Win XP Purchase (Full or Upgrade)

[KnightGalahad]

I was shopping around in Best Buy, and saw the prices for WinXP Professional Full and the Upgrage for $199 and $89.99 respectively. I was wondering if it was worth it to either get the full version, or to get the upgrade, since the upgrade requires you have already have some variant of windows. Or if there is a place where I can get WinXP Professional cheaper than that price I quoted.

Of course, the other option is that I stay with Windows 2000.

Suggestions?

 

[blurredvision]

Newegg - WinXP Pro Full Version OEM for $138 w/ free shipping.

If I were buying an operating system, I just assume pay for the full install. But that's just me .

 

[SunnyD]

#1 - wrong forum.

#2 - Stay with 2000, you're not missing much.

#3 - Upgrade is cheaper, provided you have original source media from a previous version of windows. But keep in mind, never, ever "upgrade" a current copy of windows. Always do a full install (which upgrade discs usually let you do provided you can show it original source media from a previous version of windows).

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: SunnyD<br#2 - Stay with 2000, you're not missing much.

I wholeheartedly disagree. WinXP is the culmination of most everything Microsoft has done right in the OS world. Plus, it's geared towards the home user, unlike Win2000 and it's corporate "look".

 

[her209]

Wait for Longhorn.

 

[KnightGalahad]

Originally posted by: SunnyD
#1 - wrong forum.

Sorry about that.

 

[Mermaidman]

Sunny D is correct--you can do a full clean install with an upgrade. You still need to have a previous version of Windows. I'd stick with W2K.

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: her209
Wait for Longhorn.

Wait? How long? 2 years, 3, maybe 4?

 

[KnightGalahad]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
Sunny D is correct--you can do a full clean install with an upgrade. You still need to have a previous version of Windows. I'd stick with W2K.

So, buying an upgrade won't help me much, I guess. Cause it seems in order for it to work, I would have to install Win2K on it first before the upgrade. That seems like an unnecessary hassle. Does it remove the previous OS from your system, or does it leave it there in case you decide to uninstall WinXP, you can revert back to your old OS (I think Win 98 did that with Win 95, can't remember).

 

[Bulk Beef]

You don't need 2k installed to upgrade - you just need the original 2k disc handy. The XP installation will prompt you for it at some point.

 

[Murphyrulez]

You don't need to have Win2k installed, you just need a Win2k CD in your hand. During the install it will ask you to insert a previous version CD, then it will check it and say 'OK, go ahead and install XP'

/edit ^^^what he said.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: SunnyD<br#2 - Stay with 2000, you're not missing much.

I wholeheartedly disagree. WinXP is the culmination of most everything Microsoft has done right in the OS world. Plus, it's geared towards the home user, unlike Win2000 and it's corporate "look".

Eh?

Turn off all visual styles, change the control panel back to classic mode, then take a good look at your Windows XP install. Tell me what it looks like?

75% of WinXP's improvements are mostly cosmetic, with very few compatibility fixes. Win2K and WinXP use the same driver base. They both run the same API's. They both have compatibility modes for older software.

The only thing that XP provides are a few simpler configuration options for the @home dummy population. If you're buying a new PC - get Windows XP Pro. If you have a PC with Win2K on it, don't bother. It's the same thing (in fact, Win2K actually uses less physical memory than XP on a typical install).

 

[Kadarin]

Don't forget XP also provides better hyperthreading support for newer P4s. There's a thread about this in the OS forum.

On the negative side, with XP you still have to deal with Product Activation.

 

[Murphyrulez]

I will never leave XP for one reason. When a program crashes, it doesn't take the whole OS down. I get a window that says "Blah Blah has crashed, do you want to send an error report". Then I continue on.

Most stable OS they have released.

Also, SunnyD, if you click a few buttons and make it look like Win2k, how can you say that was 75% of the release??? That doesn't make sense. If you want to, you can make XP look like OSX. So? It doesn't change the fact that it is better than 2k.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Murphyrulez
I will never leave XP for one reason. When a program crashes, it doesn't take the whole OS down. I get a window that says "Blah Blah has crashed, do you want to send an error report". Then I continue on.

Most stable OS they have released.

Also, SunnyD, if you click a few buttons and make it look like Win2k, how can you say that was 75% of the release??? That doesn't make sense. If you want to, you can make XP look like OSX. So? It doesn't change the fact that it is better than 2k.

Windows 98SE is better than both 2K and XP for game compatibility. Does that make it better than XP?

It's moot. For all intents XP is the same as 2K, barring the user interface - and that's the 75% that you notice isn't it? By the way, Windows 2000 has the same "crash" protection that WinXP does. And a downed app doesn't take Win2K down with it either.

I'm surprised you aren't running Windows 2003 yet, since it's obviously better than Windows XP...

 

[NL5]

If you can get a copy of the CD, go to http://www.pricewatch.com , and you can get a licensce for home for less than $60, and a pro licensce for less than $80.

 

[Pex]

efnet

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: her209
Wait for Longhorn.

Wait? How long? 2 years, 3, maybe 4?

Are you freaking kidding? Longhorn EATS UP resources. It's the biggest resource hog I have ever seen. The swap file is 1.5GB without tweaking it and booting alone takes a gig of ram. I've got a copy. Not sure if it's a beta or something, though. I went over to a friend's house to get some jewel cases and paruse through his old laptops and he tossed a copy in the bag on my way out.

 

[PlatinumGold]

stay with win2k.

xp tends to automate stuff and hide settings that are easily accessible in win2k, particularly where networking is concerned.

if you do purchase xp. here are some things to consider.

the only reason to buy the more expensive retail is because it allows you 2 calls in to MS Tech support without charge. after that it is $99.00 / incident or something like that.

oem is good otherwise.

upgrades are ok, but you have to remember to keep the media from win2k.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: NL5
If you can get a copy of the CD, go to http://www.pricewatch.com , and you can get a licensce for home for less than $60, and a pro licensce for less than $80.

if you go this route, you have to make sure to get an OEM copy, NOT a retail copy. these licenses will NOT work with Retail CD's.

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: NL5
If you can get a copy of the CD, go to http://www.pricewatch.com , and you can get a licensce for home for less than $60, and a pro licensce for less than $80.

if you go this route, you have to make sure to get an OEM copy, NOT a retail copy. these licenses will NOT work with Retail CD's.

Ya, what he said...ooops forgot to mention that, although it does say that clearly in the ads.

 

[KnightGalahad]

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

if you do purchase xp. here are some things to consider.

the only reason to buy the more expensive retail is because it allows you 2 calls in to MS Tech support without charge. after that it is $99.00 / incident or something like that.

oem is good otherwise.

Where can I obtain the OEM from?

 

[Shawn]

definitely stay with Win2k. there is absolutely no reason to upgrade. i'd say upgrade if you were using win98 or winme, but not 2k. winxp = win2k + some pretty colors.

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: her209
Wait for Longhorn.

Wait? How long? 2 years, 3, maybe 4?

Are you freaking kidding? Longhorn EATS UP resources. It's the biggest resource hog I have ever seen. The swap file is 1.5GB without tweaking it and booting alone takes a gig of ram. I've got a copy. Not sure if it's a beta or something, though. I went over to a friend's house to get some jewel cases and paruse through his old laptops and he tossed a copy in the bag on my way out.

This is a beta and not the final product. Not to mention 1.5Gb isn't that big considering I can get a 160GB HD for $90. Not only that your using a beta, the beta isn't fully optimized either. Like the memory leak in Explorer for example. If it does take a a gig to boot up you must be in some debug mode.

 

[The Stigenator]

i have had more stablity with w2k than xp...

this laptop has crashed a few times.. but in w2k (my other laptop) hardly ever freezes.