Good things about Windows XP

The machines we love to hate

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John Lacey
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Good things about Windows XP

Post by John Lacey »

We had a short discussion about some troubles people had about Windows XP installation (Jack Stoner I believe). I recently talked to a friend who is a working computer tech and he informed me that he installed XP on several of his working computers and his home computer. He loaded up the home computer with all his toys, games, controllers etc, and after about a month has had no crashes, blue screens whatever. What experiences have you guys had with XP on music related stuff?
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Mark Ardito
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Post by Mark Ardito »

I am loving Windows XP. I do computer support at my job and have a couple of people on the Operating System now.

The clean/fresh install was flawless. Can't say so much for the upgrade. I would highly recommend the format and clean install.

Mark
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Richard Bass
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Post by Richard Bass »

I just purchased a Sony Viao FXA47 with WinXP. It's only been a week but so far it is great. My other comp was a Dell Latitude. It was good for along time but it really started to have problems and thats why I switched. Keeping my fingers crossed and I'm not going to download everything that comes down the pike. Image
Richard
GaryL
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Post by GaryL »

John,
Far fewer freeze-ups with XP. '98 was freezing up in internet applications from recieving several spam ads simultaneously. (Now I get the same ads, anyway.) I bought an external sound card (Creative Extigy;to record LP's to CD)and find XP to be more user-friendly.
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Ricky Davis
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Post by Ricky Davis »

I'm runnin XP Professional on all my computers and it's a dream; compared to the other operating systems...No freezes; no blue screens; no Scan disks if you accedently push the off button..ha..and a Restore if anything was to happen at all you don't like..
Plus XP has it's own zip opener....and it's own firewall/virus protector built in..and XP will recognize "ANYTHING" you plug into it via: Modem; PC card; USB slot.....so that is any modem/ethernet; any Camera/video; any anything....and it automatically downloads updates as needed..
I love it.....OH and I can go on and on and on.....but just get it/upgrade whatever..and you troubles are over.
Ricky
John Lacey
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Post by John Lacey »

So Mark, are you advising to get the full version as opposed to the upgrade, or does the upgrade have an option for clean install?
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Mark Ardito
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Post by Mark Ardito »

John,

Yes, I am recommending the "full" version. The upgrade can only upgrade the OS and does not have the option for a clean install.

The XP disc does have a Hardware Checker and what this does is it checks all the hardware on your existing PC and makes sure that XP will recognize it and has the drivers for it. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND DOING THIS. This way it will give you a list of the hardware it is not recognizing and gives you the chance to either replace that piece of hardware or download from the manufacturer a new driver or etc.

Let me know if you would like anymore info. regarding XP.

Thanks,
Mark
Joseph Barcus
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Post by Joseph Barcus »

with XP you can network your home with ease I have direct pc and have 2 computers on it and even with them both running it comes in at 60000 bpm. and by itself it will come in over 400 very fast downloads
Bruce Hamilton
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Post by Bruce Hamilton »

Hey John
I installed XP home version clean when it first came out by doing a dual boot. I haven't had a crash yet. To install the dual boot you have to change your bios to boot with the cd instead of your floppy and then XP screens will guide you from there. Its a lot cheaper than buying the Professional version.
Further if you don't mind formatting your drive and loosing your data you can do a clean install and Xp will simply ask you to put your previous Windows instalation cd in your cd drive to verify the upgrade. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bruce Hamilton on 10 April 2002 at 07:16 PM.]</p></FONT>
John Lacey
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Post by John Lacey »

Bruce, maybe I misunderstood but the question was to buy the full home edition VS the upgrade, not the professional.
Don Benoit
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Post by Don Benoit »

Windows 95B, windows 98SE and Windows XP are basically all the same. Microsoft changes the looks and menus around to fool you into upgrading. If you really want the most stable platform, you have to intall Windows 2000 or XP Professional. That's what the stock trading professionals use because they want reliability.

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Bruce Hamilton
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Post by Bruce Hamilton »

The full home edition and the upgrade are the same product basically. The upgrade is a lot cheaper and you still can do a clean install. Microsoft would have you believe that you need to have the full version of your previous Windows OS before you can do a clean install of XP. If that were true what would you do if you had to replace your hard drive. Install a full version of your previous OS so you could install a clean version of XP-I don't think so.
On the weekend I got rid of Windows Me on my daughter's computer(Good Riddance!!)and installed an upgrade copy of Windows98. When it asked for proof of a previous Windows installation I used an uprgrade Windows95 cd. Everything installed without incident.
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b0b
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Post by b0b »

I worry about the implications of the XP license. Read this page.

I'm not boycotting Microsoft, but I'm not installing XP either. Other operating systems work just as well, without adding me Big Brother's database.

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/coolb0b2.gif" border="0"><small>               Bobby Lee</small>
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John Lacey
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Post by John Lacey »

That's pretty scary stuff, b0b. I might have additional problems because my computer is located out of my house and not anywhere near a phone line where I can go online.
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