I am purchasing a new PC for my Mom, who's a computer-illiterate senior
living in another state. I'd like to be able to help her with her PC
remotely. A new PC for her will have Vista; I have Windows XP.

It looks like I can use Remote Desktop (with which I am very familiar) only
if I upgrade her PC to Vista Ultimate or Vista Business, but both of those
are much more than she needs. If I stick with Vista Home Basic or Home
Premium, is there some way I can access her Vista Home PC remotely from my XP
system for troubleshooting?

It seems that I see references to tech support folks logging in to Windows
remotely, but if that requires RDP, they wouldn't be able to do it on Vista
Home editions, would they? So, I wondered if there's another way...

Thanks!

heidi wrote:
> I am purchasing a new PC for my Mom, who's a computer-illiterate senior
> living in another state. I'd like to be able to help her with her PC
> remotely. A new PC for her will have Vista; I have Windows XP.
>
> It looks like I can use Remote Desktop (with which I am very familiar) only
> if I upgrade her PC to Vista Ultimate or Vista Business, but both of those
> are much more than she needs. If I stick with Vista Home Basic or Home
> Premium, is there some way I can access her Vista Home PC remotely from my XP
> system for troubleshooting?
>
> It seems that I see references to tech support folks logging in to Windows
> remotely, but if that requires RDP, they wouldn't be able to do it on Vista
> Home editions, would they? So, I wondered if there's another way...
>
> Thanks!

You could use free alternatives to RDP. Such as VNC.

http://www.uvnc.com/

- JB

Heidi,

Have you tried remote assistance to the Vista host from XP machine ?

Satya
http://winprogger.com/blog/

"heidi" <heidi@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:335840B1-AFDF-4F43-B6A2-97557049FE69@microsoft.com...
>I am purchasing a new PC for my Mom, who's a computer-illiterate senior
> living in another state. I'd like to be able to help her with her PC
> remotely. A new PC for her will have Vista; I have Windows XP.
>
> It looks like I can use Remote Desktop (with which I am very familiar)
> only
> if I upgrade her PC to Vista Ultimate or Vista Business, but both of those
> are much more than she needs. If I stick with Vista Home Basic or Home
> Premium, is there some way I can access her Vista Home PC remotely from my
> XP
> system for troubleshooting?
>
> It seems that I see references to tech support folks logging in to Windows
> remotely, but if that requires RDP, they wouldn't be able to do it on
> Vista
> Home editions, would they? So, I wondered if there's another way...
>
> Thanks!

Our computer club uses the free LogMeIn.
https://secure.logmein.com/home.asp?lang=en
"heidi" <heidi@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:335840B1-AFDF-4F43-B6A2-97557049FE69@microsoft.com...
>I am purchasing a new PC for my Mom, who's a computer-illiterate senior
> living in another state. I'd like to be able to help her with her PC
> remotely. A new PC for her will have Vista; I have Windows XP.
>
> It looks like I can use Remote Desktop (with which I am very familiar)
> only
> if I upgrade her PC to Vista Ultimate or Vista Business, but both of those
> are much more than she needs. If I stick with Vista Home Basic or Home
> Premium, is there some way I can access her Vista Home PC remotely from my
> XP
> system for troubleshooting?
>
> It seems that I see references to tech support folks logging in to Windows
> remotely, but if that requires RDP, they wouldn't be able to do it on
> Vista
> Home editions, would they? So, I wondered if there's another way...
>
> Thanks!

I am also trying to help my Mom - I have an XP, she has Vista Home Basic.
Will these work if I am not familiar with Remote Desktop? If I try the free
version of LogMeIn, does she need to get it also?

Thanks, Leslie

"Charles W Davis" wrote:

> Our computer club uses the free LogMeIn.
> https://secure.logmein.com/home.asp?lang=en
> "heidi" <heidi@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:335840B1-AFDF-4F43-B6A2-97557049FE69@microsoft.com...
> >I am purchasing a new PC for my Mom, who's a computer-illiterate senior
> > living in another state. I'd like to be able to help her with her PC
> > remotely. A new PC for her will have Vista; I have Windows XP.
> >
> > It looks like I can use Remote Desktop (with which I am very familiar)
> > only
> > if I upgrade her PC to Vista Ultimate or Vista Business, but both of those
> > are much more than she needs. If I stick with Vista Home Basic or Home
> > Premium, is there some way I can access her Vista Home PC remotely from my
> > XP
> > system for troubleshooting?
> >
> > It seems that I see references to tech support folks logging in to Windows
> > remotely, but if that requires RDP, they wouldn't be able to do it on
> > Vista
> > Home editions, would they? So, I wondered if there's another way...
> >
> > Thanks!
>