Win 2000 vs. XP 2

[tinkertech]

I am getting ready to puchase a laptop from HSN and the one I am looking at comes with XP pre-installed. I have used primarily 98se and Win2K. Why would I want to switch to XP? I have used XP maybe once for about 30 seconds and wasn't really impressed. Any feedback?

For every problem there is a solution, for every solution there is a tech behind it.

 

[Blujacket]

If you're more comfortable with Win2000, go with it. I use both and several things easier to do in WinXP, such as networking [peer-to-peer].

 

[RichGL]

A lot of new XP users tend to shield their eyes when they see and use XP for the first time!

But did you know that it is possible to make XP look the same as Windows 2000 if you do not like the XP look?

In display properties you can set the actual "look" of XP to the old one (2000 and below).

In Task Bar and Start Menu Properties you can set the start menu to look like 2000. Also explorer can be made to have the old views also.

The changes take about 20 seconds.

As has been mentioned XP is a lot easier to setup network connections etc, but I'd argue that 2000 forces the user to learn a lot of the network settings for themselves, which may be preferable in the long run!

 

[Nzarth]

All the above are valid points but for me XP is alot more stable than Win98SE and W2k.

If you chose XP you will get use to it very quickly and I would not count 30 second usage as a good way of getting a baseline on an operating system.

You do not mention whether it is XP Home or XP Pro?

 

[AP81]

I like both, but for different reasons:

W2k is my preference for the office environment. It is lighter on resources than XP (even with XP tweaked to the max). However, where W2k falls over is with gaming and multimedia. If you are into gaming and music, etc, then I would opt for XP.




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There's no place like 127.0.0.1
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[tinkertech]

Thank you all for sharing your useful knowledge. I have only used XP office. What are the differences between XP home and office? Also, your thoughts on installing two HDs in my tower, one with Win2K installed and the other with XP. Then just use the BIOS to select which drive to boot from first. Will this idea create a conflict when one OS detects the other OS and try to alter it to fits its needs? Is this concern of mine valid?

For every problem there is a solution, for every solution there is a tech behind it.

 

[PatrickDickey]

From my understanding, the main difference between XP Home and XP Pro is that Pro comes with the full networking capabilities included, whereas Home has limited networking capabilities. I'm sure there are more differences, but that's the main one that i've heard of. Microsoft's website should have a better explaination of the differences, or try

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

Paul Thurrott has some valuable information on it there (IMHO).

According to tech people that I've talked to recently, the OS's will recognize each other, but should treat the other drive as a data drive. They won't try to impose any 'rules' per se (unless you would try to run a program on one drive using the OS on the other). My knowledge of that comes from preparing to use a Windows XP Pro hard drive to copy the data off of a dead Windows 2000 Pro hard drive (which my CD burner killed). Thankfully, I never had to do it, I removed the CD burner and the Win2k drive booted.

Hope this helps you a bit.
Patrick.

 

[wolluf]

You can dual boot 2k & XP no problem (especially on 2 disks).

Don't need to chnge boot order in bios - can either use a 3rd party boot manager (I use

http://www.boot-us.com

- free for personal use) or just edit the boot.ini on the first (C drive to include an entry for o/s on second drive. If C: has 2k, make sure you overwrite its ntldr and ntdetect.com file (in root) with XP versions. Am assuming o/s independently installed on disks (otherwise, second will automatically create dual boot). Boot.ini should look like this if XP on drive 1 & 2k on 2 (default XP):

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

 

[PatrickDickey]

Um, in reading this again, there are a few questions we need to consider...

1. Will HSN let you select the OS that goes on the laptop? In case you want Windows 2000 on it, instead of XP, I mean. Or does it come pre-configured.
2. What is the warranty on the laptop like?
3. Will they honor the warranty, if you add Windows 2000 or switch to it? (Most companies won't).
4. Can you find a similar laptop with no OS or Windows 2000 for around the same price range with similar features and warranty?

I was a long time hater of Windows XP. In fact, I installed 2000 on an old Gateway, swearing up and down I wouldn't use XP. Well, later on, I put linux on the Gateway, and after that decided to try out XP Pro.

I can't say that I'm in love with XP. There are a few things about it that annoy me to death.. But, I'm sure if I really wanted, I could alter them to suit my desires.

In the end, it depends on what you're going to use it for. XP Home is better than 2000Pro and 98SE (to an extent) as far as gaming and multimedia goes. (So, I've been told) XP Pro, so far, isn't quite as good as 2000 Pro IMHO. Although, I've only recently started playing with it. The problems I'm having are networking issues mainly. But, I have a feeling, if I set down and work on them, they're easy to fix.

Hope this helps a bit.
Patrick.

 

[cdogg]

Just to add to Patrick's last paragraph, XP Home and XP Pro are both generally accepted as better gaming and multimedia OS's than Win2K and Win9x/ME. I would say slightly better DirectX integration than 2K, but a heckuva lot more stability, efficiency and features than Win9x/ME.

If this laptop is to be used primarily for the office, then you won't notice any real difference between Win2K and WinXP.

A good Windows version comparison guide:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/whyupgrade/featurecomp.asp

tinkertech,
In your original post, you state that you've "used" 98SE & 2K, and are reluctant to switch to XP. However, you don't directly state what choices you are facing. Is HSN giving you the option to choose an OS, or is XP the only option? I would not keep myself from purchasing a laptop just because XP came pre-installed.

~cdogg
[tab]"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind"
[tab][tab]- Aristotle

 

[c1utch]

Actually...XP (Pro or Home) are both built on top of the Win2k kernel. So they both "should" be equally stable. However, if you look at the "extras" Win XP packs in, that might be why XP comes off as unstable. Also, people that use Win XP tend to be gamers, where as Win2k users tend to lean more toward other apps. I would think gamers (overclocking or other tweaks to get the most out of their games) using XP would also see more instability because of gaming "tendancies".

Cdogg, you're right about the Direct x integration in Win2k pro. Its not quite up to par with XP. There are a handfull (or more) older games that won't even come close to running on Win2k. Ever here of Golden Tee? (Yeah the arcade game comes in a PC version too.) I dare you to get that to run on Win2k. Win2k won't even touch it but it works just fine in XP.

I totally agree with AP81. Win2k is a very stable OS for the office. No bells and whistles to bother with...it does the job of being a great OS if most of the apps you run are business products (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.) Yes, with Win2k you can play games, rip MP3s, burn DVD's with no problems at all (remember: except some games).

However, if you lean more towards gaming, ripping MP3s, burning DVDs, etc and hardly touch a word processing program or spreadsheets...then go for XP. It has a lot of added utilities (A movie maker, Roxio is built in so you can burn CDs, etc.) so that the novice user can do more with Windows.

If you're sooooo used to the typical Start button and explorer look and feel in Win 9x...don't be scared of Win XP. RichGL is exactly right...a couple clicks here...a couple clicks there and you can make Win XP look almost identical to Win2k. I don't know what the Micro$oft developer was smoking that day when he designed the start menu for Win XP...but I hate it. He must have had a big bowl of Crack Flakes for breakfast.

Hope this helps...



Chris

 

[MaxPipeline]

One added feature that XP adds over Win2k that I find surprising no one else has mentioned. WinXP has restore capabilities that Win2K does not have. It seems to work too as I've had to use it to revert back after a failed software install attempt. Now WinXP restore will not backup any documents or files, but more importantly it saves previous versions of your reqistry (among other things) that you can go back to. As far as negatives are concerned with XP over Win2k, as a current user of both Win2K and XP and Win98SE and NT 4.0, I'd have to say that Win2K is better if your system is lacking in processor speed and memory (basically older systems). I have noticed that XP really needs 256MB (preferably 512 or more) of RAM whereas Win2k can run happily with less than 256MB.

 

[bcastner]

Whatever you do, if want Win2k installed either retail or OEM, it will not be possible in less than one more month. The distribution of Win2k Professional is at the end of its lifcycle in March.

One darned good reason to purchase XP Professional on new purchases.

 

[PatrickDickey]

I just wanted to check something...

According to Microsoft's website at

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;

[ln];LifeWin The support life cycle is March 31, 2005 and the extended is March 31, 2007. I could be wrong, and have an out of date page.
Patrick.

If the link doesn't show up completly, after the fh is the ;[ln];LifeWin portion.. It's part of the link also.

 

[bcastner]

That is the support cycle. The sale and distribution of Win2k ends next month.

 

[bcastner]

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/default.mspx

 

[PatrickDickey]

Ahhhh.. Thanks bcastner.. I was mistaken.. I didn't realize that they had that cycle also. I had the assumption that after the support cycle ended, then distributors would stop carrying the product.
Patrick.

 

[karlisi]

WinXP have better power management as 2000 and better wireless support, if your laptop is Centrino based it is important. If your laptop have CD-RW device you can use WinXP built-in CD writing.
WinXP Home you cannot join to Windows domain, only use in peer-to-peer workgroup.

===
Karlis
ECDL; MCP

 

[PAndersen]

Can you set the XP search or find files interface like that of Win9x ?

 

[bcastner]

You can choose "Classic" search as an option.