Windows XP Pro vs. Home

I have used Win2k Pro since it came out until now, and am thinking about switching to XP I have 5 licensed copies of XP Home that were given to me. (Work had no use for them machinces they came with are immediatly formatted and loaded with OBSD). But, I'm wondering what the differences are between WinXP Pro and Home? Should I just use home or are the benefits worth going out and getting XP Pro?
The machine I'm loading this on has the following hardware and is used for gaming, internet use, and the occasional web design but no hosting:

1.8ghz p4
Geforce4 MX 440 (Replacing soon... I want to get the Quadro FX or whatever it is... the latest Nvidia card just gotta wait till I have the money)
768mb ram
125gb drive and a 30 gb secondary drive
I really don't know of anything else you would need to know...

I tried looking up the differences on Microsofts website and it all looked like propaganda I could pull very little of the info I wanted from it...

So if you guys have experience on the differences It would be much appreciated.

-_LeeBkr_-

Depends on the enviroment you are going to be using it in.

XP home is good for a peer to peer network...but is limited when trying to join a domain and/or the MS Exchange server.

HTHs

MLF

This page will give yo more details http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...p_home_pro.asp but some of the features that you might care about that Pro has that Home does not are:

Remote Desktop
Multi-processor support
Encrypting File System
File-level access control

WIndows XP Home is a stripped version on XP PRO.
There is some diferences, but for most needs one you kick your a...

you cant upgrade from W2K to XP Home :P

take a look on this pretty old article and see some diferences.


http://www.winnetmag.com/Article/Art...536/20536.html

IMHO, i would use (and allways use) XP PRO even on home computers.

Thanks guys. I think I am gonna go ahead and use Home for now but when I go to build my new computer I'm gonna have to buy pro because most likely I'm getting a dual-cpu.

One important difference is that XP Pro can join existing AD domains where XP home can't.
It's more of a headache as you can easily access domain resources via a peer to peer style
configuration instead.

I also think XP home is limited to 10 concurrent connections (to xp home box) which can put a damper on file sharing with a busy network. IIRC

Also there is no backup software built in which although not a show stopper, can be a pain for some.

I would not recommend using XP Home. It is like XP Pro without the security (and we could have a whole debate on the security of XP Pro anyway).

XP Home does not offer the ability natively to do simple things like password protect the Guest account. If you turn off the Guest account in control panel it is still really ON behind the scenes because XP Home uses it for File & Folder Sharing.

There are a lot of things you CAN do in XP Home if you know enough command line syntax or registry hacks, but by default they set it up to be "dummy-proof" and to err on the side of simplicity and convenience over security.

XP Home only offers two user types- Computer Administrator and Limited. Things like Power User or customizing your own user types don't exist in XP Home. XP Home does not have the Remote Desktop function. Windows XP Home can not use EFS. The list goes on and on. For details I recommend you look at Paul Thurrott's web site: XP Home vs. XP Pro

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File-level access control

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I remember seeing a setting in XP Home that allowed you to turn off simple permissions...

Windows Explorer > Tools > Folder Options > View : Scroll to the bottom and uncheck simple permissions. This gives you the security settings you're used to seeing on each file.

I don't have a copy of XP Home handy but I'm 95% sure this is the case.

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I don't have a copy of XP Home handy but I'm 95% sure this is the case.

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Alas, tis untrue. I run a copy of Windows XP Home in Virtual PC specifically so I can work with both and understand the differences for my book. I am very used to the XP Pro way of being and had to unlearn some stuff to understand the limitations of XP Home.

Here is confirmation from Microsoft about the fact: How to configure file sharing in Windows XP.

On that page Microsoft says flat out:

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Windows XP Home Edition-based computers always have Simple File Sharing enabled.

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TH, this is for turn off simple permition on XP PRO. You cant do it on Home. The only way to get access to sec tab is on safe mode on XP Home.

Ahhh well, looks like another brain fart for me :)

I have used both in stand-alone machines and on small networked environments. For many things, especially home use in stand-alone mode with dial-up connection, I doubt that a person who wasn't used to XP Pro would be able to tell the difference. Personally, XP Home annoys me, because I always seem to want to do one of those things Pro will do and it won't. To be truthful, though, I usually don't really need to do whatever it is for simple home environments. One area that has come up for me, however, in a home environment was limiting access to certain household account folders for kids while allowing them as much freedom as possible to use and learn about the computer. This is easier with the additional security features of XP Pro.

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Originally posted here by Irongeek
This page will give yo more details http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...p_home_pro.asp but some of the features that you might care about that Pro has that Home does not are:

Remote Desktop

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I believe you can use remote desktop on XP home. See here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...dclientdl.mspx

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This software package can also be found on the Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition product CDs and can be installed on any supported Windows platform.

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CXG is right. You can install RDP from CD. Its just a MS idea of "make diference..."

Just a thought, since there is a huge price difference between XP Home and XP pro, and he is only going to be using this for typical everyday computer use at his house... why are we acting like his machine is going to be the next mission critical NASA server? He won't need a plethora of security features, not in depth networking options for Domain Controlling.

Let's be honest here. XP Home is limited on features, but mostly from features required by Professional services and workstations. XP Home, XP Pro. See the name? Sure, he won't be able to set l33t permissions on his files, but on his home computer does he really need to worry about it to that degree? He will still have a firewall, can still get a virus scanner, can still network to home computers (I KNOW it can, I use home everyday on a seperate machine), and preform everything a home machine is meant to. Play Games, browse the web safely, play music, video editing, server hosting, etc etc etc. Which is exactally what he wants to do.

Let him use Home, because it does the job for him. We need to stop mistaking people who just want to enjoy their computers and certain aspects of it for security gur's who want the top level of security even if it isn't nessessary and just for the hell of it.

Save money, use Home. It does what he needs.

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Save money, use Home. It does what he needs.

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Nah ....... SELL the five copies you have, buy XP Pro, get some new S/W with the extra.

The reasoning behind this is simple: here [AO] we try to implement secure systems, and some/ most of us work in an IT environment. Learn XP Pro, implement it at home as you would at work.

I'm reading up Win2K3 server. I have Win2K3 as a 6 month trial, to start me off. I intend to purchase some additional boxes, and make me a home network. I would like to be able to set it to run as securly as possible.

At work I've just started a new job looking after school networks. I want a mirror system at home [only smaller, obviously] to allow me to play with settings etc, to make me a better player at work. :cool:

I can feel an off topic slant beginning, so I'll stop whilst I'm sort of still in the thread.

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The reasoning behind this is simple: here [AO] we try to implement secure systems, and some/ most of us work in an IT environment. Learn XP Pro, implement it at home as you would at work.

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Please don't tell me you are trying to say that you can't secure XP home as good as you can XP Pro. Because if that's the case, I'll begin my 14 paragraph reply.

I believe it all boils down to want and need.

My self, I have XP Home and have had it for the last 1 3/4 years and it has done every thing I have needed it for.
Do I need XP Pro -- No, do I want XP Pro -- Yes, and I will upgrade to it eventually. I do want the ability to control user permissions, EFS, advanced networking tools and abilities -- but as a home user I don't need them. My wife is the only other person that uses my computer and she just plays spider solitary on it. The most networking I do is a small home network usually just for internet sharing, so I don't really need the advanced networking capabilities. And I really don't have anything I need to hide or super secure so EFS isn't really needed, and 3rd party applications can handle that very well also.

So why would I even consider spending an outragious amount of money to upgrade my system to Pro? Simple, I love gagets and gizmoes and want to be able to play with the more advanced features that Pro has. Its the same as why I want another box, and *nix, and another motorcycle, and even a new girlfriend or two( my wife kind of limits that last want btw).

Greets to all you security types in this, my first post - I hope to learn lots from you.

On Winblows - We have to look at the reason Home was developed at all in the first place - keep in mind that the whole reason behind windows was an 'OS' for folks who can't use command line. Home is 'autopilot everything' - Pro was designed for folks who (presumably) can afford a Techie to set it up - so it gives more power to the user instead of trying to protect itself from him.

On the whole, Pro is always the best way to go if you're after security and power, and know a bit about what you're doing. Home, as previously stated here and in other posts, is good for peer to peer networking, and 'idiot proofed' operation.

Enough babble - I've this huge talent for overstating the obvious.

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Please don't tell me you are trying to say that you can't secure XP home as good as you can XP Pro. Because if that's the case, I'll begin my 14 paragraph reply

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I'm not saying that XP Home cannot be secured.
I'm saying that the Pro version gives you all the bells and whistles that are used in the workplace, and that (some/most) AO members work in an IT environment, and as such it is best to learn the full system, and implement it at work AND home.

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and as such it is best to learn the full system, and implement it at work AND home.

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If I can secure both just as well as one another, why bother? If I can apply the same level of security XP Pro offers on my XP Home machine, then why spend an extra $50 - $100 on "bells and whistles" that I can already secure a machine without?

Your argument of "Use both so you know both at home and work" makes as much sense as a Military father who is a Captain at work that gets his food cooked upon demand, go home and scream and order his wife at attention to cook him a four course meal.

Different situations call for different uses, or else there wouldn't be differences. The differences between Home and Pro are trivial, seriously, and thus why since he is a home user, it is more efficient for him to use a cheaper XP home that he already owns than purchase a new OS that does nothing special that I can't make XP home already do. If he wanted that deep level of NASA paranoia then he could also look into third party firewalls, virus scanners, and permission handlers and still save more money than having to purchase a preofessional based OS that he does not need.

Any paticular reason you're looking at Dual CPU for your upgrade? And the Quatro FX line of cards? In ~99% of the cases you will have no need for this level of hardware at your house. This level of stuff is reserved for workstation class computers, and unless you really know why you want it, you would be better off not paying the premium for this level of hardware. And judging from your current storage specs, and your description of usage, you aren't working with enough stuff that a single CPU computer couldn't handle well enough.

I'll admit that I use a dual CPU system and it kicks butt. I do a bit of video processing work, and that is probably the only thing to take full advantage of dual CPU other than doing 3d rendering work and Folding@Home. Also, only special types of 3d rendering can take advantage of the Quatro FX's features, and this type isn't the kind used in gaming. More like CAD/Engineering level stuff and special simulations where traditional CPUs simply don't have the vertex processing power to render scenes to save to the disk, etc.

You're much better off price-wise to stick to "consumer-level" stuff. Later.

Ive used both home and PRO. The main diferance I see is that Pro has more programs preinstalled. Im currently useing Pro and I like it.

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Your argument of "Use both so you know both at home and work" makes as much sense as a Military father who is a Captain at work that gets his food cooked upon demand, go home and scream and order his wife at attention to cook him a four course meal.

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I didn't say 'use both' I said:

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SELL the five copies you have, buy XP Pro,

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He has FIVE copies............... All gratis...........

And yes; set up at home as you would want your workplace to be.

As for your analogy of the 'military father'. I take it that you are NOT from a military family.......
Officers get what they require by ASKING. Although to be fair, they ASK the CSM, and HE shouts :D

And I am not saying spend the extra money. He has 5 copies, selling them would anti up sufficient to buy XP Pro AND some 3rd party S/W. Why keep 5 copies ?................

As for the rest of your post: you are eminently more experienced in the art of IT than I shall ever be, and I agree with all that you say.

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If he wanted that deep level of NASA paranoia

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Then he has certainly come to the right place :D

Your tutorials on securing XP is the path I shall follow. As and when I upgrade.

http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=255353
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=255443

So, to clarify my position, LeeBkr311 is just starting out on his chosen path. At work he uses OBSD. So he has these XP home editions spare. Keeping all 5 seems kind of stupid. Selling them, and using the money to buy XP Pro, which is an OS with more security facilities ready built in, and which he could use / learn would IMHO bring him more benefits than 'just' running the Home Edition. As he is in the IT world, it is possible that he will require knowledge of the MS Windows Pro editions at some point on his career path.

If you going to be building that serious of a machine then you will probly want to check this out before spending the bucks on XP Pro
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/default.mspx

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I didn't say 'use both' I said

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My mistake :) I meant to quote when you wanted him to use it both at work and at home.

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As for your analogy of the 'military father'. I take it that you are NOT from a military family.......
Officers get what they require by ASKING. Although to be fair, they ASK the CSM, and HE shout

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I am a 21 year old navy brat, from a father who served for 24 years and just recently retired. I know how they actually act, but the example was merely an example :) Nothing more, so no worries on that.

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Then he has certainly come to the right place

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I would agree. But this is for his home machine and that's the only reason why I recommended XP Home. On any other circumstance I would recommend pro, but he mentioned only wanting basic capabilities of internet, music, sound, etc. On a professional level for anywhere other than typical home use, you are completely correct in recommending pro!

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Keeping all 5 seems kind of stupid. Selling them, and using the money to buy XP Pro, which is an OS with more security facilities ready built in, and which he could use / learn would IMHO bring him more benefits than 'just' running the Home Edition. As he is in the IT world, it is possible that he will require knowledge of the MS Windows Pro editions at some point on his career path.

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Ah, okay I can see that point. I was leaning more towards the side of "it -can- be as secure as Pro, don't forget that", while you were leaning towards "it isn't about the extra security, it's about learning it for future jobs/careers". Looks like I just wasn't reading fully again :) You have made a valid point though foxy to which I do agree with, now that I can see what you mean eye to eye.

On a side note, I have noticed that with new computers that they are only offering home now. It used to be not long ago you could upgrade to pro for a little more.