Which XP version should i buy?

[Tha General]

Using win98se and i was going to do some testing and maybe upgrade for good from win98SE to xp, but which xp version should i buy?

Thanks

 

[LinkedKube]

If you plan on using less than 3 gigs of ram use xp 32 bit, and if more than 3 get 64 bit. Professional version is the best of the xp copy to get unless you're putting together a media center.

 

[designer4u]

i agree 100% with supersmashbrada, you must but WindowsXP Professional version

 

[Tha General]

I bought Windows XP Home Edition w/SP2.
Works perfectly from upgrading from win98se.

 

[Bobbye]

Then you have found the answer yourself. Is that correct? Unless you already added RAM, I suspect you may be low on that. Window XP should have at least 512MB RAM to perform best.

 

[Tha General]

I had 512megs of ram in my computer for about a year now, i have everything i needed it to run it and more. People was saying XP was a system hog, but its far from it. Everything is working perfectly and i can play games which i never could play on win98se. Its just amazing!

peace

 

[LookinAround]

You should look at the cost of going 512MB -> 1GB. Typically, it's not that much. (i just upgraded a friend's computer from 512MB to 1gig and it cost a grand total of $36 including tax and shipping from www.crucial.com)

You'll get a very noticeable performance improvement upgrading to that first gig and if you price it, you'll probably find it's most worth it. (You can go to crucial's web site and let them scan your computer. They;ll tell you your current memory config and cost of upgrade options)

 

[Bobbye]

"People was saying XP was a system hog," In all my years with Windows XP, I have never heard it called a system hog! The two things that may lead people to problems is having too many processes on Startup and having unneeded Services set to Automatic, thus starting at boot.

Once these are handled, Windows XP is a very nice operating system!

 

[Tha General]

Wait a min, now that i have upgraded from win9x to xp home edition, i can add more ram if i wanted too right, how much ram can i have?

Btw, the site crucial is ok i guess, but i don't know my motherboard model. Is there a easier way to check how much ram i can get?

I have 2 slots in my computer, i guess i can just buy 2 sticks of 512MB and it should be ok right?

 

[LookinAround]

Crucial.com home page will show you an option (you click to agree) to allow it to scan your computer to find out the type of memory you need. Go ahead. is ok to do.

 

[pdyckman@comcas]

I run 2 versions of XP. I have a copy of XP Home and a copy XP Pro x 64. Also a copy of Vista Home premium. You can download an "evaluation copy" of Windows XP Pro x64. (64 bit). It's supposed to be an 120 day evaluation. Anyway, that's available. I've had mine for about 150 days. ??? Everyone says to me "get XP Pro" but I've had no problem with XP Home. Good Luck

 

[Tha General]

I did the scan, it says one stick has 256 and the other one has 255 , for a total of 511, but that isn't true haha. I have 512megs, because in the system data it says 512. Even tho in dxdiag, it says 510, shared ram.

Anyway, i can only use certain memory, 133 or 100 speed. So i have to buy a stick that reads 512 133 or 100. I know where to get them, but it will cost me a bit more , because 133 or 100 old stuff = always cost more. So i will upgrade to 1GB when i get the chance.

Thanks!

 

[Bobbye]

"i guess i can just buy 2 sticks of 512MB and it should be ok right?"

Not necessarily. There are different types of RAM. You need to find out which is the right type for you. Do the Crucial scan.

Different RAM Types and its uses:
http://www.computermemoryupgrade.net/types-of-computer-memory-common-uses.html

 

[Tha General]

I am only able to use SDRAM 100/133 Speed, gateway told me a long time ago. I found these here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...147 1052307857 1052407863&bop=And&Order=PRICE

Cheap, because at officedepot, bestbuy, etc, those places i will have to spend way over 100 dollars just to get 2 sticks, but at newegg i should only have to spend 80 or less.

 

[Stacks]

Your system might be maxed at 512mb if you're using SDRAM.

 

[LookinAround]

here's another approach to determine an answer for you

• Download/install System Information Viewer. Start it
• Click Machine then Copy. Then paste it into .txt file
• Click DIMMS then Copy. Then paste it into .txt file
• May as well do System button as well while you're at it
• Post the txt file(s) as attachments

 

[Tha General]

Thanks for the viewer. But also hey stacks, i don't believe using sdram memory has a limit. They sell them in 512mb format, and i read over at newegg, people are using 2 sticks of them to get 1GB, so i think its ok.

 

[tipstir]

You can run XP Pro on a system with 256MB, 384MB, 512MB, 768MB on older PII and PIII systems. I still have one laptop with 256MB and running XP Pro on it. The key is to use 40GB 7200 rpms HDD. You could use larger HDD but you'll need to update the BIOS. The same goes for desktop systems with Win98SE. I would backup your files then start off fresh with a new OS and a formated NTFS HDD. In the past a lot users installed OS ontop of NT, 95, 98SE 2000, ME eek!

PIII can handle 768MB

 

[Tha General]

Using home edition , everything is working fine.
The only thing left which i have to do on this computer is, upgrade to 1GB, buy a new PCI video card ( read the PCI card thread ) and buy another HD( 80 GB ) , that will be it.

Btw, i did do a fresh install , but i didn't backup any files. It only takes about 30mins to download all the files and programs which i lost from win98se.

Peace

 

[Tha General]

"People was saying XP was a system hog," In all my years with Windows XP, I have never heard it called a system hog! The two things that may lead people to problems is having too many processes on Startup and having unneeded Services set to Automatic, thus starting at boot.

Once these are handled, Windows XP is a very nice operating system!

Question, do you know what processes are suppose to be active and what is not?
Or should i just leave it alone and focus more on msconfig start up programs?

 

[LookinAround]

you should be begin by looking at startups.. Use pacman's startup portal as it provides a good tutorial as well as a database about many startup programs that have been reported. It will also give you an inidcation if it is really needed at startup or not.

Also, rather then using msconfig, you'll find it much easier managing your startup's with Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel

 

[Tha General]

Hey thanks for the tutorial, and the link. I will download soon

 

[Bobbye]

The ONLY processes you need on Startup are for the anti-virus program, firewall if using one, touchpad if on laptop and network process if on network. ALL other can be called up as needed. Processes can be identified using tasks list databases such as:
STARTUP APPLICATION DATABASE LIST
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php

IF a necessary process is unchecked and found to be needed, it's only a matter of going back and rechecking it. Unchecking a process in msconfig does not remove the process, just prevents it from starting at boot.

As for the Services, most all are put on Automatic- some can be moved down to Manual to start when needed or Disabled if not needed. Running Services unnecessarily, such as some of the Remote Services, can be a security risk. An excellent reference for help with Services is the Black Viper site:http://www.blackviper.com/

Customizing Services takes some time and patience, being sure to check the Dependency tab of any Service you want to change.

 

[LookinAround]

Bobbye is definitely taking you down the right path but i wouldn't start you with too restrictive a view on which startups are really needed. (e.g. some Logitech wireless devices also require startups or you're dead in the water with no mouse/keyboard on bootup!)

Suggest you start with installing Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel (link provided in prior post) to see your current startups. Then walk through each, one-by-one looking them up in the startup databases to see if it;s required at startup or not (not could be: "not needed at all" or "up to the user as to whether you care about whatever functionality the startup will provide you"). Once you've gotten pretty comfortable at what you're doing and learned how to tune the application startups on your machine....you can graduate to the next level: Download Autoruns to really see all possible startups on your system (it goes beyond the application startups and as such requires a somewhat higher level of caution as you tweak things.)

For services, would also strongly recommend:

• Download and use Serviwin to manage your Services
• Before you tweak anything, save a snap shot of your current Services and their startup settings using Serviwin. Sometime in the future when you're scratching your head about something not working you're gonna want this baseline snapshot. Take periodic other snapshots along the way.
• If i recall, somewhere on BlackViper are directions to setup mulitple hardware profiles. Can be helpful to have one profile where you know all the setttings work. Create a different profile for your tweaking (then easy to restart to the good, known profile if any problem)

 

[Bobbye]

About a wireless mouse and keyboard needing to be on Startup- don't know if the brand makes any difference, but I have Microsoft wireless mouse and keyboard and there is no process needed on Startup.