Media Center to Pro??

I just ordered a E1505 and have been reading through some of the info on this site and came up with a question. I am student and can get free copies of XP and office through the school because they have a deal with Microsoft. So when I ordered my laptop I got media center and was planing to just install a copy of Pro from the school. But it seems it may not be as simple as installing the new OS. I did get the media center CD with the computer in case I do want to go back. So from what I can tell I should get rid of all of the patricians on the hard drive except for the Dell MediaDirect Partition so that I can still use the MediaDirect. Is this correct. I have installed XP several times on other computers, will there be any differences this time?? Also I can use the Media Center CD to reinstall it in the future if I wish?

Thanks,
Adam

 

If you're just doing an O/S change you shouldn't need to do anything wrt the partitions.... unless you want to.... If you do end up moving or changing any of the partitions, just make sure you understand the impact(s) wrt Dell Diagnostic partition/function, Dell Restore partition/function, and operation of MediaDirect.

Subject to confirmation from others..... I think that if you stick with placing the 'new' XP O/S in exactly the same partition as MCE all should be 'well'.

Shouldn't be, just make sure you have needed Dell peculiar drivers on-hand [best to use files from Dell download area]

Yes... you'll need the XP MC key from the bottom of the computer.

hth

Mark

 

Ok I did not think about that. I was just going to get rid of the recovery one because I could always get back to MC if I needed to from the disc. But I guess I should just leave it all alone unless hard drive space becomes an issue. Which it shouldn't as I have 2 large hard drives in my desktop to store stuff on.
Thanks
Adam

 

haha, just you wait... in about two months, you'll be craving more HD space.

 

LOL.... Maybe but I do not plan to keep anything but what I need at the moment and programs on the laptop. I will store stuff on my desktop. But if I do I can delete the recovery patrician later.

Adam

 

Well there's more to the 'Dell Restore' partition than just restore....

Based on best evidence [to me anyway]... the Dell MediaDirect functionality also resides there.

fwiw

Mark

 

Really?? I thought it was on the Dell MediaDirect Partition. I am sure you are rite though as while I have read some I have not read all that much into it. For the time being I will just be installing Pro and leaving it. On a side note I ordered it last night and it is already in the "Testing" phase. That seems to be a lot faster then what most people are getting.

Thakns,
Adam

 

I ordered/received mine last month.... March

It all went pretty fast/smooth for me.

Mark

 

Media Center IS Pro.

 

Media Center is based on the XP Home platform from what I remember. It lacks the networking and VPN ability of XP Pro and some security stuff.

 

I have heard some people say MC is a dumbed down version of Pro and some say it is based off of Home. I think it is truly based off of Home but am by no means sure of this. But for me is it is an easy choice to switch as I can get a copy of Pro for free. So I can get rid of all the dell **** and a better OS all at once.

Adam

 

this kind of show the difference between the 3

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/lea...=notebooks&~lt=popup&~series=inspn&~tab=topic

 

Media Centre 2005 is based off XP Pro (NOT home). It has all the networking functions of Pro, just some are disabled by default (but can be enabled). When you run DXDIAG (Directx configuration) - a Microsoft certified program - under Media Centre 2005, it shows the OS as XP Professional Ver 5.1, build 2600.

That's that. Sticky it if you want

 

There was a long discussion about this in another forum and it is very clear that Media Center IS, that is IS, Pro. When I installed Media Center it said Pro was being installed, not Home, so I can also personally verifiy that.

It's Pro. In fact, if you will, an enhanced version of Pro.

Comparison of features: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.mspx

Notice the Encrypting File System feature of Pro? Here is the File Properties of the same file on my XP Home computer and my Media Center computer.

 

Well it appears I was wrong. I will still probably install Pro though. I want to redo the OS to get rid of all the Dell junk so if am going to reinstall mine as well put Pro on.

Thanks
Adam

 

Pro also has Access Control, to "restrict access to selected files, applications, and other resources". The first picture shows XP Folder Options and missing is the last item shown in Media Center/Pro which provides this feature.