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Windows server 2012 essentials and support for Windows XP

Answered Windows server 2012 essentials and support for Windows XP

  • Wednesday, February 13, 2013 1:32 AM
     
     
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    Hi there

    I have a question on Windows Server 2012 Essentials that as usual I seem can’t glean from the hype of Microsoft press releaseses

    Windows server 2012 Essentials does support of Windows XP. System requirements state that Windows XP is not supported, or it is not listed as a supported OS. From what I have learnt XP clients can join the domain, so if it is a case of functionally, what is missing for XP?

    Thanks in advance

    MIS5000

     

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  • Wednesday, February 13, 2013 2:37 AM
     
     
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    You can't install the Connector software so none of that functionality is available.

    Phil P.S. If you find my comment helpful or if it answers your question, please mark it as such.

     
  • Wednesday, February 13, 2013 1:39 PM
     
     
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    What this means is that while you can join Windows XP computers to the domain you can't:

    • Use the Connect script, and thus retain an existing user profile if you're going from a WorkGroup to a Domain - your domain users will get new profiles on the XP PCs and you'll need to manually migrate desktop, documents etc.
    • Manage the computers from the Windows 2012 Dashboard. You can still manage them through Active Directory.
    • Take backups of the XP computers from the server.

    You'll also want to install the Group Policy Client Side Extenstions on the XP computer to get group policy to work correctly.

    I've got an environment running with 2012 essentials and a mix of XP, Vista, 7 and 8 PCs and it all works fine once you're used to not seeing the computers listed in the Dashboard.

     
  • Wednesday, February 13, 2013 2:18 PM
     
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    Missing for XP (Pro)...
     
    Folder redirection and other Group Policies will not be applied to XP machines
    XP computers will not show in Dashboard
    XP computers will not back up automatically to the Client Backup Folders on the server 
    No Access Anywhere (remotely controlling) XP machines in the domain
    <Other stuff>
     
    So, as Phil said, without the Connector, you lose a lot of functionality.  There may be ways around some of these deficiencies, but they would have to be done manually for the XP machines.
     

    --
    Merv  Porter   [SBS-MVP]
    ============================
    • Marked As Answer by MIS5000 Friday, February 15, 2013 9:37 AM
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  • Friday, February 15, 2013 9:36 AM
     
     
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    Many thanks all!

    MIS5000

     
  • Thursday, February 21, 2013 9:54 AM
     
     
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    This is is helpful; however I can't seem to join the domain manually due to ..."error joining joining domain, account disabled". Any ideas?