It’s amazing being able to shutdown mis-behaving apps without them taking the system down. Look is slicker too, although I changed the default blue color scheme to the silver option (much better looking). A number of older 16 bit apps will not install (XP stops the install) but if that’s the price for this stability I’ll gladly pay it.
Integrated OS and utility features are much more intelligently implemented than in 98 and ME. This is the nicest OS I’ve ever used.
If you’ve got the hardware legs (real world = at least 500 mhz+ CPU and 256 megs minimum RAM + 20 gig minimum hard disk) go for it. Clean installs suggested if possible.
As much as it pains me to be upgrading to this dog (Anything MS makes is a dog in my opinion until a time that I have to use it… then I like it), I’ll be doing so soon.
A couple questions-
Any problems with the registration stuff?
How about passport?
And finally, any chance you’ll be dual-booting this thing with another OS?
*I’m hessitant to ask that final question in your thread since I’ve asked it in a thread of my own, but hey, why not, it fits in nicely, right?
Yes as a matter of fact. XP Pro is very intuitive when it comes to making network connections and offers a ton of options for interfacing to just about any network. One caution is that if you are attaching to an NT domain and were previously using 98 or ME you will need to have one of the MIS types tell the network to re-recognize you as NT sees an XP machine as another NT machine and not a previously recognized Win machine. Also, you can’t screw around with passwords. If you set and then forget your password you cannot logon. (there is probably a work around somewhere).
MIS (the bastards) won’t give me admin access to do it myself so the MIS tech is making a 300 mile round trip to get me fully logged on Monday. I have already implemented XP “remember auto-logon” options to effectively log myself on, but being officially recognized by the network will make things simpler.
Re registration - no it was pretty painless and based on a few knowledgeable articles on this subject to date my take is that any MS based system of counting or tracking system re-configs will have a lot more flexibility (ie laxness) built in than users have been led to believe to keep the geeks and power users from going ballistic. I think one mentioned that you can have up to 4 completely different systems during the course of a year with the same registered package and that hardware swapouts will not trigger a registered allowable change as often as expected. This is rumor and YMMV.
Passport prompting went away after about the 5th denial. I think you can also turn it off.
The MS messenger autoloading can also be turned off (which I did)
No dual-booting. I’m only a minor league geek and based on the stability and smoothness I’ve seen with XP to date I want to walk away from old 16 bit win code as far and fast as possible.
100. for a modem where are you shopping?! They are normally either free with promo rebates or 20 - $ 60 or so unless you talking higher end external units with controllers onboard.
I got an external U.S. Robotics with all the bells and whistles. Yes I knew I paid too much when I got it (Best Buy), but I wanted something that appeared to be perfectly compatible, as I hadn’t got to my email in 24 hours and couldn’t afford to mess around a minute longer than necessary.
My early feeling is that the interface is easier to use, including the tools, than 98 SE, and I suspect once I get through the learning curve it will be better.
Per your linked article it seems I can run XP Pro (not home) on a dual CPU system! Man this OS just gets better and better! Thanks for the heads up Chas.E!
astro, if my quick read of the infoworld specs are correct, they turned off most of the eye candy and gadgetry and still couldn’t get within 11%. But the multiple processors stuff is interesting. It seems all the modern OSes are driving towards multiprocessor optimization. I’ve seen preliminary specs for multicore processors with 4 or 16 CPUs on a single chip, with hypertransport bus designs. But I’m not sure the any of the OS builders are quite aware of the implications of multicore processors for today’s computers.
Upgraded to XP last night… so far I like. It actually seems to be running better than 98SE was. Programs that caused my computer to slow to a crawl when loading now pop up, no stress. Brief moment of panic when it appeared that my email had been lost in the transfer, but it turned out to be sitting there waiting to be imported (phew!). At this point, I’m really happy with it. Of course, I’m not quite 24 hours in
I currently have a peer-to-peer network with Win98 and NT4.0. These two “kind of” like each other when I use NetBEUI, but I haven’t been able to do IP, which I would need for Internet Connection Sharing.
So I’ve been thinking about upgrading the NT4.0 machine to XP. A few questions:
I know the “proper” path from NT4.0 would be to XP Pro, but I’m using it as a home machine and don’t need the security features. Can I go to XP Home?
BTW, the machine has two CPUs. Can I still go to XP Home?
Does XP Pro run games, CD recording software, etc. as well as Home does?
Anyone have experience peer-to-peer with XP and other Windows? How about ICS?
Thanks to everyone who posted so far. It’s been really helpful.
