Microsoft Windows XP Professional w/ Service Pack 2

The current king of the Windows hill

Strengths: Universality

Weakness: Price; popularity makes it the hackers' target.

Great for fresh installs since it already includes SP2. This is the current standard in widely-available OSs. Has some security features not available in Home Edition. Careful if activating before completing your install, though; repeat activations in less than 120 days require phone calls to Microsoft.

By Mason Storm - Aug 19, 2005

Installs easily just as the...

Strengths: Has included SP2 updates for improved security and networking. Includes new driver support for updated hardware.

Weakness: SP2 still has issues that can interfere with some current software.

Installs easily just as the original MS Windows XP Professional did without the need for extended updating from the MS Windows site. Really of no great advantage over previous versions except for the SP2 update, but remember the update is available free. The time saved for an Internet update download or Microsoft's free disk upgrade to SP2 is all that is saved. The firewall and added security...
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Installs easily just as the original MS Windows XP Professional did without the need for extended updating from the MS Windows site.

Really of no great advantage over previous versions except for the SP2 update, but remember the update is available free. The time saved for an Internet update download or Microsoft's free disk upgrade to SP2 is all that is saved.

The firewall and added security included in SP2 is of benefit to those not using antivirus or firewall programs. Happily, It shuts down easily in favor of purchased programs for this, to prevent conflicts.

The networking improvements are of great benefit to those using wireless cards as they allow for WEP and WPA security to eliminate the need for added applications, sometimes actually speeding up these connection rates using the Windows Configuration program for this.

This is still the best OS for home or small business 32 bit PC applications. Even with the security breaches of the past, it remains above others and its current security is effective.

Remember 64 bit Windows XP Professional is soon to be released in other than the free Beta for new 64 bit systems.

By AlexanderAkulick - Apr 16, 2005

The upgrade went fairly smoothly,...

Strengths: Very stable, does not crash.

Weakness: Runs slower than Windows XP without the SP2 upgrade.

The upgrade went fairly smoothly, for a Microsoft product. Midway through the installation, the OS could not find my internet connection, causing some anxiety, but I just continued the process. At the very end, having congratulated me on completing the installation, the entire system hung up and could not be rebooted. Ultimately, I unplugged the computer, then plugged it back in and restarted it....
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The upgrade went fairly smoothly, for a Microsoft product. Midway through the installation, the OS could not find my internet connection, causing some anxiety, but I just continued the process. At the very end, having congratulated me on completing the installation, the entire system hung up and could not be rebooted. Ultimately, I unplugged the computer, then plugged it back in and restarted it. After checking my hard drive because I had not closed Windows properly, it rebooted with all of the upgrade and all of my old files intact. Having installed the upgrade, I am satisfied with its daily operation.

By aelstein - Mar 29, 2005

Windows XP Pro w/SP2 is a mature product

Strengths: installation, peer-to-peer network support, very complete

Weakness: none, just know that you buy 1 license for 1 computer, if you install on more than 1, you will have to buy extra licenses (activation is online, so there's no way around in case you wonder)

I installed Windows XP Pro on two computers - one with a Pentium IV 3.0 HT and one with an Amd XP 2900+ I started from OEM hard drives (unformatted). The installation process is completely automatic, it's just stunning! No expertise necessary, just let Windows do the driving! (I've installed OS for more than 20 years, I've seen it getting better and easier all the time). Once I had installed the...
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I installed Windows XP Pro on two computers - one with a Pentium IV 3.0 HT and one with an Amd XP 2900+
I started from OEM hard drives (unformatted). The installation process is completely automatic, it's just stunning! No expertise necessary, just let Windows do the driving! (I've installed OS for more than 20 years, I've seen it getting better and easier all the time).
Once I had installed the wireless USB adapters and entered the workgroup name, both computers were online (LAN and internet) - Windows XP Pro w/SP2 is mature - This is an awefully good operating system.

By martingodts - Jul 24, 2005

Windows XP Professional w/SP2

Strengths: Excellent operating system. Microsoft is finally working to develop an operating system that is robust but user friendly while at the same time more secure.

Weakness: None that I am aware of.

I have been very pleased with the easy of installation and maintenance of XP Pro and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a change in their operating system.

By anotherhick - Oct 18, 2005