Replies

1. 
   Greg_Warren | Dec 30, 2001 09:49pm | #1

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   I loaded it, then deleted it. Some of my software program developers have not loaded the drivers that are configured for xp. Namely, my Olympus digital camera to start. I will try to load it again in a few months. GW

1. 
   Ian.D.Gilham. | Dec 30, 2001 09:58pm | #2

   *Phil,Two of my sons are using it and the general consensus seems to be that there are one or two nice things about it but that it really isn't much of an update.I'll stick with '98 for a little longer

1. 
   Ted_Weddell | Dec 30, 2001 10:14pm | #3

   *I'm running 2000 and am very satisfied. '98 would freeze up with some of my editing software, namely Dreamweaver and Fireworks (Macromedia), that I use for web editing. 2000 runs smoothly. I tried ME and it was worse than 98. Havn't tried XP yet and have no reason to.

1. 
   jcallahan | Dec 30, 2001 10:26pm | #4

   *Ditto the comments on Me ......it's horrible ......lots of freeze ups. It doesn't like to play with others. I'm waiting on my XP upgrade from Gateway ......was part of the deal when I bought the 'puter. Wish I had gotten 2000. XP promises to be more stable as it (and 2000) are based on the NT kernel (core program). The registration scheme for XP is kind of draconian to my thinking. I've heard good things from folks that have it. There have been some issues with drivers and programs. My firewall and antivirus supposedly won't work with it.

1. 
   Bob_Walker | Dec 31, 2001 12:28am | #5

   *I got a new desktop with XP, typical MS backwards compatibility issues (maybe a bit more than typical) and lots of mysterious MS BS going on in the background (e.g., I can't figure out how to access some directories - I know they're there but they won't show up in any file management apps, it tries to send copies of files to MS anytime something crashes! Bet the law firms will love that!)FWIW, I dl'd a Win XP compatible Olympus Camedia upgrade - had the "not certified with MS" warning but installed fine and seems to be working OK.For several programs I've had to dl updates. (E.g., printer driver.)I'm most excited about converting my old desktop to Linux and trying to escape the MS Evil Empire

2. 
   James_DuHamel | Dec 31, 2001 02:23am | #6

   *If you use XP, be sure to go to Microsoft's site and download the fix. Otherwise, hackers have an open door to your computer EVERYTIME you log onto the net.Fix is free, but ya gotta download it.I'll stick with Windows 95. Works well for what I need the computer for.James DuHamel

3. 
   Thom_Richey | Dec 31, 2001 02:58am | #7

   *I second what James said. The local paper had a story about the FBI suggesting that this was the most blatant security hole in any computer product they had ever seen. Unlike most of the other virii, worms, etc., this one makes you vulnerable each and every time you go online...Makes you sort of wonder about using Microsoft products.

4. 
   Dave_Riggs | Dec 31, 2001 05:50am | #8

   *Paranoia post. XP is one more product from the Dark Lord in Redmond. When you install, it has a tendency to kill everything on the old machine. Here is what's worse: it is locked to ONE machine. You install it on one PC and forget all others in home or office. It has full access to your machine settings, which is why hackers love the product. And the Dark Lord is allowing all the other software makers to follow suit. Since XP is locked to your machine the other makers can lock their product to XP and have access to you too. I just don't like this at all. If Microsoft wants to nail you annually now they can for upgrades. Just watch, in two years the upgrades will cost money and so will the upgrades to other companies who use this platform. Microsoft, in essence, is not selling XP, they are leasing it.

5. 
   Mongo_ | Dec 31, 2001 06:47am | #9

   *Still have Windows'95 one one machine, and Linux on the other.No intentions of changing...My acquainances who know computers aren't happy at all with XP.

6. 
   Mike_Smith | Dec 31, 2001 07:06am | #10

   *win2000....will have to see how the wind is blowing to decide what to get on the next machine....win2000 is great.. stable...full advantage of the graphics ..if you can't go to win2000.. win98 (se) was also great.. if you wanted to upgrade from win95.. either win98 or win2000 would be preferable to winME...

7. 
   Ralph_Wicklund | Dec 31, 2001 09:22am | #11

   *I bought an HP Pavilion XL773 last year preloaded with ME. Paperwork says that the ONLY operating system supported on this unit is ME.For a year I've been fighting with a system that degrades and slows down, especially while on-line, and will only remain connected for about an hour or less before quitting. Most times it repeatedly disconnects on retry and must be restarted to function. I do all the recommended cleanups and defrags, have upgraded RAM to 320MB and there are no apparent problems that show up when I run the Norton System Doctor. I'm only up to about 4GB on a 30GB hard drive.I'm thinking of wiping ME and getting and loading 98 and starting over again. Any thoughts or recommendations from anyone?

8. 
   Luka_ | Dec 31, 2001 09:51am | #12

   *Well, how good has the 'support' been anyway ?i Paperwork says that the ONLY operating system supported on this unit is ME.What good is it if you have to fight with it all the time ? I'd go get a full-installation copy of 98SE, wipe out your hard drive, and start over again.

9. 
   Ralph_Wicklund | Dec 31, 2001 10:07am | #13

   *Hey Luka,Thanks. I wasn't too sure I could swap the OS to something different considering this machine was supposedly designed for ME. HP tech support by e-mail does suck. And trying to access and use their online forums takes more time than my machine usually stays online. I gave up a 486 with 95 that stayed online forever for this *****.How's everything in cold and wet country?Happy New Year (early)

10. 
    Luka_ | Dec 31, 2001 10:18am | #14

    *If it runs ME, it should have absolutely no problem with 98SE. The only problem I can think of is that you may have to find some drivers for different things. Micro$oft is terrible about backwards compatibility. But you aren't really thinking of backward compatibility in the normal sense. I would think that just about everything that you have, already has drivers for 98SE, since all those people had to make their stuff run on 98SE long before they had to upgrade drivers to make their stuff run on ME.It's been sorta dry for a couple days now. (Had to knock on wood real quick there. LOL) Happy new year to you as well.b : )

11. 
    Tim_Thompson | Dec 31, 2001 12:28pm | #15

    *phil, DW just bought a P4 with a 2 gig processor and an 80 gig harddrive for me for Christmas. It came with XP preloaded. I am still getting used to it. There are some compatibilty issues. Drivers for my scanner are not available. I have downloaded the security patches. This system is replacing one I had with 98plus. It had become so unstable that I couldn't go for more than an hour with out a lockup or getting the Blue Screen of Death. So far I am happy with it, but it will take a little more time for me to be convinced that MS has actually put out a decent product.

12. 
    Bob_Walker | Dec 31, 2001 02:07pm | #16

    *Mark,I fought tfor months with HP over a Pavilian with ME which kept "losing" the modem and had to kill the modem software and reinstall with a reboot.Spent more than 40 hours with their tech support, went thru 3 machines and a trip to their repair facility before they would replace it with a different model without ME.I'll never buy another HP anything other than, maybe, a printer.

13. 
    Jim_Walters | Dec 31, 2001 02:41pm | #17

    *I've heard a lot of non-micrsoft software won't operate under the system without drivers from the various companys....who sometimes don't even have them......especially cad systems. I wouldn't buy it for at least another six months and the bugs are mostly gone.

14. 
    Dan_Metzcus | Dec 31, 2001 04:27pm | #18

    *Ditto the Olympus drivers, I loaded my neighbors new Olympus Camedia C-3000 Zoom yesterday and the software directs you to bypass the "not certified with MS" prompts and it loaded fine.

15. 
    blue_eyed_devil_ | Dec 31, 2001 10:15pm | #19

    *Yeah Ralph, get rid of Norton Doctor. Those programs contribute more to freeze up than they help.blue

16. 
    Ted_Weddell | Jan 01, 2002 01:20am | #20

    *Ralph,Do the switch. Im not a pro but I have built a few systems including the one I'm on now. I've never heard of a system that runs me but not 98. Or maybe try 2000. Either way, you can always switch back if it doesnt work. Thats my $.02

17. 
    lizbarker | Jan 01, 2002 01:52am | #21

    *I'm currently a tech support pro. Also retired firefighter & sometime remodler. We're still testing XP. Yes, it's the latest & greatest (per Microsoft). Like any new operating system, witness NT, many drivers won't be available. Also, manufacturers won't write XP drivers for old hardware like scanners, sound & vid cards. Microsoft has said they have "sacrificed" some backward compatibility. The real hot-button is the activation that XP requires. If you change a certain number of hardware parameters (like adding too many new peripherals), you have to reactivate the software or it won't run.Windows 9x, specifically 95, 98 and ME, are built on tired old DOS, gussied up to look pretty. If you want better reliability, look to NT 4.0 or Windows 2000, aka NT 5. NT is not Plug and Play like the Win9x family, but it's something on the order of 3x more reliable that 9x. Contrary to Microsoft's publicity, NT does need a Defrag utility...and it's back in Win2000. You'll find a wide selection of drivers. Win2000 is my favorite. It adapts to hardware fairly easily & is reasonbabe to use. It has crashed less than NT. There aren't as many drivers. XP is actually considered a service-pack level upgrade to Win2K. I wouldn't move to it for another 6 months, and then only if I had a compelling reason to.To have a robust system, here are some do's and don'ts:First, follow the KISS rule. Don't install a lot of stuff you don't need. I don't care if it is free. If you love gadgeteering, don't do it on your primary work PC. Norton can wig you PC out. If you need a Norton utility, use it as needed....don't run the suite continuously. The exception is virus scanning. But disable it before you install new software, the re-enable it.Second, do your maintenance. This means Scandisk, Defrag and deleting *.tmp files. Win95 Defrag told you how fragmented your drive is. Win98 doesn't. Above @ 15% you'll start getting all sorts of weird errors.Thirdly, Saw blades can only be sharpened so many times. If I use a PC heavily, I expect to have to rebuild it about every year or two. The errors accumulate over time, tho regular maintenance helps.To build our corporate PCs, we format the drive, install the bare OS, add the manufacturer's component drivers, then install the apps. We don't mess with all the allegedly "value added" junk the include in their preloads. We have a lot of old HP Vectras, doing yeomans work. But they don't have quite the horsepower that an equivalent Dell does. They both have good support websites, tho I think Dell's is better (I'm a certified Dell technician). I'm severely underwhelmed by Gateway.I've rambled, but I hope this is informative.

18. 
    Bob_Walker | Jan 01, 2002 02:46am | #22

    *QUOTE We have a lot of old HP Vectras, doing yeomans work. But they don't have quite the horsepower that an equivalent Dell does. They both have good support websites, tho I think Dell's is better (I'm a certified Dell technician). I'm severely underwhelmed by Gateway. ENDQUOTEFWIW, I've never had much trouble with my Gateway, and as a small business user, when I have, their tech support has done the job.HP tech support is the worst I've ever experienced.

19. 
    JMarkCox | Jan 01, 2002 05:02pm | #23

    *Wiping ME is a good idea! If you must use a M$ product use M$98SE. Otherwise a little learning curve is required to use a free os like Linux. I'd recommend Linux-Mandrake 8.1. Free download or you can get it at WalMart for $25.Markwhose P200 w/80 megs of ram runs great, no I don't give my hard earned $ to the richest man in the world

2. 
   phil_eves | Jan 01, 2002 05:02pm | #24

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   ...and loving it or ? Debating the purchase with no info or reviews from anyone I know...