Upgrading to Windows XP
Windows XP is great on a new
computer. Upgrading
from Windows 98 is more questionable.
The
older your computer and software
the more
problems you're likely to have
with an upgrade.
The pre-install checker that
comes with Windows
XP may lead you astray too. If
I were buying
a new computer, I'd definitely
want XP on
it. But if I had a PC built earlier
than
January 2000 I'd think three
times about
it. There are just too many problems
that
you need to solve to be successful,
especially
if your current Windows version
was an upgrade
from a previous version. It would
be better
to put your money in a new computer.
At one of our meetings, Gail King related
the adventure he had upgrading his laptop
to Windows XP. He had a big advantage, because
he had a full set of instructions and a CD
from HP with all the replacement drivers
he'd need for his specific computer on it.
His computer was built in 2001.
Here's the upgrade sequence: First, uninstall
a bunch of software and drivers for internal
hardware, like modems and sound cards --
then do the Windows upgrade -- then reinstall
all the software and drivers with the new
ones on the HP CD. Gail says that without
the HP care package it would have been a
daunting task to find and download all the
new drivers, know exactly what to do, and
get it all to work. He warns neophyte computer
users against trying Windows XP upgrades
on their own.
Microsoft outlines the four steps
to upgrade
to at their Windows XP site. Will your favorite software run on
Windows XP? The (long) list at http://www.xpsc.net/ will give you some answers. If you upgrade,
you'll need at least 256 MBytes of RAM, and
probably a bigger hard drive. [more]
If you are unsure about tackling a Windows
XP upgrade yourself, you might want to get
some expert help. You can find some suggestions
on our "Local Help" page.
Windows XP for your home-built computer
Not many of you will want to build your own
computer. You certainly wouldn't do it to
save money. But that's not saying cost would
be no object. Windows will be a big part
of the cost. Microsoft wants $199 for the
"full" version of Windows XP Home.
However, the "OEM" version can
save you over $100. OEM stands for "original
equipment manufacturer", which includes
local computer shops as well as Dell, HP,
Gateway, eMachines and the rest. Of course,
big manufacturers can negotiate a sweeter
deal than a local shop can. Don't confuse the OEM version with the upgrade
version, which also saves on the order of
$100, but only works if you already have
Windows 98 or Me installed.
Individuals can qualify as "OEMs"
too
Microsoft requires you to purchase "a
non-peripheral hardware component",
at the same time you buy Windows, to qualify
as an OEM. That could be a hard drive, motherboard,
CPU, memory, etc., but not a monitor, printer
or scanner, etc. If you're building a computer,
you'll no doubt need some of the qualifying
items. You can buy your copy of OEM Windows
at the same time as you buy one of them. I've only found the OEM version of Windows
online, but I haven't looked very hard offline.
Naturally, there's a hitch or two. The OEM
version will come in a brown box, not a green
box. You'll get a useless booklet, not a
book. You'll get no free support from Microsoft
either. I've never needed telephone support
from Microsoft anyway. You are limited to
a "clean" install (start the install
from scratch) The "quick install"
option is not included in the OEM version.
As a result, you can't keep your old settings
if you ever want to reinstall. That could
be frustrating for some people. However,
"clean" install is almost always
the best way to reinstall anyway. If you
keep a record of your important settings,
it isn't hard to get back where you were.
You could keep a backup of your settings
as a precaution -- but that's whole nother
story. Be very careful that you don't throw away
the Product Key if you buy the OEM version.
It's attached to the plastic wrapper and
may not look important.
Drivers for Windows XP
If you upgrade from Windows 9x to Windows
XP, you'll need updated drivers for your
hardware to get everything up and running
again. They're usually available for downloading
at the hardware manufacturers Web site. You
also may be able go get drivers at http://www.driverguide.com/ [find more at http://windows.about.com/cs/drivers/].(These are also good sources of drivers
for Windows 9x versions.) Run the Update
Advisor on your Windows XP upgrade CD (or
borrow one) to find out which drivers will
need updates.
To update drivers you'll need
to find out
what hardware you actually have.
Go to the
"My Computer" icon
on your Desktop.
Right Click > choose Properties
> click
on the Device Manager tab, and
then examine
the properties of the devices
that will need
updates. You can find some more
information
by going to Start > Run >
Type in msinfo32
> Click OK and you'll get
the System Information
utility. These will be disk controllers,
modems, video cards, etc. The
properties
will include the manufacturer,
hardware version
and the name of the hardware,
e.g., Rockwell
HFC 56K Speakerphone PCI Modem.
That's what
you need when you go to look
for updated
drivers.
Windows XP reviews, etc.
http://www.cnet.com/software/0-806340-1205-6534881.html
http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-10-29.htm
http://cgi.zdnet.com/slink?/adeskb/adwtext1025/2820081:3427201
http://eletters1.ziffdavis.com/cgi-bin10/flo?y=eL3m0DMqDz0EvR0OuJ0Ao
http://eletters1.ziffdavis.com/cgi-bin10/flo?y=eLuX0DMqDz0EvR0MdZ0AW
When things go horribly wrong
If you decide to try a Windows
XP upgrade,
you had better have a sure way
to recover
from a failed installation. Something
like
your original restore disks or
a disc image, for example. Otherwise you could end up
with a disabled computer and no way out of
the mess. More:
[ http://www.aarp.org/comptech/features/feature048.html ]
[ http://www.cnet.com/software/0-6688749.html ]
"How to Manually Remove Windows XP and
Restore Windows 95/98"
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q250/4/56.ASP
Windows XP updates
Windows XP has huge security holes. I don't
know if Windows Updates even plugs all the
ones they know about. But you can do something
about it yourself. Thanks to the efforts
of Steve Gibson, it's straightforward and
not too difficult to do. Updates and PatchesRead the articles, download the files, and
follow the instructions. You'll do yourself
and everyone else on the Internet a big favor.
Windows XP resources
Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall.
Windows XP drivers
http://www.cnet.com/software/0-806182-8-8952717-1.html
"Windows XP Superguide" maintained
by CNET.com is an excellent place to start
with any XP question -- all the way from
tips and tricks to curing nightmares:
http://home.cnet.com/software/0-6688749.html?tag=stbc.gp
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