# The difference between XP Professional and Home? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 30, 2001, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192 "2001-11-30T20:22:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maxwell\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Maxwell\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxwell_Edison)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/1 "2001-11-30T20:22:56Z")
I have visited the Microsoft website, and must say I am still unsure of the differences between the XP Home version and the XP Professional. Specifically, could someone explain why I would not want to use the home version in an office environment? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/2 "2001-11-30T20:29:46Z")
I believe the big difference can be summed up in three words: Network Network Network. The Pro version is meant for a more distributed, centrally administered environment. If your computer at work is a stand-alone (i.e. not-networked), I imagine the home version would be just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/3 "2001-11-30T20:44:26Z")
Even though [this article](http://www.arstechnica.com/tweak/win2k/xp-versions-1.html) predates the official release of the product, it’s still the best explanation I’ve ever seen. [Here is a handy table](http://www.arstechnica.com/tweak/win2k/xp-versions-3.html) that sums up the major differences. Or, if you’re completely lazy, the major differences are that the home version lacks SMP support, dynamic disk support, remote desktop, full Active Directory support, a file encrypting system and multi-language interface, whatever all those are. All I know is that if you go for one of the ultra-cheap dual-Athlon boards, you’re screwed if you buy XP Home. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/4 "2001-11-30T20:50:09Z")
XP home will not (easily) log onto an NT flavored domain and XP Pro will. XP Pro also has support for dual processor PC’s, can encrypt directories and has a lot more networking tools and remote connectivity tools etc. [Windows XP Home Edition vs. Professional Edition: What’s the difference?](http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp) ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/5 "2001-11-30T20:52:13Z")
Uh, duck… no no no. Try here: [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp) For what most people use a computer for, at home or office, either version will suffice. If you need things like remote desktop, encrypted NTFS file system, group policies, etc. then you need the pro version. If you are just accessing databases, documents, etc. then you don’t need pro. Group policies might be implimented at your site to restrict data access. Check with your network folks for details. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/6 "2001-11-30T20:57:13Z")
I thought XP home could log into NT domains, is this not true? If it can’t log into NT domains, then I might have to change my previous answer. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/7 "2001-11-30T21:10:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by engineer\_comp\_geek \* > \*\*I thought XP home could log into NT domains, is this not true? > > If it can’t log into NT domains, then I might have to change my previous answer. \*\* [Here is my sad tale- Windows XP logon networking question](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=96255) ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/8 "2001-11-30T23:08:47Z")
i seem to recall something about xp home having a kernel that was not as stable as pro. anyone know anyhthing about this or I completely off base? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/9 "2001-12-01T01:22:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cainxinth \* > \*\*i seem to recall something about xp home having a kernel that was not as stable as pro. anyone know anyhthing about this or I completely off base? \*\* Off base. The kernels are essentially identical. XP Pro is simply a superset of XP Home. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2001, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-difference-between-xp-professional-and-home/96192/10 "2001-12-01T16:33:45Z")
I got both of them & when I put the disk in I get the exact same setup screen. shrug Is there another version called the Corporate version or is that just another name for the Pro version?