Does ME have ANY avantages over 98?

I have ME on my PC because that's what came with it. It's got loads of odd glitches which may or may not be down to the OS, either way I'm keen to wipe it clean. The thing is, I can't afford to buy XP or 2000 with a license (and don't like pirates). But I do have Win98SE and I'm wondering if that would be better than putting ME back on. The only supposed advntage of ME is that it has drivers for USB devices, but I've found that 90% of the time I have to install Win98 drivers to get hardware to work.

Some of the problems with my system include:

• The taskbar sometimes appears on the wrong monitor on my dual monitor setup at startup
• The resolution of my second monitor sometimes resets to 640x480 at startup and requires a restart to let it be enlarged
• Sometimes the PC gets a blue-screen as soon as it has started
• USB devices work patchily and plugging one in is sometimes not noticed, or causes the PC to hang

IMHO Win ME was a horrible mistake, I have been to a few TechNet siminars put on by Microsoft and at more than one, the Microsoft Instructors have said the same thing. My own experience with Win ME at various customer sites has been all bad, the usual outcome being to format and install a different OS. Just my 2 cents.

Badger

gotta agree with badger...I'm surprised no one has sued microsoft for a Lemon Law or something. biggest POS. Personally I think I would rather have win95 installed than ME.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...154546003&rd=1

XP Pro for around 10 quid.

More bargains below:

http://search.ebay.co.uk/windows-XP_W0QQfltZ9

I used a licenced version of Win Me for a while and I had no major problems with it.

To me the only advantageis having System Restore. I have an old E-Machine that has been running Win ME for about 3 years with no problems.

I was using winME for a little while, in between win98SE and waiting for XP... was trouble at the start with VIA chipset and ATi card and SBlive!... that was a very bad combination!!

Worked ok for 3-6mths then format... while 98SE could last a year or two... my XP has been good for 3 yrs :D only formatted to install RAID else no probs...

SO... as BigBooger showed, if you can afford XP then GET IT!! else, u could make do with ME, but better off getting 98SE ;)

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Originally Posted by Big Booger

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...154546003&rd=1

XP Pro for around 10 quid.

More bargains below:

http://search.ebay.co.uk/windows-XP_W0QQfltZ9

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I'm pretty sure that isn't a legit version (can't check ebay with work blocker at the moment). I got stung buying Win2000 - I got a CDR & a scrap of paper with the license key!
Most of the other cheap ones are OEM copies which I think are also not legal? I think XP is too hungry for my 750MHz, 128Mb PC though. If anyone heere has a spare Win2000 they fancy getting rid of...?

Trust me, XP wil run fine on that proc, just add some more memory...

d000hg, a fully updated Win 98SE should work nice with your system. Since you already have that then use it :)

If I had Win 2000 I would give it to you.....I've never had Win 2000 so sorry :( Ever thought about using Linux ?

BTW I've had a couple of Win ME that were fine and some that were nightmares :p

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Originally Posted by rik

Trust me, XP wil run fine on that proc, just add some more memory...

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Agreed. Got Duron 800Mhz with 640mb ram and works a treat... helps with onBoard RAID, but fairly responsive and just enough to play most new games baring Doom3 or HL2...

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Originally Posted by FastGame

d000hg, a fully updated Win 98SE should work nice with your system. Since you already have that then use it :)

If I had Win 2000 I would give it to you.....I've never had Win 2000 so sorry :( Ever thought about using Linux ?

BTW I've had a couple of Win ME that were fine and some that were nightmares :p

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Linux is probably his best bet, if he cannot get XP.

-adiemus

Apart from the fact that I develop software for Windows... Oh well, maybe I'l just whack on 98SE when I get some time. Then when I get money I'll replace my Duron750 with the fastest CPU that'll fit my board (1-1.2GHz Athlon I believe) and another 128/256 Mb of RAM.

With it being an old PC, could anyone tell me a resource to see which CPUs and what specification of DIMM will work - I tried to add a 128Mb PC133 DIMM a while back but it wouldn't work?

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Originally Posted by d000hg

I'm pretty sure that isn't a legit version (can't check ebay with work blocker at the moment). I got stung buying Win2000 - I got a CDR & a scrap of paper with the license key!
Most of the other cheap ones are OEM copies which I think are also not legal? I think XP is too hungry for my 750MHz, 128Mb PC though. If anyone heere has a spare Win2000 they fancy getting rid of...?

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It's an OEM copy:

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You are bidding on
Brand New
Windows XP Professional
with Service Pack 2
With UNUSED Product Key - Guaranteed

This is NOT an upgrade disc, it is the full stand-alone product that will install onto almost any PC or Laptop that meets XP minimum spec (see details below).

This CD is labelled "Operating System System CD" and is also marked with the words "for distribution with HP workstations or Compaq business desktops".

A Product Key (COA is not included) is required to install this disc on a hard drive. Therefore, a NEW and UNUSED key will be provided for you to install this operating system. (For the best results you should do a “clean” install.)

After installation, you will be able to ACTIVATE and REGISTER the product with Microsoft, with the new key supplied, over the internet or via the telephone. This will enable you to use it without any time limits and will allow you to download & install updates (Service Pack 2 (SP2) is already included after the installation).

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I've sold several OEM copies like this and on the cheap. And they were legit. Mainly Japanese OSes because the computers I've bought came with them. I then sell the software for a nominal fee, unused with a legitimate serial number.

However Microsucks considers this "Piracy"... but I say piss on MS.. If I buy an OEM OS and want to transfer it from one PC to another, I damn well will.

I've sold software just like this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...153210639&rd=1

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With it being an old PC, could anyone tell me a resource to see which CPUs and what specification of DIMM will work - I tried to add a 128Mb PC133 DIMM a while back but it wouldn't work?

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Try CPU-Z and see what it says about your MB & Ram.

When you tried the PC133 ram are you sure it was backward compatible with PC100 ? some PC133 isn't, but I don't know what your ram is....

Like others have said Win XP will work fine if you bump the ram up to at least 256mb. I have an old E-Machine with 128mb ram running XP in Windows Classic mode, it runs fine for general net type stuff...anything other than that it's running off the HD (page file=very slow) and its quite annoying :p

Agreed FG...I have XP Pro running on an old Celeron 400 with 256mb ram. It's slow but good enough for internet, homework, and I-Tunes.

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Originally Posted by Big Booger

It's an OEM copy:



I've sold several OEM copies like this and on the cheap. And they were legit. Mainly Japanese OSes because the computers I've bought came with them. I then sell the software for a nominal fee, unused with a legitimate serial number.

However Microsucks considers this "Piracy"... but I say piss on MS.. If I buy an OEM OS and want to transfer it from one PC to another, I damn well will.

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I'd like to follow that principle, but on the other hand I'm stuck on the "either it's legal or it's not" prblem. If it's not allowed to buy an OEM version like this, I might as well just get a free version? Ebay has an OEM policy which says that some hardware must accompany OEM software - can anyone tell me if this actually legalises the software or is just to protect eBay?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by d000hg

I'd like to follow that principle, but on the other hand I'm stuck on the "either it's legal or it's not" prblem. If it's not allowed to buy an OEM version like this, I might as well just get a free version? Ebay has an OEM policy which says that some hardware must accompany OEM software - can anyone tell me if this actually legalises the software or is just to protect eBay?

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I too sold it with hardware.. usually defective stuff.. or way outdated. I sold the OEM soft with some ISA cards hehehe What a way to recycle. ;)

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Originally Posted by d000hg

Ebay has an OEM policy which says that some hardware must accompany OEM software - can anyone tell me if this actually legalises the software or is just to protect eBay?

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I had same issue too... more to see if our dodgy business practices were actually dodgy... So I called up Microsoft Australia, and said that we were selling OEM software plus an old mouse, is this legal?? They said Yes it is legal to sell/buy OEM software as long at it is with hardware that goes with the PC ie mouse/keyboard.
So, i think, as long as the OEM hasnt been activated, it is perfectly fine to buy OEM licence ;)

I spoke with a MS represenative about the legality of software licenses recently. Basically what he said was this - it's illegal.

Whatever you do and however you do it, it's illegal. However his arguments were full of anomalies, he stated that the software license is tied to the mainboard - never seen an OS installed on a mainboard myself? He stated that it is illegal to transfer the license from one PC to another and that the license is tied to the user (shome mishtake here shhhurely, hic*). I didn't argue with him because well you don't want MS hounding you around do you they have way too much money and time on their hands - and I don't. He changed his argument and what the license is tied to every time I gave him a different scenario and get this, the license he says is the bit you click at the end of the install (The Eula).

The COA label merely confirms that the software was installed from genuine media although not surprisingly at other times he said that the COA label is part of the license. What chance have you got - I don't think he even knew what the license was. And to be even better confused if you install OEM software you cannot install it by running setup (illegal) you must create a master image using Sysprep or a Ris image and install that image.

We had a good laugh about it - after he had left.

I think microsoft has no shame. Windows me is the worst os I have ever seen. I tried to fix my friends comp that had me on it and it froze up on me every 15min. Microsoft should have replaced everyone’s me copy (including oem) with a xp home copy. To release what was basically a xp beta version and force it down peoples throats is shameful. If they don’t do a decent job with longhorn I’m going to switch to linux very soon. Maybe their xp 64bit will have all the bugs fixed by then. And they wonder why their products are so pirated like I want to activate my os every time I reinstall it. That’s why they have corporate copies b/c they know businesses will not put up with the Sh*t. Good luck to anyone who got stuck with windows me.

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Originally Posted by neoLeech

I think microsoft has no shame. Windows me is the worst os I have ever seen. I tried to fix my friends comp that had me on it and it froze up on me every 15min. Microsoft should have replaced everyone’s me copy (including oem) with a xp home copy. To release what was basically a xp beta version and force it down peoples throats is shameful. If they don’t do a decent job with longhorn I’m going to switch to linux very soon. Maybe their xp 64bit will have all the bugs fixed by then. And they wonder why their products are so pirated like I want to activate my os every time I reinstall it. That’s why they have corporate copies b/c they know businesses will not put up with the Sh*t. Good luck to anyone who got stuck with windows me.

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Hey BB, neoleech has a way with words.

Now where is that new Netscape file that is said to break IE.:D

So far I've had no real problems with ME as compared to 98, meaning both preform about the same for me. Then again I turned off system restore right off the bat, installed firefox, winamp, and avg before ever hooking my modem in.

To answer the question stated in the first post ME has one advantage, MAYBE two depending on how lazy you are.

It boots faster(although without a realtime dos enviroment a fair number of older apps don't work).

It comes with windows movie maker(which i have yet to see a download for that is NOT for xp...which irritates me to no end, given my compute'rs specs xp would hog rescources to no end). Granted this probably isn't an issue since I know there are some really good move making/editing apps that work with the 9x line(though 9x support seems to be phasing out amongst software companies).

ME is crap get rid of it and install anything else. at some point your computer might do something weird and with ME there is a good chance you wont be able to fix it. Win98 SE is deffinetly better.

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Originally Posted by beelzebub

ME is crap get rid of it and install anything else. at some point your computer might do something weird and with ME there is a good chance you wont be able to fix it. Win98 SE is deffinetly better.

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I wont say that Me is crap, i mean it was still great when it came out, ya sure its not better then XP, but its still gud.

Can you send the board model number? I might be able to track down a memory stick or two that will work.

Or, you can just search your motherboard model number for specifications, and that might render some leads .. dunno

Good luck!