Solved: Upgrading from 98SE to XP

Okay, so I am thinking about upgrading, but with some confusion, and some concern. I have been reading on Wiki about Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), and it sounds not only am I going to be pestered for the product key eveytime I make a hardware update to my PC, but Microsoft will take it upon themselves to download spyware when I go online.

Could somebody explain to me more simply than the author of the Wikpedia article what happens. (I don't understand what he means by "notifications" nor exactly what is being updated/read of my machine on an 'update')

Am I right to think that I will only ever be asked of my product key to reactivate? I am only ever stuck with the one product key, right?

If so, why check against hardware? As I understand from what I have read elsewhere, system hardware is read at installation, recorded in a file, and then if checked positively against for changes, causes a re-activation prompt. But what's criminal in upgrading? If the product key remains constant to one supplied with the product (likewise for pirates), then in what way is it catching anybody out?

Finally, if each copy of XP is generic and not carrying a unique product key, does this mean each batch comes with numerous codes? If ever I were to lose it, Microsoft would supply me with one of a ker-zillion (an expression of my ignorance) pre-determined codes?

Lots of confusion here, if someone could help me de-mystify...

 

Hello,

Does this make it any clearer:

http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

I recently scrapped a computer. I removed the existing hard drive, CD drive, video card, dialup modem, and installed them in a new computer. Installed the previous XP system and activated it with no questions asked.

 

When you buy XP and install it, it calculates a number based on your hardware. This is sent to MS and is what your activation is based on. When you make more than one significant change to your computer (cpu, motherboard, RAM) the initial number changes too much, so MS assumes you tried to install it on another computer. Then you have to call Microsoft, tell them that it's the same computer and that you changed x and y. They will then give you another activation number and all is well. My advice is to make any hardware upgrades you want to make before you install XP. That way you can avoid this. XP is a much better OS than Win98, even on older computers. If your computer is really old you may be better off starting over with a new one. I'm sure you checked the minimum system requirement as well, right? Hope that helps.

 

Basically once you activate your copy of Windows XP you're done with that.. When you download Windows updates it will check to see if you are using a legitimate copy, but that's just a click or two. Other than that you won't have any popups asking you for a code/key. The advantages of XP over 98 FAR outweigh any minor annoyances you may occur on a rare basis.

 

All these responses helped enormously, especially the linked article, (thankyou, Claymore.)

I don't know if want the advantages of XP with these infrequent - so seems to be the concensus- annoyances, if Windows 2000 is little worse and without them (you don't get this nonsense on 2000 do you?) Plus I kind of resent the idea of having to ring Microsoft, if only the once, just because they wish to scupper those small number of people whose only crime it is to run their product on a second computer.

 

I feel you on that, but as Billy said, the advantages... You could always go Linux.

 

I just realized you are a Brit, yes? My American slang means "I sympathize with you, but" in case you didn't get it. I need to learn to "talk" more generically. Sheesh.

 

I feel you on that, brother.

(Would "brother" be the correct way to go, if I wanted to go the extra American mile )

Yes, Linux!

I ran Simply Mepis and Fedora 3 (on seperate occasions) on a W98 multi boot on my old PC, subsequently buying up some newer distributions to run on my current machine, but none are compatible with my 56k modem, or at least I should say, I had trouble configuring them. I still really want to run it, and eventually move away from Windows, but really don't know where to go distribution-wise. If you can help?

 

Yes bro', that's a muddle - lots of choices. What is your brand/model of modem? I would initially suggest ubuntu (I like xubuntu myself). If you can get modem support, I think it would be a good option. Knowing more about what you want to run it on would help. (Just saw your specs ignore that last part)

 

I'm thankfully in no shape or form, the right sort of person for a "bro'"

I did like SimplyMepis, but seen as it failed to recognise my modem, included it with the sale of my old PC.

I do have Ubuntu (8.04.01), but simply didn't give it much time because of the look of it. I have also, Gentoo, Zenwalk, and Knoppix: Gentoo leaves me feeling as Ubuntu; Zenwalk was awkward to configure for a dual boot system, and inexplicably slow at installation and to run; Knoppix... I liked; but it is not installable. Oh, and my new PC came with Xandros installed, but that was all, no disc., and I have of course written 98SE over that since.

None of these would recognise my modem (Motorola SM56 speakerphone). Where I tried to configure it, I would use KPPP dialer, trying out the different ports, and changing to a 115200 kps selection to no avail.

As for what i'm looking for... I'd like to be able to emulate Windows firstly, so I can run its applications if necessary (i'm thinking Word and MAME moe than anything else), but for Linux itself I want a good video editor, where I can upload DVD movies (Super8 transferred, as it will be), and a video converter (right now I want to run a AMV converter but can't in 98). In short a multimedia and games machine, with access to Word.

 

My apologies - ma'am? Seems like you've already tested Linux out pretty thoroughly. Xubuntu has a different GUI (Xfce) which I prefer over KDE and Gnome. I'm not a big user of linux myself, I installed them (Ubuntu, Knoppix and currently Xubuntu) mostly for educational purposes and to play with. If you haven't got a 98/Linux dual-boot already it shouldn't be too hard to do that. I don't know how the video edit/conversion options for Linux stack up. Can't help you there. If there aren't specific reasons for using MS Word, there are other options, like AbiWord. I've never tried to MAME in Linux but I think it can be done. I found some claims of getting your modem to work but they were with older kernels. Good luck finding a solution to your needs. It's never easy is it?

 

Thanks for all your help juju68.

There is Xmame for Linux, but then the ready-compiled version I downloaded required dependencies, and my knowledge of Linux doesn't extend as far as knowing where to find these, nor what to do with them. To run the Windows versions I have through a Windows emulation would be easiest for now.

Trouble with using non-Word wps is that even saved .doc files get reformatted in Word, and at times i'll want to pass on documents to Windows users. Shame, because Open Office seemed okay; Abi Word... can't remember if I used it or not.

No, Jesus! Not easy at all, a good spell of my life has already been wasted traversing Linux distributions.

And so i'm properly reassigned my gender, no, i'm not a ma'am, but see you how concluded that from what I said

Thanks once more.