Microsoft Windows XP: Supported Versions

Can I use Home Edition on the WPI Campus Network?
Can I map network drives with Home Edition?
Can I use Media Center Edition at WPI?
Can I use Tablet Edition at WPI?
Can I upgrade to the Pro Edition that I bought from WPI?
Should I install Windows XP Service Pack 2?
Can I use Windows XP x64 Edition on Campus?

Can I use Home Edition on the WPI Campus Network?

Yes, you can use Windows XP Home Edition on the WPI Campus Network. You should be aware that Windows XP Home Edition is not supported on WPI's campus. This is due to the fact that many of our services require that the computer be joined to the Windows domains at WPI (ADMIN or STUDENT). Microsoft limited this ability in Home Edition as it is priced and targeted for home use only. Home edition also does not provide functionality to use file level security or group policy. We encourage users to replace their operating system with Windows XP Professional Edition, which can be purchased for $5 through the Microsoft Campus License Agreement (CLA).

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Can I map network drives with Home Edition?

Yes, you can map network drives with Home Edition. You should use your STUDENT or ADMIN domain credentials when prompted in the format of "STUDENT\username" or "ADMIN\username".

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Can I use Media Center Edition at WPI?

Yes, you can use Media Center Edition (MCE), but it is not supported. Early releases of Windows MCE were specialized versions of Professional Edition and should work similarly to that version. Starting with Windows MCE 2005, Microsoft has removed the ability to have the PC join a domain. In this regard it is similar to Windows XP Home, which we also do not support at WPI.

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Can I use Tablet Edition at WPI?

Yes, you can use Tablet Edition at WPI and this version is supported.

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Can I upgrade to Windows XP Pro that I bought from WPI?

That depends on what version of Windows your computer is currently running.

Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 - For these versions, we do not support a simple upgrade of the operating system software. If your hardware will support Windows XP, we encourage you to back up all of your files and install a fresh copy of Windows XP Pro on the system.
Windows XP Home - We support upgrading to Pro from this version. Please make sure to re-apply all necessary patches and service packs prior to putting the system back on the network.
Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) - If you wish to run Pro Edition instead of MCE please backup all your files and install a fresh copy of Windows XP Pro. Note: MCE comes with software specifically designed for Media Center PCs and and this change can result in reduced system functionality.
Windows XP Tablet Edition - Tablet Edition is a superset of the Pro Edition and therefore does not require any upgrade. Also, installing XP Pro on your system will remove all Tablet functionality. All you need to do is make sure the system remains fully patched.

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Should I install Windows Service Pack (SP2)?

Yes, you should install SP2. As of A Term 2005 we will only support XP installs that are at Service Pack 2 because it includes many changes that increase the security and ease of use for the system, including the improved Windows Firewall and improved support for wireless. This service pack should be installed on whatever version of Windows XP you have.

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Can I use Windows XP x64 Edition on Campus?

Yes, you can use Windows XP x64 Edition, but it is not supported. Windows x64 is a 64 bit edition of Windows XP that is designed for use with Intel and AMD processors that support 64 bit extentions. This version of Windows may not support running academic software correctly, if at all. If you need to install WPI academic software on your PC we encourage you to use the 32-bit version of the OS.

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Last modified: Dec 07, 2005, 08:26 EST