Packed with multimedia features, Windows XP Home Edition aims to unlock the full potential of your personal computer. It also looks great, with rounded window corners, larger and more detailed icons, and a clean-look desktop.
The best thing about Windows XP is that, because it belongs to the Windows NT/2000 product family, it's designed from the ground up for reliability, security, and networking. XP Home users will soon see the benefits of this. The dreaded Windows crash-and-reboot cycle really is much less common with XP, and, provided the hardware is up to scratch, XP's performance is better, too. The downside is that using a different code base can make compatibility with old applications less assured. Business applications normally run fine, but older games, MIDI software, and system utilities may well cause problems.
Windows XP is more customizable than previous versions, including its visual themes that let you change the whole appearance of Windows in an instant. Fast User Switching is a neat feature for computers used by more than one person--it lets another user log on without killing the previous user's session, and when you switch back, running applications and open documents are as you left them. This is impressive, but what really counts is that XP understands how to deal with multiple users. Each user has their own special folders, such as My Documents, which cannot be seen by other users. And for those with more than one computer, the network setup wizard simplifies setting up a network.
Windows XP Home has many strong multimedia features. New Media Player lets you copy music from CD to hard disk, create your own playlist, and write your own music CDs if you have a CD writer. You can also play back DVD-Video (but only if a hardware or software DVD decoder is already installed) and play MP3 audio files and MPEG videos (but sadly not the popular RealMedia formats). Admittedly, Media Player does nothing that you cannot also do with free alternatives, but it is slick and nicely integrated. There is also Windows Movie Maker, a basic tool for capturing and editing videos that's fun to use, although too limited for serious work.
For Web browsing, XP Home comes with Internet Explorer 6.0 and MSN Explorer. The most significant new feature for Internet users is the built-in firewall. A firewall protects against one of the most disturbing security risks, in which other users unknown to you might connect to your computer while it is online, reading private files or causing other damage. XP's built-in firewall is a simple affair, but it does prevent most types of unauthorized connections.
The XP user interface is not a radical departure from earlier versions of Windows, but there are a number of small changes that together add up to a significant improvement. For example, you can add and remove shortcuts from the Start menu by right-clicking on the icon and selecting Pin or Unpin from the pop-up menu. Windows online help is integrated into a Help and Support Center that works like an internal Web site, with searchable help, tutorials, and walkthroughs. Laptop or other flat-screen users can set Windows to use ClearType for screen fonts, for a more readable display.
There are, of course, some pitfalls. Windows XP Home is demanding on hardware, and it would be a mistake to install it on less than Microsoft's recommended minimum. Business users note: unlike Windows 98 or Me, XP Home Edition cannot join a Windows server domain, so the networking is peer-to-peer only--see Windows XP Professional Edition Upgrade for this functionality. There is also no multiprocessor support, and a mildly annoying anti-piracy measure requires you to obtain a code from Microsoft for full installation and any future system changes. But don't let that put you off: this is Microsoft's best Windows yet. --Tim Anderson
Designed for reliability, security and privacy, high performance, and ease of use, the Windows XP operating system provides a host of benefits forbusiness and home users. A clean and simple desktop, rock-solidreliability, and easy-to-use features that take advantage of the digitalage all contribute to the value of Windows XP.
Enhancements in real-time voice, video, and data communications will allowthe PC to become a center of communications and creativity beyond juste-mail and instant messaging. Windows XP will also allow the user toconnect back to the desktop from any location, and support for new wirelessnetworks will be built in. Windows XP will unify the user's supportexperience by enabling the user to provide temporary and secure control oftheir PC over the Internet to whomever can best help them.
Windows XP takes an end-to-end approach to how people transfer videos andpictures onto their computer, how they use them on their PC and otherdevices, and how they share them, whether in person or through e-mail, over the Web, or through removable media like DVDs and CDs. It extends this experience through applications that help users buy music and videos, mobile devices, services for saving your music on the Internet, and more. Windows XP will make it easier for households to share a single PC and share pictures, music, files,printers, and other resources.
1 Worst OS on the market; try Linux instead.
Here's what you probably think: Microsoft Windows XP is the most popular OS on the market, so it must be the best, right? Wrong. Ford is more popular than Lexus; would you seriously consider Ford to be a better car?
There are two reasons why Windows XP is so popular: (a) it is relatively easy to use, and (b) it is compatible with almost all programs on the market. Nonetheless, Windows XP is extremely unreliable. It crashes very often, doesn't handle multiple applications well, and requires a lot of memory. It is also closed-source and very expensive. The solution: Linux, by far the best OS you can get. Linux
(a) is free;
(b) comes in multiple versions ("distributions"), so you can choose the one that is right for you;
(c) is open-source;
(d) comes complete with an office suite, media players, text editors, and many other applications that are not part of Windows XP;
(e) is very reliable, able to handle multiple applications simultaneously, and takes very little memory;
(f) Evolves very quickly and efficiently due to its open-source nature.
Do not let Linux's relative complexity deter you. Once you get used to it, it is a piece of cake. To make the transition easier, you can easily install SUSE or Red Hat Linux on a computer running Windows. Linux will install itself alongside Windows so you can choose which one to use at boot time. Interestingly, Windows will not allow this dual-boot option: if you install it on a computer already running Linux, it will erase everything on your hard drive and will take over completely.
2 MicroCrap
I have used DOS, Win3.1, Win95, Win98 and now this piece of crap OS. Microsoft's only interest is making money, thats why they come out with a new release of an OS upon a new release of an OS. Each one just as buggy, insecure and unstable as the previous version.
Anything coming from Microsoft just plain sucks.
I have now switched from InterCrap explorer to Mozilla and from Out-Crash-express to Thunderbird, soon I will completely switch to Linux, a FAR better and FUNCTIONAL OS for a far better price, namely free. My next laptop will be a Mac.
Dont waste your money, Microsoft designed software is garbage by definition. And for the person saying he can understand we are not all geeks : I shouldnt HAVE to be a frigging geek to use an OS
3 Very Stable
As previous reviewers have mentioned, you should make sure your hardware and software is XP compatible before you buy. Assuming everything is compatible Windows XP upgrade is a breeze to install, once installed it is very funtional and stable. The main irritation about previous Windows operating systems was the instability. My Windows XP installation has not crashed a single time since I installed 768 MB of Ram. For a stable system it is very important that you have enough Ram. When I only had 256 MB of ram installed the system was not much more stable than Windows 98 SE. I am very pleased with Windows XP, you will be too, if you have enough Ram, and XP Compatible software and hardware.
4 XP only ME dressed up
Since buying the upgrade of windows XP i have had to reinstall
it 3 times -onto a clean hard disk- The first time it just disappeared and turned into a blue screen,with messages that hive files were gone missing? 2nd time round the registery got
corrupted and the last time it refused to boot,and not wanting
to have to trall through another install i used the XP CD to try the recovery consol. This was as much use as a cigarette
lighter on a motor bike. None of the commands worked,and even trying the help file was useless. There seems to be a serious
problem with system restore in XP, and im fully updated with all the latest SPacks,and stacks of space on my hard disk alotted to SR! Check dates will disappear and when you really need ST to get you back and running -it goes pear shaped! I now running 3 restored version of XP completly backed up on a seperate hard disk using Power Quests Drive image.
My experences with XP are ITS NOT RELIABLE..
5 Who ever said XP crashes they are WRONG!
Please don't buy the WinXP upgrade because for one thing I had to renstall it 5 to maybe 6 times and when you do that your harddrive will make sounds. It might make a click sound. I would reccomend the full version of XP. It's so much better!
6 another load from microsoft
lies lies xp is not stable and it crashes at the same rate as win- me its obvious that microsoft dident try hard. The meaning of a new release is supposed to be better and go forward, with xp it just went backwards, by far 2000 pro was better. It seems that xp just sacraficed stability, power, and function for a nicer image. I mean it's nice to have a fresh look and good media player but the power that allows you to do anything is...uhh . Xp install is a pain in the but, With problems I dont have room in this form to mention.
Over all i'd say just go with win 2000 pro, but if you just want to leave microsoft's bs and want 100x more power 0 viruses 0 total system crashes and more functional software go linux a FUNCTIONAL open source os.
7 Stable, but somewhat not compatible
Windows XP gives you good compatibility, great security, and wonderful perfomance. The reason I picked 4 stars is because older programs do not work. But the benifits far outweigh the consequences. On the other hand, Linux crashes rarely, but it crashes completely.
8 Microsoft Windos XP Home Edition Upgrade
Great operating system. Hardly any problems with it. Very stable compared to Windows 98.
9 So far, so good
Well, I have a pc that I bought in 2001, it came with Windows Me. I upgraded to Windows XP Home about eight months ago, give or take, and I've had no problem at all. The only problems I've had is when I upgraded to Windows SP2, the new service pack. It locked some things up and just did a few weird things, so I uninstalled it. I already had good virus protection, a good firewall, I stay completely up-to-date with Windows and Internet Explorer, etc... so for now, I feel I am already pretty secure. But, other than that XP Home had been just about perfect for me. Of course, I feel that the logoff could be a tad faster, and to me, the start could be faster too, but hey, I think most all of us want faster and faster and better, don't we?
Every program I had on PC with Windows ME before upgrading is still on my pc and still works perfectly fine. My pc and Windows XP HOme has been extremely stable, knock on wood, and personally, I am glad I upgraded and I am glad to be rid of Windows ME. Me was ok, but I did have some problems with it and I did have to reload it a few times on my pc from Feb. 2001 to first part of Feb/March 2004. Finally I decided it was time to move on to XP, that surely it couldn't be any worse. I was right.
No, XP may not be ALL THAT and a bag of chips too, may not be for everyone and their computer, BUT, it was a good move for me. I believe that on the whole it will be a good move for most people, especially if you are still running Windows 95-98, and ME. I think you'll like XP.
But, I agree with many... I don't believe that Microsoft should automatically load it on all pc's and expect you to use it. I think when it comes to spending that much money on a computer system and getting what you want... you shouldn't have to accept what they have loaded. You should be given a choice on what OS you would like to run.
10 The best contemporary operating system for individual users
I've been using XP Home on various machines for three years, simultaneously with Linux, and it's enough time to say that XP has been excellent while Linux was just so-so.
Some of the reasons why I love Windows XP:
1. It is amazingly stable. Do you remember Windows 95/98 that were crashing several times a day? It does not happen with XP anymore. At the beginning, in 2001, the Internet Exporer was rather unstable and it had to close many times a week. Such things simply do not happen to me anymore, as a result of the updates that have been done. I am getting the blue screen roughly once a year, and it is never unexpected because I almost always do something controversial.
2. It is getting very secure. The Service Pack 2 made the XP the safest affordable operating system. You know, operating systems are not created by God, and therefore there can be holes in them. The same is true about Windows. But Microsoft is a very active company and the hotfixes are available very quickly if it is necessary. The number of bugs that have survived is very small.
3. XP is compatible with all previous software I tried - including very old-fashioned games that used to run under MS-DOS. Although XP is based on the technology of Windows NT/2000 Kernel, which was more stable, it became compatible with the systems 95/98/ME for the home users. XP also works with all modern games and other programs, as well as all external devices, that I've tried.
4. XP is very configurable. I've changed the icons of everything - every folder and every file type, as well as all the sounds. It is also very user-friendly, and international support works smoothly.
5. In the case that something goes wrong, it is still very likely that "System Restore" will save you. It's a time machine that can return all system files on your PC to a moment (checkpoint) in the past. It has been useful several times to fix various small problems with the configurations that appeared because of new programs I installed.
11 Bet Bill Gates doesn't use XP.
When I bought my new dell machine this year, Windows XP was the only choice of OS I had and Dell assured me that XP is well received by customers.
I had already heard the scary stories about XP but I was still not prepeared for the horrors that XP unleashed once the initial setup was completed. The look and feel it gives your computer is certainly different, but its capability to do multiple tasks while maintaining system integrity is seriously flawed.
I do not know how this piece of garbage was released for public consumption.
Here are all the positives and negatives I ahve encountered with XP in last 6 months:
Positives:
None
Negatives:
1) Very unstable. Unless you only launch your IE or some other basic applications that come with the system, you are in serious trouble. The system becomes unresponsive and I have to cut the power and remove the battery to restart it. Sometimes (like just now) I had to restart 5 times before I could log in.
2) Incompatible with most software out there. If you want to install basic music software, virus protection, firewall etc, be prepared for further system issues at startup type. XP doesn't handle anything but microsoft's software.
3) No gaming support. Despite what MS claims, XP is incapable of handling most gaming software. It keeps crashing everytime you run a game with heavy graphics.
CONCLUSION: Microsoft is forcing people to but XP by making it available for every new PC. And despite what most people believe, it is not for free. Your PC maker includes the cost in your final statement. You cannot remove it because that voids your warranty. The fact that MS allowed such incompetency makes me question their future direction. No wonder they are losing ground to Linux. It is free and more stable than XP.
12 Window XP Professional
I purchased a package for window xp in may this year and just got a computer on which I wanted to use it. On Thursday Nov. 25, we wanted install it but the boot disk # 4 was observed to be problematic and thus the whole installation was not successful.
Please advice me.
Thanks
Rev, Ndorleh
13 This is a great OS - but XP Prof is better
I have this OS on most all my home PC's. Windows XP Professional is better...but if you use XP Home for your home its probably all you'll need. Oh yeah - download Service pack 2 - its a great upgrade with security features. It even blocks your pop up ads. I am so glad to have that. TIP - back up critical files before downloading any service pack. I didn't have any trouble but its a good practice.
14 ARGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean it is almost impossoble to run complex programs with how much RAM it uses. In fact I have 192 megs of ram but the thing only has 45 megs free! And my old PC has 64 megs of ram on windows 98 and it has 60 free megs of ram! They need to make it need less requiring of RAM!
15 microsofts best windows
Over many years of using windows, this is the best version!
16 Wow..oh wait!
Yeah thats right windows xp home edition and professional was like wow when I saw it, but thats just it. It's just to look at. When I first saw it i thought wow looks great and looks like it will work great too. Well, I was wrong! I have had to install windows xp on my computer numerous times and frankly I'm getting tired of doing so. I swear, I can't download a single file cause I'm afraid it might distablize my computer or have a virus or something. The software is very glitchy, not to mention very unprotected. Even with the "updates" it still managed to catch a virus. Instead of windows xp firewall detecting my zone alarm firewall stop it from further destroying my computer. So, in all xp is a joke. I have never had so many problems with viruses, installing, etc. It is very unreliable, unstable and also a memory hog. I have a p4 computer 2.4 with 512 memory and still it is slow?!? I think those people at microsoft need to recall this crapware, because thats what it really is, and make a better os! Right now I am considering on getting either Linux or maybe switch back to 98 or 2000. At least with those os I know I won't have to reinstall everything a couple times a year!
17 Do Not -- I Repeat DO NOT install XP over an existing OS
Windows XP Home is only second to XP Pro in my book. If you have an upgrade XP version than reformat your hard drive and than install Windows XP, you can do this using the XP disc. First it'll ask that you don't have a qualify os on your hard drive that's when you put your Win98 or Win Me cd in the cd tray and it'll verify that you have a qualify disc, than you put your XP disc back in the tray and go from there. XP Home or Pro is a lot better than 9x(Win95-Win Me). It's more stable. It utilizes ram better. I would get at least 512 of ram. It likes a lot of ram.
18 Windows XP Home, The Best of Microsoft!
The Windows XP Home program is the best of Microsoft since the beginning of the PC era! I started with Windows 95. I even tried Windows XP Pro which was a disaster for me! Microsoft keeps any updates right on time with my XP Home program (always needed with any program!) And, this program get's the 5 star from me for the most important reason! It's very "user friendly"!
19 Pretty good....
I've had Windows XP for a year now and it's probably the best OS that Microsoft has put out so far. The major difference in this version compared to it's predecessors is the new interface. At first, I was skeptical of the new design because it looked a little too user-friendly for my liking but I got used to it quickly. The colors are vibrant and they make a difference in the attraction of this product.
This operating system is much more stable than the other versions, too. Windows Me was the first OS that I ever used but I always felt that it left much to be desired. The stability was bad, the omnipresent blue screen of death (if you've had Me, you'll know what I am talking about) came up often, and it seemed so much like a Windows 98 3rd Edition instead of Me after I tried out 98. Fortunately, This blue screen of death is absent from this version. Compared to the other versions, this is like a Godsend.
If you are sick of unstability or just want to upgrade, go for this product.
20 XP Home a "Bust" for the Buck
I tried XP Home on a desktop for over a year and it was nothing but headaches. A laptop running XP Pro in the same period, used the same amount of usage had less than a third of the problems. Shell out the additional for XP Pro or don't waste your money, XP Home is garbage.
21 Corporate - YES, Home - NO
P4 1.8 GHz 1GB RAM
I am a computer weenie, and have used the following Windows OSs;
NT 4 Workstation, MS Dos 6, win95b, win98se, and now winXP Home.
I have done 9 installs of windows XP Home and read 6 books on the OS, (and have 3 ordered from Amazon), but I can't really recommend it.
Why?
It is too hit and miss. It is neither 'faster nor smarter' as the ads continually pronounce. Even after disabling the services that should NOT be defaulted on, it is sluggish to the point of distraction. I keep studying and tweaking it for performance, but my other installations are all 'faster, smarter'
It does work, so I give it 2 stars, but frankly I have a tweaked to the gills Win98se installation, and an updated Win NT 4 installation that I still prefer to any of the XP installations I have.
I also run Linux, (Mandrake and Gentoo), and all of these are superior to this 'upgrade' called XP, and I'm judging them all on the same hardware, with all updates applied.
It seems to me a complete patchwork of bloatware. If you have a very fast system its not too bad- but try as I can, I can't see any home user needing this.
If you are administering a cube farm full of 'users', its probably the best system to be administering, but the features that make it good for a corporate network make it fat and slow for a home network.
I would like to be able to recommend this OS, but for Home users its just too ponderous for too little reason.
22 Do Not -- I Repeat DO NOT Buy This if You Have Windows ME
I have a Compaq Presario laptop with Windows ME. I wanted to upgrade it, so I decided to buy the Windows XP Upgrade. I have another computer that came with XP built in, and I like that system a lot.
Well, before I pulled out my credit card at CompUSA, I asked the manager if there are any problems upgrading from Windows ME to Windows XP. I was very specific. "No problem!" he told me, "It works great!"
NONSENSE!
Here is a list of hardware problems I had after loading Windows XP onto the laptop:
1. My touch pad stopped working.
2. My PCI bus started getting errors.
3. My wireless network card (D-Link GW-630) stopped working.
And these are just the things I noticed in the first day of using it!
I spent over six hours on the telephone with various technical service reps, uninstalling and re-installing the software, being put on hold, reinstalling drivers, restarting the computer over and over and over and over again. Six extremely frustrating hours!
Finally, the tech support people told me to uninstall the software. They said I should return the software to CompUSA.
Now for the fun part. CompUSA refused to take it back!!! After an hour arguing with the very same manager who told me everything should work great, all I got was an offer to do an exchange for the same product. Then the manager said my system must not be compatible. Well, I showed him the "System Requirements" on the box, and then I showed him what's in my laptop. According to the box, my laptop is perfectly compatible.
Then the manager told me that he would not recommend upgrading from ME to XP. Well, it says right on the box that the upgrade is designed for systems with Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition. Not only that, but I reminded him that I specifically said I was upgrading from Windows ME!!!
I even gave the manager my Microsoft Case Number so he could see for himself the problems I had and all the tech support people who tried to fix it for me.
In the end, I am stuck with software that does not work.
Learn from my trials. Do not buy this software if you have Windows ME. Only buy it if you can get a written agreement from your seller that they will take the software back after it messes up your system.
23 Windows XP - Some people with low experience should not buy
Hi it's Person. Windows XP is a great operating system. It's very stable and helps get things done around here. I've read some reviews about software not running correctly. Do you want to know how to fix it? Set the compatability. Really, I think some people are out of control and aren't trying hard enough to understand Windows XP. Once you understand how to use it, you will love that you have it. If you are new to this software, I recommend taking the Windows XP Tour at Start>All Programs>Accessories>Tour Windows XP If you have an old Windows OS, then try this. You will not regret it. I'm glad I have it because Windows 98 sucks bad compared to this. Hey ya!
24 Turned my Dinosaur PC into a Performer
When I had Windows 98, my computer had a lot of problems. It was always stalling, it was unstable, and practically froze on me 2 times a day over an 8 hour usage. When I installed Windows XP the difference was completely noticeable. I stopped getting the stupid errors on the screen, and my computers functionality and power increased at least by 210%. Windows Xp has its downside though. It still has a compatibility problem with really old programs, (Try Nisus Missle Master 2.5 made back in 1992, for example). But who cares? All I've ever wanted is a computer that can go beyond its limits. Now, with Windows XP, your computer can pass every limit ever made.
25 Why pay to upgrade when its free?
You can dl service pack 1 and 2 from the MS website for free. The only reason I can think of buying the CD would be if you have a slow internet connection since the dl is quite large. Id recommend upgrading one way or the other to close some of the security holes that plague XP. As a suggestion, be sure to stop your anti virus program during the install to speed things up.
26 Not for every user - Difficult Install
Personally, I found that this was a trying experience from the beginning. First off, few stores even carry XP software, so that even locating the package is difficult. Thankfully there are on-line opportunities like Amazon to fulfill the dream.
Physically installing this product was an even greater difficulty. I could not find this in a 3.5" format and had to upgrade my PC in order to be able to run the CD. After re-booting, I found that the CD was not mounted and that the software could not be recognized. I spent numerous hours on the phone with MicroSoft Tech support, only to determine that the system requirements were not fully explained in the promotional literature. This upgrade requires an extremely fast processor, at least 512 Mb memory, minimum 40 Gb hard drive. In fact, the system architecture and operating system are completely different! Who knew? I can tell you it is not recommended for the typical Apple II or Mac Plus customer.
This is probably much better suited to the owner of a new Power Mac machine with the latest in video & IO features.
27 If you have ME, dump it and buy XP
Several years ago, I made the horrible mistake of upgrading my home computer from Windows 98 to Windows ME. From that point on it was nothing but trouble. I thank God that my home office is in a windowless basement room or I would have thrown my computer out of the window. Finally, after numerous crashes I came to the realization that something had to be done. Going back to Windows 98 was not an option (I had misplaced my disc long ago) so I upgraded to Windows XP.
Aside from the sticker shock, I am pretty happy with it. No longer does my computer freeze up every thirty minutes or so. Although I am sure that it has new and improved features, I am not a new and improved kind of guy- Email, some web surfing and word processing pretty well describes my computer use. For this, Windows 98 was just fine. But, time marches on. If you have Windows 98 and are doing fine, there probably no compelling reason to upgrade (I still use Windows 98 on my church computer), but if you are into video, advance graphics or the like, an upgrade would be in order.
There are two features that I appreciate. You can set up user accounts that keep people from changing your settings or reading your private correspondence. And, you are given the option to change the look of the screen to the older Windows look- I guess you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. If you have Windows ME, to not hesitate, dump the junk and buy XP, you will never regret the change.
28 You don't know what you are doing
I don't blame all of you for giving this OS bad marks. God help you, you just don't know what you are doing..and that's ok. I've installed this OS on over 200 machines. It's by far one of the most stable OS's ever made. My users have never had a crash..not one. I'm talking about 150 people, using it 40 hours a week, all day long for 2 years. However....
If I wasn't there, it would be a nightmare. With increase functionality come increased confusion. This is completely unavoidable. I understand that not everyone is a geek so I can see where people could really mess this up. It's ok, it's not your fault..but it's not Microsoft's either.
Should you get a Mac with OSX? Absolutely. They make great software, and you should have a relatively easy time of it. However they are 2% of the market and if you want to go outside of the bounds of what they do you are going to have a big problem.
29 XP=eXpect Pain
Let me say that Windows ME was great with backwords compatibility. XP is better right? WRONG! This OS is very random on what it will run! Even on programs that say they work on XP! The reason? Mainly because security updates will mess up a lot of them. Also with old programs it won't run well in the first place. ALSO even with all the security updates XP is very vulnerable. If you plan to get a new computer and want to use DSL I heard Macs are very good. Also people who use older OSes will have to learn how to do stuff again. Another problem is that XP is a BIG HOG OF RAM! If you can find one get ME. XP is bad espiaclly for DSL!
30 don't buy retail
buy this as an OEM product with a cheap piece of hardware for only $85 dollars at newegg.com- for $175 dollars you are only getting a useless manual with your CD
31 Poor Referral
I was extremely disappointed with your suggested dealer "TEKDEAL INC". I ordered a Microsoft XP-Retail edition and received XP-OEM. The OEM version does not work and TEKDEAL with not honor a refund policy. I received poor customer service and received a worthless software. VERY DISAPPOINTED!! I do not recommend Amazon referring customers to TEKDEAL because you will get a RAW-DEAL.
32 Windows XP No Problem Upgrades A Myth
I like to give any significant software package a little time before I purchase or upgrade to it. My hope is, after a few months, the various bug patches will be available to insure that when I get the package I can avoid the majority of headaches that come with it. So I waited until now to upgrade to Windows XP. The setup seemed very impressive as it offer a pain-free upgrade from previous versions of Windows, which assured me that the program menu, desktop items and other personal data would be safely maintained during the upgrade. After the 90 minute upgrade process completed, all of these assurances turned out not to be true. Further, Microsoft's support for Windows XP was next to nil. While they had a phone number I could call for support, the people didn't seem to have a clue as to what to do with installation issues such as I had, further, I was placed on hold for long period of time as long distance charges accrued, while they touched base with other people who might know. Those people were apparently never found as I cumulatively spent up to 5 hours between brief assurances that they were still looking into it. Finally, I had to do the system footwork myself to find and restore many of my original programs, desktop items, start menu setting, corrupted registry entries, and email accounts/data; all of which had been misplaced by the install, though fortunately not deleted. The Windows XP upgrade also left me immediately infected with an internet worm which I had to scan for and get cleaned up. The only reason why I've not given the software 1 star is because once I fixed all of these problems with over ten hours of personal time, Windows XP now seems to be running pretty well. Though I do recommend a third party firewall like Zone Alarm rather than trusting Microsoft's built in fire wall protection, which seems more like an oxymoron. If you go Windows XP, good luck! You'll need it.
33 XP prevented my laptop from becoming a doorstop
Yes, Windows systems have been problematic and can drive a user stark raving loony. Acknowledged. And despite being adept with the utility functions (scan disk, defrag, etc.) and other low-grade hacks, I was near the end of my rope with crashes, system freeze-ups, and general poor performance under Win98. So for me, the WinXP upgrade was a measure of last resort.
Darn glad I did it, by the way. Upgrading has given new life to my system, and will gain an extra 2 years (minimum) on a machine (five-year old Sony laptop) that I had almost given up on. Crashes are non-existent, programs are easier to install/uninstall, and in general, all tasks are now easier with WinXP.
Even more: it's worked just fine on 128mb RAM.
34 Microsucks
I am a programmer and graphic designer and have used PCs and Windows for decades, starting from the pathetic windows 3.1 all the way to XP. I do basic things like email and internet but also advanced 3d modeling with Maya(very heavy stuff) and worked as windows system administrator.
Microsoft sucks. Forget about it! Microsoft's products are delivered prematurely, in the name of profit, and therefore are full of bugs, SECURITY HOLES and privacy invasion. So many of them, I can't even start to complain about it... I want to make this review short.
On every release of windows, they make annoying changes to the system core that force admins to buy the new books on the new releases. It seems that things are becoming more complicated than ever on windows. Now, do you have the time to fuss around with the system? Reboot every day? Try to figure out why your programs crash and why MS products are so INNEFICIENT? Worry about the hundreds of security holes? What a NIGHTMARE! Well, I'd rather spend that time going to the beach, here in Hawaii.
I just want to share with fellow amazon customers that I bought an iMac, from Apple. At first I was really scared to make the transition, since I use computers daily for work, I needed something fast, stable and easy to use. The apple OS X just blew my mind. I feel like a kid with a new toy.
My PC now serves only as a jukebox since I want to save my iMac's hard drive space for things I can do with all the cool applications that come with the system. Transferred all my pc files to the mac like magic.
Now, this is like buying a car. Want something that runs? Buy a PC with windows. It's cheap, cheesy and an insult for those who appreciate attention to detail, design and quality.
...
If I put together all the hours I have spent debugging/making windows programs run, it would probably account for a month of my life (I'm 25) and many headaches. Just think about that. Computers are supposed to make your life *easier*. ... Windows steals.
35 What a joke
Microsoft Co. is getting really invasive. I suggest users of this and other Microsoft (amnong other Cos.) products read the EULAs before clicking YES. Also note that Windows XP comes with no supprt for MP3 or DVD files, nor do any of it's "Updates". I wouuld also search the web for well known security holes and their fixes before installing deploying this product. As to the convinience this product affords, it is analogus that an unlocked door affords you at your house : No need to bother with a key, but no way for the average user to keep out the bad guys.
36 Surprisingly Satisfied
first off, i'm not a computer geek. but i'm not totally ignorant about how they operate either.
basically the only reason i went out and got this product was b/c i had some new hardware that could not work with windows 98, the original version. i've had my computer for over 5 years now, and was quite happy with the way it operated.
i was never (and still am not) a big fan of ms products. so needless to say i was very hesitant about going out and paying good money for anything less than exceptional. but i must say that this upgrade has been a pleasant surprise.
the installation was the first surprise: rather easy and seamless. well there was that one instance that i got an error message and had to reboot, but the thing picked up right where it left off, and actually moved faster after that lil snafu.
setup, registration, getting started, etc., was a snap (literally).
one thing i must note that i've fallen in love with is the working password protection. (unlike windows 98's which you could easily bypass by hitting esc!)
one thing that sort of disturbed me was the fact that the program takes up a whole lot more space than my old win 98. (having a 5 yr old computer, need i say more). but overall, i gave this product a 4. actually i would have preferred the option for maybe a 4.5. it is in no way perfect. hey, we're still dealing with computers (and microsoft) here. but it is definitely an improvement to previous windows versions, in many, many ways.
i'm still not crazy bout microsoft or their software, but i may actually give them a second thought in the future...
37 XP is PU
My experience with XP has just been a disaster. It has horrible security issues, terrrible backwards compatibility, is hit and miss with non-Microsoft software (especially pre-XP software) and is unstable. It is such a junky operating system, I'm junking it and going back to Windows 2000.
Everyone who buys XP and has a fast internet connection should realize from the get go how bad the security issues are. If you must have XP or if its pre-loaded onto the computer you bought and you have broadband, make sure you spring for a good internet security system (e.g. McAfee or Norton) and be prepared to deal with adware, spyware etc. etc. If you have a lot of pre-XP software, be prepared to say goodbye to a lot of it. Some of it will work, but a lot of it will not. One other piece of advice--do not set up separate user accounts. We did and XP crashed a LOT. We went back to a single account and its become more stable (though far from perfect).
All in all, this is Redmond's worst OS since Windows 98. One of my grad students has me about talked into jumping to Linux. I can't see how that alternative could be any worse, and it's sure a lot cheaper! Haven't gone quite that far ... yet. But it's back to 2000 for me, and I'm vowing never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever to buy into Microsoft's claims about its "new and improved" products. If XP is the flagship product, this company has some serious quality control issues.
38 Not very good
This is the second-to-worst operating system I've used. It's almost worse than Mac OS 9. Anyway, this doesn't really have many pros or cons. Sometimes you really like the operating system, and sometimes you want to throw your computer out the window. Microsoft really messed up.
Pros:
-The computer will tell you when updates are avaible
-Most games are compatible
-Good amount of card games to play
Cons:
-Doesn't work well with wireless internet
-Freezes frquently
-WordPerfect can drive you insane
-Takes a while to start up
-Saving pages on the internet doesn't work
Overall, Windows XP isn't very good. You're better off with Windows 2000.
39 You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a PIG!!!
I too, survived that inexcusable fiasco known as Windoze ME (Millenium Edition). About 2 and a half years ago, despite my having invested almost a grand and a half on a top of the line PC system with ME as my O.S., I got daily system freezes, crashes, and error messages with Millenium Edition. Clearly, ME was a defective product, and Gates should issue a consumer recall and reimburse those who purchased Win ME. Perhaps there should be a class action lawsuit as well. Of course, civil e-mails and customer service calls to Microsoft were NEVER returned. Not once. Is this the 'respect' that Gates has for his customers?! Out of sheer desperation, and a need to be productive and to preserve my sanity and health, I was told by an 'IT guru' that a clean install of Windows XP Home Edition would solve my problems, so I fell for it. Two hundred bucks later, I have tons of 2 to 4 year old Windows software and games that simply don't work on XP, or cause system errors and crashes! I am now back at square one, and faced with the prospect of having to throw out over $3,000 in Windows 98/ME software that doesn't work well with XP!!! Where is the BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY that Windows is supposed to truly have?!?! I'm not running a 15 year old DOS program on here for chrissakes. All I can say, is after experiencing the various incarnations of Windows, and concomitant headaches this lousy O.S. is responsible for, my next computer is going to be a Macintosh. Gates has lost my respect and Windows business.
40 Absolutely Horrible
I reluctantly upgraded to Windows XP because certain programs I wanted to run were not supported by Windows Me, my previous OS. It's been nothing less than a disaster. I upgraded two months ago and have yet to restore the functionality I had before. I haven't had this many problems with compatability since my last girlfriend. Be warned: "upgrade" to XP and you're likely to find much of your hardware and software no longer works. How Microsoft became a dominant market force making garbage like this is beyond me. It's almost time for me to retire my old laptop, and I can guarantee it will be replaced by an Apple. Congratulations, Microsoft. I'm through with Windows-based PCs.
41 I don't like it
1st, unlike other reviewers I do not like the "look" of windows xp at all. It looks like someone turned up the saturation of a bad cartoon. The startmenu pulls up a complicated box instead of the simple list of all the older windows. I liked the list of the older windows.
2nd Constantly asking me for microsoft passport passwords. It makes you miss constantly blue screening in previous windows.
3rd Pop up "reminders" are annoying
4th various microsoft control measures that many writers have already talked about at length. Why should I call microsoft to ask permission to activate their software?
5th less keyboard shortcut ability -- minor complaint.
I used this operating system on school and work computers to the extent that I know that I don't want it. Wind 2000 is just fine if you want a modern win os. W 95, & w 98 are much more flexible if you like dos games. W 98 is getting awful hard to find, though. I don't know anything about how it compares with Win Me. If choosing between w 2000 and XP, I would pick w 2000. 2000 was a very stable OS and layed out fine.
To say something good, I do like the "biggerness" of the icons, etc. I like seeing things better.
42 DON'T BE SPOOKED......
......by some of the scary reviews here. I just did an effortless upgrade of a Compaq 800mhz Celeron Presario which had been running ME. Needless to say, XP is a MUCH MORE STABLE operating system. I did choose to do a "New Installation" after installing the upgrade CD; essentially it wipes your hard drive clean. The upgrade provided necessary drivers for my modem, and I therefore had no trouble getting into the Net, where I FIRST downloaded Norton AntiVirus 2004. Then I went to the Microsoft site to download a LARGE package of XP security updates. I then added in my software, which I had already checked for compatibility by downloading the Microsoft XP Upgrade Advisor several days before my XP installation.( You also can check compatibility with the XP upgrade CD, but I wanted to know ahead of time which software I'd need to replace)
XP ran quite well on the 128mb which were originally on my machine, but I chose to add another 128mb after looking at my system information.
Don't hesitate. For less than $100, XP upgrade is a GREAT bargain. It's certainly much cheaper than buying a new machine!!
43 Should have upgraded a long time ago!
Wow! Those are the only words I can use to describe my new Windows XP Home Upgrade. My computer is about 2.5 years old and originally came installed with Windows ME. It was always locking up and becoming unstable and I would have to reboot it quite often. I actually reinstalled ME twice and when it was a fresh install it worked pretty well. I read all the reviews about how great XP was etc so I decided to give it a try. Since installing it my system works so much better. It's almost like I have a new computer. I've had very little problems with programs becoming unstable and locked up and the very few that I've had I just close them down and they don't affect the rest of the computer system. Installation was easy. It took about 2 hours for my computer to install this program. I had to go to HP's web site to get a couple of drivers for an old HP scanner that I had but that was no problem. Overall I wish I would have gotten this upgrade a long time ago. Definitly worth the price of the upgrade!!!!
44 Modern Windows!
Microsoft Corporation has been on the top of the software/os world for a decade now. Their true reign started in 1993 with the debut of Windows 95, and ever since there's been no stopping to their innovations. Windows Xp (Professional) is the cream of the Microsoft products. It is more stable than ever. It runs faster on compatible machines, and it has a rather easy installation. I agree that an up to date hardware is a requirement for WinXp, but that's a small price to pay for convenince. Whatever the user wants to do from searching through files, listening to music, or surfing internet is made easy with MSWINXp. The recent study shows that 92% of desktop users currently take advantage of Windows. 68% of servers also use Microsoft OS. I notice that some of my colleagues recommend Mac Os for Desktops, but that is unacceptable. Mac os is not compatible with Intel Pcs and only 1% of people use it as their primary OS. I recommend this Windows to anyone with a compatible Pc that is a pentium 3 700mgz or higher and 256 Mb Ram. Join Microsoft fans and enjoy!
45 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
I currently and unfortunately own and use this operating system.
I have owned and used other Microsoft Operating System software in the past and compared to them, Windows XP Home Edition stinks. Out of all of the past operating systems, I feel that Microsoft Windows ME is the best of the best. Windows XP is just a lot of hype and is not even close to operating systems in the past.
46 Great OS
Just did a complete new installation of XP, which only took one hour. Coming from 98 this system is totally crash proof. The ease of use and format are leaps and bounds above 98. Would recommend this OS to anyone.
47 The Best Windows Yet!
I actually survived the living hell that was Windows ME!
Windows XP,the latest Microsoft OS,is by far the best Windows yet.There is a lot of new features,but the most noticable new feature is the OS's new facelift.The windows are curved,and you can actually set the overall look of the OS to look like a Mac!
Windows XP has made networking much easyer.It is also better at multimedia.Though a few programs I had did not work with Windows XP,you can configure the computer to treat an older program as if the OS were ME or earlyer.
The new Windows Activation is a good idea,as Microsoft is having problems with software pirates,ect.
My only problem with Windows XP was that it would refuse to run some of Norton SystemWorks utilities.Also,uninstalling Systemworks was a pain and I eventually had to use System Restore to return to the day I got XP.But that wasn't that long ago,so it didn't really matter.Oh,that's another improvement!In this version of Windows,System Restore actually works!In ME,no matter how many times you try,the System Restore will not work.
I know this is a bit off subject,but installing a new OS over Windows ME is nearly impossible.I hade to try a few times in order to install XP over (ME).It kept complaining about Norton,and the disk drive,and open applications...
Overall,Windows XP is a must have for anyone with a crappy OS such as ME.Buy it now!
48 Avoid upgrade
I tried this as an upgrade to ME. Was a big mess that I had to undo. But you can use the upgrade disk to do a clean install, and reformat your drive to NTSF and install it as a clean OS for XP home, if you have a previous Windows OS version. WindowsXP is the most stable Microsoft OS since the 95 nightmares began. I built PCs for friends occasionally and some of them as "idiots" crash other windows versions quickly playing around or over accessorising with no real OS knowledge, but they don't bother me constantly with problems on XP built computers.
As for myself, I used to mirror a clean windows install and generally refreshed it almost monthly, when prior Win OS programs developed inevitable problems, and bogged down or crashed frequently. I've only done one reinstall of XP (pro), and it is tough to really mess it up bad. XP home was used on friends PCs I built. XP is far beyond previous versions for stability. System restore works more the 50% of the time if you do have a bad install issue. For some reason winXPPro seems to be a bit more stable, even without server or private networking needs.
49 HORRIBLE
WOW! I NEVER KNOW SOME SOFTWARE, AND ESPECIALLY THIS CAN BE SO HORRIBLY BAD!! FIRST OFF, I HAVE NO CLUE WHERE ANY OF MY PREVIOUS STUFF WENT, I FOUND 10 OF MY DOCS AND I FRANTICALLY SEARCHED EVERY FOLDER. MY MUSIC WONT RE FORMAT AND ALL OF MY DATA IS JUST NOTHING. THIS BROUGHT ME NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. I WISH I JUST STUCK WITH ME WHICK IS 1OOX BETTER IN EVERY WAY. IN THIS ONE THEY TREAT YOU LIKE YOU HAVNT EVER USED A COMPUTER BEFORE AND TAKE THE "PERSONAL" AWAY FROM PC. DONT GET THIS LOAD OF JUNK.
50 Additional Licenses Cleverly Hidden
Hopefully this review prompts Amazon to unhide their links to purchasing additional licenses to Windows XP Home Edition Upgrades. I have 4 computers and am faily pissed to find Bill Gates picking my pocket on licenses for each but then when my favorite retailer has no clue how to sell them to me.... Welcome to the world run by microsoft!!!! NAH they're not a monopoly!!!!
51 Use Caution Upgrading!
This upgrade does NOT include the security hotfixes that have accumulated since the August 2003 Blaster Worm! Make sure you have all the critical Microsoft security hotfixes FIRST, upgrade without connecting to the Internet (i.e. don't select to update the Update Manager from Microsoft's website), and manually apply the critical fixes before connecting to the Internet for the first time. Also, enable the built-in firewall before connecting to the Internet. I learned the hard way and got the Blaster Worm while connected to Microsoft's website trying to download the critical hotfixes. Thereafter, I couldn't stay connected long enough to complete the download. Don't get caught in this "Catch 22" like I did!
52 Better than Windows ME
I have Windows ME on my desktop computer and have constant problems with it. I can't even install AOL 9.0 on it because it doesn't work with ME.
I have Windows XP on my laptop computer (the one I almost always use now). I think that it is far superior to ME. The graphics are better and I have encountered fewer problems with software incompatibility.
I'm glad that Microsoft didn't take a bad product (ME) and just add a few things to it. They seemed to have actually attempted to work out some of the problems so XP will have fewer glitches.
If you are in the market to upgrade from an older operating system (Windows 95, 98, etc.) or you have ME and hate it, XP is the way to go. You don't have to completely relearn everything about Windows, and you get a system that gets the 'evil blue screen' (System is Busy OR System Not Responding) far less.
Please keep in mind, this is my opinion. :c)
53 Be Aware Be Very Aware
I recently bought this upgrade for my home computer , loaded it up, got the other upgrades I needed for the dvd player and burner , scanner another 100 or so dollars. Then today I decide to put it on my daughters computer but I find out that you can only use it on one computer , I called Microsoft and they actually want you to BUY another XP upgrade, I was livid , lots of screaming but to no avail , so needless to say my daughter is still using ME editon. I refuse to give Gates another dime.
HE NEEDS TO BE STOPPED MY NEXT COMPUTER WILL BE AN APPLE
54 This is crazy kewl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
My friend wanted me to get this to show me how kewl it was and i bought it and tried it out. IT's the best thing ever, I see why windows made this. I's the best thing in the world. I seriously recomend buying it cuz it's the shiznit!!!!!!!!!!! I can never stop using it cuz my PC is m ylife i live on it.
55 Windows XP--Hearts
There are many people that enjoy a game of hearts--I'm one.
I don't know how Microsoft let this heart game out.
The game plays like the cards are marked, the other players have signals and the dealer is dealing from the bottom of the deck.
If Microsoft had any type of quality control, they too, may have asked, "isn't this rather unfair?"
I'm giving it one star because the person that put it together knew there were four suits in the deck, although he forgot it was supposed to be fair.
56 An issue of trust
Hi:
Disgusted with my recent experience with running MS Combat Flight Simulator 3, I hoped to improve my experience with an "UPGRADE". I wrongly imagined that Microsoft had seen the light and improved it's attitude toward the ("customer")... offering a real product for a change , I know ... it was silly of me.
My first step was to read customer reviews, my next step is to forget it.
Recently, I wrote a customer review in which I stated that after many years of experience with Windows I have learned to distrust MS; I repair that statement here by stating that MS has taught me to distrust them.
Hard work is noble, unless that hard work is against the customer then it is not noble.
The customer in this computer industry is called a "USER", I believe it would be more honest to call him/her the used.
Disgruntled, but sincere.
John King AKA jhnkij@AOL.com
57 Microsoft need a better grip on their products.
I have been a Windows user and lover from when I was nine years old (I am thirteen years old now). Windows '98 has never disappointed me because I used it for simple things. As I progessed into technology, I bought Windows XP.
Windows XP has more pros than cons, but the cons are really that terrible. Sure, everyone loves fast, easy-to-understand computers with neat programs.
As a review reader, I like to look for cons first, so:
- Too many security flaws. Microsoft needs a definate grip on that. XP, so far, has got to be the most worst off when it comes to security. Honestly, the anti-virus programs can barely help now. I'm tired of installing and restarting my computer every time Microsoft has urgent 'upgrades'.
- If you're a furious file downloader like me, you're going to need more megabytes. XP tends to lag a bit slower, and after uninstalling and deleting over one hundred somewhat files, it's still slow (using a 256 MB system).
- I don't know if it's just me, but it happens so every month; my computer would just automatically restart without warning. Very bad flaw, I have yet to find out why it's even doing this.
- Microsoft Word is good, but it's missing something Windows '98/2000 had: better WordArt options and styles (seriously). This is extremely important to me when I wish to do headers for projects.
- I've tried installing some Windows '98 computer games onto my computer, but ta-da! It didn't work. Some faulty error messages popped-up instead. I had no trouble installing '95 games on my '98 back then, so why now?
As bad as some cons are, I'm not going to recommend Apple or Linux, because Windows, if you don't mind those poor cons, is quite superior with all the new options they give you. I advise considering buyers to wait a while before they purchase a product from Microsoft though... there's a rumour going around of a new Windows version (Windows Longhorn), so hang in there. :)
58 Who's got the Raid?!
OK, nice interface, (I use the win 98 style interface[-ironic eh?]) but full of bugs! - My computer is down right now, because of some stupid reset loop bug!- Everytime I turn it on, it starts to load windows, then resets itself! -Microsoft only gave me two options and neither one worked! - I miss my Windows 98... At least I never had propblems a good 'Re-install' couldn't fix.
59 Going on over a year
XP has been great. I haven't had my computer crash or freeze yet. It did happen in the past with 98.
60 My Experience And Wish List Wih Windows XP
Installation:
The Windows XP Activation feature is good, but I wish the numbers and letters could be entered automatically when you install Windows.
Ease of Use:
Windows XP is very easy to use and user-friendly. I love the new start menu and that Microsoft got rid of the "Recent Documents" under the "My Documents" start menu button on my old Windows Millenium Edition. Like the new "connect to" menu, too, very simple to connect. Everything I need is one click away using the new start menu, no need very desktop icons anymore. My programs I use most often are also under the start menu, very nice improvement over old start menu. I don't need "Hibernation" so I turned it off because it was taking up 254 MB of space that I didn't even need to be using. I wish hibernation was marked as off on default, it would save alot of people some hard drive space they didn't even know they were taking up.
Customization or Preferences:
Wish I could have more color schemes with the Windows XP style, only three. The classic Windows has many scheme choices. There isn't much choice when it comes to screensavers too. All the screesavers except fot the "My Pictuers" and "Windows XP" screensavers are from previous versions. I do like the "My Pictures" screensaver, can put any of my pictures as my screensaver, wish you could change the size of the pictures though. Many of my pictures almost take up the whole screen, would like them to be a little smaller.
Security:
The security of my Windows XP is excellent. The Windows Internet Connection Firewall is a great security feature for users that can't afford to buy a third-party firewall. Wish it was turned on by default though. I don't know why Microsoft has to come out with all these security patches so often. My system works fine and I haven't used a security patch yet.
Performance:
The performance with Windows XP has been much better than my old Windows ME in my case. I don't know how Microsft does it, but great job.
Overall:
Windows XP is should be the only operating system for home users. I don't know why so many people say Mac is better. Macs have thier own problems too. Windows XP Home Edition is by far, the best choice for operating systems for home users.
61 A Major Inmprovement
I upgraded directly from Windows 98SE, and i found windows XP to deliver a more reliable, stable interface for the computer user. I have had virtually no system failures, and my speed associated with multitasking has greatly improved. The feature i like the most is the intergrated hiberantion option which allows the computer to stay logged on, and even let open programs continue to run while shutting down the computer. Getting on and off the machine is so much easier now!
62 Uninstall works great!
I installed Windows XP Upgrade on my home computer to replace my current ME operating system, but have now uninstalled it. My advice is, if your current operating system is basically satisfactory, don't make the move to Windows XP unless you've made sure your older programs and hardware are compatible with XP and there is some feature you feel you really, really must have.
In the words of the XP instruction manual, "The Windows XP Setup program will automatically check the hardware and software already installed on your computer for potential conflicts." "Potential conflicts" is a nice way of saying that certain programs and hardware items may not work well or at all with XP, because it wants digital signatures, updated drivers or more.
In my case, during the installation process, XP informed me that "Setup has detected that some hardware or programs on your computer might not function correctly after the upgrade is completed. This lack of functionality can have an effect on things you might want to do, such as connecting to the Internet, accessing e-mail, printing, scanning, and playing sounds or music." (Wow, aren't those the things that most people use their computers for?)
After I completed the XP installation (which proved to be a very simple process), I did in fact encounter considerable difficulty with a number of software and hardware items. As examples, XP was extremely cranky about accepting my cable modem and I could not get my printer to work at all, even after I downloaded a new driver from the manufacturer's website. (Solution - buy a new printer?) The XP installation also rendered my Norton Antivirus 2004 software inoperable, a problem which the Norton website recognized but had no solution for. I also faced problems with my CD creation and digital camera software as well the Outlook Express email software.
I want to stress that all of these problems have solutions, but I eventually hit the wall "installation fatigue." It just seemed that, every time I got a problem solved, two more would pop up - so I just gave up and uninstalled XP. I concluded that what I had seen on my computer screen so far in terms of new features simply did not outweigh the problems I was experiencing and the potential cost of new programs and hardware that would be compatible with XP.
My main point here is that there is a lot of hype about the advantages of XP but no one tells buyers that it may cost you 4 or 5 times as much to replace hardware and software that is not compatible with XP, and that you may have to spend hours at problem-solving in order to get your computer functioning. Microsoft has a web link at www.microsoft.com/windows/catalog/ that is supposed to provide information on whether your applications and hardware are "XP-ready." This should be put in at least ? inch bright orange letters on the box so that purchasers will notice it and check BEFORE they tear open that shrink-wrap and lose the right to return the product for a refund.
63 Terrible!
Loaded with security flaws, this operating system is the worst yet. That combined with the fact that when new software is installed, XP deletes drivers which are needed for the OS to operate properly make for a terrible software package. So far I have had to do a complete reinstall on my computer twice because of this. If you can stand it, buy a Linux OS or a Mac...it doesn't appear that Windows is ever going to come out with a decent operating system.
64 Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade
If you want to crash your system, lose all saved emails, lose all saved Word documents, lose your ability to print, and garble all photographs on your PC, including your screen saver, install the Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade. This was my experience when I attempted to install the XP upgrade. Motivated to purchase XP by Microsoft's statement that the company would no longer support Windows 98, I ordered the CD for the Windows XP Upgrade. Although with extensive assistance from Microsoft reps I have been able to recover my saved emails and Word documents, I can print nothing. My Heidi Klum screen saver now looks like an Andy Warhol painting. All photographs are now garbled. If I had it to do over, I'd stick with Windows 98.
65 Linux, Linux, Linux!
All I have to say is one word "Linux". I'm a huge Mandrake fan. The ONLY reason I got this was so I could run Windows programs natively. Lets face it, It;s not opensource, so you have no idea what it's doing to your computer, Linux on the other hand is completly open! Fight the monoply! Go Linux! www.mandrakelinux.com
66 An improvement over Windows 98
I got a new computer last month that had Windows XP Home Edition SP1 preinstalled. My previous computers had run Windows 95 and 98. So far, I'd say XP is an improvement over its predecessors. It doesn't crash as often, is less buggy, and it has more advanced features, such as the customizable Start Menu and built-in firewall. It will take you a while to discover all the features of this new operating system.
However, that's not to say XP is perfect. I've encountered a few error messages, noticed some problems with older USB hardware that is supposed to be XP compatible, and the computer totally froze up on me a couple of times while using the CD-RW drive. Some of that may or may not have been XP's fault.
XP has a different look than 95, 98 or ME. Icons, task bars, scroll bars, fonts, buttons are more colorful and smoother looking. But if you don't like the XP style, you have the option of changing it to the "classic" style, which is similar to 98 and ME.
I'm not a big fan of upgrading a computer's current operating system (too many things can go wrong), so if you really want to try XP, I'd recommend getting a new computer with XP preinstalled.
67 Windows XP Home Unstable, Crashes Constantly
My install of Windows XP Home on a brand new 3.0GH Pentium 4 with a gig of memory crashes contstantly for no apparent reason. I have removed software after software in hopes of finding the "bad driver" to no avail. It has crashed three times this morning in 45 minutes. It crashes and resets to BIOS suddenly at startup as it's loading the system tray, then after finally starting, it crashed when I was reading email in Outlook 2000, then after the restart it crashed when I was browsing the web in Verizon DSL with Internet Explorer 6.0. It's like I pressed the "reset" button. No warning, no explanation, just crash to black screen and watch it reboot from BIOS. Not impressed at all. Windows XP Home is unstable. If it's my fault for something I did, it's still XP's problem because it 1) won't fix itself and 2) won't tell me what's wrong. I even bought a new hard drive and did a clean install that took 12 hours. Still crashes, even when just using Microsoft software. You know, it's really just DOS parading as a Macintosh, and not too well.
68 Great Solution!
I think this is a great solution. Very user friendly and stable. I moved from the Windows ME operating system to the Windows XP Home operating system and am glad I did. I haven't had a single issue with it so far whereas with the Windows ME it was a constant battle for stability from day one. I'm not sure what the prior reviewer meant by "Fisher Price" software as this is almost identical in look and ease of use to the Windows ME only more functional, aesthetically enhanced and MUCH more stable. This is an application for home use (with the home edition) and I think as such it's a great solution. I've found it very easy to use. It's more than I wanted to spend but I spent about at least 15 times this amount in my time alone in dealing with Windows ME problems that I had so I wish I'd invested in it sooner. I didn't purchase the upgrade edition as I thought it would be cleaner (allbeit more expensive) to just start from scratch due to all the problems I'd had with Windows ME. So far so good!
69 WARNING!
If computer literacy IQ > 50, do not "upgrade" to XP. It is bad. Nothing is back-compatible and it has no useful features that 98 on up didn't already have. I can think of about a hundred better options, and one of them would be for the whole world to convert to macs. And I'm an 11 year Windows user.
70 Not My Favorite...
While I respect the opinions of people who have gone to XP and liked it, I am not one of them. My machine is in good shape, its a P4 2ghz, 1 gig RAM, GeForce 8X video card with 128 megs, and 80 gig E/IDE hard drive. My games still run better on Win98SE. My digital camera never did work quite right either. After messing with it for several months I just bagged it and went back to Win98SE. I didn't have to worry about the latest mountain of security flaws either.
71 Excellent Operating System
I have just purchased Windows XP Home Edition upgrade. My score is actually 4.5 (they just didn't give me an option for that). I had a major problem with installation, but I don't think that it was XP, my old OS Windows 98 kept saying it was performing and illegal operation and giving me that horrible blue screen.
***OWNERS OF WINDOWS 2000 PRO READ THIS*** Since my upgrade would not work with Win98, I just formatted my hard drive and installed WINDOWS 2000 PRO, and I tried running it and it wouldn't work (just as the box says) but I put in the Windows XP disc and restarted my computer. I then booted the disc instead of windows (an option just popped up). It scanned my system for a current windows (saying that without it, it could not intstall XP) and it found WINDOWS 2000 PRO and installed XP. You cannot upgrade, but you can install a new version of XP from the Upgrade disc as I did.
The installation takes can take 40-90 minutes. After that, XP runs extremely well, even on my old system (378mhz amd processor, 192mb of ram, and only 6.3gb hard drive) XP boosted my systems speed very much, AOL now opens in half the time it took before!
The design of XP is stunning, much better than the plain design of 95,98,98se,Me, and 2000, although if you want you can change your theme to make it look very much like those versions. The control panel can be listed in categories or classic view and the Icons are much more detailed. The start menu is setup to be more user friendly with a section for your most recently used programs.
There is also a very nifty feature called "Remote Assistance" , you can give someone access (over windows messenger) to see your desktop and help you fix something you need. So, for all those people who need tech help from one of their friends, that person can remotely fix it from their computer. When you first install, you will need to activate it through microsoft.com to be able to use it after 30 days (anti-piracy measure), so it is best to buy it.
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGUARDING WINDOWS XP? E-MAIL ME MGENIESSE@COMCAST.NET and I will gladly help you with anything.
72 The BEST Operating System for Home Use!
Windows XP is the best Operating system from Microsoft for the home user. It is rock solid, great performance, and best of all 1000's of software titles to choose from.
Do not fall for the Linux hype, you will lose any functionality you can have with Windows.
Microsoft did their homework on Windows XP, if you have a digital camera plug it in, and it does the rest. I have used Windows XP since it was released and never had any problems out of it. Different users can have their own profiles and settings, it is just awesome!
If you have Windows 98 or the later, you need to upgrade to Windows XP and you will never look back!
73 not that impressed.
I swear this program is "fluffy" , it has too much of a kid friendly... look. but hey. the think MS doesn't tell you... save money buy the upgrade. if you have a win98 CD. when the install for XP prompts you about the operating system just switch to the 98 CD til it's through with it's check. then you can replace the XP cd and continue with the install. all XP upgrade is doing is checking to see if your machine has an OS already, this precedor just tricks the install into thinking it's there. so don't waste money on the full verson if you don't have to.
anyway, product review. it's not Hacker proof I don't care what Gates Says. it's built to around file swaping and internet based updates, browsing and full blown Multi media apps. there is nothing professional about it, and it's Crazy that most of packages I love cost so damn much money. the only programs MS makes I really love is their Office Suites and it's over price like crazy. the whole Activating your software thing is so retard. hell I know that's been hacked by someone. Anyway, in short the design of the program really makes it's Rather prone to viriouses, and hackers to acess your conputer. my advice, if you do choose to get this kiddy based ,idiot proof, seasoned computer users nightmare of a program. get "Black Ice" or a Rerouter don't trust MS too much .
the one nice thing I really like about this program is I don't have to go looking for alot of updates. Granted I'm still having trouble finding drivers for some of my hardware.
I'm thinking I'll soon be switching to Linix with my Next computer.
74 Good OS
xp is different from 98 its cleaner,defined,and more well maintained you may not no but windows xp longhorn is going to be realeased soon i find xp much better then keeping and outdated OS
75 Infantile OS
I was dissapointed with WinXP. Not because I'm a Windows- hater but because it was too simply of an OS. I'm used to NT and Win2kPro. It doesn't give me enough options and settings. It's just way to easy. If any one wanted an OS that they really don't have to think to use, this is the one for you.
76 XP: A step forward in functionality
When Windows XP was released, the most people saw at first was its sleek design and interface, which many criticized for being simply "bells and whistles". But they, like myself, found that XP was more than just a pretty picture, having features that actually enhanced efficiency and functionality.
One of my favorites is the fact that when a digital camera is plugged in, it automatically asks you if you would like to upload the pictures, view them in a slidshow, etc. XP comes with its own picture uploading tool that loads the pictures quickly and easily. Another of my favorites is the user switching, where two (or three, or four...) profiles can be switched between very quickly, making it a great application for more than one regular user.
Of course, you can turn these things off if you so desire, but why bother? Windows XP is stylish and efficient, bright but effective.
There is one issue that has created much controversy among computer users who upgrade their computers frequently. Product activation is Microsoft's newest attempt to stop piracy in its tracks. Within a month of installation, it requires you to enter your product key, and, if you have internet access, it will contact Microsoft and activate the software for you. If you don't have an internet connection, you'll have to call Microsoft.
This is not generally a problem, it only takes a minute or two to activate Windows. However, some users complain that when you upgrade anything on your computer, it requires you to activate again. This is only partially true. Windows XP will only deactivate itself if... and only if... your computer's hardware has changed drastically. It also occurs if you change hard drives. On the third reactivation, you will have to call a Microsoft employee to ask for a new product key.
This isn't a big deal; it only takes a minute. The truth is that activation is a very small inconvenience that shouldn't bother most people... unless, of course, you pirated your copy.
It is definitely worth upgrading to Windows XP for its greater stability and easier maneuverability.
77 Cleanest Windows OS yet
I recently upgraded form Windows 98 to XP on my home PC. I use Windows 2000 at work and I have to say that XP is by far the best choice for the home PC. I did the XP Upgrade and I must say that is was extremely easy to convert my 98 system to XP. I takes A L-O-N-G time to do the install (a single cd, yet prepare to spend about 2 hours once you hit "go").
MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER....
If you do nothing else to prepare for the upgrade; take the time to run the hardware & software compatibility check before you commit yourself to the install. This is most critical & here's a good example. The driver for my PC's modem/chipset was incompatible with XP. This was highlighted when I ran the test and it allowed me to retrieve the updated driver before launching the upgrade. If I had not done this, then I would have been toast. After the upgrade I would not have been able to use my modem to access the internet to get the new driver after the fact. So do yourself a favor, run the test, print it out, get all your patches beforehand & you'll save yourself a ton of frustration and wasted time.
Other than that it's great and very easy to load. They did a great job with the user interface and instructions. It was a no brainer to install. Just remeber to read everything first, run the compatibility test, print out the important stuff (it even tells you what the important stuff is!) and get your patches before you hit "go".
Now go & dump your 5 year old OS and get up to date.
78 A Joke from Mr. Gates
I tried installing this on two different computers: my own home machine and my bother-in-law's. Each install took at least 3 hours, and each machine crashed twice during the process, requiring a re-boot. Not a user friendly experience at all. But hey, everyone says this is the way to go, the "os of the future". If it is, we are all in BIG trouble.
Anyway, the photo minipulation software is okay, up to a point, as are the other "extras" in the home version of XP, but they are NOT as powerful or user friendly or as well intergrated as those on Mac OS X, and don't let anyone tell you different; they are lying. I know, I use both systems on a regular basis. In fact, I used to be a die-hard Windows only user. Then I actually used a Macintosh for more than 10 minutes and that changed my mind, forever. OS X never crashes, is far more powerful (just look at the Dock, for example; Windows taskbar doesn't even come close), certainly more stunning visually. That's why a lot of people, including my brother in law as well as the folks at my job, are switching. Don't get me started on Win virusus, either.
Really, a poor programming job wrapped in a green box. People should demand better; I guess this is what you get when you don't. I'm not ever going to use Windows again.
79 Not so Great for an Older Computer
I purchased this upgrade hoping to improve my Windows 98 speed. Instead, it slowed down CONSIDERABLY. For example, it took about 30 seconds to close 1 of 2 open windows. Very aggravating!
I took my PC to a repair service and they tell me that XP is only good for Pentium IV processors; otherwise, Windows 98 is still better. I couldnt agree more!
80 Not so Great for an Older Computer
I purchased this upgrade hoping to improve my Windows 98 speed. Instead, it slowed down CONSIDERABLY. For example, it took about 30 seconds to close 1 of 2 open windows. Very aggravating!
I took my PC to a repair service and they tell me that XP is only good for Pentium IV processors; otherwise, Windows 98 is still better. I couldnt agree more!
81 Just do it, you'll be happy!
I have to laugh at the few (and you'll notice it's very few) reviewers who hate XP. Several of those reviewers seem to think that XP pales in comparison to Millennium! That's the OS that even MS thinks of as the bastard child no one should talk about and they admit was junk. I'm not sure how you can take their opinion seriously. The other few bad reviews seem to be from Mac freaks who just want to bad-mouth Windows. BTW, my wife has a PowerBook and she spends a fair share of time swearing at it over lockups and system glitches.
I am an IT Director for fairly large company, we now have XP (Pro) on about one third of our systems and I have helped install both the Pro and Home version on probably a dozen or so personal PC, so I have some experience. The only reason not to install this upgrade would be that your PC is so old it isn't capable of running it. In that case, go out and buy a new PC with XP on it. If you have a competent system for XP, you will be amazed at the difference; I have several friends who thought they had gotten a new computer after installing XP.
As to the negative comments by other reviewers:
-Yes, it does have a memory appetite, but that's a good thing, I want the OS to know how to use the RAM. The biggest problem with the 98x OS's was the memory limitation and the computer would spend half the time swapping stuff in and out of RAM. Besides, memory costs next to nothing these days.
-Yes, a full install is the way to go, but I have always recommended that. It's the only way to make sure you have flushed all the old files. XP supports so much hardware; you probably won't have to go searching for any drivers.
-Activation is necessary in most cases. Again, so what? It takes 10 seconds online and you don't have to give any personal info. The only reason I think people complain about this is that they can no longer get free copies from their friends, isn't that sad?
-No anti-virus built in. Could you imagine the antitrust howls if MS started "bundling" anti-virus software?
-Not stable, not compatible, etc. XP is built on Windows 2000, which is fairly universally regarded as a very stable OS, but is not built on the same kernel as the 98x OS's so you may have problems with some very old software. I emphasize "very old" because I personally have not run into any problems with old software that weren't solved with the "compatibility" settings in the program properties. I think most of the problems that some have experienced stem from not knowing how to set the compatibility properties (read the manual). The other cases may be true problems with old software, but at some point you might need to move on to something newer than WordStar, my old Beta tapes don't run in my DVD player either!
In short, assuming you have a reasonably new system with a proper amount of memory, switching to XP will be a pleasant experience.
82 Review on Windows XP
Windows XP is definitley the best and most advanced of any operating system for a personal computer. It's programs are amazing. If one has a PC the only operating system they should even think about getting is XP. XP is the standard. Everything runs on XP. This is the best technology yet and I love Windows XP
83 Impressive
I guess I share the sentiments of many of the others; this stuff works! Ok, you can criticize (and I have & do & will again) but for now, this stuff works real-well over my flawed & unstable Win 98... that's now just history (thank god).
I purchased the upgrade but chose to install the entire op.sys from scratch (just in case); but then I knew I had a backup of every app & data for subsequent restore... this option obviously wipes everything out.
A few criticisms... it takes FAR longer than their stated 50+ minutes... bank on spending at least a couple of hours. Also, if you don't have a cable-modem, you really shouldn't be trying any on-line ugrades. You also have to 'activate' the license (ie. the 'use') of this product... which is OK, but after I did that, it wanted me to do it AGAIN much later after I had installed a lot of (simple) hardware from some of my older machines (some memory, an old network card, an audio card etc)... it said that too much had changed (whatever THAT means) and I was being given three days to re-activate! Whatever. I did as they asked and it seemed happy (though I still doubt their motives for doing so).
But I can tell you that I chose NTFS also (to replace the fat32 I had before that) and together with XP, it's more stable than I've ever seen it. I loaded-up most of my existing software like Office 97 (loaded first time), as did my Norton Security 2000 for anti-virus and firewall protection (a brief clash with a Norton object when Norton anti-virus started after the re-boot, but Norton already had this in-mind... the Symantec LiveUpdate replaced that object immediately, so they must have known about that one).
My Norton Utilities 4.5 wouldn't load, but then I hopefully won't be needing this any longer :)
84 Win XP not that bad
I ama computer builder and owner of 16 computers. I own every single Windows operating system except Windows 3.1. Windows XP is the most stable operating sytem there is. The only thing that comes close is Windows 2000 Pro, but it has many compatiblity issues. Windows XP boots extremely fast, about twice that of Win 2000 and leaves 95,98,Me behind. The only issue that you must BE VERY CAREFULL about is memory. The minimum requirements are very low, but remember that they are minimum and therefore if you are vry close to the minimum requirements it is going to run slow. I would say that to use this product properly you need at least 256MB RAM (go to crucial.com to get they have the best prices) and 512MB to really enjoy games and online stuff. As for the people who said that the default color scheme can not be changed it can be changed to over 500 diffrent combonations with any custom color you want. And if you buy a new hard drive you WOULD need to install it again because the old harddrive had your Operating Sytem on it (Windows XP\ME\98|95|2000). If you want to add a second drive you have too keep the first one in, then put the second drive in as a primary slave and format it. Also Linux Redhat or the multitude of free versions are not a wise choice to make because there is very limited software for them and any software you have for your windows PC wont work. You should also be warned that a new Windows Operatin System is coming out sometime between OCtober and December 2003 code named Windows Longhorn. You might want to wait for that, but then you might not because win XP is a very good OS.
85 Still Undecided About Upgrading? Go For It!
Contrary to some reviewers, I had only one minor glitch upgrading Win98 to XP.It involved ZoneAlarm's free firewall, and the answer is to uninstall any possibly conflicting software before upgrading. To determine this, go to microsoft's website, then WinXP, then upgrade advisor. Print the results and follow them. Next day, when you are unstressed, do the upgrade, allowing an hour or so for the automatic install, followed by a few simple questions. My computer is a 6yr old IBM 450MHz, 256MB RAM 20GB hard drive, that ran slowly as a result of the few modern programs running. The happy result is that because of the many integrated programs in XP, I don't need most of those system clogging programs I had. Also, as others have mentioned, the way the operating system works is almost intuitive, or "magical" as far as networking or connecting new hardware is concerned. I think many of you considering this upgrade would benefit greatly, especially if your system is not new, and even if you are not tech oriented. (I'm not.) Pricing is now more competitive as well. Bottom line: if your system needs a little updating, if it meets the hardware requirements (of course), I believe you will enjoy what XP offers, and that is a simplicity and stability not inherent in earlier operating systems from microsoft.
86 Windows is evil
I don't understand why everyone I've met says they love XP. A)It's incredibly expensive, and then you also have to buy the Office library for hundreds of dollars too. In addition, fairly soon they're going to start charging you to not upgrade. So you'll have no choice whether to cough up money or not. That's just not right.
XP is praised for it's security. Frankly, I would rather have other people hacking my computer than Microsoft. The latest version of Windows Media Player (that comes with XP) sends a list of what videos you watch to Microsoft. That is a total invasion of privacy.
Also, the new design is actually very large and ugly. And you can't change the colors of the bars. Luckily you can choose to have the old style.
Everytime Microsoft is about to release a product, they lower their standards to release it more quickly- they allow more bugs to go unchecked. Then after the release they go back and figure out how to fix those bugs, and send out Patches and Upgrades and such. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of.
Other than the new bars, annoying shortcut bars in the My Computer, new start menu, etc. XP is the same as ME.
A *special* feature of XP is that it is more "user friendly". It's not user friendly, that just means that they hid the places where you can change your system. For example, to get to the Control Panel, I now have to go into My Computer, and find the tiny link on the side bar (which gets in the way BTW). Before I just had to click on the link in the Start Menu. The first few times you try to go into Program Files, it has this big message "These files are special and should not be deleted. Your too stupid for us to trust with the guts of your computer." (I am paraphrasing of course), and you have to click on a tiny link.
They are trying to make it so that we have no clue about what's going on inside our computers, and they can charge exorbitant fees, and track what we do. In this new "Computer Age", I vote we all use Linux. It's easy, you just have to get used to it, everything is FREE, it doesn't snoop on you, and all the programs are free.
The only good thing about XP is the ability to remove all the desktop shortcuts into the start menu. Other than that, it's a total flop.
87 A Costly Disaster -- Buy the Full, not the Upgrade
Installing this upgrade cost me about $500 because it caused my hard drive to crash, so I had to replace it and pay a professional to recover my data.
In general, if you need to run Windows XP I would strongly recommend getting the Full version and reinstalling all your software because the upgrade causes serious problems.
88 Simply Outstanding with one minor fault...
I've recently upgraded my two year old home computer from ME to XP and was totally blown away by how easy and simple the process was.
The ONLY complaint I have is that during the upgrade Microsoft wiped out all my Netscape email addresses and all the messages I had stored on my computer. They were nowhere to be found. Fortunately, three months ago, I saved my email addresses to a separate drive so I didn't lose all my addresses just some of the more recently changed ones. Unfortunately, I did lose all of my email messages which really upset me since I had several items that I was keeping copies of for shipping confirmations and about account information.
So basically, if you upgrade to XP and like to use Netscape, export your current addresses and messages to a safe location that proprietary Microsoft won't seek out and destroy!!
Other than that, I have absolutely no complaints and am extremely happy with the system. Everything boots up quickly, haven't had any lockups yet and the interface is very easy to use.
89 Good Stuff
Window XP Home is made of good stuff. It's stuffed full of all sorts of different features that are easy to use. Even my mom, who doesn't get along with computers well, can use XP Home.
90 If you MUST update, you'll be happy in the end
How well does it work?
It is the most stable Microsoft OS I've ever used. It even fails more gracefully than any previous version of my experience. Where Win98SE used to lock up and require ctrl-alt-del (thank Deity for Norton, afterwards!), XPHome, frozen, usually allows me to use ctrl-S to save whatever, and the "Windows" key and cursor keys to get to the start menu and shutdown/reboot. And sometimes, instead of locking up, the mouse software goes crazy for several minutes (literally; it only seems like eternity), then finally exhausts itself >:} and allows me to use the mouse to finish whatever I was doing before rebooting in the usual manner.
Is this still crazy? Of course. Will I stay with Windows when there are Linux drivers that allow me to run my favorite older (1998 and later) games? I Don't Think So. From my perspective, there are major problems MS is not perceiving.
I bought XPHome because my system had been invaded by an old harasser who gifted me with several viruses. I only missed one of them (it hid in a documents folder) when I went looking, after seeing my system download things I hadn't requested. That was enough of course. It damaged my OS (Win 98SE), and I could either upgrade, or lose my data by reformatting.
Like so many others, I found that installing this was NOT a picnic. I, too, spend something like 6-7 *hours* on the phone with Microsoft (at my expense), before they decided I was entitled to support from someone in the Research Department, who called me. The problem we solved? How to make my modem work every time. The solution? Input a code which forced it to default mode. The modem? It was the one installed at the factory, one of the most popular OEM brands and models, on one of the most familiar brands of computer.
Solving how to get my CD-RW drive to work was a problem that neither MS nor the computer manufacturer cared to help me with, Thank You Very Much. And not all hardware and software companies seemed to be aware that MS isn't providing drivers as formerly. I received excellent support from Canon, solving the printer driver problem, however.
Microsoft used to include a library of drivers, as a component of the Windows program, for all the popular brands and models of peripherals, including defunct brands and models which were widely installed. Not any more, which is one of several problems that may add up to terminally stupid customer relations. You must now get those from the manufacturer, or however you can. Or you can replace the (perfectly good) peripheral with one from a list of "approved" brands/models from Microsoft's list.
Was all this better than losing my data? You bet.
Do I recommend it to people who need to upgrade their version of Windows for some reason? Yes, but be prepared for Problems, even if your computer is a major brand with all original hardware, and be prepared to spend some money and time on calls to MS Support.
I must say that all of the tech support people I spoke with were pleasant. They also tried hard to help me, and all contacts were followed up with an email, inviting feedback. But the bad news is, as of September 2002, MS was NOT using problem solutions to update the knowledgeware the tech support people use. I find that shockingly wasteful of both their money and the customers' time and money. I've used computers in one way or another since 1975, PCs since 1982, started installing my own peripherals in 1989, and did my first motherboard upgrade in 1996. I have a reasonable understanding of PC hardware. And I'm not hopeless with software, either. In my opinion, this was MUCH harder than it had to be, and MS is doing at least two Really Dumb things:
1. No longer including drivers for the most common peripherals of the last five years. Yes, I know that's expensive, but there is nobody better qualified to write drivers for the OS than they are.
2. Not using every support call which involves changing the configuration of the OS to immediately feed back into the knowledgeware database. That change alone would dramatically reduce the length of support calls from experienced computer users, with enormous potential savings.
91 Its different but I like it
Its a bit different than ME but it has grown on me and now I like it better than any other windows system that Ive had..
92 The end of owning software.
Lots of new features come with the OS. this much is nice. My main gripe is that you can't upgrade your machine or move the OS to another machine without major trouble. Change more than a network card a couple of other items and your OS won't work. This is MS's harebrained scheme to stop people from copying the OS.
Whatever you do, make sure you don't use this software if all you have is a dial-up connection.
I will be avoiding this OS version as long as possible.
93 Many new features, also set the record of most crashes
when i first tried it, i heard rumors about many software not supporting in XP, and they were right. It was fine when i got it, but after putting in some stuff i use, it went right down the drain. Windows XP has a new file system called NTFS (network file system) (it would be new if you used ME or 98), it offers more security and function, and less stability. The good news is there's no more blue screen of death. The bad news is they replaced it with a plain frozen screen. Even though there is a compatability mode, you can't set it farther back than win 95, so any win 3.1 or Ms-Dos software doesn't work. They got rid of the boot-to-Dos option too, and the command prompt in windows has a response rate of about 1 second after you press the key. I use Win 98SE alot, and i think it's more stable.
Win XP home: 10 crashes / day
Win 98 SE : 2 crashes / day
It may be the computer though i wouldn't risk upgrading your computer if you think it's already stable enough.
94 Thanks a lot, Microsoft.
As with all Microsoft Windows products, Win XP Home is overpriced, unreliable, and poorly advertised.
It claims to be "open systems." Unfortunately, many computers will ONLY run Windows XP. Therefore buying a computer with Win XP home may limit you when Microsoft makes its newest advancement, or if you choose to tell Microsoft to take long walk off a short pier and move to Linux.
Windows XP is overpriced. Linux, for example, is free. OS/2 is also free. Mac OS is only around $$. Windows is $$. And if you want to network or do anything worth while, you need Win XP Professional (for businesses) which costs about $$$ more.
As with Windows 95, and 98, XP is unreliable. It is written poorly, loaded with features, and contains all of Microsoft's wonderful quality control. One thing I must say about it is that the Blue Screen of Death is gone, but only because Microsoft doesn't want to tell you when Windows has screwed up. With Win XP, all it does is lock up... it refuses to tell you why.
Also, WinXP is fundamentally an NT platform. Therefore, it may not work well with DirectX games designed for Windows 9.x. Direct X 8.1 refuses to run on my desktop, and all games that require Direct X versions 7.0 and lower simply refuse to load.
But, if you are in bed with Microsoft, as all people are, Windows XP is your best bet. It is more reliable than Windows 95 and 98 (which isn't saying much.) I suggest Linux, myself.
95 I guess it could have been worse...
I ordered this expecting full blown Windows Home, but instead got some cockamamie Hewlett Packard OEM disc instead. I'm going to look into it ASAP, as a matter of fact.
However, trying to put a positive spin on it, what I like about this version of Windows is how much less hard drive space it takes up than XP Professional. Unless you work for MS itself, I can't imagine what you'd actually use XP Professional for. So...so far, so good! However....
Now I feel, and I'm sure everybody who's owned a computer for the last 13 years feels, that Microsoft is in sore need of some viable competition, which it HAD about a decade ago, what with Unix, Linux, DRDOS and OS/2, but thanks to Microshaft's octopus-like ways, most of these people are no longer with us...gone the way of WordStar and TheDraw.
Nothing improves the breed like competition...just imagine how clunky American automobiles would be if it hadn't been for Toyota and Honda from Japan (not to mention the electronics industry, or what's left of it!)! Here's hoping SunMicrosystems, (the only real threat to Miscrosoft left standing,) has enough juice to keep Bill & Co. on their toes so this edition doesn't start blue-screening us into oblivion like Win95 and 98 did!! :-)
96 best thing microsoft ever did
I was reading some of the reviews and come to this conclusion....If xp isnt working right on your pc, it is either too old or your doing something wrong. Ive been using this software for over a year now and the only problem I had was at first I had to upgrade my drivers since then it has been running flawless. I also recomend stylexp it really changes the look of your desktop and has just about anything for anyone running xp for there desktop themes. Oh yea dont run under 512mb of memory or you will run slow I run a gig and a 1/2 myself and a amd 1.8 xp processor So if you want a really smooth running operating system I highly recommend xphome and xp proffessional (remember do not use an old motherboard Ive seen people do it but I notice how sluggish there computers were :)
97 best microsoft yet
This is the best windows yet, but that is not saying much. I constantly find that there are many tasks with windows that are done much easier in other operating systems. I find that many of the configurations are hidden and I think that for a "power user" that knows what he is doing windows will sometimes feel like a crutch.
98 X - Puh-leeze!
I bought a new PC last Fall- Pent4 w/Windows XP Home - My printer doesn't work anymore. I have to use my other PC w/ME for printing(and allmost everything else.) It doesn't run the CD-ROM that SBC sent to install my DSL. I wrote a to do list using wordpad, it would not save. It freezes, crashes just like my old PC. My neighbor upgraded to XP-HOME, his scanner stopped working, his webcam stopped working...
What good is a "superior", "new improved" operating system if it can't do the basic job that it is supposed to do- to OPERATE the basic components of a computer system! I'm going to ?downgrade? back to WIN98 so my PC can finnally do its job. XP-HOME may be O.K. for those computer guys who can fix everything but if you're in need of a turn-key PC that will work right out of the box... fu-ged-a-boud-it!
99 Great OS for the real world
I have been running Windows XP Home and XP Pro since they were in Beta testing and have had very few issues or problems. Previous to XP, I ran Win2K on one machine and WinMe on another. XP is as stable as Win2K, but is much more compatible with my hardware. I've noticed a couple of erroneous reports of problems in earlier reviews: "Buy full version so you don't have to load on top of old OS" WRONG! You can boot your system using the upgrade CD and re-partition and format your hard drive as part of the installation. At some point in the install XP will note that there is no eligible OS on the machine, so then when prompted, put your old Windows CD into the CD drive and the system will recognize it so that you can complete the setup. This isn't rocket science. XP will prompt and lead you all the way through.
The other issue is software compatibility. If your old software won't run on XP, change the compatibility mode to Windows 98 for that particular application. Start/Programs/Accessories is where you will find the compatibility wizard.
If you want to be able to run almost every application ever written for Windows, Windows XP is a good solid choice.
100 Good Upgrade!
I have been using XP for a while now, and it is so much easier to use than the older versions. Even thought the Program Compatibility Wizard is an excellent addition to this software, it can sometimes be frustrating when all you want to do is pop the CD-ROM in and let Auto-Play work its magic. A word to the wise, make sure your printer, scanner, etc. is compatible with XP before purchasing.
