Now no snickering please!!!
I have presently got windows 98 SE and it serves me perfectly well.
However it looks as though microsoft are trying to phase this out as it's old and 'we should all upgrade'.
I don't want to upgrade but if I do what should I be looking at?
I'm stingy and so don't want to be forking out much and as I'm finding a bewildering array of prices when looking on the net just wanted some advice on best prices and stockists within Shefffield.
How many people are going to shout XP?

Originally posted by WallBuilder
...How many people are going to shout XP?

Hopefully not many if you're wanting to run it on the 98 machine... Depending on the specs, you may be as well off with a copy off 2000 Pro or something? It'll run quite acceptably for t'internet & whatnot on surprisingly old machines.

If you're talking about a new machine then... *ahem*

XP!!!

Mac's are coming down in price, even though you not looking for a new computer.

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore

Have a look at the Mac Mini, it's not a bad little machine.

I'd recommend a Mac running their OS-X over a Windows XP machine any day, I haven't got one, but ive used them, and they are better all round IMO, I won't go into detail though.

If I could afford one, id get one, no questions asked.

Pop into the Apple Store in Meadowhall to see all the computers they have, you can use them as you'd expect.

If you use your computer a lot for Music, Video and Imaging, then definately look at the Mac's. They have a really good package available for them called 'iLife', blows any similar Windows programs out of the water.

But if you don't want to upgrade to a new computer, and just your OS, then, erm, XP!

Windows 2000 pro.....:thumbsup:

I have a Mac Mini (as well as a PC) and its absolutly amazing! Quet, tiny and works like a charm. If i dint want to play all the games all the time Id move over compleatly :thumbsup:

XP Baby all the way for me as well:thumbsup:

It absolutely shoots win 98 from the sky, sets it on fire and then pishes all over the smouldering ashes :)

Give it a try- its so much better you wouldnt believe and its a HELL of a lot more stable as well.

Originally posted by ANGELUS
XP Baby all the way for me as well:thumbsup:

It absolutely shoots win 98 from the sky, sets it on fire and then pishes all over the smouldering ashes :)

Give it a try- its so much better you wouldnt believe and its a HELL of a lot more stable as well.

Couldn't have put it better myself! :thumbsup:

If you have 256MB RAM XP will run fine (the more RAM the better of course).
People will/have come on saying get a new PC/ install this that and the other but XP just works IMO. I wouldn't be without it at the minute :)

Thanks for the replies so far, some people have been squeaking millenium and other's xp and I don't have to worry about a new machine as the specifications on my present one are perfectly okay to run xp.
So any opinions on the two, which is better and why and then of course ease of purchase within Sheffield and the all important cheapest price.
Thanks

Originally posted by WallBuilder
some people have been squeaking millenium and other's xp Don't confuse Millenium (WinME - garbage) with Win2000.
Since you mention purchase price - look at ebuyer or novatech et al - buy any essential item of hardware such as a mouse and you can buy "OEM" versions of XP Home for c.£60 or XP Pro for c.£90

Woah, step back here, If 98se works for you, why bother changing?

If you dont need to, dont bother. We still use NT4 and 98 at work, plainly because it does all we need it to.

Joel

Hi,
I'm perfectly happy with my present O.S. but have discovered that microsoft now consider it to be OLD and are planning on stopping their security upgrades and the like for it later on this year. [Well that's if I've understood some of the spiel they've been putting out]
Been doing a bit more research myself and am now leaning towards XP home, I don't need the 'pro' edition as I'm not into web designing or complicated graphics.
Best price so far is about £68 can anyone better this, remember I'm only interested in shops in Sheffield.

Originally posted by WallBuilder
Hi,
I'm perfectly happy with my present O.S. but have discovered that microsoft now consider it to be OLD and are planning on stopping their security upgrades and the like for it later on this year. [Well that's if I've understood some of the spiel they've been putting out]
Been doing a bit more research myself and am now leaning towards XP home, I don't need the 'pro' edition as I'm not into web designing or complicated graphics.
Best price so far is about £68 can anyone better this, remember I'm only interested in shops in Sheffield.

Note, that for £68 it has to be sold with a piece of essential hardware such as memory or a mouse, as I suspect this is the OEM version that cannot be sold alone.

However, I am sure there are enough dodgy shops in Sheffield that will sell it no questions asked!

Also, you realise this will not be an upgrade, but a full version which requires the formatting of the hard drive.

For what it's worth, my opinion is that if you find Win 98 is OK for you and is running reliably, then stick with it - unless of course you want to run software/hardware that requires XP. The fact that M$ won't be issuing security updates shouldn't be problem so long as you keep you Internet Security software up to date. After all, I suspect the hackers etc will be concentrating on exploiting XP floors.

Quick edit: Sorry for repeating things already said by others. I jumped in without reading the thread in full. Doh!

It is possible to upgrade 98 to XP without much of a problem, although i would reccomend a full wipe and reinstall. The XP disk will have a file and settings transfer wizard on it so you cam migrate your data.

Oh, win98 went EOL last year, same as NT. Its worth the upgrade if you can be bothered with the hassle, but just check the specs of your computer first to make sure it'll run it.

Joel

I bought the XP upgrade for £90.00 for Windows 98SE about three years' ago, but I'm pretty sure the price has come down since then. The complete install was priced at twice that amount at that time.

Unfortunately, I installed XP at the same time as the blaster worm was prevalent, and my pc became infected, and I had to uninstall XP and revert to 98SE....shortly after that, my old pc crashed completely, so I never got around to reinstalling XP on to it....maybe in the future I'll get it fixed, and do the install, just because MS are discontinuing updates for 98SE and ME later this year.