i recently upgraded my win xp from home edition to pro edition. i have yet to see a difference, can anyone explain what it is? also, a service called _OSD~1.exe popped up under my user name. what it is it?

OK, here it is: ==================================================== These are the XP-PRO Features not found in XP-Home edition. ===== Remote Desktop – remotely access your Windows XP Professional PC, from another Windows PC, so you can work with all of your data and applications while away from your office. ===== Offline Files and Folders - access to files & folders on a network share when disconnected from the server. ===== Scalable processor support – up to two-way multi-processor support. ===== Encrypting File System - protects sensitive data in files that are stored on disk using the NTFS file system. ===== Access Control – restrict access to selected files, applications, and other resources. ===== Centralized administration - join Windows XP Professional systems to a Windows Server domain to take advantage of the full range of powerful management and security tools. ===== Group Policy - simplifies the administration of groups of users or computers. ===== Software Installation and Maintenance – automatically install, configure, repair, or remove software applications. ===== Roaming User Profiles - access to all your documents and settings no matter where you log on. ===== Remote Installation Service (RIS) – support for remote operating system installations where desktops can be installed across the network. ===== Multi-lingual User Interface (MUI) add-on - change the user interface language to get localized dialog boxes, menus, help files, dictionaries, and proofing tools etc. ===== See all features Home/Pro on this comparison site: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/choosing2.asp Automatically Software Installation is a good feature, chek out the other features. Don't know about the OSD~1.exe Cheers de Peter

Pro JLust HAs a few additional features not found in Windows XP Home Such as Advanced networking for multiple PC environments Internet Information Services(IIS)(a Windows XP Professional feature that lets you host and manage personal Web sites) Support for multiple-processor systems Support for multiple languages(duing One Session) Remote Assistance/Desktop Offline Files and Folders Encrypting File System Access Control Centralized administration Group Policy Software Installation and Maintenance Roaming User Profiles Remote Installation Service (RIS) Multi-lingual User Interface (MUI) add-on And more Secondly, _OSD~1.exe is OnScreen Display, a software utility that comes with some (HP, I believe) monitors by which one adjusts the monitor display.

Not much to add other than OSD usually stands for "On Screen Display" Sandman