need for XP Pro?

[STP]

my office administrator is telling me I need XP Pro instead of the Home edition in order to have access to our Exhange server when I'm in the office hard wired to the network. Why is this? I bought the laptop at Circuit City. They don't sell the laptops wi
th Pro loaded and the "upgrade" is $300! Also, I'm told I'd have to wipe out Home and reload or partition and run both operating systems.

[Shenan Stanley]

STP wrote:
> my office administrator is telling me I need XP Pro instead of the
> Home edition in order to have access to our Exhange server when I'm
> in the office hard wired to the network. Why is this? I bought the
> laptop at Circuit City. They don't sell the laptops with Pro loaded
> and the "upgrade" is $300! Also, I'm told I'd have to wipe out Home
> and reload or partition and run both operating systems.


You do not need Windows XP Professional to connect to an Exchange server.
In order to join a domain, yeah, but in order to use Exchange, you just need
a properly configured PC with a properly configured Exchange client (like
Outlook.)

--
<- Shenan ->
--
The information is provided "as is", with no guarantees of
completeness, accuracy or timeliness, and without warranties of any
kind, express or implied. In other words, read up before you take any
advice - you are the one ultimately responsible for your actions.

koikiang zhongpoe hei


>-----Original Message-----
>
>
> ----- Shenan Stanley wrote: -----
>
> STP wrote:
> > my office administrator is telling me I need XP
Pro instead of the
> > Home edition in order to have access to our
Exhange server when I'm
> > in the office hard wired to the network. Why is
this? I bought the
> > laptop at Circuit City. They don't sell the
laptops with Pro loaded
> > and the "upgrade" is $300! Also, I'm told I'd have
to wipe out Home
> > and reload or partition and run both operating
systems.
>
>
> You do not need Windows XP Professional to connect
to an Exchange server.
> In order to join a domain, yeah, but in order to use
Exchange, you just need
> a properly configured PC with a properly configured
Exchange client (like
> Outlook.)
>
> --
> <- Shenan ->
> --
> The information is provided "as is", with no
guarantees of
> completeness, accuracy or timeliness, and without
warranties of any
> kind, express or implied. In other words, read up
before you take any
> advice - you are the one ultimately responsible for
your actions.
>
>
> If I am using home XP and therfore not able to be
part of a domain, will my computer be creating a security
problem for my company network? I only want to be able
access the company network when I'm in the office, no
remote access required.
>
>.
>

[Robert Moir]

stp wrote:

> If I am using home XP and therfore not able to be part of a
> domain, will my computer be creating a security problem for my
> company network? I only want to be able access the company network
> when I'm in the office, no remote access required.

It might cause a problem, it might not, it is impossible to say without
knowing what exactly goes on in your network.

Your company may have a security policy that requires PCs that connect to
the network, whether frequently or not, to be members of the domain, receive
certain OS policy settings, OS patches, and antivirus updates.

It may also be that your office administrator is making a couple of
assumptions that are not correct (Shenan has already pointed out that
Exchange will work, for example).

Personally, where I work, we just don't allow people to connect computers to
our network at all unless they are owned by the organisation and purchased
through IT. That is kinda extreme but it does prevent problems like this.


--
--
Rob Moir, Microsoft MVP for servers & security
Website - http://www.robertmoir.co.uk
Virtual PC 2004 FAQ - http://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/VirtualPC2004FAQ.html

Kazaa - Software update services for your Viruses and Spyware.

[Robert Moir]

WT Duke wrote:
> Good info from others so far....also, you can easily upgrade from XP
> Home to XP Pro WITHOUT wiping and starting over again.

I'm wondering if thats a "policy" thing, its obviously not a technical
requirement.

> And there is
> no way that the upgrade costs $300!!! You can find it in most stores
> for around $190

Or, especially if a wipe is required, buy one of the "OEM copy + some cheap
bit of hardware" deals that some places do.

[stp]

----- Shenan Stanley wrote: -----

STP wrote:
> my office administrator is telling me I need XP Pro instead of the
> Home edition in order to have access to our Exhange server when I'm
> in the office hard wired to the network. Why is this? I bought the
> laptop at Circuit City. They don't sell the laptops with Pro loaded
> and the "upgrade" is $300! Also, I'm told I'd have to wipe out Home
> and reload or partition and run both operating systems.


You do not need Windows XP Professional to connect to an Exchange server.
In order to join a domain, yeah, but in order to use Exchange, you just need
a properly configured PC with a properly configured Exchange client (like
Outlook.)

--
<- Shenan ->
--
The information is provided "as is", with no guarantees of
completeness, accuracy or timeliness, and without warranties of any
kind, express or implied. In other words, read up before you take any
advice - you are the one ultimately responsible for your actions.


If I am using home XP and therfore not able to be part of a domain, will my computer be creating a security problem for my company network? I only want to be able access the company network when I'm in the office, no remote access required.