startup list pretty ruthlessly and disabled anything I didn't feel
was absolutely essential.

Also it's been slow since day one,
Click to expand...


Then that strongly suggests that my second guess is also wrong.

but then on day one it had all the
Vista bells and whistles active and only 1GB RAM initially.
Click to expand...


1GB is hardly ever enough for anyone running Vista.
As I've
deactivated things the machine has gotten better, but still not
acceptable. It is the bottom level Compaq laptop so I'm not surprised
it struggles under Vista.
Click to expand...


A laptop? I don't think you said that earlier. In that case I go back
to my first guess. Your laptop almost certainly has no separate video
card, but uses some of the main RAM for video purposes. That means
that effectively you have less than 2GB available, perhaps only as
little as 1.5GB.
 
Six months ago I bought my wife a new computer, but she's finally said
she's had enough with Vista and wants me to put XP on it. Basically
because it's too slow despite having all the eye candy, animations,
etc. turned off and being run with the old Win98 "classic" interface.

Fine. I know XP drivers are available for the machne so I ordered a
copy of XP-Home over the web. But the thing is that they sent me
XP-Pro instead. So my question is whether there's anything about Pro
that should keep me from installing it? Specifically whether whatever
they added to XP to make it "Pro" will slow it down any? Or can I
just turn off those features and have your basic Home version?

My understanding (quite possibly flawed) is that Pro is just Home with
some additional bolt on software functions built into it, but the
basic code it runs is the same. True?
Click to expand...

I see that you have already gotten a wad of information; but I will add my
two cent's worth, anyway. I recently upgraded a Windows Me computer to
Windows XP Home Edition. I run a mail server on that computer, and Windows
Me was too unstable for it. Every few times that I opened the mail server
control panel, it would take up a few more System Resources, and not cleanly
relinquish them.

I also have a couple of computers with Windows MCE 2005, which is just Pro
without domain networking capability. I don't have a Windows domain network,
so no loss there.

One other difference between Pro and Home Edition, is the inclusion of
Internet Information Services in Pro; an SMTP server (not nearly as good as
the third party application I installed on the XP HE computer), a web
server, and an FTP server. You have to turn them on in the Conrol Panel if
you want to use them. Most likely you will just want to leave them alone,
though.

Since I have third party Windows apps for server stuff, XP HE was good
enough for the spare computer.
 
------------------------------------------------

That's one of those things I can't answer definitively Ken. I have
considered it, and have run multiple malware scanners on it with no
result though. Both virus and spam scanners. I've also gone through
the startup list pretty ruthlessly and disabled anything I didn't feel
was absolutely essential.

Also it's been slow since day one, but then on day one it had all the
Vista bells and whistles active and only 1GB RAM initially. As I've
deactivated things the machine has gotten better, but still not
acceptable. It is the bottom level Compaq laptop so I'm not surprised
it struggles under Vista.

I figure I'll proceed with the XP somewhat tentatively by installing
it as a dual boot setup along with the original Vista. That will also
make it easier to run comparison tests later on. With luck I'll get
to it this weekend.

Bill
Click to expand...
 
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