Should I install Windows XP Home or Pro on iMac?

[fawls13]

We just got our first Apple machine and I am going to install Windows XP on my iMac in order to run some MS games that I play. Does it matter whether I put XP Home or XP Pro on the iMac (if so, why)?

Thanks.

[mr.light]

which one would you run on a PC? It should not matter I would think. Use the one you prefer. But that's only my opinion.

[CWallace]

I'd use Pro. Microsoft crippled some features in Home (like joining an Active Directory Domain) to keep businesses from using it. While you may never need the crippled features, I'd rather have it all then find out later I did.

[Luigi239]

I'd use Pro. Microsoft crippled some features in Home (like joining an Active Directory Domain) to keep businesses from using it. While you may never need the crippled features, I'd rather have it all then find out later I did.

Point, but why would he possibly need that to play games?

The majority of PC's that are sold with XP come with XP Home because in most situations, that is all that's needed. Don't bother spending the extra money for the pro version, most people simply do not need it.

[alphaod]

Get Pro, Home only supports 1 CPU.

[stainlessliquid]

Get Pro, Home only supports 1 CPU.

Since when do imacs come with more than 1 cpu? Unless you mean cores, Home supports multiple cores just fine.

Theres no reason at all to get Pro unless you are doing some really advanced networking stuff or have a mac pro. I dont know why so many people think Pro is so great, its not, its exactly the same as Home for the average to enthusiast user. Probably 90% of the people who have Pro dont use the features that make it different than Home, theyre just spending a lot more money for a different boot screen.

Regardless I think its best to get Vista 64. Cheaper than Pro, all the same Pro features youll never use in your entire life, and supports dx10. Vista 64 performs the same in games as XP now, possibly better with 4gbs of ram (I say possibly because there arent any benchmarks with 4gbs to prove it), the only reason not to get Vista is if you are low on disk space since it uses about twice as much as XP, or if you are going to run it only in VMware.

[TwinCities Dan]

What sounds better "Pro" or "Home"? ;) :)

[Omgictu]

Hi,

I'm in a similar position to the OP so figured I'd just post here...

If I buy an OEM copy of XP SP3 will I be able to install it under parallels without any problems?

Thanks,
Omgictu

[CWallace]

If I buy an OEM copy of XP SP3 will I be able to install it under parallels without any problems?

For some reason, installing SP3 and/or the Boot Camp upgrade prevents me from booting into Boot Camp, but it still works great from Parallels...

[Anders J]

...Home supports multiple cores just fine...

Nope, it does not. It runs but uses only one core.

[fawls13]

Thanks for all the responses. I'll probably go with Home because of cost and the fact that I'm only using it for games and not on-line ones.

Appreciate the information.

[stainlessliquid]

Nope, it does not. It runs but uses only one core.

You better check your facts because whoever told you that is wrong. Home doesnt support 2 physical processors, it has no problem using multiple cores in a single processor.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Weblets/0,,7832_8366_7595~95364,00.html

look at the table at the bottom