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Microsoft Windows XP Professional FULL VERSION with SP2x$153.98
  (65 reviews)
Best Price: $299.99 $153.98
Windows XP Pro is the ideal new solution for your business and advanced home computing needs. Service Packs round up the bug fixes and product updates you need for operating more smoothly. This Service Pack bridges the gaps between the original software and user requests more fully, responding to customer wishes -- and making XP even better. Security Center offers a central control system for your Windows XP security -- work with the firewalls, auto updates and antivirus tools Great news for people sick of pop-up ads - The built-in pop-up blocker controls them, with a new submenu and status bar icons New Add-Ons manager gives you instant access to all the Browser Helper Objects and extensions, enabling and disabling them easily Firewall now has its own control panel, for customizing firewall setting to suit any connection Enhancements to the Windows Update service make installing new updates easy -- you can even choose which ones to install Wireless Networking - Multiple wireless connections to choose from
With Windows XP Professional Edition with Service Pack 2, you get safer browsing and communication, powerful security tools, and improved experiences. Windows XP is the operating system release that unifies the Microsoft range, with all the desktop versions now built on the NT/2000 code base rather than the shakier foundation of Windows 95, 98, and Me. That makes XP a great upgrade for users of the now-obsolete 9x and Me line, but for those already on Windows 2000 Professional it is a closer call. Despite the similar name, there is no special synergy between Windows XP and Office XP, which works fine on Windows 2000. | 
The Security Center lets you check the status of your essential security settings. | XP certainly looks different, with rounded window corners, larger and more detailed icons, and a clean-look desktop that on first installation shows only the taskbar and Recycle Bin. XP is also more customizable than earlier versions of Windows, and includes visual themes that let you change the whole appearance of Windows in an instant. That is the window-dressing, but underneath are some significant improvements. One of the most interesting is Remote Desktop. A standard XP feature, this uses technology from Microsoft Terminal Server to enable users to access their computer over any connection; for example, by dialing into the office from home. This is not just file access--this technology lets you run applications remotely as if you were sitting at your desk at work. This is mature technology, stable and carefully thought out. So, for example, you can print from a remote word processor to a local printer. A variation on the theme is Remote Assistance, where the user can allow a remote helper to view their desktop, or optionally gain control of the keyboard and mouse, in order to troubleshoot a problem. The feature can also be disabled to ease security concerns. |
| Laptop users benefit from enhanced power management, with options to extend battery life by reducing CPU speed and display brightness. IrDA support has been fixed so that, unlike Windows 2000, Windows XP can easily use modems in mobile telephones via infrared. A new screen font, ClearType, improves legibility for laptop or other flat screens, and there is built-in support for wireless networking using the popular 802.11 standard. A great feature of XP, also found in Windows 2000, is the ability to synchronize network files with offline copies. Previously, these files could not be stored securely, but now they can be encrypted. | 
The Information Bar in Windows XP Professional Edition with Service Pack 2 notifies you when it blocks ActiveX control or active content and then lets you decide what to do.
| For Web browsing, XP comes with Internet Explorer 6.0. The enhancements in IE 6.0 are mainly of interest to Web developers, and in any case Microsoft makes IE freely available to all Windows users. Although Java is not installed by default, it is not difficult to download a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Windows Messenger, originally a chat client, has evolved into a collaboration tool that allows for video conferencing and application sharing. 
Service Pack 2 allows users to instruct Internet Explorer how to handle downloads from a specific publisher | The most significant new feature for Internet users is the built-in firewall. A firewall protects against one of the most disturbing security risks, in which other users unknown to you might connect to your computer while it is online, reading private files or causing other damage. XP's built-in firewall is a simple affair, but it does prevent most types of unauthorized connection. Windows XP has strong multimedia features. The new Media Player lets you copy music from CD to hard disk, create your own playlist, and write your own music CDs if you have a CD writer. Although there is loss of quality as a result of compression, the process is easy and convenient. Media Player 8.0 can play back DVD video, but only if a hardware or software DVD decoder is already installed. You can also play MP3 audio files and MPEG videos, but sadly, not the popular RealMedia formats. In the end, Media Player does nothing that you cannot also do with free alternatives, but it is slick and nicely integrated. | The XP user interface is not a radical departure from earlier versions of Windows, but there are a number of small changes that together add up to a significant improvement. The Start menu now automatically features the most frequently used programs at the top of the list, and you can add and remove shortcuts by right-clicking the icon and selecting Pin or Unpin from the pop-up menu. Windows online help is integrated into a Help and Support Center that works like an internal Web site, with searchable help, tutorials, and walk-throughs. Windows XP Professional includes all the features of Windows XP Home, and adds support for dual processors, encryptable file systems, offline folders, the Remote Desktop as described above, and extra administration features that come into play when connected to a Windows server domain. XP is demanding on hardware, and it would be a mistake to install it on less than Microsoft's recommended minimum requirements. There is also activation to consider, a mildly annoying anti-piracy measure that requires you to obtain a code from Microsoft for full installation, and in the future if you reinstall or make major system changes. Windows XP Service Pack 2 Features | Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker | Makes browsing the Internet more enjoyable by enabling you to reduce unwanted ads and content. | | Internet Explorer download monitoring | Warns you about potentially harmful downloads and gives you the option to block files that could be malicious. | | Internet Explorer Information Bar | Provides better information about events that are happening as you browse the Web, so it’s easier to know what’s going on and address potential security issues. | | Windows Security Center | Allows you to easily view your security status and manage key security settings in one convenient place. | | Windows Firewall update | Automatically turned on by default, this improved firewall helps protect Windows XP from viruses, worms, and other security threats that can spread over the Internet. | | Improved wireless support | Dramatically improves and simplifies the process of discovering and connecting to wireless networks. | | Bluetooth technologies | Enables you to easily connect to the latest Bluetooth-enabled hardware devices such as keyboards, cell phones, and PDAs. | | Windows Media Player 9 Series | Makes it easy to enjoy music, video, and broadband content with enhanced security. |
MPN: e85-02665 - UPC: 805529831278
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Customer Reviews
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Windows XP Professional: a (mostly) fair and balanced review
By A14VXKTBKGZ9SD on 2005-02-28
Windows XP Professional is perhaps the best version of Windows that Microsoft has released. It's rock-solid, well-supported, and easy to use. It's also ridiculously expensive, bloated, and the anti-piracy measures are nearly draconian (and woefully ineffective to boot).
What follows is a pretty lengthy breakdown. If you just want the executive summary, read no further than the following bullet-point list:
- If you don't have any special needs consider XP Home instead. If you truly need XP Professional, you'll know.
- If you don't really need Windows (in other words, if you're not a gamer or need to run an application for work that's strictly Windows-only), consider switching to a Mac. Or even Linux if you're a power user.
- Windows XP is a decent OS under the hood. But lingering security issues, price, and Microsoft's questionable behavior over the years should give you pause.
Now for the extended, in-depth review...
Pros:
- Built on the Windows 2000 codebase. It's not so prone to BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) and other random crashes as 95, 98, and Me. I still get crashes, but they're usually the fault of a particular app, and a single crash rarely brings down the entire system.
- Excellent hardware support. It's plug-and-pray no longer; it recognizes and automatically configures a wide range of hardware.
- Well-supported. Like it or not, Windows is the dominant OS. You won't find a greater selection of commercial software for any other operating system.
- More secure than previous Windows versions. With the introduction of Service Pack 2, Microsoft is finally doing something about the rise of adware with improvements to Internet Explorer 6, a better built-in firewall, and a one-stop Security Center.
- Easier networking. Service Pack 2's wireless networking tools are often better than the ones bundled with wireless networking hardware. It's also easier to share files over a LAN, especially in comparison to Windows 2000. But if you need Windows 2000's more fine-grained control, that's available to you as well.
Cons:
- Expensive. Microsoft's monopoly position basically lets them charge whatever they want. Sometimes (and if you're a good bargain hunter) it's cheaper to buy a used computer with Windows XP preinstalled than to buy a boxed retail version. It's out of control. More on this later.
- Bloated. And not just bloated, but hard to cut down. Applications like Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Windows Media Player, Windows Messenger, and Movie Maker are bundled and do not have uninstallers. You'll need some technical expertise and quite a bit of free time to get rid of these apps.
- Still very insecure. Check Secunia or a similar security site, and you'll see that Windows XP and Internet Explorer are riddled with security holes. And many of the critical ones remain unpatched! Save yourself a lot of grief and use an alternative browser like Mozilla Firefox or Opera (but not ones that embed the IE engine like Maxthon).
- The new visual themes are an acquired taste. Some people like big and colorful. I'm not one of those people. Luckily, "Windows Classic" is still available. You'll get your traditional desktop and Start menu back, as well as a hefty performance increase.
- Activation. It's not as bad as you might have been led to believe, but it's still annoying. The process takes seconds over the internet, and you don't have to provide any personal information. But if you're in the habit of upgrading and swapping out hardware often, you might find yourself on the phone with Microsoft trying to prove that you're not doing anything illegal. Meanwhile, Windows piracy still runs rampant, especially in third-world countries where a genuine copy of Windows costs a month's wages or more. Hell, it cost me a week's wages here in the U.S. of A. for my copies. (The job market's not exactly laden with golden opportunities for recent college grads. But I digress.) Seriously Microsoft, drop the price. What you lose in the margins up front will be more than made up for by the decreased loss due to piracy.
Other considerations:
- Unless you have ancient hardware (by that I mean computers built before 1997), get away from Windows 9x or Me as soon as you can. Leave that crash-prone monstrosity of an OS behind.
- I'd say get away from Windows entirely if possible. This isn't a viable option for everyone. For gamers, there's no real good substitute for Windows short of a console. Sometimes you'll get Mac and Linux releases, but they're often released long after the Windows version and are not as well supported. Then there are those who need a Windows PC for work. Solutions like Virtual PC and VMware provide a Windows environment for Mac and Linux respectively, but they can be clunky, and you wind up having to get Windows anyway. And of course there are those that can't deal with the Mac way of doing things or can't be bothered with the endless tinkering that a Linux setup entails. But if you just need a computer that gets on the internet without fuss, and you're not beholden to Windows in any way, consider something like the newly-released Mac mini. Easy to use, easy on the eyes, easy on the wallet.
- Power users may want to consider giving Linux a spin. It's still got a way to go before it's a solid desktop OS, but it's getting better every day.
- If you're not a power user and/or don't need the advanced networking features, Remote Desktop, etc. (and really, really must have Windows), go with XP Home instead. All of the stability, most of the power, less of the fat. Cheaper too.
- If you're already using Windows 2000, XP Professional probably isn't a very compelling upgrade. You've already got a very mature, stable, not-too-bloated, well-supported desktop OS on your hands. Maybe the new network features (the better wireless tools in particular) are worth the upgrade and migration cost. I leave it to you to weigh the risks and benefits in your particular situation.
Thanks for reading!
Windows XP rocks, you might not need professional!
By A4WEZJOIZIV4U on 2005-01-22
If you're reading this. You're thinking of buying Windows XP Professional Edition here are a few things to keep in mind.
First thing is, you might be able to get away with buying just the upgrade edition. The upgrade edition allows you to do a full install. It just asks you for the CD of a previous version of Windows. Also remember you can download service pack two from the Windows update web site. So no need to buy it integrated with XP.
These are what I consider the minimum system requirements:
256 MB of RAM. I have found is adequate more equals better.
500 MHz or higher will do.
7200 rpm hard drive will help a lot.
If you're running Windows millennium edition, or 98 upgrade now the stability is vastly improved. Gone are the blue screens of death.
Frequently asked question: is Windows XP Pro better than home edition?
Windows XP Pro has a more high-end networking features that most home users will never miss or would even know were missing. So for most users Windows home edition is fine. They both are based on the same code and are almost identical.
And the price differences are drastic and deftly not worth it in my opinion unless you need these networking features.
If you're thinking of upgrading from Windows 2000, I did, because I like the GUI interface better. But Windows XP is as stable as Windows 2000. So it's your call.
The plug-and-play ability of Windows XP is totally great! Windows XP will by default find most drivers for video card sound cards, network cards, etc. that is such a bonus gone in the days of having to search for CDs with drivers.
I recommend upgrading to Windows XP be it professional or home edition. It is a great operating system
Have some fun and get it done
Final grade: "C"
By A1XJY37WOPTPV0 on 2006-03-03
If I were a teacher grading Windows XP, it would definitely get a "C". Here's why:
1. It controls you; you don't control it. It literally occupies your computer, from the moment you install it. I did a clean NTFS format using another product, and XP insisted on reformatting the drive itself before it would install. Also, what options are you given at the time of installation? Language and time zone? That's too few. I'd like to be able to eliminate Outlook, Messenger, etc., but I never get that option.
2. It's a resource hog. Consider the fact that my Mac runs at about half the speed of my PC, and yet multitasks much, much better. Worse, XP is actually designed to perform badly. The default installation is set up to give you the worst possible performance (and the maximum possible eye candy). Sure, you can change it, but even if you do its performance lags far behind other operating systems.
3. Overpriced doesn't even begin to cover it. I can buy a family pack of OS X Tiger for $50 less than one retail copy of XP--that's five licenses, folks. That means that for a household with five computers, retail XP licenses would cost $1250, while OS X would cost $200. And don't even bother going with XP OEM. As of September, 2005, that license is only good for one hardware configuration. Motherboard goes out? It doesn't matter that it's still one system, add $200 to the cost of fixing it (for a new copy of XP).
4. Is it stable? Yes... shouldn't that be a given? An unstable OS gets an "F". Stable just gets XP a "C". All this means is that every other OS Microsoft produced was pathetic.
5. It's old. The OS is essentially unchanged from what it was in 2001. There have been a lot of changes since then, and XP is obviously nearing the end of its life cycle. As soon as the next greatest Windows OS is released, support will likely be cut for this one. In other words, it's a dinosaur on the verge of extinction.
6. It's 32 bit, and it's the only major OS that hasn't made the transition. I realize that there is a 64 bit XP available, but read the reviews... it isn't ready yet. In other words, it's failing to keep up with advances in CPU design.
All the above lead me to conclude that it deserves no more than a "C". Power users should go with a Linux distro. Users who prefer ease of use should go with OS X. Who should use XP? Those who have no choice, because the programs they use aren't available on other platforms (that includes gamers).
I think people don't like admitting that they have no choice, so they rationalize (making it appear as if being forced to use XP is a good thing). They say that XP is the best thing since sliced bread, even though they know it isn't. But not having a choice doesn't make XP a great OS, and it never will.
All these complaints are unbelivable. XP is the best windows version ever.
By A108DVOTTPXAK8 on 2005-11-17
Windows XP is by far the best OS Microsoft has produced besides Windows 2000. I cannot understand some of these reviews I am reading. As a computer technician, I have been repairing computers since the days of DOS 2.
I have several office computers all running Windows XP. 1 server running Windows 2000, and 7 servers running Linux, and 1 computer running Mac OSX. So I have worked with them all.
People are claiming windows is less secure than other operating systems. Well, that is simply not true. Mac and Linux have just as many security updates as windows does, and in fact, Linux releases more fixes than Microsoft does for windows. A fully updated OS is very secure, and there have been televised hacker challenges to prove it.
I will give the reviewers this, Microsoft's products cost way too much. That I cannot argue with.
What makes Windows seem more vulnerable than other OS's is simply the fact that it is more widely used than any other OS. Now if Linux for instance had the larger market share, then the hacker, virus and Spyware makers would be targeting it instead of Windows. It is really nothing more than that.
Windows XP is a resource hog. I will give the reviewers that. So it obviously requires a newer computer to run it.
Statistics show that a Windows based computer will get attacked within minutes of connecting it to the internet. So obviously the first thing that needs to be done is patch it. If that is ignored, then you will have problems with it very quickly.
Any problems that people are having I am willing to bet are all related to the fact that the computer was put onto the internet without patching it.
But Linux and Mac need to be patched also, and ignoring them will result in the same problems. It will just take longer for it to happen. And that goes back to what I said about the market share of the OS, and its popularity. When that shifts to a different OS, if it ever does, the same thing will happen to that OS.
So stop blaming the OS. Blame yourself. Lack of knowledge of the dangers of the Internet, and plain laziness are the real cause of the problems. Not the OS.
Runs great, on a Macintosh
By A33WM7N3DJMTI4 on 2006-04-20
I recently bought this version of Windows XP on Amazon.com after the release of Apple's Boot Camp. I printed out the installation instructions and followed the meticulously after setting up my new Macintosh. I then installed this software, installed antivirus (and other software like Office, Publisher, Visio, SimCity), and I updated the Windows OS. Everything operates as well as on my old pc, except it runs A LOT FASTER. I have a mac with 1 gig ram, dual-core intel processor, and a mammoth harddrive (4 times bigger than my Compaq), and I can access the corporate intranet, LiveMeeting, and other apps with so much ease. When I am done, I reboot and I am back to my Mac. Give it a whirl. It is awesome!
- Not quite there yet
By A3TIGHMHYUKUUC on 2004-12-11
A year ago I bought two machines at the same time. One was an Apple Powerbook running Mac OS X Panther. The other was a premium, designed-for-XP machine with a 3 GHz Pentium 4 processor, 2 GB of RAM, and a 200GB drive - no expense was spared. The Mac laptop was running beautifully within an hour and has given me excellent service since, under rigourous conditions. It took me eight maddening days, assisted by a stack of books, the collected wisdom of the Internet, Microsoft support, and several trips to my dealer, to finally get XP running. An no, it wasn't a hardware problem.
Lest you think I'm clueless about computers: I have an B.Sc honours degree in computer science, graduate degrees in mathematics, and I've been using, administering, and programming into Microsoft operating systems for 20 years.
I'm reminded of the proverbial "Bone-button soup" story - a beggar claims he can make a beautiful soup from a magic button that he owns. Everyone wants to see this impossible feat, so they watch as the beggar begins to simmer his button. "Not bad", he eventually says, tasting the boiling water, "but a pinch of salt would bring out the flavor". In the same way he persuades the crowd to contribute some onions, a few potatoes, carrots, beets, a marrow bone... So it is with XP. By the time you've bought and installed your virus scanner, system utilties, backup software, a working web browser, a mail client, etc., you might as well have bought a real operating system.
If I didn't absolutely need XP for the occasional client, there's no way I'd bother. If you're a small business, my advice is this: steer clear of XP. It's going to take a big chunk off of your bottom line.
- from a long-time Mac user...best Windows to date
By A1CYTBE7LLUQ8F on 2006-12-06
While I could write that there are better alternatives to Windows, I realize that not all of us have the option of simply trashing Windows and going to Mac OS or Linux. In my case, I have worked for companies that are Windows based for 14 years. In this time I have always used some version of a Mac...mostly Powebooks. In the early years there was no option to use Windows on my Mac, so I often found myself using Windows on a desktop at my office. Thus, I have experienced the evolution of Windows over the years. The earlier versions always seemed to complicated and/or counterintuitive to my Mac senses, especially the installing of software and drivers. I also had way too many viruses and crashes (even with virus proetection and fairly good IT support) when using earlier Windows versions. Thus, I have been pleasantly surprised with Windows XP. I currently run it using Parallels on a MacBook. In four months of fairly regular use, Windows XP has not crashed on me. I should note that I mainly run business applications (i.e. Open Office, QuickBooks, Explorer) and for a time I ran Slingplayer (until released on Mac). These applications ran installed with ease and ran flawlessly. Perhaps the only thing keeping me from giving XP 4 stars is the price. A few lesser issues are the screen (I prefer Windows classic), the constant need for security updates, and the rather time consuming activation process (I worry that I may have trouble if I decide to upgrade my computer and move Windows to another machine).
- Good, but could be better
By A2FU6TLWQS3EBB on 2005-02-23
This really goes out to those who read the first review of Windows XP Pro.
1. Service Pack 2 can be downloaded, but it does take a while, even with high-speed internet. With a P3, 800MHz system, it took over 2 hours to download and install with 4MB down stream. Plus, my system had to be rebooted a few times to make sure everything was installed properly. Having SP2 on the WinXP disc saves a lot of time!
2. Nothing is perfect in computers. While Mac systems have fewer virus problems and fewer OS problems, they still have problems. XP Professional is far superior than previous Windows editions, as well as more security features (i.e. firewall, virus and pop-up protection). I would never switch over to Mac if you play any type of PC games, do basic computing, or want a massive selection of compatible software without having to buy an extra program to run Windows-based applications (by this, I mean that Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac is needed to run Windows apps - about an extra $250 or so).
3. You need the FULL version if you have Windows 95 or earlier or a PC without Windows. Telling customers that they may not need the Full version if they have Windows already is somewhat misleading. If they have Win95 or earlier, they must have a FULL version! An upgrade will be a waste of money.
4. Windows XP Professional is for you if you are a student, business professional, or just a home user that wants more features and better security protection out of your Windows experience.
---All in all, WinXP Pro stands above all other Windows' versions. It will not only improve performance in a Windows enviroment over earlier editions, but it is more secure. To put it in my terms, I have only had three pop-ups in 7 months. That is the best luck I have had of any other pop-up blocker ever...
- Best Version Ever
By A1AX7PQLXRZ3NW on 2005-10-24
I've been really impressed with this release of Windows. Couple it with the the latest Service Pack 2 and it really shines. I work as a technician at a computer repair shop, and let me tell you it is by far the easiest version of Microsoft Windows to support.
1. It's driver database is outstanding. I get so amazed when I plug in a device and it automatically installs it.
2. I'm also impressed with the stability of this version. Remember the blue screen that you always got in earlier versions?? It's basically gone!!
3. The built-in popup blocker included with service pack 2 does an excellent job of blocking popups. My popups are gone!!
4. It also does a fine job of backwards compatibility. I've already ran OLD ms-dos programs on my XP machine just for the kicks.
5. And the Windows Restore capability is awesome. I've fixed a problem by simply restoring it to yesterday.
These are just a few of the many features of Windows XP. All in all, I'm well pleased. Buy it.
- Good OS for Professionals
By A2IW0326MP3ZZZ on 2005-09-10
You can find most of these goods in Home edition. If you are not sure which type is for you, you may want to read my review on Windows XP Home Edition. If you find it's good enough for you, choosing that would be a smart choice as it is tagged with lower price than this Professional edition.
Some other good points on Windows XP Professional edition are:
Advanced control options on networking, security, and administration. You can control user and group policy, audit events on your computer, manage advanced networking, etc. These tools are useful, especially in a network.
Better user interface. All the icons, windows, and its components are redesigned and it's much better than the previous design in any Windows version.
Renewed Start Menu. With this new start menu, the most used/launched software will be displayed. You don't have to scroll through your All Programs items to launch your favourite program. It also displays most accessed items such as Control Panel, My Computer, Help, Your Documents, Music, Pictures, and Network easily.
Better plug & play support. With Windows XP, just plug your device in, and Windows will search the appropriate driver for you. All you have to do is wait for it, and Windows will notify you once your device is ready to be used.
Firewall and other security. Windows XP comes with SP2 and better firewall, keeping you away from all those unauthorized people on the net that are trying to steal your information.
I can conclude that this is the best Windows ever. And while we are waiting for the next generation of Windows, Windows Vista, this OS is still the best choice among other Windows.
- Now using a mac
By A3OKUJXSIMBGC7 on 2006-08-17
This computer system, although almost universally accepted, can be beaten in quality and flexibility by an operating system that can be downloaded for free, such as the fedora project (a distribution of linux, a OS which can be changed by anyone for free), or bought from software company supporting these open source project with unlimited customer support for around £50 ($90) or less.
- Think twice... there is an alternative
By A1RUOQXQRBKMJ0 on 2006-06-14
The Mac OS, $129 list, often cheaper, doesn't get viruses, worms, malware, etc and probably runs all the software you do on a PC, with the exception of some games. Go to a Mac Store and try it for yourself.
- a bloated unsecure dominator
By A8O2E6UBLWWFM on 2006-05-04
Sorry to disappoint the believers, but this OS is way overpriced for what it does. And, it will dominate you instead of the converse.
- Windows...the 500 lb gorilla
By A1EFXXRDV40C4E on 2007-01-06
I have an Intel Mac and will tell you that system 10 is a heck of alot easier to use. However there are times when you need a windows machine. Get boot camp from Apple for free and then buy a copy of windows xp service pack 2 and you can run just like a champ on the windows format. This copy from amazon worked without a hitch and low an behold the 500 lb gorilla was there and running. Oh yes, get a two button mouse! Macs use a one button mouse which limits you greatly when using windows.
- Not worth the CD it's printed on.
By A204S89TQXS65Q on 2006-01-21
Almost nothing in this abysmal "Operating System" works. I had an easier time configuring my own kernel of gentoo linux than I ever did installing windows, and once I was "done," of course, nothing worked. After spending several hours installing drivers; changing settings; and veritably wrestling with the system to get it to work, it was unstable; ugly; nearly non-functional; and a huge pain in the behind. Every day using windows brings a new challenge, and they're never fun. It changes settings when you never asked it to, is hardly capable of networking, suffers from constant lagging and crashes, and literally does everything backwards.
If you're thinking of upgrading your system, do yourself a favor, and buy a piece of software that will actually function better than your current. Mandrake linux is a nice choice, and perfect for most users. If you have the money for a new computer, buy a mac. They're powerful, user-friendly, stable, and far more compatible than any windows junkie cares to admit.
- Best windows yet, but......
By A288WOEYTCX7ZZ on 2006-02-12
This is Microsoft's most stable OS yet, but ridiculously over- priced. I'll admit, I'm no fan of Microsoft, but I've very few problems with my desktop once I upgraded from Windows me.
- Macintosh hardware
By A1I2S55T0R9DTX on 2007-04-03
I bought XP after Vista was released because I want Windows on my iMac,a and Apple doesn't yet support Vista. It was slightly annoying, because a bluetooth keyboard (connected to built-in bluetooth, not USB) cannot support setup. Plus, I contacted Microsoft for support, and they claim they don't support Macintosh hardware. Stupid, it works perfectly, there was just one small kink. It is very cool that Windows runs on my Macintosh hardware.
- Review
By ALEKYF6G4ZQ8T on 2007-05-13
You can make your computer more efficient by using windows XP professional SP2, in place of any home edition.
Compare to windows XP home, XP-professional is more secure, reliable and fast with more in built security and efficiency enhancement options.
- A Buttered Up Windows 2000
By on 2005-07-18
Well Windows XP is basiclly a buttered up Windows2k with SysRestore and remote desktop. If you havent noticed Windows2k is Windows NT 5.0 while XP is Windows NT 5.1 so there is not much of a major difference. So if you have 2000 stick with it
- Horrible!!!
By A3V87RDT2X89HA on 2006-02-03
They sent me a product that wasn't legit and wouldn't take it back. Horrible service & I don't recommend anyone buy from this particular vendor! Just a horrible waste of time & MONEY!
- Running it on my mac
By A19DW5WWW7ERBD on 2007-06-13
While Windows generally has been a klunky interface, XP is really finally one of the more finished products from MS. I just recently upgraded to the MacBook Pro and with Parallels I'll finally be able to work with the very few Windows applications that I need. It works great with Parallels.
- The XP is for eXtra Painful
By ACSOYQ2S9794O on 2005-09-11
As I had commented earlier, my biggest business demand is for people wanting to upgrade to Win 2000 from Win XP. I have seen people scream at the XP operating system. I have seen people get peeved with their "helpful" relatives who had upgraded their system from Win 98 or Win 2000 without their knowledge. XP is slow, buggy, instrusive and easily infected. It is the leper and syphilic of OS's. Do yourself a favor for your business and your family peace. Avoid XP at all costs. All those other people recommeding XP on other websites(Present Amazon company excluded. I am convinced of their sincerity!), makes me wonder if this is astroturf marketing from Redmond.
- and the difference is???
By A1OGTCWY8MB79F on 2007-05-19
To purchase XP Professional or XP Home that was the question having already purchased two editions of XP Home, decided to try XP Pro... for what??? because it is named Professional? Oh well, if it wasn't for not being able to port some rather specialized software apps, it would be a no-brainer... GET FEDORA CORE!!! and leave M$ products to those that want to have something to always have to worry about..! If you are not upgrading to Vista, and need to keep XP... use the Home edition. Pro is not worth the difference in cost...really.
- The best operating system ever yet!
By on 2007-02-26
Microsoft Windows XP Professional delivers on its title's promise -- is a the best operating system for everyone, not just the experienced professional (as it is noted in a Microsoft book, "XP" stands for "experienced"). It is based on the Windows NT and Windows 2000 code, and not the Windows 95/98/ME code, thus making the using of computers better for everyone. Also, it is the best and most popular operating system on the market (at least 65% of servers and all computers run Windows XP Professional), partly because it has Internet Information Server for making web publishing easy with an operating system that is reliable and also is easy. With Service Pack 2, we get more security and the ability to use Office 2007. There is beeter networking and user account management as well. By the way, in addition to all these "professional" features, Microsoft Windows XP Professional also has everything that Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Media Center Edition have to offer, thus making Windows XP Professional usable for personal use as well. Therefore, Microsoft Windows XP Professional should certainly be given due consideration.
- Installed on my Mac, works great
By A5N8VWQW54PAK on 2008-10-24
I bought an Apple computer, a Mac Book Pro, but needed to run a few Microsoft programs. So, the people at the Apple store advised me to get VMfusion for the Mac (they recommend it over Parallels), and then to buy a copy of the Windows operating system and install it on the Mac, "inside of" VMfusion. It works great! I run Internet Explorer, a real estate contracts program, and other PC programs, on my Mac. I was even able to install a printer driver, using the PC disc, onto the Mac and it works great. FYI, the Windows disc comes with the statement "For distribution only with a new PC", but it did include the Certificate of Authenticity (COA). It also says "Version 2002" and "Includes Service Pack 2" [SP2] on it, which is the version that the Apple people advised me to get, for use on a Mac. I was told to avoid trying to install Vista on a Mac. Anyway, it's been 2 weeks and so far so good.
- Works fine but not an "Apple"
By A1ENFWB2YTUNC8 on 2006-11-02
Is fine unless you've been in the "Mac" world and it is cumbersome in comparison.
- Pleased!
By A1TYYVKYIL46OI on 2008-02-16
I am pleased with Windows XP as I had tried Vista and that system would not run several of my programs and hardware. I do photographic work with scanners and also use digital cameras. Xp works with all of it so I would recommend that operating system currently. As far as Vista is concerned, several hardware makers have not produced drivers for their products so you cannot run them with Vista!
- Best Windows to date, but not the best OS
By AJ89EBP9H4650 on 2007-09-06
Compared to previous versions of Windows (like Windows 98, Windows 2000, etc.), Windows XP is excellent. It's much more stable than those previous versions, has excellent hardware and software support, and generally is pretty good.
But that's all relative: Mac OS X and Ubuntu linux (the latter being totally free) are both excellent in terms of usability, and frequently are easier to use for regular users.
If you need a general-purpose desktop computer for web browsing, word processing, and so forth...Ubuntu's the ticket. Free, secure, wide community support, great hardware support, etc. It's quite usable by average users, and definitely not as "scary" as other versions of linux. Power users can run most Windows programs in Wine (I play World of Warcraft regularly in Wine and love it).
But I digress...
Unfortunately, Windows XP has it's downsides:
- It's expensive.
- It's vulnerable to a huge host of security issues (most are patched quickly, but it seems to be a never-ending process).
- By default, it isn't all that secure -- user accounts are, by default, Administrators, so one can seriously screw up their system by fiddling around with stuff that they shouldn't be fiddling around with. Viruses that execute under an Administrator account have full access to the computer, and can cause significant damage. Internet Explorer and Outlook Express have more holes than swiss cheese.
- Protecting against these security issues necessitates additional expenses like anti-virus/spyware programs. Fixing/cleaning up from virus infections can take hours, if it's possible at all.
- Anti-piracy measures are ineffective at stopping piracy, but effective at annoying legitimate users. If you change more than a few hardware components (such as adding more RAM, installing a new graphics card, etc.) Windows disables itself and requires that you call Microsoft, explain what you did, and get an authorization code to re-enable Windows.
In today's computing world, there are many specific programs that require Windows to operate. But just about any task that's required, such as word processing, web browsing, design, communication, and so forth is also available for the Mac OS or linux, and those systems are (in my opinion) quite a bit easier to learn, use, and interact with and have advantages of security, performance, and in the case of Ubuntu linux, price.
- XP's good, 98's superior
By ABO73RM6YAAH9 on 2007-11-10
I still have to argue that 98 is far superior to XP if it's treated properly. My 98 box boots up to idle faster than XP can come out of hibernation. Perfectly stable, it'll run continuously without needing to reboot when I let it. While you do need 3rd party software for account-to-account security, that's a minor issue since we're running seperate copies of 98 on the same system (active partition swap, other one hidden). And since it only takes a couple of seconds longer (literally, about 5) to reboot to the other OS than XP takes for logoff-logon, it's no problem to reboot. The only virus I've ever "caught" was one I requested be sent to me. The net's not that dangerous, I routinely browse for a few hours with firewall and AV off and don't get infected; it's more common sense than the OS, the software or the net.
Fast-User-Switching is a joke; RAS becomes unstable and our *security* software (major companies) can't always make the switch without dying. And you can't enable it and make pages available offline at the same time (see what I mean about the security system being crap??).
Several pieces of software I've tried that are supposedly compatible with XP aren't; they need to be installed as an admin but need to be installed for one of the users (admin doesn't need it, user can't install it). Granted, it's as much the software's fault as XP's but if MS could come up with a decent d*** security system, the issue would disappear. And, no, MS did NOT fix this with Vista. I'm not referring to letting a user have temporary admin rights; I'm talking about not consolidating everything in the Windows core files so that nothing can be uninstalled properly and so that a program must get blanket god-rights to the system to drop a dll in the system folder (where MS decided it should go) instead of in it's own (OK, the second one's available, IF you want to be harrassed by the OS for each individual action).
Many settings are per-user but can't be changed by the user. They have to be upgraded to an admin or power-user simply to tell the system to idle down after 15 minutes instead of 30. Or to change the time.
There's no "mini-OS" that can be run off a floppy (like DOS with 98) and give access to a dead system. Why not? For one, MS killed DOS (no, that "command prompt" is not DOS). For two, NTFS can't be read from DOS.
ADS? Don't get me started about the OS actually having a second "strip" of data along each file that only certain programs can get to.
How about the built in you-can't-play-that-media-file parts? That's a good one indeed. My music and, as the RIAA itself said, I paid for "the right to listen to it" so I should *never* have to worry about the next version of DRM breaking it. (let's see, Win98 in VirtualPC? Rip away!)
Finally, I managed to actually BSOD XP one of the first couple of times it booted. While they did fix some of the error traps, you merely get a little box instead of a full-screen BSOD. Big deal. I'm not impressed with that "improvement" in the slightest.
Why would I upgrade if I despise XP so much? Easy, d*** hardware driver companies are scum. 32bit Windows is 32bit Windows. Software calls are the same (yes, I write software), returns are the same. Heck, the drivers probably weren't even modified except to remove an OS from the "accept list". I probably just bought my last piece of hardware that still actually has 98 drivers on it, when a major component of my system next dies, I probably won't be able to properly run 98 anymore and I'm about to run out of time to get XP (much later and I'd use Linux instead).
Why get Pro instead of Home? Decent, granular permissions. I can set folder-by-folder, user-by-user, action-by-action exactly who gets to do what. Can't do that in Home. Grey-area accounts: I can make someone a power-user so they can adjust their own power settings but still can't muck up other accounts. Can't do that in Home.
Rumor has it there's a Win2000 clone built on a Linux kernel. Maybe it'll be ready by the time I'm tired of XP...
- I'm so glad Amazon carries this item!
By A3FLNCYFL7465Q on 2007-12-30
I just upgraded my Windows 2000 OS to Windows XP after having it recommended as it's capability of being seamlessly integrated with the least problems than if I had gone to Microsofts Vista. I'm going to resist Vista as long as I can and right now it looks as if XP is keeping me on the right track. Thanks, Amazon.
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Microsoft Windows XP Professional FULL VERSION with SP2 Accessories
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| Product Features |
- Automatically keep your PC up-to-date with the latest security enhancements including the Windows Security Center, Windows Firewall.
- Windows XP Professional provides rich, wireless network support, helping you simply and easily connect to wireless networks whether in your home, office, or out on the road.
- Quickly set up and connect all the computers, printers, devices, and an Internet connection in your home with the all new Network Setup Wizard.
- Encrypting File System provides an additional level of file protection from hackers and data theft by transparently encrypting files with a randomly generated key.
- Clean, simple design of Windows XP Professional puts the features you use most often at your fingertips, helping you find them quickly.
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