Win98SE or Windows XP Home to run FS2002?

[Guest]

Hello,I've got a computer with an Althon XP 2100 CPU and 512 megs of DDR memory. I am using Win98SE right now and everything is working great with FS. I can get a copy of Windows XP Home Edition pretty cheap and upgrade but don't know if there are any advantages to this route at all. Does anyone have any insight on this? I'm happy with Win98SE (mostly cuz I know how to use it, lol), just wondering if there is a reason to upgrade other than the new bells and whistles of Windows XP. Also, what is the difference between XP Home and XP Professional? I can also get XP Home cheap so I would only buy this one anyway but I have no idea what the difference between the two is. Thanks!

[Guest GalacticCowboy]

There are some extra utilities for advanced computer management that come with XP Pro. That's about it...If 98SE is working for you now, I wouldn't bother upgrading. I'm building a new PC right now and planning to keep 98SE on it just like my current system is running.

[kerosene31 349]

>I am using Win98SE right now and >everything is working great with FS. That sums it up right there. Don't upgrade until you have to. Although I have heard some new addons seem to have problems with Win98. When the time does come to upgrade, XP home is very stable and very reliable if it is set up properly with the correct drivers. XP pro has some extra bells and whisltes, but nothing the average person needs at home. Things like dual processor support and support for network domains.

[Guest ront1]

Just my 2 cents worth here. I just moved over to XP a couple of weeks ago. So far, I am very happy with it. Be sure that you do some research if you have any older hardware. I just tried to install my scanner last night and it was a no go. I went to the mfg's website and found that there are no XP drivers for it. That is a bummer, but still glad I went to XP. It is very stable and I like that. Ron

[Guest SoarPics]

Hi Suzanne,I'll join the group that believes that if you're happy with 98SE you should stay with it. You'll not notice any performance gains in this sim by going to XP (Home or Pro).I recently loaded XP Home on my wife's computer, and I can't say that I'm impressed with it. The only thing it did that impressed me during install was detect our network and set-up her IT stuff. I'm running 98SE on my system, and had no real problems with it. The downside of 98SE is that MS will cease support for it in a few months. And some FS commercial developers are going the same way. I'll be passing on the upcoming Meridian from Flight1 because they won't support the product in 98SE. That loss is theirs, not mine (I have plenty of outstanding aircraft to fly in this sim... both payware and freeware).Clearly the end of 98SE is near, but there are still plenty of folks who are happy with it and will continue to use it. For me, I'll wait until the last possible instant to upgrade to XP (which will give MS more time to work out the bugs... I'm tired of being an unwilling beta tester for them).Regards,

[Guest JeanLuc_]

Hi Suzanne,a good ressource point:http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.aspand to highlight some of daily use or of type "good to have it in case" that are in the PRO only (in my opinion of course):- Automated System Recovery (ASR) - Fax- Encrypting File System - Windows XP Professional supports the Encrypting File System (EFS), which allows you encrypt individual files or folders for local security - File-level access control - Any user with Administrator privileges can limit access to certain network resources, such as servers, directories, and files, using access control lists. Only Windows XP Professional supports file-level access controlOther user interface features that are present in Pro but not Home include: - Client-side caching Also, make sure to pay attention to this:Windows XP Home Edition has some different default settings that affect the user interface. For example, Guest logon is on by default in Home, but off in Pro.Hope this helps!

[Guest]

HiWindows XP utilises far too much memory...Only now I have upgraded to 512MB (from 256MB) can I go beyond 11fps...now I average 20fps...From 256MB...Windows XP used to give me back 100MB to play with...Now with 512MB...It allows me 312MB....And thats with no AV or similar in the background..Hint: - Its also much better to set a permanent swap file in XP...Tony

[01pewterz28 117]

If it's not broke dont fix it. I myself am still using Win98SE with no issues I stick with what works.John

[ronzie 21]

I have heard, but not substantiated, that the Home edition of XP does not include perr-to-peer networking. For those that run multicomputers using WideFS or whatever, that may be an issue.I upgraded my mobo and cpu to an Intel D845PEBT2 with PIV proc at 2.53 and 533 FSB with 512 DDR2700.I had W98. W2K would not install correctly. W98 had modules that would not tolerate the faster CPU (up frpm PIII 550) so I ended up getting W98SE (this all has to do with poor system programming in the way driver timing loops were written in W98).I am leery of the XP copy protection issues seeing crashing is still not uncommon as is driver compatibility. I do not want to have to go back to MS and be at mercy with their support department to get a new key if I upgrade my system or lose they key if I crash too many times. I am also aware that in some professional products they have eliminated the perpetual license and wonder if there are any expiration schemes embedded in XP. I DO NOT KNOW THIS FOR A FACT, just I'm leery of MS's new possible licensing and support schemes.

[Guest SD Sim]

Hi Suzanne,Welcome to AVSIM. I agree with the others that you should stick with what works. There is nothing more frustrating than installing a new OS only to find that you're less satisfied than when you started the upgrade.HOWEVER: if you look at the system specs for MSFS - A century of flight, it states that the sim will support Win2000/XP and run on DirectX9. This means that if you want to take the new sim for a spin this summer (Fall??), you're going to have to pony up the $$ for a new OS before that can happen. Just some food for thought.

[Guest lamont]

Hi David,Did I miss something, according to what I read 98 and ME is supported. Perhaps the only problem will be DirectX 9 which was visited when CFS3 came out. I'll wait and see.

[Guest eko]

David? Huh?Did you read the ENTIRE version/system specs?98/ME is supported in the upcoming Sim.QUOTE:Version Information and System Requirements * Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight (version 9.0) * Available in stores Summer 2003 * One version at an estimated retail price of $54.95 * Windows PC * 2000/XP

[Guest JonP01]

There they go again. A pentium 450 with 64 Mb of RAM as minimum requirements for Win98SE. I guess it would run about as fast as a Powerpoint slide presentation on those specs unless you were willing to forgo a lot of the functionality and image quality. Still, it looks like quite a compelling release and certainly worth another meagre $100 AUD. It will be very interesting to compare the Microsoft versions of the historic aircraft to the many payware and freeware versions already in existence.

[Guest]

>I have heard, but not substantiated, that the Home edition of XP>does not include perr-to-peer networking. For those that run >multicomputers using WideFS or whatever, that may be an issue.This is mistaken, so let me set the record straight. XP Home has peer to peer networking. What it cannot do is join a Windows 2000 domain. Since I doubt many FS'ers with small home lans are running Active Directory domains (but I happen to have my home lan so configured!), this should not be a problem for most.That said, in the original context of upgrading just to improve performance of FS, I fully concur there is no benefit from doing so, or need to do so.-Basil

[Guest]

Thanks for all the observations guys. I think there is an overwhelming consensus about Win98SE vs XP :) I will definitely hold off buying XP for a while as I certainly don't see any advantages at all. I like 98SE a lot, it goes on smooth, doesn't gobble up too much memory, and you always know all the hardware you have will be compatible. If FS2004 requires XP I guess I'll have to reconsider though, lol. It's nice to know that FS2004 only requires a PII 450 mhz computer and 128 megs of RAM. Those guys at Microsoft must have optimized the code something fierce, wow. Amazing programming feat :( I have heard a lot of bad things about the copy protection scheme of XP also, I really don't want to risk having to deal with Microsoft customer 'service' if at all possible. I've heard nightmares about that lol.Thanks again!