windows xp opinions

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 1:05 pm

Ok
I know this is a strange place to ask this (the audi site) but this is the only forum i go on and i respect your opinions.

I have a reasonable computer( new this year and fairly up to date), which I bought at a computer fair without software. I tried windows XP and thought it wasn't working properly as it was so painfully slow, so removed it and installed windows 98 as was on my old computer. This worked great , I have had no trouble and have it all set up great.
My partner has now bought a very up to date laptop which is running XP and we are really disapointed. every thing is really slow. it takes an age for any program to start up or do anything and this is on a computer that should be tricwe as good as mine. I have an old laptop (bought for vag.com) which is running windows 95 and is quicker than the new laptop. I know it isn't a faulty laptop as I have seen a couple of friends machines running XP and they seem as slow.

Is this the way things are or is there a solution? The reason I am asking is I am trying to set up a wireless network between my computer and the new laptop and it looks as though I am going to have to install XP to be able to comunicate ok. I really don't want to upgrade to something which is going to slow me down to such a degree.

Any advice or thoughts would be apreciated.

Jon Very Happy

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 3:08 pm

It is possible to set up a wireless network with XP and windows 98.

However its not easy.

Unless you intend to set up a router as well, then you will have to set up a adhoc connection between the machines and remove the Hotspot facility. This is discussed in length on the Microsoft support site.

Problems:- Windows Xp normally uses a NTFS file structure. that allows for long word length (Name sizes)

Windows 98 uses FAT32 which restricts word length size. Basically your XP machine will access the 98 machine easily, but your 98 machine will struggle to read files/drives etc from your XP machine.

Best bet install XP on both machines. XP is seriously greedy for memory, minimum spec is 64mb on a 333Mhz processor. Realistically you are going to need at least 256mb to get any speed. I run 1.25Gb and 2.2Ghz processor and its star ship speed.

Also take a look at the Page allocation settings, make sure XP has control over this.

Shout if you need any more.

Camped on the site Joined: Sep 04, 2003 Posts: 225

yep echo what Gary says...best to setup XP on both and you will eliminate some of the problems you will encounter.

i went wireless through a wireless broadband modem and router. 2 machines in the house, 1 XP laptop (with a wireless card) and 1 98 desktop (with wireless card).

when it works its great though. Very Happy

Camped on the site Joined: Sep 04, 2003 Posts: 225

...meant to add that XP does run more slowly than 98/2000 but not by that much and i only find it noticeable if i have a lot of processor intensive programs running.

Usually find issues with XP comes down to security issues. And dont go near XP SP2 unless you really have to.

Mad

Inexperienced Joined: Nov 02, 2004 Posts: 27

Agree with most of the posts here on the subject but onething is for sure Windows XP does not like running on a Celeron process - infact it makes it sick and runs like a snail. Its like sticking an escort 1.3 into a quattro - itll go but dont expect to get there quickly.

The only processor for surefire multi tasking at processor level is AMD Athalon's and their next generations. Even Intel isnt what it makes itself out to be.

Inexperienced Joined: Nov 02, 2004 Posts: 27

Again all comes down to processor - I have XP SP2 and runs just fine. I put SP2 onto two celeron processors only to find me spending the weekend reloading from scratch both computers TWICE. I was soon back to WinME

Inexperienced Joined: Nov 02, 2004 Posts: 27

Yeup it does work great. The Belkin system IMO (only from my banking experience in the city) is probably the best networking company on the planet. I got 4 puters, 2 desktops and 2 laptops, at any onetime running through the router and never experience problems. Their help desk (used it once) is absolutly superb.

Inexperienced Joined: Nov 02, 2004 Posts: 27

FAT32 and NTFS are disk support terminologies that I recall giving greater management and less disk wastage in unused sectors on the disk. It was found that the old 64bit system of disk management left a lot of unused space on disks creating a lot of waste. From what I know its nothing to do with the size of name in this instance that that comes from the new technology of XP.

Win 98 and NT with their appropriate disk formats work perfectly well hand in hand. It worked well in the last bank I worked in which infact used win95 because one of the main programmes warranted a 16bit disk base and would not work on 32bit i.e. FAT32

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 8:36 pm

Just a quick note to you guys about XP and celeron processors and FAT16/32 & NTFS.

If you want to increase the overall speed on Celeron units, revert you GUI to classic view under XP and your speed should match that of 98.

With regards FAT16/32 NTFS.

Windows XP/2000 are NT based, NTFS is the NT disk management protocol, this is why XP uses it. Its significantly more secure for network use.

FAT16/32 used in 95/98/ME are left overs from the old MS-DOS system, this why some old software will only run on XP under a simulated DOS environment.

With regards word-lengths, this isn't the number of characters in word, it actually refers to 16bit, 32bit ,64bit ect. Its the easiest way to describe the difference to somebody who your not sure of their IT level.

Later

Inexperienced Joined: Nov 02, 2004 Posts: 27

That works Very Happy

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 9:09 pm

i hate it

much prefer ME edtion

Inexperienced Joined: Nov 02, 2004 Posts: 27

Me too to be perfectly honest, but XP is kinda funky once you get over the most efficient hardware requirements and realising that it can eventually become stable. I failed (shame on me Crying or Very sad

) to appreciate that not everyone is IT aware but I would never if it were the last processor on the planet buy a celeron ever.

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 9:20 pm

Couldn't agree more, AMD for me evertime.

Althon64 next upgrade me thinks....

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:05 pm

do you rate the 'AMD' athlon?? Smile

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:47 am

Over the Intel stuff, too right.

Never had a single compatability issue or stability issue with AMD, intel give you nothing but jip. Only thing I will say is they tend to run a little bit hotter than Intel but as long as you've got good cooling, you should have no problems.

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:54 am

Wow. I started a good discussion here.

Thanks for the advice.

It is a Belkin wireless network card that I have got for my computer which I am having trouble getting to work at the moment. I can install it into the computer no problem and I can install the software but once they are both in (software and hardware), I can't boot the computer up. It times out on boot up and goes to the page with the options of how to boot up and so I start in safe mode. I have tried alsorts of ways around this. with the software removed it runs fine but with it it slows the boot up down to the point it times out. My computer more than matches belkins requirements but so far no good. Belkin haven't been able to help yet either.

Untill i get this problem sorted I have no chance of worrying about the comunication problems from 98 to xp. This is why I am considering xp on my machine as well.

Jon

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:18 am

Sounds like you have a serious conflict in your hardware setup.

Do you have an onboard LAN card on your motherboard?

If you have, disable its function in the Bios setup of your computer then restart, you usually access this by pressing the delete key during the post scribed screen, should be in one of the menus.

Does 98 load its own drivers for the card, or is it not recognised until you install the software?

Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:02 pm

oh I had 98se and was made to upgrade by my brother to xp hated it uninstalled it and went back to 98se and couldn't be happier Razz

Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:06 pm

forgot to add do not have wireless as if you have an older house you have connection issuses Mad

so use wired with netgear superb