Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2

Reviews of Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2

1.) Windows XP is stable, won't crash is great for plug & play
Reviewed by: www.AskACapper.com Seacoast New Hampshire
Rating:

If you're reading this. You're thinking of buying Windows XP home 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.

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

2.) Apple's Boot Camp and Windows XP
Reviewed by: Foamer! California Coast
Rating:

I took the plunge and downloaded Apple's Boot Camp for the Intel based Macintosh. I had some old PC games so I thought this was worth giving a try. Apple's setup process was seamless for partioning a seperate drive I installed just for Windows XP. Then you get to the Windoze part of installation with the famous blue screen. It does look antiquated, but I followed Boot Camp's instructions to install. Windows XP took about 90 minutes via the "standard" insall method. Apple's OS X as I remember installed in about 10-20 minutes!

Since my installation about four months ago, Windows XP has been running just fine. I have actually gone onto getting additional PC games of my Windows XP disk. So this is great for those who want to have a Mac OS X side for work and a Windows XP side for play. Plus it looks like there won't be many games available in the future for OS X.

Apple's latest version of Boot Camp includes Windows Vista support, however I think I will hold off given the written reviews here on Vista. Windows XP does just fine for gaming.

Edit:

A little update here in 2009. I forgot to install Windows with "quick method" and in reality it takes about 10-15 minutes for the install. Fortunately Apple has mentioned this in their updated Boot Camp guide which is complete with version 2.0. As far as Windows XP 32 bit and Boot Camp go, there are no problems. It's been an excellent system for gaming. And the open source software that I do have works perfectly on the installation. XP is the best that Microsoft has to offer.

3.) Good Software
Reviewed by: PinkSlippers USA
Rating:

This is great for Mac users who want to add Windows to their computers. Please note that you will also need to either download Apple's "Bootcamp" software, or purchase Parallel software (which Amazon also sells) and install it before installing the Windows XP software. It's worth the money.

4.) XP and Parallels, Quite a Team
Reviewed by: Vesta Irene the Pacific Northwest
Rating:

Last year at this time I was a died in the wool Mac person who believed everything Microsoft came from the dark side. Then along came a program I needed to run and they didn't make a Mac version.

What to do? What to do?

Do I buy a new machine, maybe one of those inexpensive Dell laptops or do I try to run Windows in emulation on my new iMac. I decided to give the latter a try and ordered Parallels and Windows XP from Amazon. I installed Parallels without a hitch and when the program asked me to install my Windows' discs I did, followed instructions and I just cannot believe how easily everything went.

But an easy install does not necessarily make for a happy computing experience. It's been several months now and I can't praise XP and Parallels highly enough, because I've had no, none, zero, nada problems with either program on my iMac. They just work. XP has never crashed. Not once. And Parallels has never failed me either.

I've read some of the Parallels reviews and seen that several people are unhappy with their customer support. I've never had occasion to call `em, so I wouldn't know. Likewise with Microsoft, I've never had to pick up the phone, call `em up and ask for help.

I'll admit that most of my work is done in the Mac operating system, but I do use my Windows only database program quite a bit, plus I've also loaded WordPerfect, Corel Draw and Painter a few other Corel programs and they all work swimmingly.

So, three cheers from me for both XP and Parallels. They make quite a team as far as I'm concerned.

Reviewed by Vesta Irene

5.) Very stable, beefed up security
Reviewed by: No Time, No Money Mother Earth
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Like many other PC geeks, I looked at Windows XP and its eye-candy UI with suspicion when it first came out, but I've come to love it. It's rock solid -- I've never had a single system crash in the last two years, even though as a gadget freak I install and try out new hardware a lot -- it's fast, and its plug-n-play feature is so much better than any other operating system. Service Pack 2 makes XP even better, esp. in the security arena. It now comes with a better firewall and turns off some default settings that used to be on which could invite security problems. (The flip side of this increased security meausre is you constantly get warnings.)

XP Home is great for home use. If you want file system-level encryption, true file permission settings and more networking options, opt for the Professional edition.

I highly recommend teh book "Windows XP Inside Out, 2nd edition" if you are interested in optimzing your XP system and/or learning advanced techniques.

6.) Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2
Reviewed by: pcnut56 Columbia, PA
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Old pc came with XP. Great! New pc came with Vista. Not so great. New pc now has XP! Nuf said!!!

7.) XP Home Edition
Reviewed by: Wendy Guerrero Montrose, CO USA
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Thank goodness someone still had this item. I bought it because I do not like Vista. My computer crashed and lost everything. Had to start over.
This was very easy to install and works like a charm. No problems at all. I would do it all over again in a minute if I had to.

8.) Yep, it is the real thing from "techdiscount"
Reviewed by: MtRainier
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Thought I would get one of these XP discs from an Amazon merchant, since Microsoft no longer makes it available. My OEM disc somehow got scratched and I need to be able to re-install on my 1/2 MB laptop. Vista would never get by with that small of a memory footprint. "techdiscount" merchant sent if fast, good price $116.00 and it passes the MS authentication test, shrink-wrapped. I would buy from them again.

9.) WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION
Reviewed by: doc yvette columbia md
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GREAT, I INSTALLED IT ON MY APPLE MAC BOOK PRO, NEED FOR WORK, RUNS BETTER THAN IN THE PC!!

10.) Windows XP Home Full Version with SP2
Reviewed by: C. M. Geddings III Sumter, SC USA
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Full version, complete with Sevice Pack 2. Installed easily on replacement hard drive; no problems.

11.) MacBook Intel Ready
Reviewed by: E. Maddox Alexandria VA
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I needed this for my new MacBook laptop that will give me Apple and Windows on the same machine. The laptop works fine, the pocketbook is thinner. You do what you have to do;

12.) Microshoft Windows XP
Reviewed by: Melanie L. Wrensch Virginia
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Easy to upgrade from Windows ME. I did have to increase my RAM by 256K but after that, works like a charm.

13.) Apple Duel Boot
Reviewed by: Rick
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I wanted to use Windows on my MacBook, but did not want or need to get involved with Vista. XP is working great for my purpose.

14.) Windows XP full version
Reviewed by: David G. Fuller Jr.
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If you are like us we got fed up with the growing pains of Microsoft Vista. We decided it was high time to invest in a full version of Windows XP before they stopped selling them. It has proven to be a wise decision for us. Our son is back to playing all of his computer games on his new system without any glitches.

15.) much better
Reviewed by: electric steve North Texas
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old school is better than this new crap. With vista (or mojave, which ever they are calling it now), we couldn't download print drivers, Office, etc...

product arrived as promised, no problems beyond vistjave...

16.) Works on my iMac
Reviewed by: D. Bloom Atlanta, GA USA
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I purchased Windows XP for my new Intel iMac based on other reviews stating that Windows Vista was giving them problems. I use Windows XP on my Mac at work and it works great. I am happy with this purchase.

17.) Still the best Microsoft OS available.
Reviewed by: D. ODELL Grand Rapids, MI USA
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After seeing how friends and coworkers have struggled with their Windows Vista machines more often than not, I decided to purchase Windows XP for an upgrade to a one of my home computers. XP is by far the better operating system when compared to Vista. And with the release of Service Pack 3, Windows XP is even more stable. Something that Service Pack 1 for Vista did not do...

18.) Microsoft XP Home Edition w/Service Pack 2
Reviewed by: Andy Capp Western Colorado
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Great product, especially compared to their ME and Vista products. Product was delivered on the date promised.

19.) Windows XP Home Edition
Reviewed by: Lisa SC
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I love my Windows XP. I have been using this program for a few months now with absolutely no problems. I'm glad I decided on Windows XP and would recommend this to everyone.

20.) Fantastic!
Reviewed by: Jose J. Fuentes Loya California
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This is one the great Software for any PC. This give you full controlled of you computer, to controlled the fans and took look at the cooling. Plus easy to navigate around and to design the look of you Window look.

21.) Question? Does this come with Microsoft Office?
Reviewed by: Mandy L. Tolsma
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I can't find a place to ask questions but I am wondering if this comes with Microsoft office on it or would I have to buy that separate? Also, If you buy it used can you use it if it needs a password from Microsoft or are they going to say its been used already and you can't download it?

22.) Essential Software
Reviewed by: Batwoman3 Philadelphia
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This was the right product for my friend. I thought the price was great and it arrived sooner than scheduled. You really can't do too much better than that.

23.) for my son
Reviewed by: yvonne marshall bellport,, ny usa
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this was bought for my son's computer,
the have mac,but the online school uses windows

24.) XP
Reviewed by: YEDRAC SEATTLE, WA USA
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Great product! I use this on my MacBook and it works great. uuummm ya...

25.) good
Reviewed by: Matt
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Received wrong product, of which they promptly refunded me the difference. Would do business with them again.

26.) win xp
Reviewed by: kryton
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The item arrived on time. I was very pleased with its condition. It worked perfectly.

27.) Straightforward, but...
Reviewed by: Aaron Chesir Edison, NJ
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I bought a 2-year-old computer from a co-worker, and I wanted to be able to run some recent computer games on it. The computer as purchased did not have a legal copy of an operating system on it. I was tempted to buy VISTA, but it turns out that recent computer games DON'T RUN ON VISTA! Therefore I needed to buy the next-to-most recent version of Windows. Hence XP. The price on Amazon was competitive, and it installed properly. The only hitch is that the newly-installed XP did not recognize the built-in audio/speaker port of the PC hardware, so I had to also buy a sound card, so that I would have the drivers to install (the purchased PC did not come with the drivers). I then purchased a wireless networking card, and that was NOT easy to install. I do not know if the difficulty (which I eventually overcame) was dueto the fact that I installed a disconnected version of XP (as opposed to buying a new PC with XP properly pre-installed), or if the problem were due to the nature of the wierless card driver installation software. In any case, the XP software as purchased from Amazon works.

28.) Purchasing an OS
Reviewed by: Nelson R. Ripoll
Rating:

If you are going to purchase an Operating System, you have to ask yourself what are you doing to be doing with your computer.

Go ahead, take a second and ask yourself.

I am an Extreme Gamer. As far as I am concern, Windows XP is one of the most stable and reliable OS's for the most every day uses, like gaming. Windows is extremely user friendly and most of the popular applications used is for windows.

Do not believe rumors about Mac's being un-hackable. It's just that the user base value of macs are so low that the shock value will be as low so nobody wastes their time writing viruses for mac's only. But Mac's are very good for productivity like film/audio editing. I use my mac for when I am just editing films with my gf. But the Mac OS are only good on macs seeing how they are built to use that OS. And no right click? lol. Still, Mac OS is a good productive OS.

Linux is for Computer Guru's who know what they are doing and know what they want in an Operating System. This is also a Productive OS but for the most knowledgeable in computing. FREE*

So again, what are you doing with your computer?
Everyday use, simple, easy, friendly, gaming, secure - Windows
Productivity - Mac

*NOTE* Do not consider Linux if you have no idea what you are doing. Linux is for the most extreme.

29.) It works
Reviewed by: midi user Long Beach, CA USA
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This full version for computers without Windows was used to convert the OEM version to run on a virtual machine. The software works, but Microsoft's marketing policies .....

30.) Windows XP Home
Reviewed by: Javier Blazquez Llantin Puerto Rico
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Produc in good condition, easy to use. Best price, comparing it whit other selling companies.

31.) Windows XP purchase
Reviewed by: filmfan Wakefield, RI USA
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The product was in good condition when it was delivered. The software was up to Microsoft's standards. The shipment arrived in a very timely manner.

32.) Outstanding
Reviewed by: Lalie
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Best OS on the planet! Windows XP Computer is the one I enjoy. It's great now to have a backup. They will alway invent newer ones.
You no longer can buy Windows XP in the store.

33.) Get it
Reviewed by: tailspower USA
Rating:

Thier's big miss interaption with Service Pack 2. You I got an CD-ROM version and haven't any issuse, think it's becuase all the updates were installed at one time. If your talking about buying an new PC make sure you buy an Version of Windows XP with Serivce Pack 2 perinstalled. If you have Windows XP requset the Serivce Pack 2 CD-ROM and you'll have no issues with Serivce Pack 2. Bewere the Virus Poration relays on MacAfee and CD-Buning on Roxio.

Solry about spelling, I'm not very good at it.

34.) Rotten service!!!!!!!
Reviewed by: Raven Colombia
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Srtongly recommend not to purchase any product sold by Amazon vendors and not directly by Amazon. If Amazon cannot provide it, find someone else.

35.) Couldn't use the product
Reviewed by: Winnie Hartpence New Canaan CTUnited States
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My new computer would not allow me to download the program. I am stuck with Windows Vista but I prefer XP

36.) Could it be.... AN INFORMED REVIEW?
Reviewed by:
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First, I'd like to inform you that many of the low star reviews are ignorant and were probably written by OS Biased fools.

Windows XP is near flawless when properly and sensibly used. Not only does the OS support thousands upon thousands of devices out of the box, without any sort of obnoxious installation CDs required, but it's three or four steps up in stability from Windows previous incarnations. Crashes are literally unheard of, and usually aren't from the OS itself being faulty, but by the user themselves. I, myself, have had 2 crashes in approximately FOUR years of using XP over six-seven PCs. While virii and spyware may seem like a problem to some, free low profile software is available. Not to mention free software firewalls such as ZoneAlarm which completely deter anyone looking for a PC to break into. Rather than actually attempt to get into a somewhat secure, patched Windows PC they will go after a different target who doesn't know any better. Security is a moot point to anyone who can click a download link and follow directions, while at the same time not downloading every last thing they see. Common sense is a REQUIREMENT for using Windows. Without common sense, you're screwed.

While the 200$ price may be high, you have to realize you are buying the most widely supported OS as of now, which is, in my opinion, Microsoft's greatest work. And whoever said you'll need to frequently reformat(every 30 days...HAH), they're sadly mistaken. I reformat every 2 years or so, and that's just to be on the safe side. Not only that, but you can set it to format only the windows system files...leaving other data intact.

You have to realize that Windows isn't all cut in dry. Holding 90+% of the market they have HUGE advantages. You're NOT required to use integrated software like IE at all. For instance, we have the superior Opera and Firefox browsers from which to choose from. Also, to the one review which stated messenger being active by default...um..excuse me..this is service pack 2, not service pack 1. The messenger and alert services are disabled in service pack 2 by default. This is definitely an example of someone who doesn't know what they're taking about, and an example of someone whom should be ignored.

If you're looking for an OS that lets you control every little thing you do, requires moderately high levels of computer literacy, complimented with buggy open source applications(though some are nice) and lack of widespread support, then go linux.

If you're looking for an OS that supports literally everything, plays games, and runs near flawlessly, with not only a command line interface but an advanced point and click system, go Windows.(AGAIN, COMMON SENSE RECOMMENDED AND REQUIRED--- Do your research if you're worried about security)

If you're into graphics and nothing else, go Mac. There's really no other reason to go Mac other than being a rabid apple supporter or rabid windows hater. OSX is purdy though.

37.) Fantastic Software
Reviewed by: Alireza Afsharian
Rating:

After one month using pirate copy of Windows XP, I'm very glad to purchase this, right now, I don't have any problem and its work fine, many thanks to Mr. Bill Gates for the good product

38.) windows xp for apple notebook
Reviewed by: nurseaudrey flemington, NJ
Rating:

I recently bought the full version windows xp with sp2 for my mac notebook due to the fact that many of the programs I needed do not have mac versions. I found the installation with Bootcamp(already equip with new apple notebooks) and absolutely seemless transition. I split my hard drive between mac and windows xp(I did not go with parallels) and have found no issues as yet except my computer once stopped in the middle of an application and just rebooted itself and it hasn't happened again. When my desk top is ready to replaced, I will use the windows xp version again on the apple desk top that I plan to purchase. Great buy....Also very easy to uninstall off apple notebook and start over... We all know how windows gets jammed up after a while and regardless of all the disk cleanups and defrags etc it starts to run slow and needs to be redone.

39.) Clarification
Reviewed by: Daniel N. Johnson
Rating:

To clarify S. McCrea "s_mccrea"s post, a pentium 4 with hyperthreading is not "two chips on one chip". It's a single chip that simulates dual processors.

Microsoft XP Home Edition does NOT support multiple processors. Microsoft XP Professional Edition does. So if you need multo proc support, go with Pro.

40.) Mac Lover, Windows hater, but....
Reviewed by: J. Salvatore Las Vegas, NV
Rating:

Windows XP is actually a good product. I purchased the full version of XP to load onto my new iMac so that the wife can do some work at home (the program for work is Windows only). I was impressed with the plug-and-play that actually recognized new hardware immediately, without the the old Windows way of going to "adding hardware," then loading drivers, etc. Our computers at work use XP, so I know it's a pretty stable platform... much more than all prior Windows platforms, with the exception of NT which was awesome. I also like the fact that it didn't come with all of the loaded junk that comes on a pre-installed PC. I thought that I would loath myself for installing it on and tainting my iMac, but I actually find myself being content with using it and I think I really have the best of both worlds having Windows and Mac OS X on one computer. PS. the only reason that it's not 5 stars is because it's Windows. LOL

41.) MS Windows XP Full Edition
Reviewed by: autumn
Rating:

Product is great - works just like it should. Arrived quickly - like it should. I wish I didn't have to buy it twice, however. I first tried to purchase it from Tech For Less on Amazon - I received an OEM version with no product key. Received no replacement or refund from that seller. So I had to purchase it AGAIN - I chose to purchase it from Amazon, expecting that they would at least honor their own refund policy. Too bad they don't back up the sellers' return policies they let 'sell' on their site.

42.) Great for putting Windows on an Intel Mac
Reviewed by: Helium
Rating:

I bought this so that I could run windows on my Macbook. One of the big advantages over Vista is that it uses much less HD space which for me was quite important (given it's a laptop). It runs well using bootcamp and I've yet to have any problems with it.
I recommend buying this if you want to run Windows on your Mac, which for some things is essential.
The only reason I've rated it 4 stars is because I don't actually like Windows as an OS particularly but for what I needed it for it's doing its job well.

43.) I'm so glad I upgraded
Reviewed by: CA girl USA
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Yes, I know this isn't the "Upgrade" version. I found this for a lot less at CompUSA and I bought the new computer version when I upgraded from a 10 to a 40 GB hard drive, so it was infact just like "a new computer" when I installed this.

First of all, let me say that I am very glad I bought this. XP has taken care of pretty much all of the computer nightmares that I had with ME. The only complaint I have is with battery life. XP uses up more battery life and so my laptop doesn't run on the battery for as long as it's suppossed to. Also, the Windows Firewall that comes with Service Pack 2 doesn't work that well. It's better than nothing (I think). My dad had horrible problems with his computer before I convinced him to purchase the Norton Personal Firewall 2004.

44.) Windows XP full version
Reviewed by: Bird person New Jersey, USA
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I purchased this to use on my MACBook. Being a MAC person, I was afraid of getting VISTA, glad I was able to get the XP version.

45.) XP Home
Reviewed by: Susan Bready Gray Court, SC USA
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I needed a version of Windows to go with my Mac and chose XP due to my familiarity. It is the typical Window OS and I didn't need the features of the Pro version so this was the best alternative. I never considered Vista due to all the horror stories. It does the job for me on the few Windows programs I have where there is not a suitable or Mac version available.

46.) Windows XP Home Edition
Reviewed by: Susan R. Kay
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Installing was not a great problem, but it seems to have slowed my computer down since installation. I had ME before XP. XP is supposed to be faster than ME, but the opposite is true.

Susan Kay

47.) Windows XP
Reviewed by:
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I think that most people who are buying this product are the people who just built or building their own pc. There is no question wether or not you should choose this product since its considered to be the 'flagship' version of the windows os and its had its time to mature. It's said by microsoft that the XP will make your PC run faster but i think that more complicated the sofware gets, the more resources its going to require and windows xp is certainly more complicated than windows 98. This is only an operrating system so as long as it operates quietly in the backgroud and doesn't interup your work, its cool. By the way, i have some other advice, if you are making a new pc, please do not buy any products that are less than 6 months old, because by that time, not only will the price fall dramatically, but all the bugs in it will be fixed by that time.
Good Luck!

48.) Windows for MAC
Reviewed by: lexterrae-mlrcs.com Texas
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I received the product promptly. Had a bit of trouble installing it, I don't don't know if it was the CD or what but the Apple Genius figured it out. I'm satisfied with the purchase.

49.) Bought for Mac "Boot Camp"
Reviewed by: D. Lewis Annapolis, MD, United States
Rating:

I bought this for my daughter's MacBook, She had a Windows-only program she needed long term for school and we did not want to buy a Wintel computer just for that. She uses it with the Macintosh "Boot Camp" program that allows the Mac to boot up w/the Macintosh Finder or Windows operating system. That requires a full version of Windows (not an upgrade). We did have to upgrade Finder to the "Tiger" (10.5) version which had the production version of Boot Camp. We could not get the downloadable Beta version of Boot Camp to work w/ the earlier versions of Finder. It took three shots to get Windows to install, all related to how Windows does a new "clean" installation; it goes back to it's MS-DOS roots for the initial setup. As with any Windows product, the amount of on-screen information was minimal, so I guessed wrong a couple of times during the installation process. Not for a complete novice, but I'm no expert/geek, either. Technophobes should definitely get help. Once the installation was complete, everything worked as advertised, both for the Mac and Windows.

50.) didn't kill my MBP : )
Reviewed by: Jo Madison, WI
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I purchased this for my MacBook Pro. using bootcamp it worked fine; although the install failed the first time, but i figured since it was windows, working on the first try was too much to expect. I was going to give it only three stars because I am disappointed in just how bare bones it is right out of the box, but since it hasn't crashed my mac yet and its not Vista, i give it four stars

51.) Windows XP
Reviewed by:
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Now, windows xp is the os to buy today because you have no other choice. it's more compatible with games than windows 2000 and has a lot less bugs than windows me. the loading time is very fast(about 10 seconds on a amd athlon 64 3400+) and i havn't seen any 'blue screens of death' since i bought it. However, ther is no more support for real dos mode which may cuase some of your older software to not function, otherwise its a great operating system.

52.) Suited my needs
Reviewed by: T. Colvin IN
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This product is fine and suited my needs. I did have a couple problems installing it at first (because it was not listed as OEM software on the website, so I wasn't expecting this) but I worked it out. I used this product to install on my Mac to run windows-based programs. Everything is ok now.

53.) its pretty good
Reviewed by: Tachinori USA
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its windows XP. its not vista. XP means it doesn't take too much to run it, which for my old little laptop, is a good thing. 'nuff said.

54.) Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2
Reviewed by: Eddie M. Boothprairie Church
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Good System Software but not as user friendly as Mac OS.

55.) Microsoft Windows XP Home Version
Reviewed by: M. Dieter New York
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It was everything I expected it to be. Not as flashy as the premium version but still a solid product!

56.) XP vs. Vista
Reviewed by: Jacqueline J. Spratley Portsmouth, VA
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I like XP. Why go Vista? Why do they keep upgrading the product so often? I know it's all about money, but if there are no significant improvements, they don't need to distribute new product. Plus, I can't play my old WIN 95 games/programs. Why don't they issue a fix for that? I won't upgrade until they stop supporting XP or not even that if I don't have to.

57.) xp home with sp2
Reviewed by: william l. burt jr cleveland ohio
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2002 was not wanted or needed, i needed 2003. my friend took me to a computer programer, and he put in 2007 profesionalknow i have radio, and can watch movies and all that stuff. thank i'll be back to buy other products.later.

58.) Solid.
Reviewed by: Chris Henn
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I've owned XP for a couple of years, and its a great system. It doesnt crash, its easy to use, and its customization is much better then Vista and Mac OSX (but not better then Linux.) Its the most professional, its used by business people. Its also great to have if your a bit geekier. You can change the themes. Code and game if you want. Its just more flexible (Mac OSX/Vista isn't.)

Right now I'm running Vista (I hate it, and so do all my freinds) and on another computer (a shiny new Imac) I have apple. It comes down to this:

XP > Mac OSX > Vista. And Linux goes somewhere in there depending on who you are.

Overall XP is the best. There are a few exceptions, like being dumb/effortless, or being a professional photographer/video maker, but XP is better for normal stuff. And no one, and I mean NO ONE, should use vista.

59.) XP Review
Reviewed by: Bob Lancaster, PA
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Shipping was prompt even though it was shipped during the Christmas season. No complaints.

60.) Its a Microsoft product
Reviewed by: J. Kozee
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Windows is good for several things. But being flexible is NOT one of them. The issue with this product is you can't use it on all of your PC's if you have more than one. You have to buy this for each and every one of them. Its a rip-off to have to do that.

61.) Getting better,but not near great!
Reviewed by: Trini Ohio
Rating:

I got this CD pretty much with my PC,but it is the same version with SP2.
For less advanced users the added seccurity features are a blessing from it's previous version. There is slew of features that help protect you when online or emailing. I still reccommend getting an anti-viruses package,because there is nothing to keep you from Trojens and other viruses,other than the firewall and ad-blocker.
I prefer to use EZ Anti-Virus,it has a very light and simple interface. It also is integrated into the Seccurity Center that SP2 adds! Windows XP Home w/SP2,running on my Pentium 4 processor at times appears faster than with SP1a. It may have different effects though on your machine.
Some software will respond slowly or not work with SP2,but be known a new repair file and upgrade is now available to help with this issue.
I recently added Windows to my mothers computer. She complains of ads with Internet Explorer in Windows ME,as well as the dreaded Bluescreen.
She was pleased that this version has a nice ad-blocker. She gets very little ads nowadays thanks to Windows XP and SP2.
I have the upgrade to SP2 on another machine,and one odd thing is the splashscreen with SP2 has changed! It no longer says WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION,but WINDOWS XP SP2A!
At first I thought this was odd,untill I installed it from this CD to witness the same.
It rewrites the whole interface. This is not a flaw,but a complete update.
Internet Explorer is now 6.0.29 instead of 6.0.20.
I still think Windows has along way to go in the sense of seccurity. If this is the big seccurity update,they have failed!
Microsoft,you need to try adding anti-viruses to the next upgrade. A stable one. And themes wouldn't hurt either. As much as we all love the Fisher-Price lightning blue with green look,we users want true personalization.
If thinking of buying this for an upgrade from older Windows;good! But,you have options like SUSE Linux 9.1 and Mandrake 10 that are better at seccurity!

62.) XP on a MAC
Reviewed by: M. Edwards Johnstown, CO USA
Rating:

I bought Widows XP to run on a MAC under Parallels. This full version works perfect. It seems to run faster on the MAC than my old PC. Parallels requires a full XP version, that is why this one costs more. It is worth it if you want to run Windows software on a MAC. I am happy with the way this works. You can actually 'cut and paste' between the two operating systems in Coherence mode.

63.) Overpriced Microsoft strikes again
Reviewed by: anditscandy Philadelphia, PA
Rating:

I think the title says it all. It worked perfectly, easy instructions etc. But I can't for the life of me rationalize spending upwards of $250 for a standard piece of plastic with some foily stuff on it and a glossy cardboard sleeve.

While I recognize the prowess and legacy of microsoft os's in general, I wish by now they would stop ripping off their consumers for many-year-old software or even just software in general. I'm not criticizing the product so much as I'm criticizing Microsoft's bad (or good, depending on which cushy leather office chair glossed with the blood of the poor you're sitting in) extortion of the american public. Smart business, or squeezing us dry?

64.) XP Home DOES SUPPORT MULTI-PROCs
Reviewed by: s_mccrea Henderson, NV United States
Rating:

The product description is simply in error.

I'm running a Sony Vaio with a P4HT 2.8 GHz (1.5GB RAM, 2 DVD+-RWs, 280GB over 2 hdds) and this is a chip with TWO processors on board one chip. XP Home has handled it as a dual-processor machine with no problems.

Naturally, this makes for blazing speed, far faster than any other equivalent chip on the market. TaskMgr displays activity graphs for both processors. (It is also a RISC chip for those of you to whom this means something. Something new for Intel, long wedded to the CISC architecture, but the PPC chip's smoking use of RISC gave it too much of speed advantage)

I'm buying this full version because I'm tired of that horrid "Reinstall Disk" kit that came with the Sony Vaio. It's never worked right and every time I've reinstalled with it, I have new problems. And the reinstalls are becoming more frequent. It also doesn't handle the SP2 upgrade well. So, tomorrow, I will gladly reload again. Besides, of the dozens of apps Sony included, I use none of them.

This should, finally, solve the "Reinstall Kit" blues. Those of you old enough will remember when things were different. First PC in 1986: came with a full set of IBM-DOS diskettes. Second PC 1997: came with fully functional copy of 95B with "USB support" (problem being no computer had USB ports in those days!).

Then Microsoft went to this stupid "reinstall kit" garbage. Anyone considering buying a new computer, pony up the extra $179 or $269 for a full version of XP (Home or Pro depending upon need). I have no need to be part of a LAN, so the extra C note for Pro would be vanity.

All in all, the best OS MSFT had built yet. The first three years I ran it, I had a total of three crashes. This last year's been a nightmare, esp with the SP2 upgrade.

Start fresh tomorrow.

Overall, I give a three star (really 3 1/2 stars but you can't do that) rating to the product. In terms of ease of use, stability and robustness, MSFT has come a long way. And since both are UNIX, Apple really no longer had any substantial advantages over XP. It's really come down to a choice; almost a clan thing--the way people used to about Fords and GMs (notice how there was no AMC clan?) when I was a kid in the 70s. If you're of a certain age and I say, "I was raised GM" you instantly know what I mean. Despite using the Mac a lot over the years, I was firmly "raised" DOS/Windows.

Despite that, the room for improvement is obvious. If a firewall's included, why, for instance, isn't a virusscanner? A spyware/adware scanner? That would be a way to add real value to the OS product.

Protected memory is much better, but still wildly uneven in its ability to save a hanging app from hanging the machine. Explorer.exe rarely recovers fully and almost always requires a system reboot if it cronks. System Restore is also hugely improved over the shaky start with ME. If you can get to safe mode or your desktop, you can usually count on SysRestore to fix your problem.

Finally a glaring lack is that of a data shredder and encryptor. In this age of identity theft and constantly hacking (over 12,000 attempts last year alone on my little machine! Hundreds of "serious" attacks included!). A shredder is absolutely needed as is an encryption function. Given the platform dominance, the encryption should be able to be integrated seamlessly into the shell. Without a shredder, someone with almost no computer knowledge, can easily search the "deleted" files on you hard drive and recover credit card numbers, tax returns, banking passwords, etc. Someone more technically sophisticated, could do this from across the planet.

Oh well, it'll never be perfect. Just remember, every time your XP crashes or hangs, that's a dollar Redmond did NOT spend on Quality Control.

65.) got it to run on my mac
Reviewed by: D. Glasser Cincinnati
Rating:

Great service from amazon, as usual. I bought this to run on my mac as a virtual machine. Its windows and I'm glad its not Vista.

66.) Does what it is supposed to do
Reviewed by: Mike the end user Boston MA
Rating:

I spent the extra money to buy the retail version. Needed it for some apps that do not run on MAC OSX Currently running it on Paralles Desktop 3.0 for Mac
The install was real easy.

67.) Windows XP is frustrating
Reviewed by: Stanley R. Stein
Rating:

I had Windows 98 and it worked, it was stable, it was user friendly, and I was happy with it. Unfortunately, MS decided not to support it any longer and that caused problems. Bill Gates' greed forced me to upgrade to Win XP Full Edition with SP-2.

Replacing my OS was easy and it went smoothly. XP is clunkier than 98, but so far it's been fairly stable. I've gotten used to working with it's quirks, twitches and the ways it demands I work with it, but it definitely is NOT as user friendly as 98. I'm sure the lack of the 'stampede' to Vista will only hurry MS's ending it's support for this OS, thus, forcing us to buy Vista and to support their stock value.

68.) It's compatible with most software out there, but...
Reviewed by: The OS Man Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Rating:

...people gotta get bored with Windows. Sure, a so-called "world of software" work on it, that's a good thing, but most spyware, adware, trojan horses, etc. are made for Windows, which makes it pretty vunerable to bugs & viruses. For example, with 3 pop-up blockers on my Internet Explorer, I still get rapid pop-ups. I check my computer rapidly for viruses, but it's still there. If you are like a businessperson, I recommend Mac or Linux, because they make Microsoft Office for Mac, and make very similar software for Linux. But for gamers, downloaders, etc., I recommend XP or Media Center.

- The OS Man

69.) It's Windows
Reviewed by: Vesta Portland, OR
Rating:

It's XP. It was fairly easy to install but didn't format more than one sector. The screensaver works intermittently. That being said it runs much faster than Vista and makes a good little second computer OS.

70.) Just a warning
Reviewed by: Mel Idaho
Rating:

Someone mentioned that with XP the "blue screen of death" is no more. This is actually false. While the "blue screen of death" does not happen often, it does happen. Except it isn't just a matter of restarting the computer, as it just pops up again and again and again until you reformat your computer (and lose everything). Just a warning for anyone, but overall XP is a very well thought out product and has a great interface that's similar enough to old editions, but with a modern flair.

71.) Acceptable
Reviewed by: John J. Maimone New Jersey
Rating:

I am a Mac user. I only got this because my old PC died. I need to run a few Windows programs and this was cheaper than buying a Vista Computer. So I bought XP and I am running it on my Mac. I purchased XP instead of Vista because of all the nightmarish stories I have heard about compatibility with software and printers. And I have no faith that Windows 7 will be any better.

It took three tries but I got it to install. Just make sure you have the latest version of Boot Camp on your Mac before installing or else Microsoft's Service Pack 3 wont install. Under boot camp I have complete compatibility and everything works as intended. I actually made it work for three days before I got my first blue screen of death. What can I say? It's Windows.

72.) Points for trying
Reviewed by: CFWR Virginia,USA
Rating:

Product description was not accurate enough to make it possible to use the product shipped. However, the company kept trying to provide alternatives until we were able to actually get a workable XP version installed on the computer.

73.) The best Windows OS, but not great overall
Reviewed by: Skeptic USA
Rating:

XP is the best Windows OS. Vista went for flashy looks and 7 is total disaster. XP is relatively stable, fast and simple to use. No wonder why majority of business users kept XP and will not upgrade. The biggest issues are two- security and activation. I reinstalled XP a few times on my Mac (the same machine- one time after hard drive upgrade and second time after installing with VMware Fusion) and product key stopped working. Thanks M$!!!

74.) XP and Mac
Reviewed by: woodman orinda, ca United States
Rating:

I bought this full copy of XP to run on my Mac using BootCamp. After many hours and consults with Apple Support and Windows Product Support, it turns out that while XP will run on the Mac, you can't configure many of the peripherals. Specifically, you can't perform wireless printing through an Airport Express wireless modem, and XP was unable to recognize and utilize the USB ports. These were first thought to be only driver issues, but unfortunately it emerged that the problem is more than that. Eventually Microsoft refunded my $200 and Apple admitted that there are "issues" using Bootcamp to run Windows on the Mac. It will run, but there will be problems.

75.) It's Windows....how many stars could it possibly get?
Reviewed by: J. Cohn Pittsburgh
Rating:

I bought this to run on my macbook pro. It works fine with the new version of parallels which is a big improvement over the previous version. In retrospect, given the cost, I'd probably have been better off getting an Acer or HP netbook for $20-$40 more. I really just needed it to run a few programs, both of which would run fine on a netbook and then I'd have had a whole other computer! This version really should be $100.

The installation and updating process for windows still amazes me for the number of steps required.

76.) Poor results running XP from Boot Camp
Reviewed by: Neptune Lou
Rating:

I purchased XP Home to use on my MAC with Boot Camp, so that I could use applications only available on Internet Explorer. The loading of XP and the set up took some time, but went well. However, Internet Explorer runs very slow off of Boot Camp and its impossible to be productive. So this was a waste of money from my standpoint. Other Windows based applications might work OK, but I'm probably better off purchasing a cheap stand alone PC to run the few Internet Explorer based applications I need.

77.) so-so
Reviewed by: Janet K. Dorland
Rating:

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition UPGRADE with SP2
I ordered this item by mistake, not realizing that it was just an upgrade, so all I can say is it arrived in great shape and quickly.

78.) It was what my computer needed
Reviewed by: merryrain Alaska
Rating:

I've heard bad things about Vista so wanted a copy of the XP on hand.

79.) Activation Code For Windows XP
Reviewed by: Skip Hamilton New York, New York United States
Rating:

Since people are selling used copies of Windows XP, what I haven't seen addressed is how do you use the Activation Key if this product has already been used. If you don't have a Valid Activation Key for this product, you will have a locked up computer after 30 days, unless you purchase a NEW, VALID Activation Key!

80.) Incomplete order
Reviewed by: Mark P. Fredrickson usa
Rating:

Vender negelected to send serial number tag with item. I contacted him and he sent a photograph of it. I was able to register and use the product, but I paid for the tag, which goes with the disc and again contacted the seller to ask him to send it. He replied that it was coming via "snail mail", but I never received it. Am still waiting. Could Amazon look into this? I have been a good customer. Thanks.

81.) Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Reviewed by: Johnny San Diego, CA USA
Rating:

I really do not like how Microsoft has designed this operating system. I liked Windows 95 through the Windows 2000 Professional Edition but this one there is nothing I like. I have a few Microsoft computers left but I have mostly converted to Apple. The Windows XP Home Edition (not Professional Edition) especially was horrible. The only difference I dramatically see is that blue taskbar at the bottom. Also the icons look a bit more 3-D than other versions. The security on Windows totally isn't too safe as the Mac OS. My computer catches viruses all the time and when I take it to a repair shop I have never seen a Apple computer there. If you are a Microsoft fan just get the Professional Edition of XP or 2000 Professional (best OS ever!)

82.) Necessary evil.
Reviewed by: TW Florida
Rating:

I had to work with a pc and windows because of my profession......architect.. My firms have always used architectural desktop. Unfortunately, it only is compatible with a pc. NOW !! finally I purchased an exquisite iMac.. and when need be, I can run architectural desktop on it in windows to get a few things done.. Apple vs PC ?
No comparison.... and my iMac is so sexy it makes me smile.. so kill me.

83.) $200 for a second-rate OS..?
Reviewed by: Gordon M. Wagner Suburbia
Rating:

I bought a $200 copy of Windows XP to run on my new iMac with an Intel CPU -- my kids have been agitating for years for a PC to play PC games on. The day before the box from Amazon arrived I'd set up the new iMac and loaded the OS and got everything set up, so the comparison between the elegant and refined Mac OS and MS's XP was stark. Very stark.

There's really no comparing the two systems -- the Mac is beautiful and functional, Windows reminds me of a line from a Tom Clancy novel, when the young sailor boards a Soviet submarine and is astounded at how primitive the technology is and exclaims "MEGA-KLUDGE TO THE MAX!" That's how I felt. Windows is a mess, a second-rate rip off of the Mac OS.

Once I'd prepped my iMac to load XP I was shocked to see an ANSI screen as Windows loaded itself -- ANSI? Like 1980s computing ANSI?! Help! The iMac installation was BEAUTIFUL and elegant, absolutely seamless with NO SLOP or rough edges. Windows is pathetic. I'm irritated that it cost so much and gives me so little. I cannot believe that people would choose Windows over the Mac OS -- incomprehensible! I remember using Windows 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 3.11 back in the day. And not being impressed. Windows XP is STILL clunky and it STILL feels rickety. Is this really the best OS they can come up with?

OK, my kids can now play PC games and I can run Quicken on the PC side of things if I want to -- other than that, I'd say save your money and buy a Mac. Windows is a cheap imitation of the Mac. And overpriced, I must say.

A couple weeks later: if you enjoy puzzles and nonlinear thinking and interfaces, then this product may be exactly what you've always wished for.

84.) Not bad for Microsoft
Reviewed by: Steve-O United States
Rating:

Other than the substandard security; the endless hours you will spend trying to clean out spyware, protecting against viruses, etc.; and the fact that Microsoft has built in it's own spyware to notify them when you are connected to the internet, it's pretty good. It is a good evolution of their graphical interface and quite intuitive.

If you are concerned about your ability or willingness to protect yourself against malicious attack from internet scumbags, buy a Mac. As you face the upgrade to MS Vista, you're going to need to upgrade your CPU, so you are essentially at a crossroads.

Good luck!

85.) Microsoft Windows XP Home Ed. SP2
Reviewed by: DVD collector Oakland, CA USA
Rating:

I brought Microsoft Windows XP Home Ed.SP2, to use on my Mac BookPro as a guest O/S. The software works fine on my Mac BookPro, the only downside was as soon as it was installed I had to update the software with 98 Security updates. For the software to be new right out of the box, it took up a lot of space on my harddrive with the Security updates, and the updates on my Mac BookPro have only been 6, since the day I brought my computer, compare the difference in updates to see which software has a lot of problems.

86.) Poorly designed operating system
Reviewed by: rsg9205 massachusetts
Rating:

The only reason i bought YET ANOTHER (cha ching, thank you BG) copy of this operating system is for my mother in law to use (she refuses to switch) all because I upgraded her 4 yr old computer's motherboard and cpu. Hers had a non-branded OEM version in it. 2 years ago i downloaded and installed Ubuntu and not long after Sam Linux on my system and I haven't looked back.
Windoze is nothing but a money drain. I refuse to even put any M$ web browser or email client on her windoze machine for security reasons. Yea Xp is great if you like your hard drive constantly spinning, requires registry cleaning, antivirus, firewall, anti-spyware software, reformats every couple of years. Yea you can get all free versions, but god help you if you start using more than 1/2 your hard drive space AND GATES gets to tell you what to do with it and use it for. With sam linux I am up to 80% hard drive usage and it is STILL as quick as the day I loaded it (two years). Can you imagine buying a stereo for your car and being told you can't take it out and install it in your new car, that you HAVE to buy another one? Oh yea, that would work.
For everyday web browsing/email and if you HAVE to play games on your computer use Windoze. If your smart use a mac or BSD/Linux for everyday use and get a game console to play games.

87.) WINDOWS COPYRIGHT PROTECTION
Reviewed by: Dennis J. Omeara Alexandria, VA USA
Rating:

Although I try to use Mac applications exclusively, I purchased Windows so that I can run work related Windows only applications in my iMac and MacBook. I use the MacBook for traveling or when I am away from my iMac so there is little opportunity to run the same program simultaneously on both machines. After calling customer service, I was EXTREMELY disappointed to learn that due to copyright protection I was unable to load Windows on both my machines without purchasing a second license at a cost equal to the price of the original software. Obviously, I refused to purchase a second license and will do without.

Here's the flaw in the business model. Had the customer rep said a second license cost $40 I probably still would have been pissed but I would have paid it. Instead, I chose not to buy the second license for $189 so MS didn't get its asking price, they didn't get what I was willing to pay, and they created a very dissatisfied customer who would now never consider buying Windows again. The ultimate Lose-Lose scenario.

88.) Not up to par
Reviewed by: 2 Thes 2:15 Richmond, Missouri
Rating:

Of all the MS Windows(R) versions, this is the one I have liked best. Yet, it still gets only 2 stars? The "bang-for-buck" ratio is too low. MS Windows versions are too expensive for what they provide. It is time to consider the better alternative, Ubuntu 8.04 DVD.

89.) Question
Reviewed by: Hachita Hachita
Rating:

Are these reviews on the product or on the seller. I know what I want, I only want to know if the seller is reputable.

90.) BEWARE! Activation code, know this info first!!!!
Reviewed by: msviswan VI Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Rating:

Consumers need to know this before making a decision to buy!!!!

I bought my copy of XP Home SP2, three weeks later I tried to install it again on my other computer that has a new hardrive. I got the error message saying "Not registered to this computer blah blah". Because I was required to register it first on my original computer it won't work on any other. There is a product activation key that is required to register online in order to use Windows XP SP2 OS after 30days. However, this particular key code sends intentional hardware information about your/this specific computer to Microsoft and will only work on your/this particular computer with the exact hardware specifics you registered with intact. So this means, after you just installed the OS, activated the key then the computer goes wacko your then forced to make significant changes to it, example... new Mother board, Hdrive, Processor etc. you may very well have to go out and purchase another $200 copy of XP!!! You think costumer support will give you support?? Think again, they are very skeptical to even help or cooperate with another product activation key. Most of them don't even speak English good and no matter how calm you are, they deliberately put you on hold just to hang up on you so someone else can deal with your issue. How is this fair to the consumer, I should be able to install this expensive OS on any of my computers as I wish. Why should I have to suffer for their piracy problems? Do your research first please!

91.) Beware of Amazon and the ghost of PBJWORLD
Reviewed by: The Truth Pasadena CA
Rating:

December 13, 2008
By James Smith "The Truth"

Beware my my friends of old (Xp Professional 2002 oem) copies of bogus software being sold on Amazon. By the likes of PBJWorld. Not only that, they let him lie and claim it was unopened. I purchased a copy and found it had a fake key. It was made by a key generator. They want me to return it to the guy who sold it to me. Mircosoft now has the case. Gave them what they needed to go forward. He want me to return it , to make it disappear, I would guess this to be so . By the way he refuses to deal with me. Shame on Amazon too, for letting this guy sell bogus software.
Buy for only those you know. Amazon will not back you UP! I for one will not ever shop on Amazon again. Burned by this. Never NEVER AGAIN . They lost me as a customer. Amazon make false statements that they care . They do not . I have not made false statements'. Pbjworld sold me a copy of Xp Professional that was not what they claimed . It had been opened, used and packaged with a fake key . Beware buyers of this site'. Trust only those you know and no site that gets 5 stars from most buyers . No one that perfect .

Amazon customer service sucks .There is no real support .

92.) Dreadful
Reviewed by: Alyssa A. Lappen Earth
Rating:

In its early years, this operating system was one of the most unsatisfactory I have ever used --- including DOS, Win 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows 98.

Aside from being incompatible with older hardware, XP Home Edition crashed frequently --- especially if you often work with several windows open at once as I do. This was particularly unhelpful. As a writer, I was forced to save documents no less than once for each new sentence, and at touchy moments, literally every few words.

Most important, the program is highly susceptible to viruses and hackers. Preventing these two problems requires expensive add-on software and hardware.

True enough, the built-in firewall OUGHT to work. But in my case, hackers got in anyway -- four times in six months. With this software, I suffered repeated break ins, the last of which cost me some primary data and several of my original poems. Even installing service pack 2 did not help.

After the last go-round, I was forced to hire an expensive data recovery guru --- another story in itself --- but was still unable to recover everything lost.

Throughout this six-month nightmare, I repeatedly reinstalled the XP program, including, more than once, service pack 2. That, however, didn't plug the security leaks. My computer was completely compromised. In the end, I had to junk the machine all together.

In my experience, Mac and Linux operating systems are both far superior.

Now I've got one Windows machine --- a laptop purchased in early 2007 at or around the release of Service Pack 3 --- to run a BioFeedback program whose authors, unfortunately, had not created a Linux version.

Admittedly, Microsoft's final XP service pack seems to have plugged XP's most serious security holes. Still, after my dreadful experience with XP Home Edition, I forever swore off Windows as my primary operating system. Microsoft operating systems remain magnets for viruses and hackers --- to say nothing of endless bugs and technical issues --- and eons of otherwise unnecessary computer security checks and maintenance.

93.) xp
Reviewed by: robert hadlock hermiston,oregon
Rating:

I bought this full version of xp because i had a lot of file damage done to my old xp so i just wanted to install this version over the top of my old version. Well i ran into problems as i read the fine print on the new xp box this operating system would only work on older systems like windows 95 or 98. Well my computer is a windows xp professional and it would not allow me to instal the new full version over my old operating system, it told me so when i tried to install the new system, so i will have to get a new harddrive and and a new op system. But the system i bought was mailed promptly, i would recommend reading the fine print carefully. Sincerely Robert Hadlock

94.) Absolutely Horrific
Reviewed by: Grendel ReykjavÃk, Ãsland
Rating:

Windows XP (both Home and Professional editions) are absolutely horrific. I say this especially with the introduction of Service Pack 2, which makes the software even worse. First and foremost, Windows XP requires that you have a lot of RAM and video memory, simply to display its overly-graphical interface. This shouldn't be a very big deal, considering that most modern computers are equipped with requirements necessary to run it. However, Windows XP is not suitable for older computers, or computers with any less than 256 MB of RAM, and low video memory. (Though it will technically run, it will be very laggy.)

The software, which is full of security holes and risks, will likely require you to reformat every 30 or so days. (Assuming that you do not have the sufficient virus protection available to block the many viruses developed purely to abuse the security holes found exclusively in Windows XP.) However, to counter this, Microsoft has developed Service Pack 2, which is an utter nightmare. Service Pack 2 adds a built-in firewall (improvement) and virus-blocking feature, which runs in the background at all times. Whenever you attempt to download something, or execute certain files, you will always be faced with the firewall asking for confirmation. This can become rather annoying. The worst part about the service pack is that it attempts to prevent piracy by not allowing you to install certain software. i.e., you will not be allowed to install, or run, Alcohol 120%. (Or other versions.) Any attempt to do so will cause your system to crash, leading you to the 'blue screen of death.' (Something that has no business appearing in Windows XP.)

The detault software settings have the Windows Messenger utility enabled, which means that advertisers will constantly spam you with pop-ups which cannot be blocked. (Unless you know how to turn the feature off, or unless you specify for you firewall to block it from being contacted.) Many people have taken advantage of this by developing patches which turn the feature off, but they charge you to use it. In actuality, anybody can turn it off. It's a simple matter of going through your control panel, into your administrative tools, and disabling the feature there. However, nobody is expected to be computer literate enough to do so.

This time around, Microsoft has decided to bundle spyware with Windows. Though you can remove it with any standard spyware scanner, it is still an annoyance.

Microsoft has also decided to add a 'Product Activation' tool, which forces you to go online and validate your product key with Microsoft. There are a limited number of times in which you may do this, meaning that you can only reformat your computer so many times before your key expires. At this time, you have to pay Microsoft $10 for a new product key.

Lastly, Microsoft has done nothing to improve Internet Explorer, or any of its other built-in software. You are stuck with the same, tabless version of IE, which still has all the same security flaws as before -- if not more.

I would much rather stick with Windows 2000, or Windows NT Workstation 4.0, than Windows XP.

95.) Win XP Full Version vs Win XP OEM new pc version
Reviewed by: rioraton
Rating:

The software illustrated shows a full version of Windows XP in a box. The software sent was an oem disk with authenication. An attempt to load resulted in failed files. Reloaded the pc with Vista which loaded without any problems. Returned the software with the help of Amazon.

96.) Invalid Product Key
Reviewed by: Prasanna
Rating:

I bought this item and when I tried to Install it, the Product Key was not valid, so I ended up buying nee Product Key from a different site.

97.) The most expensive JUNK ever
Reviewed by: Richard A. Jenkinson
Rating:

I've used various forms of windows products since windows 3.1. Though I can agree with many of the gripes that people have with the operating system itself, my complain is with is version so people can know what they are getting into:

The install is fairly straightforward and most people that can figure out a basic install shouldn't have much of a problem getting things started, after that it becomes a dedicated nightmare. After the initial install the system failed to recognize ANY of my basic setup componants:
I was doing a basic format and reinstall of a Dell 2.4 gig system with 512mb of RAM running a cable internet line through a router that connected my laptop and an xbox. First off it wouldn't even recognize my monitor (which is extremely dated (pre flatscreen) so I was only able to get a 600 x 800 screen resolution at 16 bit. (Under the old install I had no problems) There was no included basic drivers available on the cd for my monitor to manually install one myself and since the problem of it not recognizing my cable line I couldn't even download it myself which brings up another major set up problems. Basically I recieved a shell of an OS which seems to be lacking all the major things I've had on any other windows CD before. (I've been through plenty of installs in the past)

I can fix all this eventually by manually downloading drivers and such off my laptop, burning them to cd and carrying the disk into the living room to install them but why should I have to? If I hadn't had an alternate source to do this I would have been SCREWED!!

I basically blew the money on this OS install when for another $50 I could have picked up a POS bargain basement computer and saved myself the hassle.

Save yourself and do the same and stay away from this package. There are plenty other alternatives out there!

98.) DO not buy from seller
Reviewed by: A. Sloan
Rating:

I have waited over a month to get my item and it has never arrived to me. I have contacted the seller 4 times and have never received a response. I am waiting ton Amazon to refund my money.

99.) No Response
Reviewed by: Roger E. Neal
Rating:

After purchasing this item I discovered my lost version of XP Professional. I've tried 3 time to find out about the sellers return policy and 3 times NO RESPONSE!

100.) Windows XP Keeps Me in Business
Reviewed by: D. Hofer
Rating:

One of my most popular services as a freelance technician is upgrading Windows XP to Windows 2000! Windows XP customers always have problems of some sort, so the stubborn users of XP always need my help. My network at home is exclusively Win 2000 and Linux. If you like calling in for expensive technical help all the time then get Win XP. Why doesn't Amazon allow you to award 0 stars?

101.) Counterfeit software!!
Reviewed by: loganberry Arizona
Rating:

I was astounded to discover that the Windows OS I ordered turned out to be a counterfeit copy! Beware of ordering from Payless-Storz!

102.) Scam
Reviewed by: Dissapointed
Rating:

The CD is obviously a badly copied and hacked version. Does not install. Monari does not respond to emails and their storefront is down. Cant even return the CD!

103.) Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2
Reviewed by: Paul J. Gioia
Rating:

I was ripped off, the product did not load correctly, after 9 tries and various help desk calls, I gave up!

104.) windows xp
Reviewed by: James Kirkpatrick
Rating:

this product arrived promptly, however had a blemish on the disk that caused only a portion of xp to load. after a series of helpful emails during which the seller tried to help me work around the problem;to no avail, he contacted microsoft on his own, without me asking, and got them to replace the item, which arrived promptly. it was rare for a disk to be defective as microsoft has excellent quality control. unfortunately, this has screwed up my apple so i have a portioned harddrive with a bad section of windows on it. (i have a mac) apple says its a windows problem, microsoft says its on a mac so its a mac problem. nobody knows how to fix it. inspect any software carefully prior to running to avoid a huge hassle.

105.) *Rasberry*
Reviewed by: Kyle E. Kimbrell
Rating:

I only use it because Microsoft's gotta strangle hold on the software market. Even with a 3.2 Ghz cpu, it's still laggy as a turtle....

106.) a necessary evil
Reviewed by: David Owens La Mirada, CA USA
Rating:

I had to buy this to install on my Macbook Pro/boot camp. The Dell I bought was a POS, so this was a big improvement. I really should not write a review, because I dispise Microsoft and all that it represents. After you try an Apple, there is no going back.
One odd thing about XP is that it does not recognize other Microsoft products. For example, when installing Streets and Trips 2007, it would not launch. I was forced to go to Start, run, then D:\setup.exe, something that would NEVER happen on a Mac. I had to do this with other installs, and in fact all programs give the staring code because I guess this is a common problem. Another gripe: when I installed S&T with gps on my aforementioned Dell, the stupid program would not find the gps, even tho THIS WAS A MICROSOFT GPS, ON A MICROSOFT PROGRAM, ON A MICROSOFT COMPUTER. Un-freakilng-believable, and a statement as to the quality and stupidity of all that is Microsoft.
Upon finally installing your product, go to the Microsoft webpage and download various upgrades, such as IE 7, and other stuff.

107.) Death to XP!
Reviewed by: benlch Singapore
Rating:

I put 1 star,& i'm being exceeingly generous!! It should be minus 5 stars!! XP has just got to be worst thing around. Yes! probably worse than ME (as much as ME is VERY crappy already).

Thr reasons for my hatred:
1) Bootup & shutdown is excruciatingly slow despite using a P4, 512 MB Ram & having minimal programs installed.

2)Program application startup is also excruciatingly slow.

3)It uses up sooooo much resources, that my applications all slow down, cos its writing stuff to the HD or vitual memory, or even hangs!!! I'm not even using heavy 3d applications here. just normal 2d Autocad or my 2d engineering programs. They worked very well under Win98 or 2000, but suffered when used with XP even tho the package said its XP compatible.

4) A perfectly good ADSL modem and a drawing plotter became unusable cos it did not satisfy windows logo certification.

5)Even with a newly installed XP computer i get so many "program not responding" errors & getting it to restart is next to impossible!

6)mouse pointer moves by itself while on XP despite being made for XP! Using another windows XP compatible mouse, the wheel cannot be used, neither do the std slide & drag function work.

My working world simply collapsed when they decided to upgrade the computers to XP!! Never have i ever encountered so much inconvenince, computerwise.

Give me win2000 or Win98 anyday! their response is thousands of miles better! & more importantly they do not hog resources. I will be purchasing a new laptop soon. 1st thing to do is to wipe out XP, patition my drives & put in Windows 2000!

108.) NOT AS ADVERTISED
Reviewed by: MILESBUILD BREMERTON, WA
Rating:

THIS PRODUCT WAS TO BE SOLD WITH A NEW COMPUTER, NOT INDIVIDUALLY. IT IS A ONE TIME USE ONLY SO MY RATING IS AS LOW AS IT CAN BE I WOULD NOT BUY FROM THIS VENDOR AGAIN.

109.) Buy a Mac, save your sanity!
Reviewed by: MCOjerry Orlando, FL United States
Rating:

I used to ow a PC...I work with PCs all day at work. I've used every version of this lousy OS that's been released, up to and including, Windoze XP

Now, I come home to my Mac (2nd one I have personally owned) and know what a REAL OS is supposed to be.

Unless you have specific programs that don't have Mac compatible versions, you really have no reason to buy a PC. Seriously. Why anyone would, with all the porly built versions of Windoze, is beyond me.

Anyway, if you REALLY must have Windoze...you can put it on a Mac now. You will have the ability to shut the damn thing off and move on over the wonderfully put together OS X when you don't want to deal with it anymore.

Please people, get a Mac and teach Bill Gates to either make a good product or don't bother.

All I have to say is that with a Mac, you can forget about CTRL ALT DELETE!

110.) hated it!
Reviewed by: Eric Durbin Iowa, USA
Rating:

My computer was so slow and buggy with this software it was pathetic, I recommend Ubuntu 7.04 PC Edition

111.) I love my Mac
Reviewed by: Frank S. Waksmunski Palmerton, PA
Rating:

I own a Mac running OS 10.5.4 and, for the few apps that only run on Windows, I installed Windows XP on my Mac. I didn't choose Vista because of all the problems with it. As for Windows XP itself well, that's why I own a Mac.

112.) It's just windows
Reviewed by: Mac Dude South Carolina
Rating:

Delivery and service from Amazon was fine, as usual.

The product is Winows, so it is buggy, flaky and horrible, as expected. Too bad I had to buy it!

113.) Hi, I'm a Mac
Reviewed by: Mac Philly Phila, PA, USA
Rating:

I do not like windows in anyway. I was forced to by it to run a program on my Mac (which I LOVE) using Parallels. I cringe every time I have to open it.

114.) Poor
Reviewed by: Gwhite Maryland
Rating:

In order for me to install XP home edition I had to have internet access first. Second, I thought I ordered the professional version @ $125.00 but received the Home version. Third I had to pay $129.00 to the geek squad to load the software onto my new computer.

Software obviously are not made for easy loading; in the pass you purchase addition software and it was very easy to load onto your home computer. Had I know this I would have went ahead and purchased the full verion from Best Buy, Circuit City, ie., because I didn't save a penny.

115.) National Disgrace
Reviewed by: Lightning Katy, TX USA
Rating:

It is a national disgrace that Microsoft keeps ripping off the public by selling this garbage software.

Get a Mac.

116.) What a jump back!
Reviewed by: Randall Warnick Sheridan, WY
Rating:

My new XP computer is just filled with garbage directory on top of garbage directory on top of directory. I expect that Vista will further the tradition that Bill Gates began and is extending. It's not that I understand there is a choice? I try to live in the real world that Micro-soft seems to be doing their very best to undermine with a new and worse operating system every couple of years. I suppose Gates is making more and more and more while he rips the world off, more and more and more. It is a disgrace to the USA and the earth. I think we could put Mr. Gates in prison, where he belongs, and reclaim our world. Thankyou.

117.) Worst service ever
Reviewed by: Alfonso Marquez
Rating:

The customer did not provide me with the product. After e-mailing the person no response.

118.) OEM
Reviewed by: Brad U. Koehler Omaha,NE.
Rating:

Do not order thruogh Pyrotech,it is what I feared.Misled to believe it was a Full Version XP with SP2,it is not.Overpriced OEM XP 2002 version......what a rip,I should have known better!And a rude,childish reponse to my complaint,telling me I was wrong and had no idea what I was talking about."Sure,this is the first software I've ever bought"You even have the List price "dramatically slashed"from 199.99 to $114.00.Since when did an OEM XP cost 199.99??Yeah that's right never!

119.) damaged goods
Reviewed by: dissatisfied San Rafael, CA
Rating:

I received this product damaged. It had a huge scratch on the disc and would not download into my computer. I am returning it for a refund.

120.) Windows XP
Reviewed by: annefishes Jacksonville FL
Rating:

This came too late to be of use and so it remains packaged and ready to return...however no response has come from e-mails to request a refund. The seller sent me an e-mail to let me know it was on backorder and asked if I wanted to cancel...I didn't cancel at the time but should have. I have a Macbook Pro and wanted this program to run Sims 2...BUT Boot Camp and VMFusion crashed my computer! After a three day repair I decided i do not want to risk using Windows XP...especially one marked "For new PC's only"

121.) How does the world run on this junk?
Reviewed by: B. Greenstone Austin, TX USA
Rating:

I've been using a Mac for the last 10+ years and I had assumed that Windows had gotten better since Win 94. Boy was I wrong. It amazes me that the entire world runs on this awful excuse for an OS.

122.) Microsoft Windows
Reviewed by: devil60 USA
Rating:

RIP-OFF RIP-OFF RIP-OFF RIP-OFF RIP-OFF RIP-OFF

Microsoft Windows IS A JOKE WE ARE ALL OUT TO STEEL THEM BLAND WE PAY $200 FOR WHAT? TO BE BELITTLE WHEN WE HAVE TO REINSTALL IT I HAVE 5 COMP.AND I HAVE 5 BOXES OF Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2 ONE FOR EACH PC OVER $1000)

Features of Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2

Windows XP Home makes it easy to use your Computer for those Personal projects you enjoy. 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.
Share your home computing resources with simple-to-use Networking tools Service Pack features - 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 Enhancements to the Windows Update service make installing new updates easy Wireless Networking - Multiple wireless connections to choose from

With Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2, you get safer browsing and communication, powerful security tools, and improved experiences. Packed with multimedia features, Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2 aims to unlock the full potential of your personal computer. It also looks great, with rounded window corners, larger and more detailed icons, and a clean-look desktop.

The Security Center lets you check the status of your essential security settings.

The best thing about Windows XP is that, because it belongs to the Windows NT/2000 product family, it's designed from the ground up for reliability, security, and networking. XP Home users will soon see the benefits of this. The dreaded Windows crash-and-reboot cycle really is much less common with XP, and, provided the hardware is up to scratch, XP's performance is better, too. The downside is that using a different code base can make compatibility with old applications less assured. Business applications normally run fine, but older games, MIDI software, and system utilities may well cause problems.

Windows XP is more customizable than previous versions, including its visual themes that let you change the whole appearance of Windows in an instant. Fast User Switching is a neat feature for computers used by more than one person--it lets another user log on without killing the previous user's session, and when you switch back, running applications and open documents are as you left them. This is impressive, but what really counts is that XP understands how to deal with multiple users. Each user has their own special folders, such as My Documents, which cannot be seen by other users. And for those with more than one computer, the network setup wizard simplifies setting up a network.

Windows XP Home has many strong multimedia features. 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. You can also play back DVD-Video (but only if a hardware or software DVD decoder is already installed) and play MP3 audio files and MPEG videos (but sadly not the popular RealMedia formats). Admittedly, Media Player does nothing that you cannot also do with free alternatives, but it is slick and nicely integrated. There is also Windows Movie Maker, a basic tool for capturing and editing videos that's fun to use, although too limited for serious work.

The Information Bar in Windows XP Home 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 Home comes with Internet Explorer 6.0 and MSN Explorer. 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 connections.

Service Pack 2 allows users to instruct Internet Explorer how to handle downloads from a specific publisher

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. For example, you can add and remove shortcuts from the Start menu by right-clicking on 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 walkthroughs. Laptop or other flat-screen users can set Windows to use ClearType for screen fonts, for a more readable display.

There are, of course, some pitfalls. Windows XP Home is demanding on hardware, and it would be a mistake to install it on less than Microsoft's recommended minimum. Business users note: unlike Windows 98 or Me, XP Home Edition cannot join a Windows server domain, so the networking is peer-to-peer only--see Windows XP Professional Edition for this functionality. There is also no multiprocessor support, and a mildly annoying anti-piracy measure requires you to obtain a code from Microsoft for full installation and any future system changes. But don't let that put you off: this is Microsoft's best Windows yet.

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 itâ€™s easier to know whatâ€™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.