Windows XP

[hayes]

Looking into getting a new computer. Most adds I see are including Windows XP Home as the OS.
How stable is this?

I currently run Windows 98, how different is XP? Any problems with the software application that I now
have running on XP?

Larry

 

[Bird]

Larry, I was running 98 (second edition) when I bought this new Dell with ME, then I "upgraded" to XP. Well, I like XP the best myself, but getting that upgrade done was a nightmare. And depending on the software you're currently using; some will be and some may not be compatible with XP.

 

[tc35dforme]

Larry,

I'm running XP on a laptop and it has been quite stable, even running applications like AutoCAD. I find that the built in applications that Microsoft stole...er...I mean developed are pretty convienient. For example, writing to a CD is a cake walk in XP with its built-in application.

If you looking at a new machine from one of the big vendors ( Dell, Compaq, Gateway, etc ) your only option wil be XP.

 

[rmorgan]

Two XP machines, one native and one upgrade, both fine. The OS has some decent extras in it, notably photo handling and using NT at work now, I kind of hate to admit it, seems a little clunky. Very few crashes and faster start times when it does.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

If I had a choice, I would not get XP until they get some more bugs worked out of it. I have 4 computers in the house on a network, 2 win 98se, 1 win ME amd 1 win XP. The XP is the newest one with the fastest processor by far but it does not seen faster than the ME machine, almost seems slower. Lots of our programs either don't work or work poorly on XP. XP frequently has errors that it asks to mail microsoft to report. Even an HP printer has trouble (yes I have the latest driver). This printer has been installed on both a win 98 and a win ME machine and been rock solid for years. Put it on the XP and more lock ups and strange things happening in a few months than in years of use on the other machines. I have even been thinking of removing XP and installing ME on that machine. XP does have a nice interface and nice features.

Andy

 

[Bird]

Andy, Hewlett-Packard's web site says they're still working on software to make their printers work right with XP.

 

[Bird]

Andy, Hewlett-Packard's web site says they're still working on software to make their printers work right with XP. Mine (OfficeJet G55) has been working right until recently and now the "copy" function doesn't work and I don't why; don't know whether it has anything to do with XP or not.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Bird, I also have an OfficeJet G55, but it is on the win ME machine. It works great, no problems at all, I have had it for more than a year and a half. The good thing is with the home network any of the PC's can print on any of the printers.

Andy

 

[Bird]

Andy, mine has worked fine, too, with both ME and XP until this week, and now it won't copy black and white, and will only sometimes copy in color. Not quite as good a copy, but I can scan something into the computer, and then print it. In other words, a less than satisfactory work around that I use right now.

 

[Alan L.]

As long as no network is involved, XP is fine. Make sure your favorite application will run on it - most will. If the new machine will be part of a network I would go to Windows 2000. XP is VERY slow as a client on a network. I had to convert 7 new machines to W2K after farting with ZP on the network for 2 months. It's slow, and there's not a thing you can do about it.

If you want W2K or even Windows 98 you can still buy Dell's with that on them - the Optiplex series.

XP is cool as a standalone machine, but really sucks on a network.

 

[nicklan]

Alan,
What kind of network are you refering to?
Nick

 

[Alan L.]

<font color=blue>What kind of network are you refering to?<font color=black>

Our network is a Windows 2000 Server network with one fileserver which is the domain controller. Only 10 or so client computers. There is another W2K server machine in the domain which only acts as a mail/fax server. Both of these servers are Pentium 3 - 600 to 800 mhz machines (Dell Poweredge 2400).

I hired 2 different consultants that could only throw up their hands. One of them later advised me that he has gone back to previous installations of his and found that, indeed, the XP clients are slow, but there had not been anything to compare them to and so his client had not complained. Whereas, I was replacing 4 year old P2-333s with Windows 98 and the old ones were MUCH faster on the network than the new P4-1.8s were. With W2K professional, the new ones are very fast.

Two examples. Loading our tax preparation software - about 200MB from a CD - the update would take about 15 minutes on the old Win 98 machines. On the new XP machine I terminated the install at 45 minutes twice. Don't know when it would have finished.

Copying files from server to client. The old 98 machines took about 25% as much time as the XP machines.

 

[pdxman]

My XP works fine. You might want to check this link though if you like to fix things that aren't broke.


http://www.kgw.com/tech/stories/kgw_0429_tech_software_upgrades.3979efd7.html

 

[wasabi]

I've got Dell workstations networked at my office and at home....XP upgraded OS on two out of five stations.

No major problems, but I did have a nightmare e-mail disfunction on MY machine at the office that lasted six months. Tracked it to to Office XP upgrade that left tendrils of problemsome code....finally slayed that dragon!!

As for the XP OS, I think it is fine. More stable than others IMHO.

 

[PBMAX]

I run xp pro on mine and me on the wifes. Mine is a custom built, 1.4Pntium, by me.My wifes an hp vectra 400mghz. Net worked together.I print,using her (USB)hp992? office jet. I have no problems with printing.I can even use her (USB)cannon scanner...
I know several people with xp and have had problems with it. Odlly enough it seem most of them had to do with XP on facotry machines. HP,Dell, and so forth.
Same with Me and 98. It seems many of these companies like to tweek the op sys to add subtract features. This can cause issues down the road. Like a partner just buzzed me this morning about his. It is a fire-wall software issue. He installed ZoneAlarm and didn't bather to ask around. It dosn't like xp.He so he did the obvious and uninstalled it...

Now it will only boot to safe mode??? Go figure....
I'm a bit of a gamer so I often load and unload software...I've had no problems...In the 6mnths or so since upgrading to xp over ME.

I've only run into one game that wouldn't run and found it to be a bad copy from the factory.
I will say this if you plan to go to xp. Get on the web and get the latest drivers before you up grade.Saved me a big headache...

BTW xp is supposed to be based on the same platform as NT(W2K).