Why (install XP)?

[Wayne G. Dengel]

I posted a msg relative to serious install problems. Response from the
group was very much appreciated. Given all of the reasons why, in my case,
the installation process does not go forward (remove Intuit QuickBooks and
the like as suggested on the Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup page), I have
an older version of AutoCAD for example and similar. Maybe XP does not like
this also. Who knows.

While many copies of XP work well on (new) machines and maybe a number of
upgrades have been installed with great success, clearly Microsoft has a
serious problem (or is it our 'take it or leave it' problem?).

For now I am staying with the once in a while blue-screen 98SE.

Thought. My drive is partitioned with OS on 'C' and most apps and data on D
and E. Would a new install be advised?

Wayne

[Shenan T. Stanley]

Wayne G. Dengel <> wrote:
> I posted a msg relative to serious install problems. Response from
> the group was very much appreciated. Given all of the reasons why,
> in my case, the installation process does not go forward (remove
> Intuit QuickBooks and the like as suggested on the Troubleshooting
> Windows XP Setup page), I have an older version of AutoCAD for
> example and similar. Maybe XP does not like this also. Who knows.
>
> While many copies of XP work well on (new) machines and maybe a
> number of upgrades have been installed with great success, clearly
> Microsoft has a serious problem (or is it our 'take it or leave it'
> problem?).
>
> For now I am staying with the once in a while blue-screen 98SE.
>
> Thought. My drive is partitioned with OS on 'C' and most apps and
> data on D and E. Would a new install be advised?

Here is the deal. A lot of people will not or cannot upgrade their older
applications - and while it is sometimes possible to get these applications
to work in Windows XP, it may not or may not be worth the time when
considering the cost of just upgrading the older sofware as well.

It's not really a "take it or leave it" problem anymore than it has ever
been. I consider it a "if it's not broken, don't fix it" situation. If
your stuff is working, leave it alone. If you cannot afford to upgrade to
the top-of-the-line - don't. Etc.

However - you further question about a new installation. If you mean of
Windows 98SE.. Yeah - it would likely help, but be forewarned. You may
"think" you have most apps and data on D/E, but I bet parts of said apps
installed on C just because it is your system partition. What that means is
that you would be better off backing up the whole system.. Reinstalling from
scratch (Win98SE if you wish) and then reinstallig your applications,
patching, etc - then putting back your data. Then your computer shold be
"like new".

If you meant upgrading to XP.. I would consider that carefully. Will the
computer handle it? (I have seen XP with all the bells and whistles turned
off run VERY well on a 400MHz system with 256MB of RAM, but that is as low
as I would go comfortably - and again - all the special effects were turned
off by me.) Will your applications even RUN on XP? (That's a biggie - can
you afford to upgrade the applications to their current versions if they do
not, etc?)


--
Shenan Stanley
"Just trying to help"