how-to block ads
|
B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28
| So why pay for XP Pro again?
Inspired by Daniel  's good and bracing »Windows File Sharing: Facing The Mystery I'm going to go ahead and ask a stupid question.
For ordinary use, what's the point of paying for XP Pro when XP Home has so much functionality, even on an Active Directory network ?
In the past I've gone to the trouble of upgrading stations to XP Pro prior to deployment of an AD server and Exchange mail server on a small network.
The XP Pro machines were able to map drives to server file shares, and they were able to use all Outlook features connecting to the Exchange server.
And then I brought an XP Home machine on... and it could do the same things.
Yes, I know there are lots of utilities and features that are crippled or disabled or missing in XP Home, but for even a mid-sized organization, what specific benefits are gained by upgrading to XP Pro?
If you really want, you can even add an XP Home machine to a domain. According to what I see via Google, there are at least two ways. One purported method is directly from Microsoft at »support.microsoft.com/default.as···s;315273
Here's a run-down of Home v. Pro capabilities from »www.winsupersite.com/showcase/wi···_pro.asp
Pro features that aren't in Home Edition
The following features are not present in Windows XP Home Edition.
* Power user Remote Desktop - All versions of Windows XP--including Home Edition--support Remote Assistance, which is an assisted support technology that allows a help desk or system administrator to remotely connect to a client desktop for troubleshooting purposes. But Only Pro supports the new Remote Desktop feature, which is a single-session version of Terminal Services with two obvious uses: Mobile professionals who need to remotely access their corporate desktop, and remote administration of clients on a network. You can access a Windows XP Remote Desktop from any OS that supports a Terminal Services client (such as Windows 98 and, interestingly XP Home). XP Home can act as the client in a Remote Desktop session; only Pro can be the server.
* Multi-processor support - Windows XP Pro supports up to two microprocessors, while Home Edition supports only one.
* Automated System Recovery (ASR) - In a somewhat controversial move, Microsoft has removed the Backup utility from the default Windows XP Home Edition, though it is available as an optional installation if you can find it on the CD-ROM (hint: it's in the /valueadd folder). The reason for this the integration of Microsoft's new Automated System Recovery (ASR) tool into Backup. In Pro, ASR will help recover a system from a catastrophic error, such as one that renders the system unbootable. ASR-enabled backups are triggerable from XP Setup, allowing you to return your system to its previous state, even if the hard drive dies and has to be replaced. Unlike consumer-oriented features such as System Restore, ASR is not automatic: It must manually be enabled from within the Backup utility in Windows XP Pro. In any event, while there is a Backup utility available for Home Edition, you cannot use ASR, even though mentions of this feature still exist in the UI. Confusing? Yes. But it's better than no Backup at all, which was the original plan.
* Dynamic Disk Support - Windows XP Professional (like its Windows 2000 equivalent) supports dynamic disks, but Home Edition does not (instead, HE supports only the standard Simple Disk type). Dynamic disks are not usable with any OS other than Windows 2000 or Windows XP Pro, and they cannot be used on portable computers. Likewise, Home Edition does not include the Logical Disk Manager.
* Fax - Home Edition has no integrated fax functionality out of the box, though it is an option you can install from the XP Home CD.
* Internet Information Services/Personal Web Server - Home Edition does not include the IIS Web server 5.1 software found in Pro.
* Security Encrypting File System - Windows XP Professional supports the Encrypting File System (EFS), which allows you encrypt individual files or folders for local security (EFS is not enabled over a network). EFS-protected files and folders allows users to protect sensitive documents from other users.
* File-level access control - Any user with Administrator privileges can limit access to certain network resources, such as servers, directories, and files, using access control lists. Only Windows XP Professional supports file-level access control, mostly because this feature is typically implemented through Group Policy Objects, which are also not available in Home Edition.
* "C2" certification - Microsoft will attempt to have Windows XP Professional certified with the "C2" security designation, a largely irrelevant status, but one which will not be afforded to Home Edition.
* Management Domain membership - Home Edition cannot be used to logon to an Active Directory domain. For obvious reasons, the Domain Wizard is also missing in Home Edition.
* Group Policy - Since Home Edition cannot be used to logon to an Active Directory domain, Group Policy--whereby applications, network resources, and operating systems are administered for domain users--is not supported either.
* IntelliMirror - Microsoft lumps a wide range of semi-related change and configuration management technologies under the IntelliMirror umbrella, and none of these features are supported in the consumer oriented Home Edition. IntelliMirror capabilities include user data management; centrally-managed software installation, repair, updating, and removal; user settings management; and Remote Installation Services (RIS), which allows administrators to remotely install the OS on client systems.
* Roaming profiles - This feature allows users to logon to any computer in an Active Directory network and automatically receive their customized settings. It is not available in Home Edition, which cannot logon to an Active Directory domain.
* Corporate deployment Multi-language support - Only Windows XP Professional will ship in a Multi-Language version or support multiple languages in a single install.
* Sysprep support - Windows XP Pro will support the System Preparation (Sysprep) utility, while Home Edition will not.
* RIS support - See the IntelliMirror heading in the previous section; Home Edition does not support RIS deployments.
* 64-bit Edition Microsoft is shipping a 64-bit version of Windows XP for Intel Itanium systems that mirrors the Professional Edition feature-set.
Networking features
* The following networking features are not included in Home Edition: The user interface for IPSecurity (IPSec)
* SNMP
* Simple TCP/IP services
* SAP Agent
* Client Service for NetWare
* Network Monitor
* Multiple Roaming feature
User interface features
* Windows XP Home Edition has some different default settings that affect the user interface. For example, Guest logon is on by default in Home, but off in Pro. The Address bar in Explorer windows is on in Pro by default, but off in Home. During the beta period, Microsoft had intended to use a business-oriented shell theme ("Professional") by default in Pro and the "Luna" consumer theme in Home Edition. But feedback from corporate users suggested that everyone liked the consumer-oriented Luna theme better, and development of the Professional theme was cancelled. Other user interface features that are present in Pro but not Home include: Client-side caching
* Administrative Tools option on the Start menu (a subset of the Admin tools are still present in Home, however). I really don't see anything compelling for a small to medium size organization with simple, ordinary needs. What am I missing? [ Please be gentle.  ]
-- B
--
In a realm outside causality and function | |
Kilroy
Premium,MVM
join:2002-11-21
Ann Arbor, MI | Group Policy is the main reason. | |
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium,MVM
join:2000-01-13
Beaverton, OR
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to B
You used to be able to easily make XP Home part of a domain with the first Version of TweakUI from the XP Powertoys, and I still have it laying around on my harddisk.
In reality most home users don't need pro, but sometimes there are a few features which make it worth it. I happen to have Pro, and some of the management tools, along with specialized account types are necessary for me. I don't run a admin account, however I do run a Power User account, while it does have some limited admin ability, mostly just more ntfs/registry access, it allows me to run everything I need to currently without having to use an admin account for everyday use, it also allows me to avoid running things as an admin which won't run under a normal user account.
--
My hourly rates:
$25 per hour.
$35 per hour if you want to watch.
$45 per hour if you want to help.
$75 per hour if you tried to fix it, and failed.
The biggest error is sitting in front of your keyboard. | |
alt2541
join:2001-12-31 | reply to B
Networking features
* The following networking features are not included in Home Edition: The user interface for IPSecurity (IPSec)
* Simple TCP/IP services
Will this have an effect on home networking--opposed to xp pro? | |
cacroll
Eventually, Prozac becomes normal
Premium
join:2002-07-25
Martinez, CA
| reply to B
If you, or just you and one other person, is sharing files across your LAN, you probably won't care about Simple File Sharing.
If you don't want every person on your LAN to have equal access to all shared files, though, Simple File Sharing is not for you.
And if you want to access "C:\Program Files" or "C:\Windows", or any other administrative feature, across your LAN, SFS is not for you either.
If you want Advanced File Sharing (i.e., no SFS) for any reason, you won't want XP Home. | |
psloss
Premium
join:2002-02-24
Alpharetta, GA
| reply to B
If your organization is comfortable with managing Win9x installs, then XP Home installs are a good approximation.
XP Home can't be remotely administered. Since SFS is always on, rlogins are authenticated as Guest. That's as much remote access as anyone has to the system.
Additionally, it's missing stuff like the administrative file shares. I haven't done an "enum" scan on an XP Home box in a while, but I seem to recall that it's missing other critical Named Pipes -- but that may just be a consequence of SFS.
From the XP Home user's point of view, it might provide acceptable access to enterprise network resources, but from an administrative standpoint it's as manageable as Win9x.
Regarding the MSKB article, that is interesting -- anyone tested it with an XP Home box?
The question for me is: does adding the appropriate machine accounts to the AD account database also trigger the equivalent "policy" changes that occur on an XP Pro box when it is added to a domain -- such as disabling SFS?
Philip Sloss
--
Feedback? e-mail: stuff@lupwa.org | |
dave
Premium,MVM
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio | reply to B
Well, the short answer is "my PCs have always run NT, so I don't feel like dealing with a feature-reduced version". | |
DavidJWood
Premium
join:2001-10-12
UK
| reply to B
My boxes are not a typical SOHO boxes, but I have XP Professional on both my desktop and my laptop for several reasons.
The desktop is a dual processor Xeon box - XP Home would only allow me to use one of the two processors.
I use CSC on the laptop to take files from network shares with me on the laptop.
I need Simple File Sharing off to make use of Backup Exec for Windows Servers 9.1 to back both my machines up (I'm not sure whether the new Backup Exec 10 has any better support of XP Home). Further, I make use of network permissions that SFS would not allow.
David | |
bpm3k
join:2004-08-15
Simi Valley, CA
1 edit | I have xp pro. I bought it because it was only $20 more than home ($120 vs. $100). It is all about OEM software.
I don't think I use any of of the special pro lectures but still for $20 i can't complain.
Of course "So why pay for XP Pro again?" makes me think of xp pro 64bit edition. Is it worth buying that? | |
dave
Premium,MVM
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio
·Verizon Online DSL
·Verizon FIOS
| said by bpm3k :Of course "So why pay for XP Pro again?" makes me think of xp pro 64bit edition. Is it worth buying that? If you have an x86-64 CPU, then yes - why did you buy a 64-bit CPU if you don't plan to run 64-bit software?
If you don't have an x86-64 CPU, then no - it's an expensive way to buy a useless coaster. | |
bcastner
Premium,VIP,MVM
join:2002-09-25
Chevy Chase, MD
clubs:  | reply to B
The changes required to permit a Domain join by XP Home are a EULA violation. | |
|
