A question about remote desktop on an XP box and connecting from a Mac

[Stinky The Clown]

I have downloaded from Microsoft's site and installed the Remote Desktop client for Mac on my Mac running OS X 10,6 (Leopard, not Snow Leopard). Microsoft supports this and supplies the software.

I cannot get it to connect to the PC. I can see the PC and all of its files in Finder (the Mac more-or-less equivalent of Windows Explorer). I can open, change, and resave any files that are cross platform, so clearly I have a good network connection to the PC to which I wish to connect by Remote Desktop.

Do I need to run a similar program on the PC to make this work? Is there a limitation with XP Home (vs XP Pro)?

By the way, I can connect and control the same PC from my Mac with LogMeIn, but I prefer not to do that.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

1. XP Home doesn't allow remote connections

Here's a hack work-around that allows you to remotely connect to an XP Home machine. (caveat - I haven't tried this so I don't know how well it works - but reading through it, it's something I would try if I needed to remotely connect to an instance of XP Home)

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/06/14/install-and-enable-remote-desktop-in-windows-xp-home-edition/

Once you have the OS converted, you'll need to make sure that Remote connections are allowed. To see if they're turned on, right click My Computer, then select the Remote tab (I *think* it's the Remote tab - I'm running Win 7 now). There should be an option to allow Remote connections in there.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Funny .... I'd found that web site and it scared me!

It seems like one misstep could hose my entire Windows machine.

Is there a way to roll back Windows XP if I *DO* hose it?

[EvolveOrConvolve]

3. I always keep my important files on a USB drive

Then, if I hose my OS install, I can use the recovery disc to fix 'er up like brand new.

Looking at the link, there doesn't seem to be anything all that scary to do. I just hacked one of my Vista machines to allow Remote Connections, and the process was about the same.