Which version of WindowsXP Pro

WinXP Home.

Pro would be for corporations. Save the money and get Home unless you plan on connecting this computer to a Domain. If you don't know what a domain is, go with the Home version.

Skip the 64 bit version.

Be sure to get the OEM version, no difference and if you need to replace parts, you can still activate it if you do a clan install. Also, if you have a home network, Home is easy to use to set it up with a unique Workgroup name if you want.

Riser, what's the difference between a Workgroup and Domain? Thanks

Workgroup:
All computers act independently of each other and are not centrally administered via a server.

Domain:
All computers "connect" to a Server which maintains user accounts, passwords, security, etc. The server can administer all computers attached to it.

Basically, a workgroup is a bunch of computers sitting around. A domain has a bunch of computers all connected to a single Server that manages them, generally handing out DNS, WINS, DHCP, and maintains the security for each computer. In a workgroup, you create a local account on the computer. In a server, you create that account on the server and you can log into any computer attached to the domain. Kerberos security is used to validate a user on the local computer. A user logs into the domain attached computer. That computer forwards that information to the Server using kerberos (Google Kerberos) and grants a ticket (security key basically) to the computer. Every time that computer accesses something local to the computer or on the network, the ticket (security card) is checked to make sure they have access to do such things.

More indepth reading and actually a good read:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/crawford_02january14.mspx

Nice explanation and good refrerrence, thanks. Have been curious for quite a while.

Thank you for all of the info !!!