Printable View
I have been using Windows98 (original release) very successfully since shortly after it was released. It is very stable on my current computer setup.
I am building a P4 system and plan on staying with Win98 but am wondering what you all think about WinXP (Pro version -- it seems as if the Home version is not very good).
Should I stay with WIn98 or migrate to WinXPPro?
Thanks for any and all advice!
I'd go Pro, or even consider doing a dual boot.
Here is a great article comparing 98 to XP.
:arrow: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...wxpvswin98.asp
Also with SP1 now available XP seems to be getting more stable by the minute. To be honest I haven't had a problem with XP ever since installing it. Setting up networking, running software, etc.. have been more than simplified with XP pro.
Couple of downsides, the Xp installation can take over 1.5-2.0 ghz. They have integrated windows messenger much more. You have to tweak the registry to get rid of it auto opening every time you open outlook...
XP takes a powerful PC,
128MB ram minimum.. 256 preferred!!! 500Mhz CPU minimum(though I have seen it run on a 233mhz PC) and so on.
Hope that helps,
BB
XP for sure. Windows 98 is one of the most unstable Operating Systems for me.
Like they others have pointed out, XP pro is definatly the way to go. With all the features that are packed into this O/S it would be a shame not to enhance your new pc with it.
Or you could just run a dual boot system, by either particianing a single drive for each o/s or running them separatly from 2 drives:)
This is just another vote for XP. Win 98 was not written to use the advantages that the P4 will give you. XP on the other hand has the P4 in mind.......... IMHO
I would go Pro but there is nothing wrong with Home that I know of, just more goodies in Pro.....
Welcome to the forum, post often as we like a good challenge..
I would have to agree with boogs...I have duel boot partitions...win98 for games xp for everything else...working like a champ
Thank you all for your replies.
I am a musician and use Band-in-a-Box a LOT for my own playing and for my students. I belong to a yahoogroup with a lot of people who have been complaining about not being able to get BIAB and XP to work together, but it seems all the people with the problems were using the HOME version, not the PRO, thus my remarks about PRO.
Also, is it possible to get DOOM and the assorted variations on that game to run under WinXP?
Thanks!
Love this resource!
DH,
It may be possible to get all of those programs to work. Simply right click the .exe file (executable) of the program you want to run in windows XP, and select properities then the compatibility tab, and choose windows 98 mode.
YOu can do that for a variety of programs. Also you can select the program to run in 256 color mode as well as reduce the resolution to 640X480 to help it run more smoothly or to make it compatible.
Other than that, you can always dual boot windows 98 and XP simultaneously, selecting 98 only when you need to run the legacy programs, and using XP for any other activities.
Guide to dual booting without creating a separate partition:
:arrow: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/chris.day/dualboot.html
below another text version how to from Micro$oft:
:arrow: http://support.microsoft.com/default...EN-US;q306559&
Hope that helps,
BB
I'm running both Win 98 Se and win XP PRO on my current box. I'm running an Athlon 900, 512 memory and a 80 gig WD with no problems. Have tryed both on another system with a Athlon XP 1600 and 512 megs at 133mz. but had to drop the system back to 100 front bus to stablize Win 98.
If you had to drop the FSB to 100 to stabilize it, it is not an OS problem, but likely one setting in yout CMOS is not correct, or the RAM is not good.
I use a dual boot 98SE/XP pro since I get a MUCH higher FPS in games under 98, and I have 512 MB DDR 266 (in one chip) and Athlon XP 1800 and 98 has no problem with it, though you have to download a patch from MS update so it will add some seconds when shutting down, so the cache from the HD can be saved, but this is a problem found in any machine faster than 800 MHz according to MS. If your RAM is 133MHz you should have no problem, but if your RAM is not, it won't run well.
By mistake I put 100MHz RAM the first time, and the CMOS automatically set to 100 FSB, and then I tried to put it to 133MHz and I found a lot of problems, so when I went to check the RAM is realized my mistake, and I swap witht the chip of 133MHz. It run much more stable + it was a lot faster (I was 500MHz behind with 100MHzFSB)
Now for DH. XP is better for almost any program that you want to use, but I would always keep a dual boot in order to use for the games, some games run much faster under 98k, since 9x kernel requires less resources, leaving them free for the game to use.
In my PC if I want to play Spiderman (first one) I do it in XP because in 98 it runs toooo fast, so in the scene when chasing Venon thru the building, it gives you back the control too late (try the game, and you will see what I tell you), but if I want to play Spiderman: The movie, I do it under 98, since it requires more power, so I get a much smoother resolution than in XP. And since 98 will be only for games, you can do a very minimal instalation, which can take only 300MB.
I also use 98 to record CDs, because XP gives me headache (it won't refresh the contents of a CD after recording)