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Upgrade to Windows Tips!
You have entered the Windows Support & Fix Zone!

 

 

* Differences between the Home and Pro edition?
* Multilicense Price Break Tip!
* Microsoft Packs XP with Useful, Controversial Stuf!
* Running Programs in Windows!

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By WinXpFix.com
Upgrading from Previous Versions of Windows:

 

 

Upgrade Windows Me to Windows Tips:

You will be able to upgrade Windows Me to Windows. What about Windows 95 and Windows 98?
Yes: Windows is an upgrade for almost every 32-bit version of Windows; you will be able to upgrade Windows 98, 98 SE, and Me to Windows Home Edition or Professional.

You will also be able to upgrade Windows 2000 Professional to Windows Professional as well, but not to Home Edition. In case it isn't obvious, then, Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51, or earlier, are not supported for upgrading.

You can upgrade to Windows from Windows 98 or Me, or you can do a "clean install" to replace any previous version of Windows on your computer. You can also buy a computer with Windows preinstalled. Once Windows is installed, you can run Windows-compatible application programs (programs for getting real-world work done).

Note: Windows 98, 98 SE, and Me users will be able to uninstall Windows if the upgrade doesn't work out for some reason.

Windows comes bundled with many programs, most of which aren't actually part of the operating system, including Internet connection software (dial-up connections), an e-mail program (Outlook Express), a Web browser (Internet Explorer), a simple word processing program (WordPad), an instant messaging program (Windows Messenger), local are network support, utilities that help with hard-disk housekeeping, and dozens of other programs. WinXpFix.com

Microsoft has two version of Windows:

What's the difference between Windows Home Edition and Professional Edition?
A: Windows Home is designed as an upgrade for Windows 9x/Me and will therefore ship with the same type of consumer features found in Windows Me. The biggest difference is processor support: Windows Home will support only one processor, while Professional supports two.

Windows Professional: Features gives you the best of both worlds: the reliability of the proven Windows 2000 code base, combined with the best features of Windows 95/98/Me. Windows 64-Bit Edition meets the demands of specialized, technical workstation users who require large amounts of memory and floating point performance. For corporate users. 2 processors, 4GB memory

The Windows Home Edition: For home users, Personalized Welcome Screen, fast user switching. The operating system is intelligent and easy to use.

 

The chart:

You can use the chart below to find out if your current version of Windows qualifies for the retail upgrade package of Windows Home Edition. Be sure to check our system requirements page to make sure your system is ready to run Windows. If you're not sure which edition of Windows you need, see Which Edition Is Right for You?

Previous Version Windows	Home Edition Windows	Professional Professional XP
Windows 3.1	No	No
Any Evaluation Version	No	No
Any Server Version	No	No
Windows 95	No	No
Windows 98/Windows 98 SE	Yes	Yes
Windows Me	Yes	Yes
Windows NT 3.51	No	No
Windows NT 4.0	No	Yes
Windows 2000 Professional	No	Yes
Windows Home Edition		Yes
Windows Professional	No

 

If Your Windows Version Does Not Qualify for an Upgrade:

You Can Get Great Deal on a New Computer With Windows On It, or order the Full Version of Windows from Your Favorite Retailer.

Here's What You Need to Use Windows Home Edition:

1. A Pentium II, Pentium III, Celeron, compatible, or better CPU running at a speed of at least 300 MHz or higher processor clock speed recommended; 233-MHz minimum required;* Intel Pentium/Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended

2. At least 64MB of RAM memory (although Microsoft recommends at least 128MB--it's not reliable with only 64MB).

3. 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space. Or a hard disk with at least 2GB total space with at least 650MB free, depending on which options you choose to install. (You may need more for temporary files.)

4. Super VGA (800 × 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor

5. A CD-ROM or DVD drive from which to install Windows and other software. Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device.

6. If you want to listen to sounds played by Windows and other programs, you need a sound board and speakers attached to your computer. To participate in voice or video chats, you need a microphone or digital video camera, too.

Additional Items or Services Required to Use Certain Windows Features:

If you plan to use your computer to connect to the Internet, you need a dial-up modem and a regular phone line, an ISDN modem and an ISDN line, a DSL modem and a DSL line, a cable modem and cable connection, or a local area network connection.

For networking:

Network adapter appropriate for the type of local-area, wide-area, wireless, or home network you wish to connect to, and access to an appropriate network infrastructure; access to third-party networks may require additional charges.

For remote assistance:

Both parties must be running Windows and be connected by a network.

For Windows Movie Maker:

Video capture feature requires appropriate digital or analog video capture device
400-MHz or higher processor for digital video camera capture.

TIP: If your system does not meet the requirements for Windows, many manufacturers offer Windows Ready PCs, which offer the best upgrade path to Windows.

You may upgrade to Windows from Windows 98 or Me, or you can do a "clean install" to replace any previous version of Windows on your computer. You can also buy a computer with Windows preinstalled. Once Windows is installed, you can run Windows-compatible application programs (programs for getting real-world work done).

Multilicense Price Break Tip:

Microsoft is also offering a price break to people who buy multiple upgrade copies of Windows to update several systems.

A new Additional Family License program lets people who have already purchased one upgrade copy of the $199 Windows Professional or the $99 Home Edition to buy additional key codes (the 25-digit alphanumeric code required during installation). The price will be $8 to $12 less than that of the shrink-wrapped software, Croft says. The same installation CD can be used for upgrades, using a new key code number each time.

The Additional Family License program is intended not so much to ease the financial sting of multiple upgrades, but just to make the process simpler for customers who buy Windows for one PC and later decide to put it on several systems. Since the additional licenses will be sold online, the program saves customers the trouble of returning to a store or ordering another shrink-wrapped copy. At the same time, Microsoft saves money on packaging, shipping, and the CD itself. WinXpFix.com

 

By Raaymond
Windows Installation CD - Check System Compatibility:

With each new version of Windows, Microsoft puts more handy "stuff" on the Installation CD. With XP, when you insert the Installation CD, the Setup program will automatically run (if not, just double-click setup.exe) and offer you three options: Install Windows, Perform Additional Tasks, or Check System Compatibility.

When you choose "Check System Compatibility," you will be offered the choice of having the program automatically check you system, or take you to the "Compatibility Web site." When I chose to go to the compatibility web site, I actually found myself at the Windows Catalog web site (!). But choosing to check my system automatically yielded the much more useful result of launching the Windows Upgrade Advisor.

 

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By Raymond
Differences between the Home and Pro edition?

Considering buying Windows, but which version do you want or need, and what are the differences between the Home and Pro edition?

Windows Professional is a Business version of the Home edition. It has everything that the Home edition has, and more! Here's a few things that were added.

1. Multiprocessor support. Windows Professional supports up to two microprocessors (Home Edition only supports a single processor)

2. Off-line Files and Folders. You have access to files & folders on a network share when disconnected from the server.

3. Remote Desktop. Remotely access your Windows Professional PC, from another Windows PC, so you can work with all of your data and applications while away from your PC.

4. Access control. User(s) with Administrator privileges can limit access to resources, including files.

5. Roaming User Profiles. Let you access all your documents and settings no matter where you log on.

6. Group Policy. This simplifies the administration of groups of users or computers, and is not supported on Home Edition.

7. Backup and Automated System Recovery (ASR). Another Professional only feature is the ability to "ASR-enable" your backups. An ASR-restore can be triggered from Setup, which allows you to return your system to its previous state. ASR is useful when hardware (for example a hard disk) needs to be replaced.

8. Software Installation and Maintenance. Windows Professional supports automatic install, configure, repair, or remove of software applications.

9. Multi-lingual User Interface (MUI). Let you change the user interface language to get localized dialog boxes, menus, help files, dictionaries, and proofing tools etc. all in a single install.

10. Greater security, including the ability to encrypt your files and folders, using NTFS file system, which allows you to encrypt individual files or folders for local security.

Windows is designed to work for individuals and power users, and comes initially in three versions: Home Edition (for home and small offices), Professional (for offices), and 64-Bit Edition (for technical workstations that use the Intel Itanium CPU). WinXpFix.com

Preparing to Install Windows!

Here are some tips, including suggestions from Microsoft, for a smoother installation:

Virus-checking Run a virus-checker on your system before installing Windows, so that no viruses interfere with the installation. You can download several good virus-checkers from the Internet, including those from Symantec and McAfee. Then make sure to disable your virus-checker before installing Windows.

Some computers have antivirus programs stored in the computer's BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). In this case, the Setup Wizard won't run. If you see an error message reporting an antivirus program, check your system's documentation for instructions on how to disable virus checking. Most of the time you can get to you BIOS settings by pressing the Delete or F10 key at start-up

Tips:

1. Run ScanDisk or ChkDsk (if you use Windows) to clean up any formatting errors on your hard disk.

2. Backup your system: Make a complete backup of your system. If that's not possible, make a backup of all of your important data files.

3. Make sure that you have enough free space on the hard disk on which your Windows program folder will be stored. You need from 850MB to 1.5GB of space, and more if you plan to install many optional programs.

4. Exit from all programs. Disable any non-Microsoft disk-caching programs, such as the caching programs that come with the Norton Utilities and PC Tools. Turn off other utilities that might interfere with installation, such as CleanSweep (which monitors software installations). If you have problems with hardware or software on your system, fix the problems first or uninstall the hardware or software. WinXpFix.com

 

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Microsoft Packs XP with Useful, Controversial Stuf

 

Microsoft Packs XP with Useful, Controversial Stuff: SEATTLE (Reuters) - Windows, the new operating system launched by Microsoft Corp. on Thursday, is the software giant's most stable and feature-rich consumer product yet, but it still has some hardware and software issues as well as persistent -- some say menacing -- links to other Microsoft services.

Thursday marked the retail debut of what the software giant called its most significant product in six years.

The product is based on the programming technology found at the heart of Microsoft's corporate operating system, Windows 2000. That means Windows hardly ever crashes. Individual programs might freeze, but rarely take down the whole system, a constant danger with earlier consumer operating systems from Windows 95 to last year's Windows Me.

``The biggest improvement, the one I think is going to be the clincher, is that it just doesn't crash as often,'' said Andy Rathbone, author of ``Windows for Dummies.'' ``The other features are more like icing on the cake. Some people are going to need and like them while others won't even use them.''

SOLID SYSTEM

But whereas Windows 2000 didn't work with a lot of consumer software, like games, and hardware, like digital cameras, Windows can handle a lot more of the fun stuff.

There are still gaps in what XP will recognize. This reporter ran into trouble trying to install Liquid Audio Inc.'s music player. Another Reuters reporter said XP forced him to reinstall Microsoft's Outlook 2000 on his Sony Vaio laptop. It also disabled his AmbiCom ethernet card and wouldn't recognize his Canon digital camera.

But new updates and drivers are appearing daily, and XP is smart enough to help you look for the right fixes online, saving you the trouble of digging them up yourself.

On Thursday, Microsoft posted an update that fixes problems with dozens of programs, including RealPlayer 7.0 from RealNetworks Inc. and glitches caused by playing Disney's ``Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' DVD.

``What Microsoft is trying to do with Windows, and for the most part it has succeeded, is make it very easy to keep it updated,'' Rathbone said.

If users do install disagreeable software and mess up their PCs, a ``system restore'' feature can reset the system to an earlier state. In the case of the Liquid Audio problem, use of this feature revived the machine without losing other data. WinXpFix.com

FUN FEATURES

Microsoft is also taking aim at the increasingly popular use of PCs as a hub for managing digital media. New folders labeled ``My Music'', ``My Pictures,'' and ``My Videos'' automatically file those media to the appropriate location.

The Windows Media Player for playing audio and video is pumped up with the ability to record music CDs and print labels. However, the software can only record in Microsoft's Windows Media audio format, making it necessary to pay for an add-on to record in the popular MP3 format.

Software called Movie Maker can transfer video from a camcorder, automatically divide it into scenes and compress it into clips small enough to send via e-mail.

XP also sports a new look. The screen is clear of almost all icons and programs are launched from a smart ``Start'' button that prominently displays favored software while hiding stuff that isn't used often.

Other features include user switching, which can create sign-ins for different users who can store their settings and files separately from others; and a home networking wizard helps link multiple computers.

Windows does require more powerful hardware than any previous version.

Microsoft recommends a 300-megahertz or faster processor and 128 megabytes of RAM. Some reviewers have said to forget about installing XP on machines older than two years or slower than 500 megahertz, but this reporter has had no problems on a 2-1/2-year-old PC with a 450-megahertz Pentium III and RAM boosted to 224 megabytes.

PASSPORT STIRS PRIVACY CONTROVERSY

But there are also several controversial parts of the new system -- which will likely have some consumer groups, privacy advocates, politicians, and rivals crying foul.

One of the first things XP users see is product activation. It is an attempt to thwart piracy and stop people from installing Windows on more than one computer. Microsoft has always forbade putting Windows on more than one PC, but activation now gives them the power to enforce that.

Activation is simple, requiring users to send a code over the Internet. But some say Microsoft risks angering customers who tinker with their PCs a lot, the danger being that if a hardware profile changes too much, Windows will lock up, forcing a telephone call to Microsoft to reactivate it.

``I can see Microsoft's point in trying to do it, but the way it's set up it will be hurting the consumers and the families more than it will hurt the counterfeiters, who have already found ways to circumvent it,'' Rathbone said.

After activating and setting up XP, Microsoft urges users to sign up for Passport, an authentication system that enables automatic sign-in to Microsoft services like Hotmail.

But if you don't want a Passport, XP will still urge you to sign up as many as five times, according to some reviewers.

PITCHING NEW SERVICES

More disturbing than Microsoft's sheer persistence is what many users see as deceptive language to trick people into thinking they need a Passport account to do basic Web tasks.

The Passport dialogue box reads: ``You've just connected to the Internet. You need a Passport to use Windows Internet communications features (such as instant messaging, voice chat and video), and to access .NET-enabled services on the Internet. Click here to set up your Passport now.''

Microsoft wants Passport subscribers because it is a piece of its .NET strategy to sell Web-based services. Passport will become a virtual wallet to store data like passwords and credit card numbers.

``I don't mind if Microsoft adds new features, but when they make it seem like people have to sign up for something that will make Microsoft more money, like Passport, that's unfair and I don't think it's right,'' Rathbone said.

Those who don't get a Passport, however, will be locked out of some nifty XP features like a new instant messaging program called Windows Messenger that supports video chats, application sharing, and even the ability to hand control of your PC to, say, a tech-savvy friend who can help with trouble-shooting.

But there is plenty of other popular messaging software such as that from Internet and media giant AOL Time Warner Inc. or Web portal Yahoo! Inc..

``The bad things are avoidable,'' Rathbone said. ``There's a lot of good in Windows and a lot of the bad can be avoided if people can see past what Microsoft is trying to push on them.'' WinXpFix.com

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By Raymond
Running Programs in Windows:

Windows comes bundled with many programs, most of which aren't actually part of the operating system, including Internet connection software dial-up connections, an e-mail program Outlook Express, a Web browser Internet Explorer, a simple word processing program WordPad, an instant messaging program Windows Messenger, local are network support, utilities that help with hard-disk housekeeping, and dozens of other programs.

You can control the size and location of the windows in which programs display information. Once a program is running, you can give it commands using the mouse and keyboard. You can configure Windows to launch the programs you always use automatically so you're ready to work as soon as you start Windows, how to schedule programs to run at preset times, and how to define shortcut keys for quick-starting programs you use frequently. Windows's new compatibility mode enables many older programs to run without problems. WinXpFix.com

Welcome to Windows!
To see a tour of Windows, Go to Start> All Programs> Accessories> Tour Windows (that is, click the Start button in the lower-left corner of the screen, click Help And Support, and click Tour Windows).

By Raymond
Here's The Windows Sreensaver & Microsoft flash for Windows!

Download the Windows Screensaver: The 3D Windows screensaver shows off the power of DirectX matched with the bright colors of Windows. Basic system requirements: Windows and a 16 MB video card. Screensaver Download - 397 KB Download File, 3 min @ 28.8 kbps

See Microsoft flash tour for Windows Pro here!

See Microsoft flash tour for Windows Home Edition here!