XP Uprade from Win2k worth it?

Hi Peeps, LONG LIVE WINDOWSBBS!!
OK.. I have Win2k right now, and I'm thinking about upgrading to WinXP. As a rule of thumb, I only upgrade to a new OS after it's been out there for a while. Anywayz, would it be worth it for me to upgrade to XP? I use my computer to do some programming, Build web pages, play games, watch movies, and other normal computing uses.
I'm thinking of upgrading my hardware also, well in the near future I will be doing this. I'm upgrading my vid card to a RADEON 8500, add a secondary HDD, add 256-512 MB RAM. My "last" upgrade will be to change the mobo to one that supports the Athlon XP and DDR.
Thanx for your feedback.

 

Archang3l

It reads like you have a system that is doing all you ask of it. If it is doing so without problems I would say to you " NO to the change "

Many times doing an upgrade you may gain in someplaces and lose in others. And sometimes the hassle that * MAY BE * created is just not worth it.

Upgrading may fix some problems but create others. If I had ( have 3 ) well behaving system(s) I would sure think twice ( maybe even thrice or more ) before upgrading. And make darn sure that I had something to gain before doing so.

When upgrading it is pretty much a 50/50 chance of work or not.

Right on this BB you can read where some users have upgraded and all is well. For others it is a different story.

Others will say that 2K or XP is much more solid than 98. I myself do not see how anything could be more solid than the Original Win98 that I have on this machine. It has been MONTHS since I have had an error message or BSOD. ( after I found and got rid of the mis-behaving software )

The above are my thoughts and/or opinions only. And in no way intend to say that any one OS is actually better than the other for everybody. Because that is not the way it is. One OS may be better for Jane Doe and her machine but not for me.

But again, I would be a little causious of upgrading a well behaving system.

A question only.

Wouldn't it be better to upgrade the MOBO first ?

BillyBob

 

Hello,

just to top the cake I would say stick with Windows 2k. Our 2 computers are now running of XP and 2000, and 2000 is just BARELY step behind XP. The hassel of finding compatible drivers, unable to install correctly, ect ect is not worth it off Windows 2000. Instead of spending the money on XP, but some more hardware

though if anyone has a win98, i recommond upgrading, because XP is such an inprovement (especially with NTFS)

 

If you had said "If anyone has Win95 ", then I would MAYBE agree. Because support, updates and software for it are getting in short supply. And it is a little tougher to maintain. But that in no way makes Win95 a bad OS.

Other than NTFS, would someone please point out where the impovements might be in 2K or XP ?

Am I missing something ? Because as of yet I have not seen any areas that would be improved by me going from a very solid and stable original Win98 to 2K or XP.

99.5% of any problems I have had have been due to improper installs ( or worse yet un-installs ) of software or improper version of drivers or software. NOT the OS.

In other words OPERATOR screwups not Windows.

The only Win98 setup that I am having problems with is the one with Win98 SE. At least for me Win98SE is the most driver sensitive version of Win98 that I have had anything to do with. But I believe problems there are due more to the limited CPU & MB BIOS, ( neither is upgradable ) not the Windows OS. But the Original Win98 RAN FINE. But Win95 ( which I think it is going back to ) runs better yet.

Which OS is the best depends almost entirely on Personal Preference, SYSTEM configuration and what we want the machine to do for us.

And as for myself I see no justification of the expense with ( as far as I can see ) no gains.

BillyBob

 

As always I am left with a huge smile on my face after all the replies, and esp how quick i got them...
Arie, Billy, ningaming thanx for the comments. The main reason why I'm thinking about putting XP on my system is to just know the odds and ends of the OS. I did it with winME, but I was fast in deciding that I didn't like the way winME worked compared to win2k. Its all just for my own learning experience, but at the same time I don't wanna install something in my system and regret placing it on.
I agree that if it ain't broke, and it's working perfectly, don't tamper with it. BUT at the same time sometimes you just have to scratch that itch to tweak. I looked at some screenshots of XP, and it's too, for a lack of a better word, fruity. I think I'll stick with what I have right now and just upgrade my hardware as time goes by.

 

Hello,

Billybob, before WindowsBBS went down, we had a thread with like 4 pages of replies just about this topic, let's not start again LOL (it was a good thread though)

Archang3l that's a pretty good plan. I happen to like fruity but seriously, I doubt I would waste my time or money doing my Windows 2000 on our laptop. If anyone is like me, I just got satisfaction out of installing a OS, and making everything "work" If your like BillyBob, you like to take it slow, and to tell you the truth, he prob. has the right idea. People like me play with fire. and you know what happens when you play with fire..........

 

A++++++ for homework well done.

It reads as though you have enough pros & cons to make a decison whether to or not to.

And also have the knowledge to know that it might or might not be the thing to do.

If I do get my desired new machine later, I might just give 2k or XP a try. BUT NOT on this machine. I have too much time and aggrevation in getting it to where it is. 99% error free.

BillyBob

 

Archang3l - in your case I'd say only if you want to play games that refuse to work on 2K.

BillyBob - in your case, XP would be a great excuse to update to faster hardware. After all, it will refuse to run on hardware that is perfectly fine for Win98 (and that will run Linux at a screaming pace).

The main thing I've seen with XP as compared to earlier versions including 2K is that it has nice wizards for networking and some other things that the older systems don't. OTOH, if you know how to set them up manually, who needs the wizard?

Arie - I have yet to see a crash or lockup or similar. Had the system running a couple of months now. Of course, I had to get a new mobo and video card and power supply and ..... to run it. The old one ran 2K but just didn't like XP much at all.

 

After all, it will refuse to run on hardware that is perfectly fine for Win98

Not necessarily. If 2K or XP are anything like Win98FE, SE and ME they are chocked full of surprises. Both good and bad. Waht we think they won't they will. And the other way around.

I ran the upgrade advisor and the only thing(s) it said was ( were ) not compatable was some SOFTWARE and Printer & Audio card Utilities ( not drivers ) that would need to be reinstalled or updated. Norton Software naturally is the one that I would expect. NO hardware was rejected at all.

But the actaul install just might say something different.

As to the Networking ( you are correct. Who needs the Wizard ) FORGET IT. I have three machines on my LAN. Two with Win98 and one with 98SE ( soon to be back to 98 FE ). They all have independent access to the Internet and any machine can run most anything from any one of the others if we wish to. In fact i am not so sure that I don't have three servers.

LAN & Internet are completely independent of each other. Right now each machine has its own firewall which I have intentions of changing by getting a Router instead of a HUB. If my machine goes down ( or I wish to tear it apart ) the other two can still function on the Internet.

I don't even think about such things as ICS as I do not like the idea of all machines depending on one to get to the Internet.

Also another thing I need to consider is the fact that we have quite a few good old fashioned DOS games which I can re-install into 98FE or SE if needed but would not re-install into ME.

So again. At this time I see absolutely nothing to gain by going to 2K or XP.

Now please take note that I am not saying that 2K or XP are BAD OS. I can't and won't say that as it would not be fair because I have not used them. I just can not justify the expense for the OS and some new software and POSSIBLY new hardware to ( as far as I can see ) gain nothing.

So as I believe you can see I try to take all things into consideration when making any changes. I try to see what ( if any ) things I might lose or gain. And will the loss or gain be worth the change ?

BillyBob

 

Billybob,

all of your points are valid, and I agree on most

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I ran the upgrade advisor and the only thing(s) it said was ( were ) not compatable was some SOFTWARE and Printer & Audio card Utilities ( not drivers ) that would need to be reinstalled or updated. Norton Software naturally is the one that I would expect. NO hardware was rejected at all.

But the actaul install just might say something different.
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This is true, but in my case, everything the upgrade advisor spat out, came true I have also heard of times where it didn't show specific drivers, just as Billybob said


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Also another thing I need to consider is the fact that we have quite a few good old fashioned DOS games which I can re-install into 98FE or SE if needed but would not re-install into ME.
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Yep, this is a major one. XP is dos free, and the closest you get is the "command prompt" which is watered down version of dos. I have already tried some old school games that won't work, so if your a gamer (or old applications) this is a major problem

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As to the Networking ( you are correct. Who needs the Wizard )
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I dunno about that. Unless your a major wiz, the updated wizards can really set things up perfectly. Instead of a "user" setup, xp sets it up right. Yes, sometimes it screws up, but things have gotten A LOT BETTER, and can usually do better than amatures working with networking (like ME, who could not network 3 win 95 machines easily)

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I just can not justify the expense for the OS and some new software and POSSIBLY new hardware to ( as far as I can see ) gain nothing.
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The gain in my case was speed, security, and stability. my prienstalled win98 somehow had been corrupted. things were slow, programs were slow, and I just felt like "improving.
Security, having NTFS is supposedly better for security and stability. My knowldege with file sytems is 0, so i can't really bring up anything here.
Finally Stability was a major problem. Unlike Billybob, my win98 had been choking for months. The only way I could clean install my win98 was to use my system recovery disc from compaq. Compaq's system recovery is the worst I have ever seen. IT gave me so many errors, and it just was terrible! Since I was able to do a clean install from XP, all that I have from Compaq is my hardware and some bios

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And will the loss or gain be worth the change ?
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That is the question. It was a gain for me, but for many others it's not worth the trouble. Billybob has a kick butt computer right now running Win98 perfectly he shouldn't upgrade, it waste his time and money.

...........ok..........im done

 

The gain in my case was speed, security, and stability. my prienstalled win98 somehow had been corrupted. things were slow, programs were slow, and I just felt like "improving.

That alone explains our differences.

If I had the mentioned problems I sure would do something also.

I have enjoyed our disccusion.

Oh BTW. My network setup did not come from me OR Microsoft. It came from Symantec showing me how to set it up so that the LAN and Internet would not be visible to each other.

Take care and enjoy your accomplishments as I do mine.

BillyBob