Introduction
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Differences Between Windows XP Editions Windows XP comes in various versions: Windows XP Home Edition (for home and small-office users), Windows XP Professional (for corporate workstations), Windows XP 64-Bit Edition (for Itanium-based workstations), Windows .NET Server (for network servers), and Windows .NET Advanced Server (for network servers that need advanced features).
Windows XP Home Edition and Professional These two versions of Windows XP are very similar: Microsoft has disabled a few features in Home Edition and made a few cosmetic changes. Here are the major differences:
- Backup The Microsoft Backup program comes with both editions, but must be installed separately in Windows XP Home Edition.
- Multiprocessor support Home Edition supports only a single processor (CPU). Luckily, the vast majority of computers have only one processor. However, users of high-end scientific and analytical work need to install Professional.
- Domain-based network support Home Edition cannot log onto a domain-based network. The networks within most large organizations use domains, so Home Edition won't suffice for corporate workstations. However, small-office and home users can use Home Edition on smaller workgroup-based peer-to-peer networks.
- User administration Professional has a more flexible system of user accounts. Home Edition enables you to set up accounts for each user of the computer and choose whether they are administrative (with the ability to give any command) or limited (within all administrative privileges).
- File Encryption Home Edition doesn't support file or folder encryption on NTFS-formatted disks.
- Remote Desktop Home Edition doesn't include this Web-based application (also called Terminal Server client), which enables you to see the desktop of another computer on your own.
- Offline Files And Folders Home Edition doesn't support this feature, which allows you to copy files from a server to a laptop before going on the road, and then synchronizing the files when you reconnect to the network.
- Upgrades You can't upgrade from Windows NT or 2000 to Windows XP Home Edition, only to Professional. You can upgrade from Windows 98 or Me to either version of Windows XP.
Microsoft has a comparison of Home Edition and Professional at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/guide/featurecomp.asp.
Windows XP 64-Bit Edition This edition of Windows XP adds support for the Intel Itanium processor family. These processors are used on high-end engineering, scientific, and graphics workstations.
Windows .NET Server and Advanced Server These versions of Window are, as the names imply, designed to run on servers rather than on workstations. That is, they are designed to provide services to other computers on a network rather than being used for day-to-day work by someone sitting at the keyboard. They are based on Windows XP, but include these additional features:
- Slower performance as workstations These editions are optimized for network services, not for workstation performance.
- Support for server software Many server programs, such as Microsoft Exchange, Advanced Server Pages, and SQL Server, require Windows .NET Server or Advanced Server, and don't run on Windows XP Home Edition or Professional.
- Clustering Servers can be linked together into clusters to handle large network demands.