XP Pro vs. XP Media Center?

Well thanks to a generous donation by a family member I will probably be able to get a new Windows OS since I've had a bit of a mishap with one of my current disks.

So I'm looking at going with XP Pro again or possibly Media Center as I like some of the goodies with that. My wife has it on her laptop & it seems to work great & I've read in some places around the net that people says it works much better then Home & is a little better then Pro. It doesn't have all the same features as Pro, which something with domains is the only one I can recall off the top of my head from what I've read, I think something like you can't change or add one after initial install or some such. But that isn't something I'm all that really interested in.

But there could be other things & I'm going to try & really look tonight but if anyone here knows off the top of their heads it could save me some time which would be good as we have been a bit busy tonight at work.

Another one of my thoughts on this is as someone mentioned in another thread of mine they are offering free vista upgrade coupons with current OS's. Though from what I've read you have to upgrade to a certain version of vista based on which version of XP you have...I"ve sent in a email to MS asking if it is possible to switch to another version & pay any difference if there is one etc.

Anyhow for example, if I get XP Pro it says the upgrade coupon path would be to get Vista Business, which I really do not want. Then Media Center gets Vista HP, which is one I do want..that or Ultimate...

Anyhow thanks in advance...

One difference I know off the top of my head is the file sharing system.

XP Home & Media Center both use simplified file sharing, while XP Pro has a more advance file sharing system.

I know there are a few others but can't think of them right now.

Media center is basically XP HOME with media additions

XP Pro has all the extra networking abilities and being able to join domains

unless your joining a workgroup - not much reason to pay extra for PRO.

If you never had use for the GPE. Then MCE will be AOK.

The rest can be overcome with 3rd party tools. If you have the need.

yeah, i have media 2005 on a dell system and i never use it.

Dell always seem to use MCE, but a tine percentage actually need it.

I found the GPE is the most usuful feature of Pro for most home users. All the networking can be overcome with things similar to filesharing on the net. The majority of users won't know how to setup an advanced network or have need. Even do tricky policies per user.

That is why I chose Home over Pro when I bought my copy of Windows. I just had no need for the extra features. It gave no performance increase or enhancment for my use.

Now I have had a chance to fiddle with MCE. I liked it. It does add some nice things for a home setup. If I was going to re-buy my OS. I would probally choose MCE over Home. Even if part of the features are not used. I would, it rather be geared to a home user, the a professional enviroment.

When I helped a family member buy a new computer not but a few weeks ago. I had them get MCE and they could use the coupon for a the best "home type" OS for the Windows platform. Since MCE is the tip top for the home Windows computer.

Basically, the main difference, as the latter titles suggest, home is for the general user, and Pro is generally geared towards the more advanced user. Also, the file sharing system differs in places.

MCE is 100% mce/98% xp pro or 100% xp pro/99% mce depending on how you install it. If your nic is supported inbox, you can join a domain when installing.. that gives you 100% of xp pro but you can't use mce extenders which rely on fast user switching (not supported with domains). If you don't join a domain, only domain related functions are disabled, otherwise, file shareing sys are same as pro outside of domain related, gpedit works fine on my 2005 same as secpol, have all advanced network functions outside of that required for domains, EFS - check, Remote -check, ASR - check. Read blogs and whitepages, it's all there. Dunno where ppl come up with this "its just home" or "simple file shareing" etc.

Mr.Guvernment said:

Media center is basically XP HOME with media additions

XP Pro has all the extra networking abilities and being able to join domains

unless your joining a workgroup - not much reason to pay extra for PRO.

Click to expand...

Actually it's XP pro without the option of joining a domain. MCE is a pro install the MCE install takes over and changes. It has group policy editing, remote desktop and several other pro options.

The main reasion I use pro is for remote desktop

Myrdhinn said:

MCE is 100% mce/98% xp pro or 100% xp pro/99% mce depending on how you install it. If your nic is supported inbox, you can join a domain when installing.. that gives you 100% of xp pro but you can't use mce extenders which rely on fast user switching (not supported with domains). If you don't join a domain, only domain related functions are disabled, otherwise, file shareing sys are same as pro outside of domain related, gpedit works fine on my 2005 same as secpol, have all advanced network functions outside of that required for domains, EFS - check, Remote -check, ASR - check. Read blogs and whitepages, it's all there. Dunno where ppl come up with this "its just home" or "simple file shareing" etc.

Click to expand...

I must of read this wrong then.

Microsoft said:

Q. Can I connect a new PC running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 to a work network or domain?

A. While you can access network resources on a work network or a domain, you cannot join a Windows XP Media Center 2005 PC to the domain. PCs running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 are designed specifically for home use. Professional features, specifically Domain Join and Cached Credentials (Credentials Manager for logins) are not included. As a result, you will be prompted for your login username/password to access network resources after a reboot or logging back into the PC. In addition, file shares or network resources set to require a domain-joined PC for access will not be available. Remote Desktop and Encrypting File System support are still included.

Click to expand...

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/faq.mspx

schnikies79 said:

Actually it's XP pro without the option of joining a domain. MCE is a pro install the MCE install takes over and changes. It has group policy editing, remote desktop and several other pro options.

Click to expand...

On the other hand, MCE also has features like fast user switching that are found in Home and not Pro.

MCE is not really more Pro than Home, nor more Home than Pro. But if I were forced to pick one of those that MCE is most like, I'd have to say Home. The reason is because both are aimed at the home user market, while Pro is aimed at the corporate / office environment and intended to be more of a workstation OS.

doublejack said:

On the other hand, MCE also has features like fast user switching that are found in Home and not Pro.

MCE is not really more Pro than Home, nor more Home than Pro. But if I were forced to pick one of those that MCE is most like, I'd have to say Home. The reason is because both are aimed at the home user market, while Pro is aimed at the corporate / office environment and intended to be more of a workstation OS.

Click to expand...

Pro has fast user switching along with every other option that Home has. Home is basically a stripped down version of Pro and doesn't offer a single option that Pro doesn't have.

Back to the question though. MCE will work just fine if you don't need to join a domain.