XP or XPPro

jimistone

jimistone

long standing member
I have an older dell computer with the pendium ht processor and windows 7 is kind of sluggish on it. I'm going to install XP on it and see if it runs better. I've always recorded with xp anyway. My question is this: Is there any advantage to going with XPpro or would home edition xp be just as good for recording purposes?
 
jimistone said:
would home edition xp be just as good for recording purposes?
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Yes, it would. Shouldn't make any difference.

You can check the differences here:
Differences with Windows XP Home Edition
Differences between the XP Home and Professional Edition ! :: Windows XP :: Articles & Tutorials :: WindowsNetworking.com

As far as I'm aware, none of these things should affect performance in running day to day applications, including home recording.
I think XP Pro is just geared more to large business networks.

Edit:
You could check with this simple list as well:
http://techallica.com/10-major-differences-between-windows-xp-home-and-windows-xp-professional/
Where it mentions 'multi processors' I'm not sure if this relates to multi core processors. At least, I don't think it does.

Regards

Dr. V
 
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Yes, but it looks as though Windows 8 is a completely different experience to XP or 7. There doesn't seem to be much difference between XP Home or Pro when it comes to normal domestic tasks and DAW usage.

As for Windows 8 - I am just terrified of it ever coming into MY home! :D
 
Thanks guys. I was just wondering. I have a xp home addition disc for a hp laptop of mine. I should be able to install that on a dell PC shouldn't I?
I have a friend that works on computers that said he could install xp pro for me.

It would be easier for me to install the xp home edition at the house than it would for me to take the computer to him then have to go pick it up. (he's in another town).
If the xp pro would seve me a lot better I would go ahead and take it to him.
 
jimistone said:
Thanks guys. I was just wondering. I have a xp home addition disc for a hp laptop of mine. I should be able to install that on a dell PC shouldn't I?
I have a friend that works on computers that said he could install xp pro for me.

It would be easier for me to install the xp home edition at the house than it would for me to take the computer to him then have to go pick it up. (he's in another town).
If the xp pro would seve me a lot better I would go ahead and take it to him.
Click to expand...

The primary deference between XP Pro and XP Home is that the Pro version can log into a Domain (A large network). XP Home can't. For home use XP Home is fine.

There are some other minor differences, but nothing to worry about.

I should also mention that XP Pro is also available in a "Corporate edition" that omits the software activation "feature". But it was sold only to companies, and used its own unique serial numbers.
 
RWhite said:
I should also mention that XP Pro is also available in a "Corporate edition" that omits the software activation "feature". But it was sold only to companies, and used its own unique serial numbers.
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I didn't know this. Thanks for the info. That will be very convenient in that case...
 
Doctor Varney said:
Yes. As long as the computer has the minimum specs for the OS.
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It does. The computer had xp pro when I got it but it was locked up with a Password our companys computer guy couldn't get into it and said he would have to install a new OS. He had xp pro and windows 7. He talked me into going with windows 7. I don't like it. So, it's back to xp
 
I have XP Home on this P4 (was Win Music Centre Ed' But THAT's another story!) but I had XPro for a long time on another, better specc'ed machine that Son used for his music (tho' this P4 is pretty good) I have another AMD 2.7G 2core machine with Pro on it and 1 desktop and one lappy with W7/64.

I never and HAVE never noticed any difference between Pro and Home (I also have a works lap' with Vista. Now that IS cack!)

Re activating XP: I had a PC built 8 years ago, cost me the thick end of £700. It eventually came time to replace it (I needed a PCIe slot for one thing) and so I bought an Asus MOBO/Proc'/memory deal from Dabs of Ireland. I had the original XP Pro disc that came with the build (the shop had long since gone bust!) but I expected trouble since I have heard of peeps having difficulties with Msoft after just changing a hard drive. All that was left of the original PC was the case and PSU!
But not a bit of it! "They" said "not activated, click here" I did and bish-bosh-bash I was legal!

Yeah, if you are not going 64bits and therefore lotaram (just put 8G in my W7 desktop) XP is cool.

Just seen that I could buy a 1TB 3.5" drive for fifty quid. You might find it easier to simply fit a new, clean drive and put XP on that. Keep the old drive handy because XP will die one day! (or rty the drive in another build?)

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
I have XP Home on this P4 (was Win Music Centre Ed' But THAT's another story!) but I had XPro for a long time on another, better specc'ed machine that Son used for his music (tho' this P4 is pretty good) I have another AMD 2.7G 2core machine with Pro on it and 1 desktop and one lappy with W7/64.

I never and HAVE never noticed any difference between Pro and Home (I also have a works lap' with Vista. Now that IS cack!)

Re activating XP: I had a PC built 8 years ago, cost me the thick end of £700. It eventually came time to replace it (I needed a PCIe slot for one thing) and so I bought an Asus MOBO/Proc'/memory deal from Dabs of Ireland. I had the original XP Pro disc that came with the build (the shop had long since gone bust!) but I expected trouble since I have heard of peeps having difficulties with Msoft after just changing a hard drive. All that was left of the original PC was the case and PSU!
But not a bit of it! "They" said "not activated, click here" I did and bish-bosh-bash I was legal!

Yeah, if you are not going 64bits and therefore lotaram (just put 8G in my W7 desktop) XP is cool.

Just seen that I could buy a 1TB 3.5" drive for fifty quid. You might find it easier to simply fit a new, clean drive and put XP on that. Keep the old drive handy because XP will die one day! (or rty the drive in another build?)

Dave.
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What I've found is that if you make large hardware changes (the sort which change the ID of the computer) such as a motherboard swap, you do have to re-register the OS. Because, as far as MS are concerned, you are effectively installing on another computer.

I have one copy of XP which does for all my computers, as I didn't see any point in buying the same thing again, when I'm the only person that ever uses it. I have to re-register XP Home each time I do an HD wipe & reformat. Now that I have a copy of XP Professional coming, it's good news that I won't have to keep re-registering each time I reformat my drives.

It annoys me that Microsoft cease support for their operating systems when many people are happy sticking with what works for them. It almost seems as though they are imposing a penalty for not upgrading your hardware when they decide. It's what I call 'forced obsoletion' and I like to recycle.
 
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jimistone said:
IHe talked me into going with windows 7. I don't like it. So, it's back to xp
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Just out of interest - may I ask what you don't like about it? I haven't had chance to use it yet but everything I hear and read seems to point to 7 being their most robust operating system to date. I could understand it if you said you didn't like Win 8, because that's a completely different animal, as far as I can tell.

Regards

Dr. V
 
"Dave.
What I've found is that if you make large hardware changes (the sort which change the ID of the computer) such as a motherboard swap, you do have to re-register the OS. Because, as far as MS are concerned, you are effectively installing on another computer."

That is why I was suprised when I was able to activate XP Pro on the Asus! The WMCE situation is even more weird!
I bought this Esystems P4 from PCWorld in a Jan sale years ago. After a day or so I realized it was WMCE and asked the store, then Msoft if I could trade software for XP Home (which is in fact cheaper!). Neither party would give me the time of day but after a while I found that MCE was not actually that bad and I did not actually use much of it (MP3 converter is good tho!).

Then I caught a serious trojan which made the PC virtually unusable. Now, I had a backup copy of XPHome from my son in law's PC (that I had cleaned up for him) So, I knew it would run ok for the "grace" period and then I could buy it. Supringly it ran and activated fine! I feel no shame! I PAID for WMCE but now do not and cannot use it!

Dave.
 
Doctor Varney said:
Just out of interest - may I ask what you don't like about it? I haven't had chance to use it yet but everything I hear and read seems to point to 7 being their most robust operating system to date. I could understand it if you said you didn't like Win 8, because that's a completely different animal, as far as I can tell.

Regards

Dr. V
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Hmm? W7 IS good, as you say, very robust. Things I don't like about it are......
WTF mess about with the Sounds and Audio Devices system? The one in XP/98 was fine and most "office wallers" would never go in there anyway!

I find it hard to download things to a specific location.

If I save a screenshot for example W7 puts it on the desktop where IT wants it, NOT where I do! Just general niggles like this piss me off.

I am sure it is all user configerable and I am just a lazy old sod who should buckle down and get it sorted!

Dave.
 
I know what you mean, Dave. While these niggles are probably user configurable, as you say - if something is working for you, why change it?
 
A major concern is the availability of proper drivers for your hardware. You may not find XP drivers for new hardware, or W7/8 drivers for older hardware.
Similar application incompatibility issues may arise with certain OS versions.

Jos
 
ebrjvd said:
A major concern is the availability of proper drivers for your hardware. You may not find XP drivers for new hardware, or W7/8 drivers for older hardware.
Similar application incompatibility issues may arise with certain OS versions.

Jos
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Yeah, *especially* in Win7 64bit. Make sure you can find 64 bit drivers for your printer and all your 'non-Bestbuy' devices, like ASIO audio interfaces, RAID drives, or souped up video hardware, before taking the plunge into Win7x64.
 
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