Motherboards for XP?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Charlie+
  • Start date Start date
C

Charlie+

Just wondered if anyone knows of a desktop M/B manufacturer that keeps
updated drivers for XP by policy on its new boards? I asked my usual
cheapo outlet the other day if they supply any boards still with XP
drivers and the answer was a definite NO!
I am happy with XP and all the software and hardware cards, printers etc
that rely on XP and some of which cant now be replaced (hardware
encoders etc.). Motherboards dont last forever and it might be nice to
cover for that time! eBay might be last resort for some used stuff but
that is chancy, replacing old with old!.
I know W7 has the virtual mode but that wont cope with all the hardware
compatibility problems. I and others in the wide family can do
everything we want on XP x32 and Id just be happier to stick with it for
some time yet if possible - rather than very expensively starting from
scratch!
C+
 
Charlie+ said:
Just wondered if anyone knows of a desktop M/B manufacturer that keeps
updated drivers for XP by policy on its new boards? I asked my usual
cheapo outlet the other day if they supply any boards still with XP
drivers and the answer was a definite NO!
I am happy with XP and all the software and hardware cards, printers etc
that rely on XP and some of which cant now be replaced (hardware
encoders etc.). Motherboards dont last forever and it might be nice to
cover for that time! eBay might be last resort for some used stuff but
that is chancy, replacing old with old!.
I know W7 has the virtual mode but that wont cope with all the hardware
compatibility problems. I and others in the wide family can do
everything we want on XP x32 and Id just be happier to stick with it for
some time yet if possible - rather than very expensively starting from
scratch!
C+
Click to expand...

All I can tell you is,
it's a lot of work to answer this question.

Nobody in the industry, chooses to answer this question for us.
The answer only comes from "serial research", checking one
motherboard page after another, until you find the magical
motherboard by accident.

When I wanted to install Win98, it was an Asrock VIA chipset
board with AGP slot. And Win98 installed on a Core2 processor
with that setup. But I didn't exactly plan that, and me installing
Win98 was just a joke. Only one core of the dual core processor ran,
but the system was still "smokin fast". And Device Manager was clean.

I'm sure there's something out there that will work for your WinXP.

If I needed a place to start, I'd investigate AMD AM3 socket
motherboards, rather than the latest Intel stuff. Intel has
a tendency to "stick a fork" in OSes faster than other
companies, so I wouldn't start looking in their stuff
for a helping hand. Even though their stuff is the fastest.

Paul
 
Charlie+ said:
Just wondered if anyone knows of a desktop M/B manufacturer that keeps
updated drivers for XP by policy on its new boards? I asked my usual
cheapo outlet the other day if they supply any boards still with XP
drivers and the answer was a definite NO!
I am happy with XP and all the software and hardware cards, printers etc
that rely on XP and some of which cant now be replaced (hardware
encoders etc.). Motherboards dont last forever and it might be nice to
Click to expand...

Good to plan ahead.
cover for that time! eBay might be last resort for some used stuff but
that is chancy, replacing old with old!.
Click to expand...

Well, the time will come when no new compatible stuff is available -
you've established it more or less is the case now. However, ebay does
include sellers of _unused_ as well as second-hand stuff (and new stuff,
of course): I imagine you should still be able to find original boxed
and unused mobos that _are_ XP compatible. My feeling is that there
ought to be some about that are no more than two or three years old -
Windows 7 is (I think!) only about that old, and Vista was sufficiently
unpopular that many hardware manufacturers - I'd say most - retained XP
compatibility until at least 7 was well established, and probably a
little after that.

If you do stock up on some, it _might_ be worth removing the cells -
though it looks as if the CR2032 will remain available for a lot longer
than XP support (it's used in things other than mobos).
I know W7 has the virtual mode but that wont cope with all the hardware
compatibility problems. I and others in the wide family can do
everything we want on XP x32 and Id just be happier to stick with it for
some time yet if possible - rather than very expensively starting from
scratch!
Click to expand...

You and me both (and millions of others I suspect).
C+
Click to expand...

???

For some pointers to possible mobo manufacturers and models, have a look
in microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion, at the posts from "98guy";
he's a die-hard '98 enthusiast, but not on its original hardware: he
believes in running it on the latest compatible hardware. I imagine
recent boards that still work with 98 will have XP drivers available
too. His more recent posts tend to be generic - referring to socket 478
(or something like that) processors and such-and-such chipsets, rather
than specific models - but I think he has mentioned specific models, in
the not too distant past. You could always post (crossposted to here)
and ask him for suggestions.

Whatever you get, it's probably worth getting the drivers (from the
manufacturer's website - even if there _is_ a CD in the box), as _those_
may not remain available either.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"Mummy, Mummy, I'm 13 now can I wear a bra?"

"SHUT UP RALPH...."
 
Just wondered if anyone knows of a desktop M/B manufacturer that keeps
updated drivers for XP by policy on its new boards? I asked my usual
cheapo outlet the other day if they supply any boards still with XP
drivers and the answer was a definite NO!
I am happy with XP and all the software and hardware cards, printers etc
that rely on XP and some of which cant now be replaced (hardware
encoders etc.). Motherboards dont last forever and it might be nice to
cover for that time! eBay might be last resort for some used stuff but
that is chancy, replacing old with old!.
I know W7 has the virtual mode but that wont cope with all the hardware
compatibility problems. I and others in the wide family can do
everything we want on XP x32 and Id just be happier to stick with it for
some time yet if possible - rather than very expensively starting from
scratch!
C+
Click to expand...


On an almost daily basis I rebuild P-IV's (and AMD equivalents) for an
NPO where I do volunteer work. Just about any P-IV motherboard is a good
candidate for XP as most of the drivers are built-in.

For any drivers not included in XP I can pick up a few more
by simply opting to "look on-line".

Finally...if all else fails, the websites of most of the manufacturers
still carry XP drivers...and probably will for a long time.

Dell, HP/Compaq & Intel chipsets have anything I've ever needed
but I don't recall a problem with any mfg.
 
Charlie+ said:
Just wondered if anyone knows of a desktop M/B manufacturer that keeps
updated drivers for XP by policy on its new boards? I asked my usual
cheapo outlet the other day if they supply any boards still with XP
drivers and the answer was a definite NO!
I am happy with XP and all the software and hardware cards, printers etc
that rely on XP and some of which cant now be replaced (hardware
encoders etc.). Motherboards dont last forever and it might be nice to
cover for that time! eBay might be last resort for some used stuff but
that is chancy, replacing old with old!.
I know W7 has the virtual mode but that wont cope with all the hardware
compatibility problems. I and others in the wide family can do
everything we want on XP x32 and Id just be happier to stick with it for
some time yet if possible - rather than very expensively starting from
scratch!
C+
Click to expand...


Most of my computers have had Gigabyte mb's.
They do pretty well on driver updates.
This is my son's X79 board. You can see the XP updates:
http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4049&dl=1#driver
(I don't remember what cpu he got but he runs Win7-64.)
I have a GA x58 board with xp3 and GA has drivers for it.
Much depends on the discrete parts made for the mb's.
 
For OEM makers and their boards, it might be possible to obtain Windows
XP support directly from their component makers, e.g., NVidia, RealTek,
etc. However, do realize that OEM builders today cannot obtain licenses
(and discs) from Microsoft or a Microsoft distributor for Windows XP and
this is the main reason they no no longer (or, really, cannot) support
it.

Most current retail (e.g., ASUS, GigaByte, Intel, etc.) motherboards
will support Windows XP. Their installation discs have the drivers and
other software needed. Failing that, especially for still older boards,
Windows XP drivers, utilities, etc., and be downloaded from their sites.
(A significant proportion of business computers are still running XP
and they are not being neglected.)

If I were going to replace a motherboard, I would first look for one
that is compatible for Windows XP from a major brand. Failing that,
there are unopened, exact boxed replacements that can be bought from
bona fide resellers that had the opportunity to snatch up unsold stock
at the end of their model years. Should one be lucky, all that would be
needed is the original's installation CD for the drivers, utilities,
etc., and a retail Windows XP SP2(3) CD.

OTOH, Windows 7 32-bit can be configured to behave just like Windows XP
and is also compatible to all of the XP-circa hardware and software.

GR
Click to expand...

Thanks to all of you for replies - I hadn't twigged that there would be
a MS financial / operational licence deterrent to continuing OEM support
for XP as mentioned above. That helps explain the problem.
I think I'm going to lay in a couple of new old / used m/b bundle
matches for present hardware and hope that covers us for a good few
years with XP for the desktops; replacement laptops we have to take
what comes W7,W8, Apple etc. but none of us seem to do real high
intensity work on them anyway so that doesnt really matter!
C+
 
In message <[email protected]>, Charlie+
Thanks to all of you for replies - I hadn't twigged that there would be
a MS financial / operational licence deterrent to continuing OEM support
for XP as mentioned above. That helps explain the problem.
I think I'm going to lay in a couple of new old / used m/b bundle
matches for present hardware and hope that covers us for a good few
years with XP for the desktops; replacement laptops we have to take
what comes W7,W8, Apple etc. but none of us seem to do real high
intensity work on them anyway so that doesnt really matter!
C+
Click to expand...

Make sure your "bundles" include not just the drivers (probably the
latest from the manufacturers' websites, rather than relying on the one
on the CD in the box if any), but some XP licences too. Unless you're
going to get hold of a pirated institution one, which of course you do
at your own risk (both legal and otherwise).

Does anyone know whether MS are going to turn off the activation servers
for XP? I presume they are, at some point. It would be nice to imagine
they might do as Adobe have for their 7 and 8 software, but I can't see
MS doing that )-:.
 
In message <[email protected]>, Ghostrider
The only legitimate versions of Windows XP that shall remain usable into
the future are its retail (i.e., not OEM) versions. MS has stated that
Click to expand...

Why do you say that? I would have thought that corporate/institutional
users, in particular, would be decidedly peeved if theirs isn't
"legitimate".
there are no plans to turn off activation and after end-of-life, MS has
said that they will continue to provide security updates for Windows XP.
Click to expand...

I thought they did say that, but that we were already into that period,
and that even those cease next year - isn't that right?
However, it shall be the lack of suitable hardware and driver support
for existing hardware that will eliminate Windows XP. But this will take
a few years to achieve...we just switched to Windows XP only 2 years
ago and have just one test Windows 7 64-bit machine here, amongst 12
units.
Click to expand...

I suspect that's far from unusual. I haven't tried building for ages,
but I get the impression that it's still not at all difficult to get
compatible hardware.
 
Bill said:
Paul - did you ever recall what specific type of file you lost when using
System Restore?
Click to expand...

I don't know what the file type was. It could have been EXE even.
And whatever the event was, I was satisfied at the time, it was
following the Microsoft rules as to what WinXP would include
(for System Restore monitoring purposes).

If you read the rules here, %personaldocuments% are excluded,
and EXE is included. So if you downloaded an EXE, outside My Documents,
be prepared to lose it on a System Restore. The variable
%personaldocuments% doesn't resolve for me here, so I'm
just guessing it refers to My Documents. I can't verify that
here.

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\filelist.xml

Paul
 
Ghostrider said:
In message <[email protected]>, Ghostrider
[]
The only legitimate versions of Windows XP that shall remain usable into
the future are its retail (i.e., not OEM) versions. MS has stated that
Click to expand...

Why do you say that? I would have thought that corporate/institutional
users, in particular, would be decidedly peeved if theirs isn't
"legitimate".
Click to expand...

Large user groups, e.g., corporations, institutions, etc., typically
purchase "volume" licenses from Microsoft. They can be re-used any
number of times provided that the number of "seats" (or licensed usage)
is not exceeded. This is different from the individual who acquired
their Windows through an OEM builder where the license is permanently
linked to the particular computer.

Volume licenses are not supposed to be released for individual use to
anyone not associated with the license holder.

GR
Click to expand...

I knew that.

So when you said "The only legitimate versions of Windows XP that shall
remain usable into the future are its retail (i.e., not OEM) versions",
you had forgotten the "volume" licences?
 
Ghostrider said:
On 3/13/2013 3:43 PM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote: []
So when you said "The only legitimate versions of Windows XP that shall
remain usable into the future are its retail (i.e., not OEM) versions",
you had forgotten the "volume" licences?
Click to expand...

Nope. Contracts for volume users are supposed to be time-limited. It has
gotten somewhat complicated as some licensing agreements allow renewals
of the license whereas others do not. There is no guarantee to the large
user that the license granted to use a certain product may be renewed.
That is, the license granted to the large user expires on a given date
should MS elect not to renew it.
Click to expand...
[]
I know someone running a "volume" version (of XP) they obtained
illegally; it has been running for many years, and still gets upgrades.
My friend has, of course, never renewed it.
 
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