Re: upgrading frm XP Home to Pro



Shenan wrote:
- OEM licensed CDs cannot perform upgrades.

- Why do you think you need Windows XP Professional?
- Advanced networking/user control?
- Domain joining ability?
- File and folder encryption (EFS)?

Michelle_j_r wrote:
we have just bought a server to network the computers and so i can
access them remotely. I bought the server from Dell and i explained
what we were doing to the sales guy and he said it would work...
another guy that is here installing it said it won't and we need to
upgrade all the computers to Pro.

But it seems upgrades are no longer available and we need to get
full OEM disks or something???? (it's all beyond me!) but that
means totally rebooting our computers and loosing the current
installs etc.

Frustrating and expensive! Is it correct that we can't upgrade?
Will Windows SBS work with XP Home????

I am coming out of this more confused than before I asked the original
questions...

You bought a server to 'network your computers' and so you can 'access them
remotely'? You can likely connect to them remotely already (with a little
effort) - no need for a server, etc. For windows XP Home Edition - a
product called 'UltraVNC' (free software) would give you the same abilities
as 'Remote Desktop' would in Windows XP Professional. Windows XP Home
Edition can easily be networked in a way that allows them to share files and
interact with one another in a home/business. And as you mentioned only
three computers - you aren't even coming up against any real limitations
yet.

There has to be more to this story than 'network your computers' and
'access them remotely' - or a server is overkill in my opinion.


i don't know a lot about computers- just the very basic basics! I told a
saleperson what i wanted (two different companies actually to get comparison
quotes) and they both said i'd need a server. That we needed a static IP so
we could log onto our computers from different locations.

I know there is software that lets you use your computer from another
computer as if you were actually there (ie, your mouse moves around on the
unattended computer etc). I am not sure how they plan to give me access from
different locations but apparently with the server we just log on as a user
no matter where we are and all our stuff is there..??

Albeit that
Windows XP Professional gives you a bit more control over such things. It's
true that if you plan on connecting the machines to a domain and not a
workgroup - you will need Windows XP Professional over Windows XP Home.
However - you haven't given enough information for me to know why you would
1) need a server and 2) need a domain environment. You have gone and
mentioned Windows Small Business Server even - so am I to assume this is to
startup a business?


it's an existing small business and as i am pregnant and want to work from
home for a while i want to access my computer and my dad's computer at the
office. SBS is what i was told i needed....??




Please explain what your purpose is for 'networking the computers' and
'accessing them remotely' in detail.
- Is this for a business or a home network?
- What will you be using the server for? Will it be a 'file server'? Will
it be an 'email server'? Will it be a server providing and centrally
maintaining the updates for the other machines? Will it be a 'web host
server'?

we are copying all our files onto the server so all the quotes that dad and
i do are saved in the one spot on one computer. It will also do the email
thing (we did not need that but apparently it manages it anyway). Not sure
about updates??? We will make a webpage but i bought a domain so i think it's
hosted there anyway.




- Why do you need to remotely connect to the three machines from the
original posting? And in what way/from where do you envision doing these
'remote' connnections?


so i can access work files from home and save them back to the one location.
And my work email will follow me.


Let's try and ensure you are not diving into the deep end of the pool here
when you didn't even have to get your feet wet. ;-)

--
Shenan Stanley

i really appreciate your help. I never knew this forum was here til i looked
for upgrades yesterday. But i think it's too late. I've already bought the
bloody server and the tech guy spent all day yesterday setting it up so i've
had to pay for that. But if it is possible to make it work on XP Home that
will save me a fortune on all new software. But apparently the company that
sold me the computers initially should never have installed the Home edition
anyway (according to the tech guy yesterday).
???????
Michelle.


MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html



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