XP question

[ML52]

With XP about to lose support from Microsoft I wonder which os to move to. My machine has;
Intel(R)Core(TM)2cpu
6600@2.40GHz
2.40GHz, 2.00GB of ram

Also is this an upgrade I can do by myself?

[MrRiplEy[H]]

With XP about to lose support from Microsoft I wonder which os to move to. My machine has;
Intel(R)Core(TM)2cpu
6600@2.40GHz
2.40GHz, 2.00GB of ram

Also is this an upgrade I can do by myself?

Skuzzy recommends Win7 x64 - but you should get more RAM also. You can easily upgrade the OS yourself. Just make sure you download Win7 versions of main drivers ready (network adapter, graphics).

[Bino]

Here's a MS page about it:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7#T1=tab01

[ML52]

Thanks gentlemen guess I have something to do during vacation.

[Bizman]

Before starting your effort check your motherboard specs about how much RAM it supports. I'm planning to do the same with an almost identical starting point, my mobo supports up to 8 gb of ram. I also recommend you to do a clean install instead of an update for best results. You can even add another hard disk and make a dual boot install, leaving your XP intact just in case you'd find something you can't do with Win7.

[715]

You can even add another hard disk and make a dual boot install, leaving your XP intact just in case you'd find something you can't do with Win7.

How do you boot to a different physical drive (without selecting it in the BIOS)?  I've seen reference of boot managers allowing different OS's in different partitions on a single drive but I don't think I've ever come across two drives with different OS's and a way to select which to boot to.

(I am getting ready to supplement XP with another OS, probably Linux, and do surfing, email, etc with the second OS, so I'd be interested in the techniques.)

Also, a question for Skuzzy: will the coming version of AH support XP and DX9 for the foreseeable future?  (So I don't have to buy Windows 7, or, heaven forbid, Windows 8.)

[MrRiplEy[H]]

How do you boot to a different physical drive (without selecting it in the BIOS)?  I've seen reference of boot managers allowing different OS's in different partitions on a single drive but I don't think I've ever come across two drives with different OS's and a way to select which to boot to.

(I am getting ready to supplement XP with another OS, probably Linux, and do surfing, email, etc with the second OS, so I'd be interested in the techniques.)

Also, a question for Skuzzy: will the coming version of AH support XP and DX9 for the foreseeable future?  (So I don't have to buy Windows 7, or, heaven forbid, Windows 8.)

The boot loader is saved to your primary drive and its done automatically. During boot you get offered a choice of OS.

[Bizman]

How do you boot to a different physical drive (without selecting it in the BIOS)?  I've seen reference of boot managers allowing different OS's in different partitions on a single drive but I don't think I've ever come across two drives with different OS's and a way to select which to boot to.

(I am getting ready to supplement XP with another OS, probably Linux, and do surfing, email, etc with the second OS, so I'd be interested in the techniques.)

Also, a question for Skuzzy: will the coming version of AH support XP and DX9 for the foreseeable future?  (So I don't have to buy Windows 7, or, heaven forbid, Windows 8.)

I've done it only once, but it was very easy and straightforward. Microsoft has quite a minimized tutorial: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/install-multiple-operating-system-multiboot#1TC=windows-7. IIRC I used this 101 instead: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html, Option 1, Section 3 as a starting point. You'll be getting asked about the OS at every boot when you've accomplished the installation. Very simple. Later you can wipe the XP drive and install Linux instead of it. AFAIK there's no hurry to dump XP for AH related reasons in the near future. For better security you might like to install a dual booting Linux either from the install CD or with Wubi, a Windows based Ubuntu installer. You could then use Linux for safe Internet operations and dedicate XP solely for playing AH which should be reasonably safe.

[715]

I've done it only once, but it was very easy and straightforward. Microsoft has quite a minimized tutorial: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/install-multiple-operating-system-multiboot#1TC=windows-7. IIRC I used this 101 instead: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8057-dual-boot-installation-windows-7-xp.html, Option 1, Section 3 as a starting point. You'll be getting asked about the OS at every boot when you've accomplished the installation.

Thanks.

For better security you might like to install a dual booting Linux either from the install CD or with Wubi, a Windows based Ubuntu installer. You could then use Linux for safe Internet operations and dedicate XP solely for playing AH which should be reasonably safe.

Yes, that's exactly what I plan to do.  XP won't be just for AH.  I also need it for many older programs like Visual Basic and scientific analysis and plotting software, etc.  I estimated I would have to pay $2360 to upgrade to Windows 7 or 8 because so many of my old programs are not compatible with 7 or 8.

[SilverZ06]

Just an fyi, Windows 7 professional has a windows xp mode built into it so all of your xp programs would work. I don't know where you got your figure from but you can have windows 7 pro 64bit with xp mode for $140 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116992

[715]

The cost was mostly to replace old programs with new ones that are compatible with Win 7 and 8.  According to some online posts my old versions of the program won't even install under Windows 7 so I might not even be able to get the software on the machine to try XP mode.  (And a large part of the cost is due to the fact that a program that I bought for about $300 years ago is now $2000.)

[Denniss]

The XP mode in Win7 is a virtual Windows XP Professional, it may work or not with your programs.