Windows MCE actually just XP?

Ok, so fiddling around with my new 6400(e1505), going into the system summary information window in the dell quickset menu, shows that my OS is actually just Windows XP Professional Edition.

I DO have the media center program on my windows, but I noticed that it doesn't function very well. It freezes half the time. When booting up, it also never shows the MCE logo, I remember seeing other systems having the Windows XP MCE logo on bootup/logoff.

On the bottom, i have a sticker for MCE, but i'm wondering if my system actually has MCE or just XP professional with some added software to make it seem like MCE.

 

That's strange. This is something new. Go to Control Panel, System, then see what it says there. I doubt Dell would try to install conversions (which do exist) just to save on costs and trick people. Any sticker could be fake, but then again I don't think any business would do that. Most likely it was just a poor install and somewhere something failed.

 

MCE is a flavor of XP Pro, with some options disabled (such as joining a domain) and other things thrown in for the "media experience". But it is more often considered a product halfway betwene XP Home and XP Pro.

 

bingo

10characters

 

So, what is everyone else getting when they go to DELL QUICKSET - SYSTEM INFO?

I'm asking because my MCE doesn't seem to work as well as it should, its always freezing up.

Also, I don't have a OS re-install cd for MCE , but I have an old one for XP PRO, do you think the sticker # would be applicable for my XP PRO disc then, since MCE is just a modification of XP PRO as mentioned?

 

call dell and they will send you the software discs

 

I was wondering where MCE fell in with the rest of MSs OSs thanxs for the info sanpabloguy.

 

You can't use that CD-Key on the bottom on any copy of Windows XP MCE or Pro. You need a Dell OEM CD to use the CD-Key with, every manufacturer has that. Also, XP Pro and MCE are totally different OS's, the core is the same but they differ product wise so they use different keys.

Call Dell and ask for the XP CD.

 

That is either Windows Media Center Edition or MCE 2004. In the 2005 version, Microsoft incorporated SP2 which eliminated the 'Media Center Edition' title in the boot screen (security risk, I guess).

 

The endless issue. Pro or XP? Mother or sister?

 

I have an E1750 with MCE, it says xp pro on there too. I also have the recovery disks and my last install of windows was with them, so that doesnt really change anything. Hmmm, yeah, media center is complete crap. Its always crashing and freezing up and it has this REALLY bad habit of playing DVDs but it just REFUSES to play the voices, like you can hear music and stuff from the movie but you just cant hear people talking. I dont normally waste my time with media center for those reasons.

 

I wouldn't say MCE is completely useless - I use Media Center to play DVDs and occasionally view Photos in a formal situation.