Comments on: XP Pro Drawbacks?

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 00:34:53 +0000

I don’t know about you, but when I was having problems with my PC, I tried to install a clean version of XP Pro over XP MCE. This didn’t go down so well. The OS somehow reset my logon password, so I was forced to dump the hard drive, and reformat it. So, your safest bet would be to just reformat your drive.

By: KEITH-1

KEITH-1 — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:37:37 +0000

If your going to upgrade to XP Pro then I would definately do a clean install as the others have suggested. However I would just like to comment that all XP Home is, is a cut down version of XP Pro. In other words XP Pro is XP Home with some extra MS software added basicly. I don’t know the reasons why you don’t like XPH, if it’s not the lack of certain features then you won’t like XPP either. XPP is about double the price of XPH buy not double the value, if it’s just the lack of a couple of features I would shop the net for some freeware to bridge the gap. However if money is not a problem then go ahead. Hope this helps.

By: William A. Ford

William A. Ford — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 01:31:54 +0000

Hey Mike,

As you already know, a Clean Install is preferable to an Upgrade. However, there’s no need to lose your files, folders, and settings.

You can easily run the “Files and Settings Transfer Wizard” to Export from XP Home and to Import to XP Pro.

www.williamaford.com/HowDoIQ-T.php#TransferFilesandSettingstoaNewComputer

HTH

Bill

By: GiM

GiM — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 23:47:36 +0000

And preferably, do a clean install!

By: GiM

GiM — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 23:42:59 +0000

Many “aspects” of XP Home are less performing than on 98! Especially on any network aspects!

Ex: I used to install some financial software, implying LAN (”local” shared small database) and WAN (connection with a server, usually over Internet), and it does not install on XP Home (or install but not work), but work perfectly on 98 or XP Pro… And there are more!

Change to XP Pro, ASAP! :-)

By: D Carlson

D Carlson — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 17:38:09 +0000

Moving to XP Pro from XP Home? Good Choice! Have installed each clean on quite a few machines and upgraded about a dozen … do a clean install. Why? 1) Your registry will be cleaner — this is important if you have installed/uninstalled apps and/or hardware (Home seems to retain more fragments than Pro). Better for performance. 2) Upgraded versions seem, percentage-wise, to have more license or re-activation requirements in my experience (MS hasn’t been able to tell me why). 3) A percentage of upgrades fail. While its a good academic experience, you get enough frustration doing servicing, right?

By: Larry C Royal

Larry C Royal — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 15:23:48 +0000

I agree with Tim…He’s asking if there is any drawback to an upgrade install versus a clean install. I haven’t done an “upgrade” in 10 or so years…F-disk, Debug, and Format C: are your friends…Use them!

By: Tom Delora

Tom Delora — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 04:26:24 +0000

I would definitely use XP Pro, which is what I personally use. Much better security. Stay away from internet explorer 6 or 7 though. I use Deepnet explorer, but, of course chose the browser of your own choice.
The ability to encrypt files is worth the cost alone. Tom

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:20:24 +0000

It sounds to me like he is asking whether to upgrade to XP pro, or to format and reinstall with XP Pro.

I say without a doubt… lose the laziness, and do it right.

By: Ted McCarty

Ted McCarty — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:31:43 +0000

Hi Matt, I too am a rental tech. I work on site at a state agency. I have not upgraded XP Home but have had license key problems and other issues with XP Pro. I have found that the simplest solution is to restart the computer on the good (new) XP Pro CD and “repair” the current installation. Now there are two places where XP will ask you if you want to repair the existing installation. The first tells you to his “R” and use the recovery console. WRONG! I’m sorry but I started out with DOS 2.1 and still refuse to use the recovery console! Bypass this chance and continue with the installation, you will get the chance to “Repair” the existing installation quickly. Chose to do it this way, it looks like a normal XP install but it will correctly upgrade the installtion using the existing drivers and all installed software will be usable. The only real difference is that it will now contain the XP license key of the CD that you used to upgrade with. Just make sure that you have the key written down before you start. I’m not lazy but this is the quickest way that I have found to solve problems with any XP installtion. I hope this helps.
Ted

By: Randy Allen

Randy Allen — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 14:22:11 +0000

By all means, dump Home. I think of XP Home as Windows ME 1.5 and still fail to understand why Microsoft continues to come out with different versions of it’s desktop OS. I can’t belive there are so many of them coming out with Vista and I have to question their logic, which is probably a mistake to even say Microsoft and logic in the same sentence. Mike, I would say do a clean install with Pro, unless there is no way to backup your data and reinstall all your programs. You will be better off and much happier with the results. Windows still benefits from the occasional format and reinstall.

By: mel

mel — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:06:46 +0000

Absolutely a must-have.Without xp pro i could not run the ever useful VIRTUAL PC.
mel

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