To update, or not to update... that is the question

[CSFM]

The title of the Question explains itself.... I am looking to update to WIN2K and I am looking for the best advice on how to do this. Firstly should I completely start from scratch and format my drive, or is it ok to just run WIN2K as an update over WIN98SE. I am having a few problems with WIN98SE at the moment... so my thinking is (and correct me if I am wrong) to start from scratch. I have used WIN2K alot in the past but never felt the need to update to it on my own system. I am going update to WIN XP when it finally gets released here in Australia, does anyone have positve feed back on this OS and the advantages of XP over 2K?
My system is...
P3 733Mhz EB
896MB SD RAM PC133
Sound blaster Live Platinum
Millenium Matrox G400 32Meg Video card
10/100 Realtek network card
PCI fire wire card
Sony CDRW
I have an IWill mother board ( and I can't say enough good things about that! )
Thank you all!

 

[Spike]

the best course of action is always a fresh install, you just avoid so many problems that way. However, I recently(this summer) did an upgrade from win98 to 2k pro and it worked out just fine. You, of course, have to install new vid card drivers, sometimes new sound card drivers, new LAN drivers, and new chipset drivers for your mobo, but other than that.... I did have several programs not work after the upgrade, but it was my burner software (duh!) and one, um, borrowed game (No One Lives Forever, or NOLF) Maybe my experience was just lucky, but it seemed to work.

I guess I would reccomend backing up your important stuff and just giving it a try. If it does not work out, just wipe it and start over, but if it works, then thats awesome. Hope that helps,

-Brad

 

[Spike]

I did not read that last question of yours about XP vs. 2k. XP is sooooo nice. I love it so much. With a clean install, I had to install, get this, 0 drivers!! It had everything all-ready there. And it games nicely, even if a game runs chunky, you can set it to run in win98 compatibility mode. and this os it waaay stable. 2k is very stable as well, but it cannot game nearly as nicely and has some driver issues. I would say go for XP when it is out, it is worth the money. there you go, my $.02 worth.

 

[CSFM]

Thank you very much... I think I will wait for WIN XP to be released over here and go for a clean install with that. I am in the hunt for a pre- released copy of the OS but just can't find one.

 

[Spike]

well, what kind of pre-release do you want. I have the final cooperate edition (build 5.1.2600) that does not have the WPA or I also have all the betas as I was a beta tester for it. I can hook you up with one if you want one to hold you over till you buy it

 

[audiophan]

Basically XP is the Fisher-Price version of 2k. Given the options though I would upgrade to XP and hold off on 2k, unless you don't mind installing one os right after another.

 

[CSFM]

I would love for you to get me a copy of the operating system.... I am all the way over here in Australia though and I don't think it is viable for you to do so. My employer is a distributor for Microsoft and hey are being assholes about letting us have a beta version of the OS. Have they got something to hide? Time will tell. I am in a bit of a rush to do this though. I would like to get rid of WIN98SE ASAP!!! It is crap. I have had enough of lost system resources and slow unreliable operations. As you can tell I am frustated with WIN98SE. I am going out for a smoke now to calm down

 

[JohnnyPC]

I don't think that Win2K products would "upgrade" the Win98 anyway...

 

[Beatnik]

You are correct in that assumption.

There are two "helper" features though for the older Win9X install.
The first is silly: it's a migration wizard that copies your desktop settings,
your bookmarks, and other cruft like that. Not that useful to me.

Then there is a right-click properties feature that says,
"Compatibility", and you can click "Run this app in Compatibility Mode for..."
Win95/Win98/WinNTsp5/Win2000 or something. Of course, the couple
of times I have tried this, you can guess what happened.

So... installing WinXP over the top of your Win9X does virtually nothing
except make it so you can never boot to the Win9X install cleanly again.
Definitely install your XP on a second hard drive and dual-boot if
you want to keep your old apps available...

 

[CSFM]

I am fully aware that you cannot install WIN XP over WIN98... any one knows that and if you don't and you tried it then you obviously thought that reading about the differences in the operating systems was over rated! You MUST be running WIN2K to upgrade to WIN XP.... NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!

But it is not your fault... MICROSOFT are just a bunch of greedy money grabbing swine's who not only minimalised WIN XP and have by the looks of it done it on the cheap but are going to charge us a bloody fortune to buy it.... that is those of us who actually buy or software.... is there any body out there........

 

[Spike]

you can in fact upgrade 98 to 2k, but not 98 to XP. and like I said before, the 98 to 2k upgrade works just fine. Oh, if you want a final copy, email me mtndew@u.washington.edu If you have broadband, I can set up a download, though I am taking your word that you will get a legal copy when they are out.