Those of you who UPGRADED to XP...

I got a comp back in 2001. (And to this day I regret I didn't wait a few extra months)

The default OS was Windows ME which I'm sure most of you know to be the "worst Microsoft OS EVER". lol

As time has progressed, ME is becoming more and more obsolete. So, I'm planning on buying the Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade. (Goodbye $100 )

I'm just some random teenager who sadly doesn't know much about computers beside what you learn at school and on MySpace. lol

If you would be so kind, could you please fill me in on everything that will and won't happen when I upgrade to XP?

Thnx,
TragicKingdom92

You might consider upgrading other things besides your OS.  Could you post the specs of your PC so that others may comment on what would be a good, worthwhile upgrade?

[Moderator]

You also should consider that just upgrading the OS without formatting the drive and starting over with a clean slate is a bad idea. You will also have to possess a Windows CD (not just a restore CD) to use the upgrade edition.

Sure,

Intel Pentium 4 Processor
18.9 GB of Memory
 :-?

Like I said, don't know much about computers. More of a music/sports type of person...

uh oh... dear Lord in heaven help me... tell me more about this Windows CD...

[Moderator]

18.9 gig is probably your hard drive which has nothing to do with memory. We need to know if that is the size or the free space. Download and run Belarc Advisor (free at www.belarc.com) and then you will know a LOT of things. Info you need will be in the top part of the page when the program runs. RAM is an important thing. Also the purpose of your computer is important. If you download a lot of pics that can eat up hard drive space.

Well, it's a given I'm a total idiot with comps.

Here's some of the Belarc info:

Windows Millennium Edition (build 4.90.3000)

1.30 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache
20.39 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
7.53 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

_NEC NR-7700A [CD-ROM drive]
Generic floppy disk drive (3.5")

QUANTUM FIREBALLlct20 20 [Hard drive] (20.42 GB) -- drive 0, s/n 052113963823, rev APL.0900, SMART Status: Healthy


Gateway E-4600 4000725
System Serial Number: 0024075736
Chassis Serial Number: 0024075736
Enclosure Type: Desktop

128 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'J7J1' has 64 MB
Slot 'J7J2' has 64 MB
Slot 'J8J1' is Empty
Slot 'J8J2' is Empty

c: (FAT32 on drive 0) 20.39 GB 7.53 GB free

NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 Model 64 (Gateway - English) [Display adapter]
Gateway EV700 [Monitor] (15.7"vis, s/n LIC11606411, April 2001)

etc...

if you need additional specific info just holla back

[Moderator]

By the time you upgrade the memory to a usable amount (256 minimum usable, but 512 recommended) and the hard drive (XP will take about a quarter of that all by itself) you will be approaching the realm where it would be ALMOST as cheap to get a new low end machine ($400 which includes XP, plus it is already loaded and set up). Your peripherals may not work (scanner?) on XP and some of your programs may need to be updated as well. Your sound and video would be supported. The RAM your system uses is not even sold by Crucial anymore, but other suppliers MAY have some for some price. XP will run about as fast as ME with the 128 RAM you do have now.

I would not drop $100 on XP for this if it were me.  

BAD NEWS - I just checked and this uses Rambus memory (RDRAM) which is QUITE expensive and has to be installed in pairs. Two 256 sticks would be (gulp) $312 plus shipping!!!!

http://www.edgetechcorp.com/memory/upgrade.asp?cid=23681

I guess this helps your decision?

You will definitely need more RAM.

EDIT:  Beaten to it.

My parents are always talking about getting a new comp anyway... but then again, I'd like to have all of my old stuff from ME on the XP OS.

[Moderator]

What kind of stuff? Data files or programs?

nah... I've got no probs with the programs... not that I know of anyway...

just all the pix and.... actually you're right, a few programs.

there was also some amateur at school talking about transferring a hard drive from one comp to another but I know nothing about that matter...

[Moderator]

If you are changing from one operating system to another the data can be transferred but the programs will have to be reinstalled from their source disk.

You can transfer data by "slaving" the hard drive into another machine and directly copying or "slaving" to any machine with a CD burner. Data files can also easily be transferred across a network in a few minutes, copies to a pen drive, etc. Lots of ways to do this, some easier than others, but none too tough.

I had an enlightening lil convo with my mom about the situation and we decided to wait until mid-2007 to buy a new comp with Windows Vista.

What do I do with all the files & data on my old comp then??? Do I transfer the hard drive from my current comp to the new one and "slave" it as you told me so that I can still access all my old files? (lol, definite run-on sentence...)

[Moderator]

If there are not a lot I would use a Pen Drive, or get a "crossover cable" and network them for a few minutes, probably in that order. That way you do not have to physically open the box.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820183181

Pretty cheap and will probably be cheaper then. They come in large (and smaller sizes as well. Each one hold as much as 360 floppies or so, and they are reusable.

I'll just say it's a little more than "not that many of them". If I couldn't use the crossover cable and network them I suppose I'd have to physically open it... which means I would also have to open the new comp correct?