Upgrade to XP pro or 2000?

[maxpower]

My phone and my OS are competing for my oldest "digital" invention.

I am using 98 and it is treating me well. I don't do enough with my pc to 'need' an upgrade. However some apps (mainly google desktop2) which will only work with newer OSs make me want to see how green that other side of the hill is.

I am contemplating either upgrading or going the dual boot route.

What pitfalls should I avoid with whichever route I choose?

What can I expect in terms of typical problems and how long does it take to upgrade.

But before I even ponder the above maybe I should preface it with ...

I have procured some less than retail copies of the said OS's from a friend. What should I take into account?

[MannyIsGod]

Dude, XP is 49320483098430982404280428024xs better than 98. In fact, 98 may be the worst MS OS of all time. ME was bad, but it was basically 98.

If you computer can handle it, XP pro.

[SpursFanDan]

Its all about how much ram you have. If you have atleast 256, go with xp. But get rid of 98 already.

[CosmicCowboy]

XP Pro is awesome. Light years better and more stable than 98. Don't mess with XP Home if they still make it...go straight to the pro version...

[Sonia_TX]

Gotta go with XP Pro... I love it!

[CrazyOne]

Check the version.. make sure it at least has Service Pack 1 on it, or they won't let you get the fixes and upgrades. They are making it harder to use the "less than retail" versions, but there is usually a way around it.

[maxpower]

Check the version.. make sure it at least has Service Pack 1 on it, or they won't let you get the fixes and upgrades. They are making it harder to use the "less than retail" versions, but there is usually a way around it.
That was one of my questions.
By way around, you mean....?

[Horry For 3!]

XP Pro is awesome. Light years better and more stable than 98. Don't mess with XP Home if they still make it...go straight to the pro version...
I have XP Home and I have no problems but I wanted XP Professional. :depressed Oh well, not my pc. I'll be getting a lap top soon.

[CrazyOne]

That was one of my questions.
By way around, you mean....?

There are plenty of folks who can hook you up with newer copies, if needed

hinthintnudgenudgewinkwinkknowwhatImean?

[ChumpDumper]

XP Pro is really only necessary if you do alot of networking.

2000 is much more stable than 98 or ME, but finicky about drivers and harder to fix if something does go wrong.

256MB is the bare minimum for running XP. Hopefully you have twice that and at least a 1Ghz processor. If not, just get a new computer - everything about it will be better.

You can try out the bootlegs temporarily but you won't be able to update them without some amount of hackage. Really, setting up a dual boot seems an unnecessary pain -- you are going to like XP so much better you won't use 98 anymore.

[SpursFanDan]

That was one of my questions.
By way around, you mean....?


You could get around using a old version of xp, by editing the registy, but I do no recommend that unless you know what you're doing. With the old versions of xp microsoft update will not allow you to download any of the service packs.

[Tres_Till_it_MHz]

If you know someone at UTSA you can get a copy of this OS cheaply for I believe fifteen bucks (yes pirates I know) they also have other software at a cheap clip as well.

[Useruser666]

Go with XP. Home version if you're not a computer nut and want to save a little. Windows ME was the worst by far. It was much worse than 98. You could never get rid of TSRs until you rebooted.

[Tres_Till_it_MHz]

Go with XP. Home version if you're not a computer nut and want to save a little. Windows ME was the worst by far. It was much worse than 98. You could never get rid of TSRs until you rebooted.

Agreed ME was the biggest piece of crap ever. When I worked at Dell this operating system was only shipped out for several weeks becuase it was so bad.

[kolko]

256MB is the bare minimum for running XP.

What should I use with 128 MB? 98 or XP?

[ChumpDumper]

What should I use with 128 MB?Another stick of RAM....

[ZStomp]

What should I use with 128 MB? 98 or XP?


:lol







Oh, you're serious?

[mouse]

Make sure you use an old disk, The new ones have to be regestered within 30 days,



I will stick with my 98 Plus, I love the metallica intro when I boot up.

Besides most of the Viruses are ment for XP, like worm Blaster,

when was the last time your heard of a Virus that targets windows 98 :lmao

[Useruser666]

Agreed ME was the biggest piece of crap ever. When I worked at Dell this operating system was only shipped out for several weeks becuase it was so bad.

Yeah well, I got one of those Dell's here at work! :lol Now it has Xp Pro on it.

[SpursWoman]

I still have ME on my laptop. :fro

[duncan_21]

What should I use with 128 MB? 98 or XP?

I would do nothing. Or if you really want to go modern I would just grab a $300 dell. Once you buy some ram, at least another 128 ~$30 on sale and xp home ~$80 oem you might as well go grab a basic dell for $300.

[baseline bum]

Check the version.. make sure it at least has Service Pack 1 on it, or they won't let you get the fixes and upgrades. They are making it harder to use the "less than retail" versions, but there is usually a way around it.

I would recommend 2000 Pro in a heartbeat... why? Because there's no activation and it's no problem to put Service Pack 4 on an illegal copy.

Windows XP is a huge pain in the ass if your copy is illegal.

Since you say you have a less than legal version of each I'm guessing the product code on your copy of XP Pro is FCKGW-RHQQ2-YXRKT-8TG6W-2B7Q8, since this is the version circulating that doesn't require activation (it's a corporate version leaked from Dell). When you try to download Service Pack 2 it will look at your ID and tell you to screw off since your copy is illegal.

Windows XP without any service packs is a horrible operating system with so many security holes... with SP2 it's not bad though.

Here's how to put SP2 on your Windows XP Pro installation if it's the FCKGW disk.

1. Download the Windows XP keygen (just google it... it shouldn't be hard to find)
2. Run the keygen, select XP Corporate from the drop down menu, tell it to find 1 key in 999 searches ast most (it should find one by about search 40), and then copy the code (you can have the keygen put it in a logfile also).

3. Save the following script as the file ChangeVLKey.vbs... make sure it's not ChangeVLKey.vbs.txt, which it will be if you let Windows hide your file extensions....



'
' WMI Script - ChangeVLKey.vbs
'
' This script changes the product key on the computer
'
'************************************************* **************************

ON ERROR RESUME NEXT

if Wscript.arguments.count<1 then
Wscript.echo "Script can't run without VolumeProductKey argument"
Wscript.echo "Correct usage: Cscript ChangeVLKey.vbs ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO-PRSTU-WYQZX"
Wscript.quit
end if

Dim VOL_PROD_KEY
VOL_PROD_KEY = Wscript.arguments.Item(0)
VOL_PROD_KEY = Replace(VOL_PROD_KEY,"-","") 'remove hyphens if any
Dim WshShell
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.RegDelete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WPAEvents\OOBETimer" 'delete OOBETimer registry value
for each Obj in GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}").InstancesOf ("win32_WindowsProductActivation")

result = Obj.SetProductKey (VOL_PROD_KEY)

if err <> 0 then
WScript.Echo Err.Description, "0x" & Hex(Err.Number)
Err.Clear
end if

Next



4. Say you saved ChangeVLKey.vbs in C:
go start->run and type C:\ChangeVLKey.vbs XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
where XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX is the key generated by the keygen

5. Run Windows Update and download and install the security updates, reboot, and then download and install SP2.

6. SP2 will change your product ID again, and this time you can't change it to a new one by the method used first, so anytime you run Windows Update from now on you will have to type this following line into the IE address bar and hit enter / click go when it asks you if you want Express or Custom updates installed...

javascript:void(window.g_sDisableWGACheck='all')

This disables the Windows Update check on your product ID. If you don't do it Windows Update will refuse to work and tell you your copy of Windows is illegal.

[mugatu]

what is the V-Bookie on Baseline Bum uses a pocket protector? :lmao

[ChumpDumper]

I personally have never tried it, but one with a "borrowed" copy of XP could try updating it at the following site:


http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/

It doesn't check your ID and prefers you use an alternative browser.

[maxpower]

Windows XP is a huge pain in the ass if your copy is less than retail.

fixed.

thanks.

[E20]

Go back to 95. :)

[orhe]

If you know someone at UTSA you can get a copy of this OS cheaply for I believe fifteen bucks (yes pirates I know) they also have other software at a cheap clip as well.

here we have copies for 1.5$ :)) hehe

[Slydragon]

It's the only thing I found in the club with 2000 in the thread title to match my post count

:sombrero:

[Obstructed_View]

I almost replied to it. Well, techinically, I did reply to it, but I almost replied to the topic.

[to21]

Windows for workgroups FTW!!!