Windows XP
Someone got something right.
If the computing world was created anew with the release of Windows XP; if nothing but new hardware, software and peripherals existed from the dedicated day, and all the old stuff vanished along with Windows 9x; compatibility wouldn't even warrant a footnote in XP.
But in reality, XP arrives into a world cluttered with PCs, programs and a million bits of add-on hardware. Most of them work under your current version of Windows. Microsoft's challenge is to make sure they work just as well, if not better, under XP.
Microsoft has improved the code base of Windows 2000 and fused it with the compatibility of Windows 9x. Instead of introducing legacy code (some of Windows 9x's roots extend as far back as the late 1980s) to the updated Windows NT kernel, Microsoft employed new systems to ensure compatibility as well as stability.
One of the largest improvements is Windows XP's DOS compatibility; it has even improved over Windows 9x, which was originally built using some MS-DOS code. It enables you to run old 16-bit DOS applications seamlessly in a window, even with full sound. This is an improvement over both Windows 9x and 2000, as many older applications (especially games) will run simultaneously with other 32-bit native applications.
A clever addition to the Operating System, entitled the Program Compatibility Wizard, enables you to specify which version of Windows you would like XP to emulate, so you can 'trick' an application into thinking that it is running under any previous flavour of Windows. This helps streamline the transition into Windows XP, as it means that many of your applications will be able to run without any modifications.
Another good tool is the AppsHelp dialog. If you attempt to run a program that for some reason has a compatibility issue with Windows XP, a window is spawned called AppsHelp. This will display a message saying why the application will not run, and attempt to download a patch if one is available. Application information is kept in Windows XP's AppCompat Database, which contains a list of details on compatible and incompatible software, and is updated automatically via the Windows Update site.
Oddly enough, programs already installed on your system prior to the XP upgrade are treated in a different manner. As part of its installation process, Windows XP creates a report on any of your current software and hardware that might not work with XP. This is filed away as C:\windows\upgrade.htm and can be launched by clicking a 'View Report' button in the dialog box that appears whenever you attempt to launch any of the programs.
As Windows XP functions slightly differently to Windows 2000 and Windows 9x, low-level operating system components (such as disk tools or virus scanners) for previous versions of Windows will not work with XP. Upgrade versions of applications like Partition Magic and Norton Utilities have already been released for Windows XP, and software support for the new Operating System is plentiful. Although Windows XP includes an application compatibility facility that enables users to run applications designed for previous versions of Windows, there are many instances of software that won't run under XP.
Upgrade checklist
Look, and look very carefully, before you go any further. Here are the essential steps for a successful XP upgrade.
It doesn't matter what Microsoft claims are the minimum specs for XP. In the real-world the requirements for Windows XP are a lot higher, starting and being usable are two different things. Don't even bother removing the shrinkwrap unless you have a 500MHz processor (even a Celeron will do nicely) with 128Mb of RAM and 2Gb of disk space. Any PC bought since January last year should be fine. If it falls short of the mark, consider some strategic upgrading. Drop in a faster chip, fit a second hard drive or add some more memory the price of RAM is quite affordable so there's no excuse. Or just buy yourself that Pentium 4 you've been dreaming of. Remember as you dig into the bank account to upgrade your PC that a whole new one might me a better option, and that XP may be nice, but it is just another version of Windows, if your happy with your 9x box upgrading is a luxury move.
Make sure you buy the right upgrade version of Windows XP for your current system: Windows 95 can't be upgraded, so you'll need a full version of Windows XP ($462 for Home and $675 for Professional) Windows 98, 98SE and Me can be upgraded to either XP Home ($238) or Professional ($462). Windows NT 4.0 and 2000 can only be upgraded to XP Professional.
Run the Update Advisor (it's on the Windows XP install CD).
Update your BIOS System and download the latest drivers (Windows 2000-compatible, if the XP ones aren't yet available) for any odd or uncommon bits of hardware which Windows XP may not recognise. If you're doing a clean install on a freshly formatted drive, save the downloads onto a CD or Zip disk.
Whether you're upgrading from Windows 9x, Me or 2000, the installation process for Windows XP is virtually the same. There are two methods of installing the operating system: either by booting the computer with the installation CD present, or by running it under an existing Operating System.
If you opt to boot the computer directly from the CD-ROM, then you'll lose the ability to perform an upgrade installation over the top of your existing operating system, although you are still capable of installing the Operating System to a new partition and running a dual-boot system.
The most common method is to boot the computer using the existing operating system, and insert the Windows XP installation CD into the CD-ROM drive. If the Autorun option is enabled on your CD-ROM drive, an installation menu will appear. From here, you can perform a system check in order to download any extra device drivers that your system may need before launching into the installation of Windows XP. It's wise to do this before trying to install Windows XP, although you'll be alerted to any problems if you choose to go straight into the installation process. If you do choose system check, Windows XP prompts you to connect to the Internet if downloading extra device drivers is necessary.
Above all else, never forget that computers are suppose to be fun, don't become frustrated under any circumstances, there is a lot of good advice out there on the Internet, many technicians will be pleased to assist you with advice and technical tips. Do visit the Internet, do ask questions and then get ready for the best computing experience available today.
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