W98 v's XP (New DVD writer keeps failing mid-stream)

B

BlueSpud

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I have a fairly old PC, it is Windows 98, 1.4G with 225Mb of ram. Would this grind to a halt with XP on board?

The reason I am contemplating upgrading (I mean a full install of XP) to XP is that I have bought a new Philips DVD burner that keeps failing mid-way through burning a DVD. I have had no problems burning CDs, and a more learned colleague suggested that I should be using XP.
 
Re: W98 v's XP

On the face of it those specifications look sufficient to run XP assuming "1.4G" means a 1.4GHz processor (what type?) and that you have sufficient diskspace to install and run it. You might want to double check against some of before taking the plunge.
 
Re: W98 v's XP

Thanks clubman, on the face of it, it looks like my pc should do the job, and yes it is 1.4GHz, albeit a Celron.
 
Re: W98 v's XP

Did you see the link to the [broken link removed] utility in amongst those Google links? Might be worth checking that out too.
 
Re: W98 v's XP

You might also consider just why you want to upgrade to XP? I still run Win98SE (apparently a lot more stable than the original Win98) on an old laptop at home, because a more knowledgeable friend pointed out to me that it's a lot less vulnerable to trojans, viruses and other internet nasties — these tend to be designed specifically to attack Win2K/ME/XP systems. I must say I've never had any problems with it, and it doesn't keep needing to download new patches, security fixes, service packs etc. the way my XP machine in work does...

There are very few apps that won't run under Win98SE (except for post-v.7.0 releases of the Windows Media Player. But the older version of that brute at least allowed you to install a codecs pack permanently, instead of having to install it 'on demand' everytime it came across a different file-type...:rolleyes )

...Call me old-fashioned!

Dr. M.
 
Re: W98 v's XP

...old-fashioned enough to stand corrected about the codecs thing! :eek:
[broken link removed]
 
Re: W98 v's XP

I have a fairly old PC, it is Windows 98, 1.4G with 225Mb of ram. Would this grind to a halt with XP on board?
Click to expand...

In my experience, upgrading the OS on a PC after more 2 years is not a good idea. You will spend too much time trying to locate updated drivers (especially OEM drivers), and may well find that the new OS doesn't run as well as the old one.

I have done it and found it not worth the hassle.

I also find that Windows 98 actually boots and runs faster than XP.
 
Re: W98 v's XP

upgrading the OS on a PC after more 2 years is not a good idea.

I just presumed that BlueSpud would be doing a new install and not an upgrade. But it's a good point to suggest that you locate XP drivers for all the relevant hardware in advance of doing the (re)installation.
 
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