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I'm considering updating to XP over ME, but before I do. I would like to know what the people who already have XP think about it? Stuff like its advantages, disadvantages, why you hate it, why you like it. That sort of thing, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Um, I hate to say it, but....
I reccomend that you upgrade to XP, only because you are using ME.
ME sucks worse than any other MS OS I have ever seen. I know 4 people that are using it, and everytday they have a new complaint about it for me(and trust me, I never ever reccomended it to them).
If you possibly can, find a copy of Win98 or Win2K pro. or, take a chance and try out linux. I dont know if there are any specific applicationss which are tying you to windows, but with a little bit of effort, most obstacles of those types can be over come.
(having said all that, I know nothing specifically about XP from a personal standpoint. I just know what I have been reading about it for the past several months.) All sources seem to agree, it kicks the ass of ME
IchNiSan
Using Me..
**** its the worst Os i have ever seen...
its f***ing slow.....u can upgrade to XP.This one form microsoft is a cool OS .its built on NT technology.Its also stable and more"secure".SO do an upgrade......
but u should have the drivers for xp(win2k) on ur motherboard.
Here is a list
Bad:
Price(in U.S.):
$99 upgrade home version
$199 full home version
$199 upgrade pro version
$299 full pro version
Compatibilty:
some software wont work
new drivers needed for some hardware devices
conversion of fat32 over to ntfs
limited msdos program compatibility
Support:
no support for java
isa bus devices not supported under pro version
hardware resources needed:
300 mhz Pentium II
128 mb ram
2 gb hard drive space
other:
activation in home version
full raw socket support in home version
Good:
Stability
This seems to be what everyone praises microsoft over, and is the only thing that previous versions of windows didnt offer that the new XP has. If microsoft were to give the upgrade away to current windows 98 and windows Me users as an apology for an unstable OS, then I would go through the rest of the hassle to use XP. Feel free to respond to this at ThePreacher@****microsoft.com.
I don't know about the Pro Version, but you don't have to switch to ntfs in the Home Version. You can choose between Fat32 and ntfs ;)Quote:
Originally posted by The Preacher
conversion of fat32 over to ntfs
I'd suggest win2k over XP, more support & drivers,
it's got comparible stability (but hey, anythings more stable than ME) to XP.
Win2k doesn't have the activation crap and is probably cheaper (or easier to get for free)
But... if you want a real OS, get a *nix distro!
:cool:
PS. Both XP home & pro use activation and both should support FAT32 or NTFS.
XP Pro does NOT use product activation... I have XP Pro and It's the most stable NT based Windows I've ever used. 2K is almost as stable, but I'd still recommend upgrading to XP... It's the best MS operating System based on NT that exists... Windows 98SE is another good option, and has more support & compatibility, but nothing wrong with XP, as long as your computer's up to it.
However, unless there is something specifically tying you to a Windows platform, I suggest trying Linux.
By the way - XP pro does support FAT32 AND NTFS but NTFS makes it more stable & secure (cos XP is based on NT anyway)
XP Pro does have product activation!Quote:
Originally posted by Rewandythal
XP Pro does NOT use product activation... I have XP Pro and It's the most stable NT based Windows I've ever used. 2K is almost as stable, but I'd still recommend upgrading to XP... It's the best MS operating System based on NT that exists... Windows 98SE is another good option, and has more support & compatibility, but nothing wrong with XP, as long as your computer's up to it.
However, unless there is something specifically tying you to a Windows platform, I suggest trying Linux.
By the way - XP pro does support FAT32 AND NTFS but NTFS makes it more stable & secure (cos XP is based on NT anyway)
if yours doesn't it's because of..
1. you have an OEM cut
2. you have a bootlegged copy
3. your machine was activated before you got it
4. you've bypassed the activation
Business's are staying with Win2k for the time being, you'll get more out of learning win2k before XP (any fool can run XP), win2k is more serious & business orientated.
I agree with Rewandythal. Linux (in my opinion) is much better than windows. To see for yourself go to say .... www.linux-mandrake.com (This is just one of the distros of linux, there is many more however the majority of people I talk to recomend it for first time users of linux) also try looking for SuSE, and RedHat.
I do have an OEM copy [and a bootleg copy] so i am guilty on 2 counts there, my XP Pro therefore doesn't have product activation, but i'm sure everyone else I've asked who has XP pro didn't have to activate either... even after it'd been running for over a month.
For reference, If we've tempted you to try Linux:
Mandrake: www.linux-mandrake.com
RedHat: www.redhat.com
SuSE: www.suse.com
Debian: www.debian.com
There's loads more out there, including several distros that are targetted for specific functions: firewall, router etc. and distros that fit on a single floppy disk so you can take them round with you to repair broken Windows [and Linux, but hey - Linux never breaks!!]
I have XP Pro (no I didn't buy it) and it needed activation.
Well, sorry if others had different experiences with XP, but mine didn't need activation, and has worked without needing reinstalling for almost 3 months now... which is a record for me... I usually **** my computer up every month by trying to get it to do something its incapable of doing (in windows anyway). But XP has allowed me to recover from everything i throw at it!
jcdux....
XP Pro does not have product activation.....
Rewandythal is correct... XP Pro uses the good old serial method for its anti-piracy protection.... when installing XP Pro you are asked to enter a .. *ponders*.. a site license key, or something like that....
I agree with you on the business aspect.. most business's will stay with 2K for a while.. they want functionality, not prettyality.. <yup.. I made up a new word :D >
Preacher... XP offers the best compatibility I've seen so far.. I have run all windows 2000 versions, where they introduced the whole backwards application compatibility in its most useable form.. XP is miles above 2K in its aspect, although it does fail in aspects which 2K does not, as Microsoft is trying to shove 98 out the door after 95....
XP has no default install for Java.. it still supports it, you just have to install it... all my friends program in Java, and they use my boxes.. they have not had one problem with Java running on an XP box to date....
You said
"isa bus devices not supported under pro version"
I haven't seen this, but I have heard it, and I'm quite annoyed about it... so many isa card.. but I can't use them... :mad:
Shmoo... get off of WinME... its baaaaad... either 2K or XP... if your wanting to be able to have people help you easily.. go 2K...
If your prepared to have a bit of strife getting assistance, XP would be the way to go.. it may be NT based, but its got a whole new field of discovery to be dealt with.....
- Matty
XP pro does have product activation!!
see this from micro$hite...
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...activation.asp
J.
:rolleyes:
Yeh?
It mentions retail versions of XP.
I didn't find a single mention of XP PROFESSIONAL
see the attached.
:cool:
J.
ISA Devices - Supported in Home but not in Pro.
NTFS - Is not mandatory to use. Home and Pro give the option of FAT or NTFS format.
Win 2K Drivers - Have worked for evey piece of hardware that XP didn't like.
Stability - I tried to hot-swap RAM and a NIC card thats the only blue screen I've gotten. (note: tried to do this to get it to crash, it worked)
XP does not support a lot of programs though, but thankfully a lot of companies are starting to patch their products. A lot of people don't realise that XP doesn't have to support anything it doesn't want to, it's an OS, it makes your computer run, if you don't like it because it won't support your hadware/software use another. Personally I have had only a one problem with it, my Intel Camera freezes my mouse and the camera capture (go figure a Intel product not liking Windows). As far as networking goes it has support for Unix print services and such. I was setting Pro up as a server and plugged the network cable into a hub and it found all of the other computers that were plugged into the hub as well and assigned them IP's and set them active on the network making my job a whole lot easier. Anyway that's my 2 cents.
Yes, jcdux, what am i supposed to be looking at in that image?
It says "Windows XP Product Activation"... I've read the whole article and it does not mention the Pro version (Pro stands for Professional, in case you didn't know that!) That arcticle refers to the Home edition.
XP pro does not have activation cos its for business use, therefore businesses will not want to activate every single copy they install...
Therefore, home users of XP Pro get away wirhout activating it!
Well thanks to everyone who decided to help me out and thanks to that unamed mother****er who decided to give me a negative AO point.
Their have been two other questions that have been on my mind.
1. WinXP has a firewall? Is it any good?
2. I heard a rumor where you have to pay a fee every year to keep WinXP activated?
~Shmoo
The XP firewall is not very good, in my opinion... Its just a simple filter to stop some stuff MS think you don't want. I still run ZoneAlarm Pro in XP
And, as I have been trying to state for some time now - XP PROFESSIONAL does not require product activation AT ALL.
Hope that cleared things up for ya?
look at this, can't you read?, (the url was a bit obvious as well.)Quote:
Originally posted by Rewandythal
Yes, jcdux, what am i supposed to be looking at in that image?
It says "Windows XP Product Activation"... I've read the whole article and it does not mention the Pro version <snip>
XP pro does not have activation cos its for business use, therefore businesses will not want to activate every single copy they install...
:)
Look for ****s sake thats the XP EVALUATION. A *Full* XP Pro version will not have product activation!
got it, jcdux?
Everyone else, sorry, this argument has gone on long enough... But XP Pro full version does not have product activation!
so wtf did my copy of XP Pro need to be activated??
it's not an evaluation copy.
Are you sure its not an evaluation? Some eval. copies were distributed without being labelled as such... a friend i know got a copy and it turned out to be an eval.
First of, I'd like to say congrats to jcdux for his dedication to this post :D
Rewandythal.. no need to swear....
I do agree that the argument has gone on waaay too long....
in case anyone's interested on how XP's product activation works,
Read this
I beg to differ ...I run a 3com Etherlink III isa card fine on both Pro and Home editions of XP.Quote:
ISA Devices - Supported in Home but not in Pro.
NTFS - Is not mandatory to use. Home and Pro give the option of FAT or NTFS format.
Win 2K Drivers - Have worked for evey piece of hardware that XP didn't like.
Stability - I tried to hot-swap RAM and a NIC card thats the only blue screen I've gotten. (note: tried to do this to get it to crash, it worked)
I thought that the point of XP was a switch from the unstable Fat32 to the more stable ntfs. I was wondering if anyone running XP with fat32 has experienced any problems similar to those of previous windows versions?Quote:
Originally posted by Negative
I don't know about the Pro Version, but you don't have to switch to ntfs in the Home Version. You can choose between Fat32 and ntfs ;)
All this could be ovoided if we all used LINUX, Linux has no product activation malarke, it is free. Linux does not need a top of the range PC to run, it will even run without a hard drive (booting from floppy). And best of all ..... NO BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!!!
:D
I used XP for about a week with FAT32 on one hard drive (it previously had 98 on, and i was transferring data from it to the NTFS drive XP is installed on... and for that week it had no problems!!!
Not exactly a long time, but...
Also, I've run Win2K with FAT32 for months no problem (though I've run it for the best part of a year on NTFS with no problem!)
And I agree with the post about linux... If I didn;'t have to maintain compatibility with my friends who use MS Office, and if I didn't play computer games that need Windows, I'd have moved to Linux completely... alas I need to use Windows, even if it is just to play Unreal Tournament! So i have a few computers, with different OS's on each, that way I get the best of all worlds!