XP systems requirements?

[Guest]

I presently have a 300mhz PII with 191 MB extended memory
running Windows 98. I'm considering upgrading the
operating system to XP. I note that a 300mhz rocessor is
the minimum speed for XP.

Any problems loading XP on a minimum 300 mhz processor?
One comment from a friend said he thought my memory was
too light to effectively run XP.

Any thoughts?

 

[Steven]

I have a P3 1000, with 384 Mb RAM and unless I set everything to look like
win98 and put all settings to best performance (ie no frills), it puts a lot
of drag on my machine. I would suggest that you stay where you are, until
you can get a better machine. AMDs 64bit chip would be best, since it would
take full advantage of the new version of windows coming out in the next
year or so.

 

[Vagabond Software]

I agree with your friend and think the memory is a problem. I have a PIII 600 with 384MB of RAM, and though
XP runs wonderfully on my machine; I am consistently around 250MB of memory usage. That would just be brutal
on a machine with 191MB of memory and a slower processor.

I'm also using a GeForce2 GTS 32MB DDR graphics adapter that helps out with all the graphics.

I wouldn't make the switch if I were using your computer. Unless you have a specific requirement for Windows
XP, I would recommend sticking with Windows 98 on that system.

- carl

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In (e-mail address removed)

I presently have a 300mhz PII with 191 MB extended memory
running Windows 98. I'm considering upgrading the
operating system to XP. I note that a 300mhz rocessor is
the minimum speed for XP.

Any problems loading XP on a minimum 300 mhz processor?
One comment from a friend said he thought my memory was
too light to effectively run XP.

How much memory you need depends on what apps you run, but for
almost everyone running a common range of business apps, decent
performance begins around 256MB (*maybe* as little as 192MB).

With both the processor and the amount of RAM, you are at the
very bottom of the acceptable range. They will work, but you are
likely to be dissatisfied with the performance.

Why are you considering upgrading? If it's just because you want
the latest and greatest, I'd rethink that position, if I were
you.

A change of operating system should be driven by need, not just
because there is a new version available. Are you having a
problem with Windows 98 that you expect XP to solve? Do you have
or expect to get new hardware or software that is supported in
XP, but not in 98? Is there some new feature in XP that you need
or yearn for? Does your job require you have skills in XP? Are
you a computer hobbyist who enjoys playing with whatever is
newest?

If the answer to one or more of those questions is yes, then you
should get XP (*and* upgrade or replace your hardware). Otherwise
most people should stick with what they have.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

"Glacial" is the term that comes to my mind, I'm afraid. If you
turn off all of WinXP GUI eye-candy, it will still be very slow, but
it might usable for simple word processing, email, web-browsing, etc.
It won't be any good for graphics-intensive applications, and most
newer games. (During the public preview period, I tested WinXP on a
500 MHz machine with 256 Mb of RAM.)

1) Right-click the Task Bar > Properties > Start Menu, ensure
"Classic Start menu" is selected.

2) Right-click an empty spot on the Desktop > Properties > Themes >
select "Windows Classic."

3) Right-click My Computer > Properties > Performance > Settings >
Visual Effects, ensure "Adjust for best performance" is selected.

However, with a PC this old, it's essential to make sure it's
components are WinXP-compatible _before_ proceeding. Have you ensured
that all the PC's components are capable of supporting WinXP? This
information will be found at each of the PC's component's
manufacturer's web sites, and on Microsoft's Catalog:
(http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx). Computer components
designed for use with Win9x/Me very often fail to meet WinXP's much
more stringent hardware quality requirements.

Can you obtain OS-specific device drivers for your PC's
components, and any necessary motherboard BIOS updates? Additionally,
you can download and run Microsoft WinXP Upgrade Advisor to see if you
have any incompatible hardware components.
(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp)


Bruce Chambers

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