XP Worth the Effort ?

[Guest]

Assumed wrongly that problems with XP Home factory installed on year old Toshiba Laptop were not XP caused, a realization I came to when all exact same problems showed up on desktop process changing from Win98 to XP Home Full

Images saved off internet as .jpeg or .bmp in fact saved as .file. Using MS Photo Editor (MS Office 97) as response "open with" dialogue box results "unknown file format" msg while opening same file from within PE yields correct image displayed.

HP 1220c printer installed on desktop running Win98 networked lost features has when accessed by PC's running Win98 when migrated to XP. Latest HP driver appears correct problem when checking printer properties but unable to print to printer. Changing driver back to as provided on XP CD allows printing again take place, but printer features lost

Spell checker Outlook Express fails with "error occurred while... " aborting spell check. Spell check same doc with MS Word (MS Office 97) same PC performs correctly

These problems occur both platforms running XP, none running Win98, on a small home network 3 desktops and 2 laptops maximum. Network is primarily to share single printer. Digital picture handling was main interest migrating to XP but frustration level has now reached point where question the effort. Issues have been raised here, all responses to date tried with no change. Have not registered this 2nd XP Home Edition full version, at this point see no reason to activate if isn't going to perform as well as the older Win98 OS did. Had expected same level of ease as did when migrated from Win95 to Win98. For people who have made this transition to XP, do the ends justify the effort?

 

[Rob Schneider]

Seee embedded comments:

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

Assumed wrongly that problems with XP Home factory installed on year old Toshiba Laptop were not XP caused, a realization I came to when all exact same problems showed up on desktop process changing from Win98 to XP Home Full.

Images saved off internet as .jpeg or .bmp in fact saved as .file. Using MS Photo Editor (MS Office 97) as response "open with" dialogue box results "unknown file format" msg while opening same file from within PE yields correct image displayed.

Assuming you use Internet Explorer to download. Perhaps the temp space
full. Menu: Tools/Internet Options, Tab: General, Button: Delete
Files. Consider resizing temp space upward if possible.

Re using MS Photo Editor, for (many/most/all?) the file format extension
dosn't matter. I copied a file.jpg into file.file and opened ok in Photo
Editor. Suggests to me that the file you downloaded was corrupted or
not what you think it was. Clearing temp space probably will help.
try. Also try re-downloading the file

HP 1220c printer installed on desktop running Win98 networked lost features has when accessed by PC's running Win98 when migrated to XP. Latest HP driver appears correct problem when checking printer properties but unable to print to printer. Changing driver back to as provided on XP CD allows printing again take place, but printer features lost.

Yes, drivers for HP printers for Win 98 different than for XP. That's
what HP did. I've seen same. I've also seen where, e.g. my HP 4P, even
though very old, got new features with XP vs. 98. Discuss with HP.

Spell checker Outlook Express fails with "error occurred while... " aborting spell check. Spell check same doc with MS Word (MS Office 97) same PC performs correctly.

AFAIK there is no spell checking provided by XP for Outlook Express.
What you probabably have done (or someone at work did for you) is read
on the web how to add a back-door solution based on Office 97. Re-read
those instructions (I don't know the URL) and fix yourself. Not really
anything to with XP.

These problems occur both platforms running XP, none running Win98, on a small home network 3 desktops and 2 laptops maximum. Network is primarily to share single printer. Digital picture handling was main interest migrating to XP but frustration level has now reached point where question the effort. Issues have been raised here, all responses to date tried with no change. Have not registered this 2nd XP Home Edition full version, at this point see no reason to activate if isn't going to perform as well as the older Win98 OS did. Had expected same level of ease as did when migrated from Win95 to Win98. For people who have made this transition to XP, do the ends justify the effort?

Re Digital Picture handling ... you don't give any details of the
problems you are having. Are you using proper software for what you are
trying to do?

I see where this is an upgrade ... did you confirm, using the tools
provided by Microsoft, that the machine you upgraded is of sufficient
specification and is adequate for XP?

You indicatd tht you expected the same level of ease as from 95 to 98
.... well, this suggests (possibly) that you are trying to get XP onto a
machine(s) that at one time ran 95? Your pushing possibilities here if
this is true.

Also, XP is compeletely different than 95 and 98. XP evolved from
Windows NT which is a completely different animal. Yes, the desktop
user interface looks the same, but underneath is completely different.

XP is better. XP is solid. XP will work (but it needs the right spec
machine and it needs software that works ... all you problems above
don't sound to me as XP-caused problems).

That being said ... if you like 98 and it works for you ... stick with
it. No reason to change unless there is a compelling reason. What was
your compelling reason to change?

 

[Papa]

What effort? The process should not be difficult at all - assuming you are
not trying to do it on an old machine that does not have the capability to
run XP. Typical systems that are NOT compatible are those that came out when
W95 was the current OS, and then never updated hardware wise.

Did you check your computer for XP compatibility before installing XP? Your
XP disk contains an "Upgrade Advisor" program for this purpose.

Also neither XP, nor any Microsoft OS, contains a spell checker for Outlook
Express. OE uses spell checkers from other programs, such as Microsoft Word.
Did you reinstall Word after installing XP?

XP is a really great OS if your system is up to it. Definitely worth the
effort.

 

[Guest]

Pappa is right. XP is the most stable OS to come out yet. What you have to realize is that it was meant for people with some computer eXPeriance. It is highly configurable and ligtning fast once you learn how and where to configure it. Problems like pictures not being saved in the format you expect are often the owners failure to either use the "save as" feature or the fact that you haven't done any maintenance. XP must be kept clean. Use defrag, cleanmgr,error checking and get some good free programs like Adaware, Spybot search and destroy, HijackThis, MRU-Blaster, Pop-up Stopper, Spyware Guard, and always have your firewall turned on and an active Anti-Virus program. Use a regsitry cleaner. JV16 Power tools still has some downloads around of their older free program. It will help with your temp file cleaning as well. I personally would not recommend having any less than 512MB of RAM, a processor slower than 1Ghz, a hard drive smaller than 20GB, a graphics card with 64MB of memory. All of this only because it improves your computer eXPeriance and XP likes a lot of memory. You can have less but in this case less is just that, less and you won't have as good a time with XP. {:~)

 

[Guest]

Compelling reason migrating Win98 to XP was digital pix handling. Image files off IE6 are what they are, d/l and save ok under Win98 as .bmp or .jpg. PE opens files fine from PE, but not when responding to "open file with" dialogoue. Also, files don't preview or display when saving additional .bmp or .jpg files same directory, but will give same name error if such is case. HP1220c discussed w HP, have their driver for XP which appears correct problem when checking printer properties, just sends print jobs never-never land instead of printer installed on Win98 PC connected via MS provided network capability. All other network functions appear ok - file sharing, other device sharing. Spell check works ok Toshiba which has factory installed XP, w or w/o Office 97 installed I believe, only problem so far these 2 PC's don't share appears. And yes, did confirm hw meets/exceeds minimum spec's XP, and since this was not an upgrade but a full version install requiring re-format harddrive XP has no way knowing what has/has not been on machine for OS's in past. All of software, features trying to use supposedly XP compliant. Have not ruled out user error, process going back ground zero and starting migration over. However, that doesn't address issue that w exception OE spell check these same symptoms exhibited Toshiba w factory installed XP Home Edition, and yes, have reinstalled w factory provided CD, no change.

 

[Guest]

Experience as in been working computers since 1963. One of these 2 systems in question only year old, came w XP factory installed by Toshiba, 2nd PC meets/exceeds XP min requirements. Agree, if can get it working will be an improvement over Win98.

 

[hermes]

Before the MVP (M$ Victim Poster) Hermes responded, Stuart typed:
:: Assumed wrongly that problems with XP Home factory installed on year
:: old Toshiba Laptop were not XP caused, a realization I came to when
:: all exact same problems showed up on desktop process changing from
:: Win98 to XP Home Full.
::
:: Images saved off internet as .jpeg or .bmp in fact saved as .file.
:: Using MS Photo Editor (MS Office 97) as response "open with"
:: dialogue box results "unknown file format" msg while opening same
:: file from within PE yields correct image displayed.
::
:: HP 1220c printer installed on desktop running Win98 networked lost
:: features has when accessed by PC's running Win98 when migrated to
:: XP. Latest HP driver appears correct problem when checking printer
:: properties but unable to print to printer. Changing driver back to
:: as provided on XP CD allows printing again take place, but printer
:: features lost.
::
:: Spell checker Outlook Express fails with "error occurred while... "
:: aborting spell check. Spell check same doc with MS Word (MS Office
:: 97) same PC performs correctly.
::
:: These problems occur both platforms running XP, none running Win98,
:: on a small home network 3 desktops and 2 laptops maximum. Network
:: is primarily to share single printer. Digital picture handling was
:: main interest migrating to XP but frustration level has now reached
:: point where question the effort. Issues have been raised here, all
:: responses to date tried with no change. Have not registered this
:: 2nd XP Home Edition full version, at this point see no reason to
:: activate if isn't going to perform as well as the older Win98 OS
:: did. Had expected same level of ease as did when migrated from
:: Win95 to Win98. For people who have made this transition to XP, do
:: the ends justify the effort?

No it is not worth the effort.
--
hermes
DRM sux! Treacherous Computing kills our virtual civil liberties!
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html

Windows XP crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.

 

[Rob Schneider]

embedded (and also broke into paragraphs for easier reading)



rms

Compelling reason migrating Win98 to XP was digital pix handling.

But with what software? XP provides nothing special/advanced for this,
you know. I guess the thumbnails i Explorer are interesting (can't
remember if this in 98 or not).

Image files off IE6 are what they are, d/l and save ok under Win98 as .bmp or .jpg.

Did you look at IE's temp space?

PE opens files fine from PE, but not when responding to "open file with" dialogoue.
Also, files don't preview or display when saving additional .bmp or
.jpg files same directory, but will give same name error if such is
case.

What is "PE"?

HP1220c discussed w HP, have their driver for XP which appears correct
problem when checking printer properties, just sends print jobs never-never
land instead of printer installed on Win98

May be "correct", but does it work? Apparently not. HP is known for
buggy drivers on XP.

Have you tried connecting the printer to the XP Box to see if it works?

Is the problem not printing on to the networked 98 machine the network
or the printer? Did you try a test page? Did you try the network
troubshooter for ideas?

PC connected via MS provided network capability.
All other network functions appear ok - file sharing, other device sharing.

I take it that only the printer across network from XP to 98 is the
problem. This points to the printer being bad, printer driver, or
network setup on 98.

Spell check works ok Toshiba which has factory installed XP,
or w/o Office 97 installed I believe, only problem so far these 2
PC's don't share appears.

Oh. I still don't know what you mean by spell check since it's the
applications that provide spell checking. I guess it is Works, or OE,
or whatever.

And, now the *only* problem is that printing from networked XP to 98
doesn't work? Does printing work if printer attached to XP? Have you
tried printing from 98? Pinpoint root cause.

And yes, did confirm hw meets/exceeds minimum spec's XP,
and since this was not an upgrade but a full version install
requiring re-format harddrive XP has no way knowing what
has/has not been on machine for OS's in past.

It is not relevant about "XP knowing what has or has not been on the
machine". The issue is that XP requires up to date components. If the
machine used to run 95 suggests it's age and suggests it may be too old
for XP. that's all. When you confirmed meeting specs, did you do it by
inspection, or did you run Microsoft's diagnostics tools?

All of software, features trying to use supposedly XP compliant.
Have not ruled out user error, process going back ground
zero and starting migration over.

If starting over, run Microsoft's diagnostic preparatory programs before
doing anything else.

However, that doesn't address issue that w exception OE spell
check these same symptoms exhibited Toshiba w factory installed
XP Home Edition, and yes, have reinstalled w factory
provided CD, no change.

Toshiba provides their own "version" of XP and they package a whole
bunch of software with it. You should not compare what a
fully-configured Toshiba does with other non-Toshiba machine. there
will be detailed differences.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for advice, have done/tried all you suggested

To clarify

Yes, was thumbnails feature XP, and photo software use generally Adobe Photoshop, which works fine both platforms

IE's temp space just fine

PE is MS Photo Editor, feature of MS Office 9

Since printer other area of house, hence the networking, not yet tried connecting directly but on my list to try. May well be driver incompatibility Win98 PC and XP PC. Win98 prints fine to printer, direct or via network. Suspect is a driver related problem, trying look past any finger-pointing as to whose fault may be and find an answer

Within Outlook Express, feature of XP, when creating new msg's, Toolbar has item called Tools under which is an item called Spelling. Clicking same causes someone/thing to perform spell check said msg. Whether this is function of OE, or some other piece software, point is it is on OE Toolbar and is not shown as some option

Never meant to imply upgrade Win95 to Win98 was performed PC now in question. This PC was built to run Win98, has been kept current hardware-wise, and meets/exceeds XP requirements. Laptop came w XP, a MS product whether massaged by Toshiba or not, and problems too similar to ignore. Was simply saying that when did do upgrade, 95 to 98, it was a cake walk, an hour tops

Have been working with computer hardware since introduced to it in early 60's in Navy, made a career of it before retiring, and pretty good at figuring out how to make something work given right source information.



----- Rob Schneider wrote: ----

embedded (and also broke into paragraphs for easier reading

 

[Guest]

I'm on Stuart's side here. I've been a professional s/w developer since 1985 (so no snidey remarks about being experienced, thanks), and moving from W2K to XP was as big a pain than anything I've been through before, and that includes using Lotus Notes

In fact far from it being for more experienced users, it actually seems that XP is trying to take control of things I had control over before and am now missing. I haven't got as long a list of problems as Stuart, but I also have not found anything I prefer over W2K yet

My advice would be to move from W98 to W2K.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

If you are a 'dev' - you should be able to work out how to make XP work for you. Try gpedit.msc - if that isn't available to you, upgrade to XP Pro.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User


| I'm on Stuart's side here. I've been a professional s/w developer since 1985 (so no snidey remarks about being experienced, thanks), and moving from W2K to XP was as big a pain than anything I've been through before, and that includes using Lotus Notes!
|
| In fact far from it being for more experienced users, it actually seems that XP is trying to take control of things I had control over before and am now missing. I haven't got as long a list of problems as Stuart, but I also have not found anything I prefer over W2K yet.
|
| My advice would be to move from W98 to W2K.

 

[Papa]

So?? Since 1985? I've got socks older than that. ;>)

Actually I've had lots of computer hardware/software experience too, since
the 60s. While it is true that the XP operating system is more complex, I
have found it to be easy to install, very versatile, and I have not found
myself loosing control of anything about the system at all.

My advice is to check your existing system FIRST, and if it is shown to be
an appropriate candidate, then upgrade to Windows XP.

 

[Rob Schneider]

see embedded.

Hope this is useful to you. Let us know.

rms

Thank you for advice, have done/tried all you suggested.

To clarify:

Yes, was thumbnails feature XP, and photo software use generally Adobe Photoshop, which works fine both platforms.

My view: Not a compelling reason for change since the software "works
fine both platforms".

IE's temp space just fine.

PE is MS Photo Editor, feature of MS Office 97

Old software. I use it occasionally with no problems, but it is old and
built before XP existed.

Since printer other area of house, hence the networking, not yet tried connecting directly but on my list to try. May well be driver incompatibility Win98 PC and XP PC. Win98 prints fine to printer, direct or via network. Suspect is a driver related problem, trying look past any finger-pointing as to whose fault may be and find an answer.

Probably simply a buggy driver in XP. Just a hunch.

Finger-pointing without analysis, logic, facts, and proof is not
productive and dangerous. Surely that was drilled into people working in
the Navy?

Within Outlook Express, feature of XP, when creating new msg's, Toolbar has item called Tools under which is an item called Spelling. Clicking same causes someone/thing to perform spell check said msg. Whether this is function of OE, or some other piece software, point is it is on OE Toolbar and is not shown as some option.

Hunch. You or someone added something. This not standard.

Never meant to imply upgrade Win95 to Win98 was performed PC now in question. This PC was built to run Win98, has been kept current hardware-wise, and meets/exceeds XP requirements. Laptop came w XP, a MS product whether massaged by Toshiba or not, and problems too similar to ignore. Was simply saying that when did do upgrade, 95 to 98, it was a cake walk, an hour tops.

May meet or exceed requirements ... but did you try the Microsoft
diagnostic software to actually test it? I keep asking this, but you
never answer. This is a crucial step for older machines, even if "in
spec". Individual components may not be compatible with the software
provided by XP, e.g. drivers for devices.

Have been working with computer hardware since introduced to it in early 60's in Navy, made a career of it before retiring, and pretty good at figuring out how to make something work given right source information.

Good. That is good experience. But hardware is not software. And, XP
is new and thus need to do a bit of reading and learning.

If you wish to continue working the "problems", suggest you succinctly
list exactly what problems you have.