Today and tomorrow I'll revisit the top questions, making a few changes here and there based on what I have learned. Please feel free to e-mail a copy of this column to your friends and colleagues, if it will help answer any of their questions--just click on the "E-mail this" link at the bottom-left side of this page. And if you've got more of your own, feel free to post them in TalkBack.
Here goes!
Can I run Windows XP?
The general answer is that any machine purchased since Christmas 1999 ought to run XP just fine. Specific requirements are: 300MHz Pentium II or compatible or better, 64MB of RAM, 2GB of free hard-drive space, SVGA plug-and-play monitor, and a 12X or faster CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
I am aware, however, of at least one PC--an HP---that can't be upgraded for some reason, at least not immediately. (My HP upgraded fine.) So while MS has verified many machines, they have missed at least one, and perhaps a few more.
The best way to check for compatibility is to download and run Microsoft's free Upgrade Advisor, which will look for hardware and software incompatibilities, so you can look for new drivers or other solutions before you actually buy a copy of XP.
One thing I do recommend for older machines is taking the memory up to 256MB. The machine I am using, a 450MHz Micron Pentium II, seemed a little sluggish at 128MB but zips along (at least in Office XP) with 256MB on board. The official Microsoft RAM requirement is 64MB--but this is only for people who run just one or two applications at a time.
Is Windows XP faster than the Windows I am now using?
XP seems to be significantly faster than Windows 9x and insignificantly faster than Windows 2000 Professional. However, speed isn't really the thing here.
Is Windows XP less crash-prone than the Windows I am now using?
If you are running Windows 9x, you'll find XP to be tremendously more stable than what you're used to. The operating system can be crashed--I've done it--but it's not a regular occurrence. When apps crash, they do so without taking the OS or other apps down with them. Often the machine will just slow down to a crawl and then recover.
Windows XP is not, however, significantly more stable than Windows 2000 Professional. This isn't surprising, since they share a common foundation architecture. I am not recommending that Windows 2000 users upgrade immediately, except for those looking for the game support and entertainment features in the new OS. If all you want is stability, Windows 2000 has it. Any Windows NT users should probably upgrade to XP, but be sure to run the Upgrade Advisor software first.
When an application does crash under Windows XP, the OS asks permission to send an error report to Microsoft over the Internet. I know of no reason not to say yes to this. Sometime in the future, Microsoft will use these error reports to return solutions and fixes.
I hear that I must buy more copies of Windows XP in order to upgrade the machines in my home/office. What gives?
Here to answer that question is Mark Croft, a lead product manager on the XP team at Microsoft. Mark says:
"The Windows license is based on one copy per PC. So users will need a valid license for each PC they want to use XP on."To assist those customers wishing to purchase more than one copy of Windows XP (but less then 5--the minimum for the Open Licensing agreement), Microsoft recently announced the Family License Pack. Customers who have already purchased one upgrade copy of Windows XP Professional or Home Edition may purchase additional product activation codes for $8 to $12 less than a full copy of the product. In these cases, the same installation CD may be used in conjunction with the new activation code(s) for each installation."
In order to enforce this, Microsoft now requires each copy of Windows XP to be "activated," and its installation tied to a specific machine. That means the good ol' days of buying one upgrade disc and upgrading several machines is over.
If you buy a brand-new machine with XP pre-installed, activation is simple: You do nothing. And the activation is tied to the BIOS inside the machine.
Upgraders, however, must enter the activation code that appears on the disc jacket. The software then takes a snapshot of the hardware on your machine (which is not sent to Microsoft) and creates a numeric code based upon it (which is sent to Microsoft). Microsoft uses the code, over the Internet, to "turn on" Windows XP. If you don't have an Internet connection, you are asked to call a toll-free, 24x7 telephone number to receive this code.
If the OS decides you've changed too much of your hardware, you will be asked to reactivate again, which I will explain tomorrow. Microsoft has tried to make this as easy as possible, but only time will tell. I am less concerned about this now than I was several months ago, based on the changes Microsoft says it has made.
Frankly, it is better to stay away form Windows XP.