Restrictions On The Number Of Concurrent Users On A Windows XP etc Network

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We think we have run up against a problem with the number of concurrent users that can be accessing a shared data store that is residing on a desktop machine at work.

The machine runs XP home and while being a bit out of our depth we seem to have read that there is a max of 5 concurrent users but 10 with XP pro

Assuming we have got this right - where should we go from here maybe ?

One idea might be to buy a windows 7 desktop does anyone know if that may also have restrictions on the number of concurrent users ?

No doubt there are other ideas - can we still buy XP upgrade discs - think we have a Pro one at work that was on a machine that is no longer being used - could we just shove that in and it then goes and upgrades everything to XP Pro ??

[stugster]

desktop machine at work.

The machine runs XP home


You want to look at moving to Pro :)

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It is just a question of shoving the pro disc in and it will detect that it is an upgrade and away we go or ??

[drounding]

Essentially yes, but backup all your data first.

but.... if it's just a datastore then why not consider a NAS drive?

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It is to do with running onenote - bought a NAS - ah problems does not work with onenote which does some "funny" synching.

I shall see if I can find that old XP pro disc

[stugster]

Can I just ask... at no point have you thought about bringing an IT guy on-site for a few hours to run through everything for you so you don't make these mistakes again and again?

This Windows XP Home scenario is just one of the things a professional would have told you not to do. Surely the costs of having him there are much less than all these mistakes?

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Can I just ask... at no point have you thought about bringing an IT guy on-site for a few hours to run through everything for you so you don't make these mistakes again and again?

This Windows XP Home scenario is just one of the things a professional would have told you not to do. Surely the costs of having him there are much less than all these mistakes?

Actually I have considered it and it may be heading towards that position and have been making notes on it as part of a warm up and thinking long term and even chatted to someone - but my guess is that they would have made the same mistake on the NAS - you cannot check every bit of software for compatibility - but maybe they would have known from previous experience.

We have managed for years just fine and I have only had problems recently - a lot yes - because I have been bringing on board a mix of new technology and some of it I would not have expected to have been doing just 4 weeks ago.

Before we have never had problems and I did get someone in for the first network set up.

So a hard call - with hindsight yes - but now we have got this far then ??

My current thoughts are muddle this one through and then think and plan for the long term.

[stugster]

Hi Page,

I just re-read my post and it seemed to come across a bit hard-nosed about things. I didn't mean it to read that way and I apologise.

I think it's probably worth the investment of a few hundred quid to get someone local to come in and just throw together a report on your IT systems and a plan of action about where you go from here.

There are a lot of changes I would personally make myself to your network from what I've seen from your posts here and in other threads, and these changes can only help to increase your productivity in the office, and should ultimately save you money in the long-term.

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It did come across as hard but also totally fair and sensible and advice I would be giving so worry not - no complaints - better to tell it as you see it - after all that is what I want to hear on the forum. So please continue in that way - its appreciated.

In your case you are also one of the people on the forum whose answers get an extra consideration - based off having read your posts for maybe a year now - so when comment on any post I am interested in - then my brain has an extra tune in.

Why I nearly even gave you a ring yesterday - true.

(Why I am in this position and what is going on with the technology is a bigger story - but essentially taking a punt and throwing money at things to either make it work or give up - so stuck between short term make do with responding to a quite rapidly changing situation and long term investment. If I was on the long term plan then I would have sought advice by now and built up a long term plan including support and invested even more since it would be easier to know it was a worthwhile spend. Instead I am in ad hoc and make do land - which is not really where I like to be or operate in any part of my business. Hopefully the way things will be going in 3 or 4 months time I might have the confidence to have a better spend and get some sensible planning in)