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General discussion

Should I switch from 2000 Professional, to XP Home Edition?

Jan 8, 2005 7:31AM PST

Before I make one of those dumb mistakes I'm known for making, I'll try something different, and ask for advice. Why didn't I think of that BEFORE my last catastrophe??

I'm using Windows 2000 Professional (NTFS), on an older Sony VAIO PCV-R553DS, (originally came with Windows 98 second edition)

Windows 2000 Professional isn't very user friendly, so I'd like to switch to XP HOME EDITION. My kids have it on their computer, and I like it much better.

Is there any reason I SHOULDN'T switch?

I was told it's not easy to switch back to Windows 2000 if I decide I don't like XP.
I don't understand why this would be a problem.

Would it be a better choice to switch to XP PROFESSIONAL, instead of HOME EDITION?

The computer is used mostly to surf, download and listen to music, edit and store photos.
Eventually, I'd like to get it up to speed for my kids to use for gaming. (Although I'm not sure this Sony can handle it)

Thanks!

Discussion is locked

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I haven't shared...
Jan 8, 2005 7:59AM PST

I'm considering moving my home XP Pro license over to my wife's machine and moving back to Windows 2000 for reasons to do with my software development activities.

Bob

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If? and then
Jan 8, 2005 10:05AM PST

Either XP pro or Home will do. However, if you really liked the services win2000 provided, you'll be better off with XP pro. If you're just a happy user and just want XP in order to keep up then XP home will do fine. If you plan to save money and buy an "upgrade" version of XP, then you need XP pro to load over win2000 or start fresh, but it asks for earlier ver. which needs to be win2000. If you get the upgrade XP home version then you need win9x/Me in order to proceed to verify earlier versions. Hope this helps...

MS provides the details as well under their knowledgebase support website, surf there for the "sure" answer, but I believe I got it correct above. Happy

good luck -----Willy

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If you like the XP home I would say...
Jan 8, 2005 10:19AM PST

Go for it. In home verses pro some of the options home doesn't have is
1. You can't join a domain(just a workgroup)
2. It doesn't have some administrative tools like pro
3. It has only simple file sharing where either you share the files with everyone on the network or no one.
4. It doesn't have the server end of remote desktop. But you can get the same features in 3rd party software.
For what you need it for it sounds like home is all you need but check out here anyway. I've went back and forth from XP and 2000, nothing hard about it put in the disk at boot partition, format and install either one.

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whoa!
Jan 8, 2005 11:23PM PST

i went through this w/my kids. don't bother w/ putting money into that sony. for gaming, you gonna need a more powerful pc for. get a new pc and tell them you need a unit for gaming. also, work out a deal to get XP pro w/it.