[Question] - From Windows 98 to Windows XP

[jumpjack]

After 8 years since I bought my current OS, I decided that it's time to change: Windows XP is now out since several years, it has already two SP, so I think is quite affordable (as a MS product can be affordavle...), and I'm thinking about buying it.

But I'd like to know some more things before doing the Big Step.

What are all those things I hear about the SP2 giving a lot more problem than it should fix? Should I install it or not?

If I buy now a Windows XP CDROM, will it have SP2 preinstalled?

How much am I going to spend for a win98-->winXP upgrade?

Are there any other issues I should be aware of about getting XP, such as the win98 "trick" of win98/win98SE difference?

Is an AMD Athlon 800 MHz 10 GB hard disk enough for XP?

If I decide to install MediaCenter rather than standard XP (as I'd like to use my PC also as a Personal Video Recorder), can I still use the PC as a "normal" PC, with Resource Explorer, Internet Explorer, Control Panel, Start menu? I can't find so many information about MediaCenter!

Thanks in advance.

Title Edited - Please follow new posting rules from now on.

--Zxian

Edited December 18, 2005 by Zxian

[Sonic]

Windows of current stock are SP2 alreaady by microsoft ...

Media Center version offer more features about video & music same as a true dvd's player ... and you can do all same as Windows xp home too !

Windows XP require lot of RAM too ... 512Mb it's a must for me ...

[LLXX]

10Gb of HDD is a bit on the small side... as a normal installation of XP takes ~2.5Gb, leaving little room for anything else.

[boooggy]

10gb is not that small.....if u use nlite....

[TravisO]

What are all those things I hear about the SP2 giving a lot more problem than it should fix? Should I install it or not?

It's pure paranoia and bs, I have deployed SP2 across 300 machines, not a single problem.

If I buy now a Windows XP CDROM, will it have SP2 preinstalled?

Any new CD wll have SP2 integrated, which is what you want.

Are there any other issues I should be aware of about getting XP, such as the win98 "trick" of win98/win98SE difference?

The only diff between XP Home and XP Pro is that XP Pro allows a remote desktop sesson (Remote Desktop is MS's version of VNC aka PC Anywhere)

Is an AMD Athlon 800 MHz 10 GB hard disk enough for XP?

Yes, but you really want 256meg of RAM, most people don't realize, RAM is the bottleneck, not CPU.

If I decide to install MediaCenter rather than standard XP (as I'd like to use my PC also as a Personal Video Recorder), can I still use the PC as a "normal" PC, with Resource Explorer, Internet Explorer, Control Panel, Start menu?

Yes but you don't need media editon, just buy a TV TUner card, and it will include an app to record your TV into MPEG, MPEG2, or AVI. There are no advantages to using Media Edition as a desktop OS.

[-I-]

yes but 800mhz is realy not that much for any HTPC (Home Theater pc),

for example, especialy not with windows XP. for example my HTPC is an AMD Duron 1.1ghz with 384mb SD pc133 ram, (256 + 128), and it can handle just 1 recording stream and 1 playback on a simple MPG2 format.

but am running in on a dedicated linux install,

to use it with xp (google told me about - THIS site wich is an opensource replacement for the MCE-component by MicroSoft (so you could run it from the far more afordable "Home" version of Windows XP), but they already talk about 1.4ghz,

On a system like yours id even recomand not running xp at al (but look for a used win2k licence), or at least, Nlite-ing the hell out of XP.

Goodluck.... though..

[JASpurrier3]

Come on, you guys aren't helping much.

800mhz is fine for Windows XP (I just disabled all the Visual Effects in the System Properties to improve overall performance).

I personally don't like Media Center because it is too many things I don't need. The only HUGE difference I see is that you need a stronger PC so you can use the wireless remote to change songs (more visual changes than weaker computers have trouble handling). Windows Media Center is actually 2 disks. The first disc is Windows XP Pro with SP2 (accepts XP and media center keys) and the second disc has a CAB that includes Media Center files to upgrade Windows XP Pro if you enter in a Media Center key during installation (pretty smart).

Don't worry about SP2 giving you problems. The only real problems occur when installing SP2 separately from Windows XP because previously installed programs mess with the installation. If you get Windows XP with SP2 already integrated, you're fine.

SP2 is great. It includes a popup blocker in internet explorer (the best feature) and a Wireless Networking Wizard that manages your networks. It also adds some other security features like improved automatic updates and a great firewall. Internet explorer also has a 3rd-party Add-ons manager that allows you to monitor all plugins that are installed so you can easily detect and disable spyware.

I prefer Windows XP Pro over Home because it has better security from a Network point of view.

Get the Upgrade Version because it is the exact same thing as the Full Version. The only difference is you will be required to pop in the Windows 98 cd at installation to prove you own Windows Software. Other than that, there is no difference. You can still do a full installation with the Upgrade Version (which I recommend).

I used to run XP on an 866 HP. I only experienced problems, as travisowens said, from the ram bottleneck. Get 256 or 512 and you will be fine. Processor is no big deal.

Just remember that Windows XP registers your CD Key with your individual PC and sends it to Microsoft so it is a pain to install XP on more than one system. Windows XP Pro Corporate overcomes the need to register with microsoft (I use this method, but it is very expensive).

Good Luck, hope this helps. Windows XP is great by the way.

-JASpurrier3

[Andromeda43]

If you thought those guys weren't much help....You'll just love this.

Your computer was built for 98.....not XP. Don't push it!

800mhz is SLOW.....and you'll need at least 512 megs of RAM to run that system effeciently.

And we're not talking PC-100 here either.

Media Center is a real BEAST (that's the nicest name I could think of this late in the day)

And a ten gig HD is not only too little but way too SLOW too.

If you think you have a need that requires a Windows XP operating system, then it's time for a new computer.

Even in a lowly little eMachine, you'll get a 3000 mhz processor or better, 512 meg of DDR ram, , a large and fast HD and of course a DVD burner. And, you won't have to worry about service packs or any of that kind of stuff.

Unless you're a total techie, don't even think about putting XP on that old (and tired) pc.

Good Luck and Merry Christmas,

Andromeda43

[anoxan]

my advice: find yourself a copy of 2k..the only thing that xp has over 2k from a normal user's pov is the eye candy, and at 800mhz you won't be seeing any eye candy on your box

also, 10gb is plenty if you get 2k

edit: y'know, I just went through newegg, and I was able to put together a nice little system for ~$250. provided you keep your monitor, keyboard/mouse, gfx card, and hdd...maybe not the hdd lol

and an xp home upgrade is $100

so total for a new(er), better, faster, budget pc: ~$350

hope I helped..too bad you don't live near me, I'd give you my copy of 2k

Edited December 19, 2005 by anoxan

[jumpjack]

If you thought those guys weren't much help....You'll just love this.

Your computer was built for 98.....not XP. Don't push it!

800mhz is SLOW.....and you'll need at least 512 megs of RAM to run that system effeciently.

And we're not talking PC-100 here either.

As per Microsoft site, 233 MHz is required, 300 MHz is recommended!

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upg...ng/sysreqs.mspx

Media Center is a real BEAST (that's the nicest name I could think of this late in the day)

And a ten gig HD is not only too little but way too SLOW too.

If you think you have a need that requires a Windows XP operating system, then it's time for a new computer.

I already have a AMD Athlon 2600 XP.... but it's for day use; I want to "recycle" my (not so much) old PC!

BTW, I forgot mentioning the 80 GB HD I added to the 800 MHz PC in past years.

It also already have a TV tuner (actually two: internal one and external one...)

I don't remember how much memory it has, though...

Unless you're a total techie, don't even think about putting XP on that old (and tired) pc.

I did many test with that PC: Windows 98, Windows NT, Linux, home-network, additional HD, DVD PLayer, DVD Writer... It's quite used to experimentations! ;-)

Nlite-ing the hell out of XP.

It's second time I read this "nlite" thing talking about XP; what does it mean???

Edited December 21, 2005 by jumpjack

[alsiladka]

It's second time I read this "nlite" thing talking about XP; what does it mean???

Man what were you doint uptil now on the forum

This is what is nlite

Have you ever wanted to remove some Windows components like Media Player, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, MSN Explorer, Messenger...

How about not even to install them with Windows ?

nLite is a tool for permanent Windows component removal and pre-installation Windows setup. After removal there is an option to make bootable image ready for burning on cd or testing in virtual machines. With nLite you will be able to have Windows installation which on install doesn't include, or even contain on cd, unwanted components.

nLite Features

- Service Pack Integration- Component Removal- Unattended Setup- Driver Integration *- Hotfixes Integration **- Tweaks- Patches ***- Bootable ISO creation

* - Textmode (CD Boot) and normal PnP** - only new type 1 hotfixes (for example XP post SP2)***- supports generic SFC, Uxtheme, TcpIp and Usb Polling patching.

So far it supports Windows 2000, XP x86/x64 and 2003 x86/x64 all languages. Windows Vista will be supported as well.

Go check it out at Nlite

Here is our forum on nlite Forum

[suryad]

I think you will be fine with 800 Mhz. I would recommend you get a copy of XP...Home should be fine. Get nLite tweak the heck out of nLite if you are having trouble as people for help or their session file. And then go to www.theeldergeek.com and www.blackviper.com and www.tweaktown.com and www.tweakguides.com and tweak out your machine. Also upgrade your RAM and if possible your hard drive. You will be fine. Just remember to update Windows regularly....that is my biggest pet peeve...mainly people on this planet with legit copies of XP never update...stupid.

[Zxian]

Your computer was built for 98.....not XP. Don't push it!

800mhz is SLOW.....and you'll need at least 512 megs of RAM to run that system effeciently.

And we're not talking PC-100 here either.

Think back to the year 2001 when XP was first released. What were the average computer specs back then? XP will run just fine on that computer with 256MB of RAM. For everyday, nothing heavy, use (i.e. e-mail, internet, word processing), it's fine. My parents are running XP on older computers (1. PIII-m 750MHz, 128MB PC100 - 2. Athlon 1GHz, 512MB PC133) and I've heard absolutely no complaints from them yet.

Yes, 800MHz is slower than 3GHz. That's true, and will never change. It does not mean that you can't run XP on that computer. Man... people's standards are so high today...

my advice: find yourself a copy of 2k..the only thing that xp has over 2k from a normal user's pov is the eye candy, and at 800mhz you won't be seeing any eye candy on your box

also, 10gb is plenty if you get 2k

10GB is also plenty for XP. A default XP install takes up about 1.5-2GB of space. I've got my XP on a 10GB partition, and with all the large programs I use (including Matlab 7 - 2.3GB install), I've got 2.5GB free.

It's second time I read this "nlite" thing talking about XP; what does it mean???

Man what were you doint uptil now on the forum

Go check it out at Nlite

Here is our forum on nlite Forum

I'm going to say this once and hopefully for the last time... nLite is not for everyone! Yes, it's a good program that does exactly what nuhi set out to do when he started. But what happens when an unknowing user runs nLite and then realizes that they removed a component that they need? They've got to re-install Windows altogether! Now they've got to go through the whole nLiting and reinstallation process.

@jumpjack - If you're not willing to spend the time to reinstall everything if something goes wrong, do not use nLite. It's NOT for beginners or people who don't understand what they're fully doing. I'm not trying to sound mean here, but it's a double-edged sword that shouldn't be played with lightly.

[alsiladka]

It's NOT for beginners or people who don't understand what they're fully doing.

i thougth we all were beginners first and no one knew what it is about and hot to make it work.

Or after reaching this advancement , we want to keep it to our group ?

[Zxian]

It's NOT for beginners or people who don't understand what they're fully doing.

i thougth we all were beginners first and no one knew what it is about and hot to make it work.

Or after reaching this advancement , we want to keep it to our group ?

Yes, we are all beginners at first. But... you first learn how to walk, and then run. Once you've learned how to run, then you can start figuring out how to improve your race times.

Like I said to jumpjack, if you're not willing to spend the time to test nLite (which usually means a few reinstalls of Windows), then it's not for you. Very rarely is a complete newbie able to get an nLited install perfect.