| There were no parallel home and office versions of Windows 95, 98 or Me, nor of Windows 2000 Professional which was accompanied only by Server versions. Windows XP is the first Windows operating system to be available in both Home and Professional versions. This makes maintaining (patching and updating) the operating system a lot less complicated for everyone, from Microsoft to home users. To most users the differences between XP Home and Professional are almost negligible, which is good news for users because you only have to deal with one look-and-feel. To system administrators placing hundreds or thousands of Windows PCs in a network environment, or simply managing a handful of them in a small office, the difference between XP Home and Professional is like night and day at least for networking and maintenance. Like every Microsoft operating system before it, Windows XP has gone through myriad security, bug, and feature patches, as well as two major comprehensive service packs. Patches and service packs apply equally to home and professional versions. The variations between the operating system versions and the significant changes to them through their common service packs are summarized in this Appendix. Differences Between Windows XP Home and Professional Editions Microsoft chooses to label these two versions of Windows as "editions." Editions, versions it's all marketing, which means it all comes down to features and benefits, and of course cost. The differences between XP Home and Professional may appear subtle and seemingly unnecessary to the home and small business PC user, since they can run Word, surf the Web, print documents and photos, and play music as well as their professional counterparts can. To medium and large businesses with modest to complex networks, and business-oriented services interconnecting users, customers, products, and revenue, the significance of XP Professional is mission-critical. The top 10 differences between XP Home and XP Professional are:
Two CPUs -
The kernel of the XP Professional operating system recognizes and uses up to two CPUs. XP Home users are limited to the use of one CPU no matter how many are in the box.
Remote control -
XP Professional users can take control of other Windows PCs through Remote Desktop services, as well as have their PC controlled by other XP Professional users. XP Home users can get remote-control support from an XP Professional system, or third-party software to remotely control another PC, but they cannot control other PCs.
Remote software installation -
A Windows system administrator can deliver and upgrade applications on XP Professional systems over a Windows-server-based network. XP Home users have to manually install applications one at a time on each PC.
Centralized control -
XP Professional users can take and maintain control of Windows systems with Microsoft's server-based system management tools. XP Home systems cannot participate in Windows domains or server-based management processes.
Group control -
XP Professional allows you to maintain user rights by group, so you can keep the work and resources of different departments separately and manage or entitle different working groups separately. XP Home systems do not have the benefit of distinct workgroups and Windows-server-based domain or management processes.
Roving users -
Sometimes you just have to work at another PC. XP Professional and a Windows-server network allow you to move to other systems and bring your PC environment with you. XP Home users have to create their environment one PC at a time.
File encryption -
XP Professional users can keep the work and resources of different users separate from one another on the same PC through local system security and file encryption features. XP Home users cannot keep files truly private from one user to another for instance, parents (presumably having administrative rights) can access the files of children's accounts.
Restricted File Access -
Not only can others' files be inaccessible, applications can be restricted on a user-by-user basis with XP Professional. Applications installed on XP Home systems are available to all users.
Offline File Access -
XP Professional lets you take your laptop off the network and keep working with your net-based files by keeping local copies through the Offline Files feature in Folder Options. This feature synchronizes local and network-based files. XP Home users may not have a network, or they have to copy, copy, and copy again to keep files in synch with those on a shared or network drive.
Localized User Interface -
This feature of XP Professional allows you to change display and input languages and work equally well within the same installation, and use any properly developed multilingual application in any language under any installation of XP Professional. XP Home users must pick a single language to work with and stick with it.
XP Service Pack 1 Windows XP Service Pack 1 contains more than 250 security, compatibility, and bug-fix patches to the original Windows XP Home and Professional releases. We've listed what appear to be the most significant feature, security, and bug-related issues, and the appropriate Microsoft Knowledge Base article, below. For a complete list and links to each and every item covered by the service pack, visit Microsoft's list of fixes in Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Service Pack 1a at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324720. For details about Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Service Pack 1a, visit http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp1/default.mspx. If you are the administrator of any number of Windows 2000 or XP systems, you'll want to review this list of fixes and consider the problems you may be facing in your environment, especially centered around the many hardware-related issues. If your PC is connected to the Internet, many of these patches are a minimum requirement of preserving your PC's sanity, or you may find it easier to jump to Service Pack 2 because SP1 will be unavailable and you will have to apply SP2 to keep up. Summaries of the patches and enhancements to the various features and functions of both XP Home and Professional are:
Enhancement and fixes for the Windows environment -
Program count for the Most Frequently Used Programs list; installing the Multilingual User Interface Pack from a long path; Msconfig.exe not responding if user does not have administrator rights; selecting a JPG image for background; data loss may after reinstalling, repairing, or upgrading; content search does not search all file types; software restriction policies not recognizing 16-bit programs.
Repairs to application-specific issues -
Text overlap viewing Excel spreadsheets saved as HTML, PowerPoint turning off screen saver, Macromedia Flash 5.0 installation causing Windows Protection error, access violations with OpenGL-based programs.
Hardware-related updates -
DVD drive may not play automatically with Roxio Easy CD Creator 5.1 and Norton Anti-Virus 2002 running, resume when you press a key on a USB keyboard, Usbhub.sys driver if used as a composite driver, add Universal Serial Bus 2.0 support, Suspend mode leaves backlight on, SpeedStep process causes hang when waking up from an S4 state, USB keyboard does not work after standby or suspend, "Stop 0x0000000A" error message changing from AC power to DC power, incorrect Thrustmaster Dance pad functions, 1394 storage device not working after changing another 1394 device, system hangs using Zip drive, problems with 16-bit programs, 2.0 GHz and faster systems, inability to shut down, UPS service won't start, add support for AMD PowerNow! Technology, USB isochronous data transfers issues, Files and Settings Transfer Wizard doesn't transfer, slow hard drive performance.
Patches for Internet Explorer -
Internet Explorer not retrying bad proxy server configuration, and access violations when running ASP or VBScript programs.
Security vulnerability patches -
Unchecked buffer issues in Outlook Express, in network share provider, in Remote Access Service Phonebook, in the multiple UNC provider, in SNMP service, and in Universal Plug and Play may lead to denial of service. Attacks on Port 1720 may cause NetMeeting to fail and URL error handling vulnerability.
Repairs to networking issues -
Windows File Protection inability to restore files from a mapped network drive, Cisco VPN Client won't install, inability to print to a Windows XP print server, and multiple issues with Novell NetWare networking performance and functions.
MultiMedia issues fixed -
Problems with the InterActual DVD program, connecting two digital video cameras to two different IEEE 1394 adapters, inability to play DVDs, black video window in Movie Maker using a variable data rate digital video 1394 device, and error message when a user with limited rights tries to play a stream with Media Player.
XP Service Pack 1a Windows XP Service Pack 1a, released February 3, 2003, differs from Service Pack 1 by the removal of the Microsoft Virtual Machine support for Java applets. Users wishing to have Java applet support should download the Java Runtime Environment from http://www.java.com. Refer to Microsoft's statements of transition and end-of-life statements regarding Java support at their web page, http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/. XP Service Pack 2 Released August 10, 2004, Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) may well be what turns XP into the operating system it should have been at first release truly more reliable, more secure, and ultimately more satisfying. It is not necessary to apply Service Pack 1 (SP1) or 1a before applying SP2. SP2 is comprised of patches for all known security vulnerabilities up to a few weeks before its date of release, significant alterations to all aspects of networking and network applications to preclude or help mitigate many forms of attack from inside and out, new default settings in the Windows firewall to keep out more threats to the local computer, and better program execution awareness and prevention to mitigate internal threats that can affect the host computer and other computers on a network and through the Internet. Simply stated, Service Pack 2 is a must-have for any Windows XP PC connected to other PCs or the Internet, and it will be required for ongoing update and patch support in the future. Download Windows XP Service Pack 2 directly from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en. SP2 includes the following:
Rework of TCP/IP stack to restrict outgoing Raw Sockets functionality -
Increases security by preventing creation and use of nonstandard IP protocols to cause possible outbound infections or attacks upon other systems.
Improvements to Remote Procedure Call (RPC) feature -
Makes it more difficult to exploit the system.
Improved security around Distributed Common Object Model (DCOM) -
Reduces exploitability of the system.
Data execution prevention -
A protective and cooperative layer of hardware and software monitoring that prevents malicious code from running from data regions of memory, and alerts you to any attempts.
Improved firewall -
Firewall is enabled and active by default. UDP ports 137 and 138 and TCP ports 139 and 445 accept inbound connections only from the local network. When Universal Plug and Play services are enabled they will accept only inbound connections on UDP port 1900 and TCP port 2869 from the local network. The ability for a user to reset the firewall to a default configuration instead of having to undo individual changes manually. Multiple user profiles can be setup for the firewall, if the system is joined to a domain.
Security Center -
Provides access to the status and control of the Windows Firewall. Provides virus protection monitoring, which is aware of several popular virus protection programs, whether one of them is running, and the status of virus definition file updates. Provides access to the status and control of Windows Updates.
Revisions to Outlook Express -
Protects users from execution of malicious code contained in HTML-formatted email by rendering it as rich text format. Attachment Execution Service prevents execution of code attachments in email messages. Limits the downloading of certain HTML code that would notify a spammer that the email address receiving the message is active and potentially generating more inbound SPAM.
Improvements to Internet Explorer
Add-ons and crash prevention -
Provides more visibility to more and often hidden add-ons (plug-ins) to help users determine presence of suspicious software, and allows them to be disabled. Crash prevention monitors IE add-ons and provides the ability to disable them if they cause crashes.
Pop-up blocker for Internet Explorer -
Intended to prevent unwanted pop-up messages while user is browsing.
Information bar -
Notifies user of blocked pop-ups, ActiveX controls, downloads, and active content.
Group Policy Control -
Allows system administrators to control IE security by user groups/privilege levels.
General security -
Tighter security on IE's Local Zone to prevent ActiveX code from running without operator awareness. Intended to reduce infections from spyware, adware, and other unwanted or malicious programs. MIME file type handling enforcement to better protect users from content or files downloaded abnormally. Preventing code from one web site from processing cached files from another site, as a method to exploit a system from several sources. Stronger prevention against untrusted publisher code execution. Restrictions on the type of Windows pop-up activities allowed. Reduction of vulnerabilities from HTML code coming through ports not normally used for HTML content. Local Machine Lockdown can impose security restrictions on local HTML files, normally considered safe but that a hacker could exploit.
Enhancements to downloads, attachments, and authenticode features -
Better indication of downloads, risks, and downloaded program source to help users determine whether a file is safe to run.
Revision of Automatic Updates feature using BITS 2 technology -
BITS provides and supports the transport of updates to PCs, handles disconnection in the middle of a download, retains partial downloads, and allows picking up the download where it left off.
Windows Installer 3.0 -
An update to the Windows Installer service to provide more consistent and capable software installation for all vendor and Microsoft applications.
Windows Update Services -
Provides better service for administrators to deploy critical and security updates to user systems, forcing some updates without user discretion. Also supports updates and patches for Microsoft applications.
Add/Remove Program List Filtering -
Allows user to display (or not) Windows Updates, and provide for their removal.
Attachment Execution Service API -
A protective layer that is intended to stop code embedded in email and instant messages from running. Affects and protects only Outlook, Outlook Express, and Messenger applications.
Windows Setup -
New features and control over the SETUP program for operating system.
Added native support for Bluetooth devices -
Allows creation of links between personal devices (PDAs, cell phones, headsets) and other computers, requiring fewer third-party drivers and applications.
Reduction in the number of vulnerable system services that start automatically -
Lets the operator control the services they need/want versus leaving the system vulnerable by default. The Alerter and Messenger services are turned off/disabled.
Inclusion of new administrative tools to better manage local and remote computers -
Allows remote management of other PCs. However, the TCP port 445 used to do this is blocked by the new firewall, so TCP port 445 needs to be configured in the firewall to allow this to work.
Improved security for WebDAV services -
Prevents user password from being sent in the clear when connecting to remote servers for SharePoint and other applications.
Wireless Provisioning Service -
A new feature with enhancements to Windows' built-in wireless networking support. Designed to make it easier and more secure to connect to wireless hotspots, and home and corporate networks.
Windows Messenger -
Security enhancements to require a user display name and block unsafe file transfers in the Windows Firewall unless and until specifically allowed.
Media Player 9 -
Media Player 9 contains security enhancements merged with more secure handling of broadcast and multicast content through changes in TCP/IP networking.
Enhancements for Tablet PC
Security Enhancements for Microsoft Data Access Components
Read-Only Control for Block Mode USB Devices -
Provides control over writing data to USB storage devices.
Security for Distributed Transaction Coordinator -
By default, network communications from this service has been disabled until changed by a system administrator.
See Also http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2netwk.mspx |
