Purchasing Windows XP home

I have been using M.E. for a long time with good success but have been given some software that requires X.P. So, I am considering upgrading but I have heard that one needs to be careful and not buy from unauthorised places. Also that there is problems with the original version of X.P. and there is an upgrade package but that Microsoft will no longer support the original version. I see that there is in testing Vista but who knows when that will be released. So I would like to know some places to buy and if I can upgrade to the most current X.P.

Thanks

First you should check the HCL(hardware compatibility list) to be sure your PC has what's needed. Most do,but with memory,you should have 512MB of RAM.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;314062

A very good online retailer that many of us here use is:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16837102065
or: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16837102059

I prefer XP-Pro for the extra security,easy networking and a few other features,but your choice...

Thanks Ridgerunr,

The sites were very helpful! I can't use OEM though since this is an existing computer.

(Just up the road in Portland)

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I can't use OEM though since this is an existing computer.

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Sure you can, OEM only means you have to sell it with the computer if you ever decide to sell your computer. I ordered mine from newegg also an OEM and didn't have to buy any hardware to get it.

Thank you photolady!!

Be aware that if you go for the OEM version then you won't be able to upgrade ME, it is clean install only. However, that is a good thing, as upgrades never work 100% as they should - I would always strongly recommend a clean install.

And, if you go with the upgrade version, to do a clean install you must have a full-version 98SE, ME, or NT 4.0 CD, as the windows setup program will ask for the CD and scan it to keep you honest and legal. By full version, I mean the Windows OS CD as issued by Micro$oft, not a manufacturer restore CD that restores the system to the state it was in when you first unpacked it. As Supersparks indicated, you can do a clean install with an upgrade version. It would be ok to borrow a Windows CD if you need it for the upgrade: you are legal now, you will be buying a legal copy of Windows, and it only scans the CD, it does not copy anything from it, so I can't see where you would be violating any piracy or illegal copying laws by doing so. That said, you need to do a clean install anyway for three reasons. First, you get rid of file system errors and file corruption, along with software related disk errors. Secondly, you need the stability and extra security of the NTFS file system. Since ME uses the FAT32 file system, you would be stuck with the FAT32 file system by upgrading on the existing ME installation. Thirdly, ME is an unstable piece of crap even with an error free installation, with serious problems that even Microsoft has acknowledged, so it needs to go bye bye.

You better make a set of THESE first, as you'll need them for a clean install.

Per Ridgerunr's suggestion, once you know you newegg. :) ;) I have spent several hundred dollars at newegg, with nary a problem that was the retailer's fault. They aim to please, so their ordering process and support, website, customer service, and shipping are second to none.

Thank you all for the replies! Virtual Dr. is the best!

AND, I forgot to add this morning, if you do a clean install, you should find out the manufacturer and model number of your hard drive either in system properties or by opening the 'puter's case. Once you have that info, go to the manufacturer's website, and search for their utility that allows you do do a low level format: IE, PowerMax for Maxtor or Data Lifeguard for Western Digital, as all manufacturers should have their own versions. With the needed utility you can thoroughly test and troubleshoot the drive to make sure it has no bad sectors, logic errors, or other issues to indicate that the drive should be chucked into the recycling bin (no pun intended) after making sure it is inoperable. The drive is probably good, but before a reload of windows is a good time to go the extra mile when you have no unbacked up data to lose. Once you have determined that the drive has no serious problems, you can then do a full low level format which rewrites every single storage bit on the drive to zeros. This gets rid of partition, boot sector, and file system errors which a Windows format (high level format) will not necessarily get rid of. Once that is done and you have done a clean reinstall of Windows, you will have several hours of time invested, but it is worth every second to help ensure an error free installation of Windows.

Hard Drive Diagnostic Tools

Hard drive diagnostic utilities are used primarily for determining the physical condition of your hard drive, (drive integrity and read/write verification). If you are having computer problems which you suspect are hard drive related, you can test your drive with the following:

• Fujitsu "Diagnostic Tool"
  http://www.fcpa.com/support/hard-dri...utilities.html
  
  
• IBM/Hitachi "Drive Fitness Test"
  http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm
  
  
• Maxtor "PowerMax"
  http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/ma...&downloadID=22
  
  
• Seagate "SeaTools Desktop"
  http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/
  
  
• Western Digital "Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (Floppy or CD)"
  http://support.wdc.com/download/inde...pid=999&swid=2
  
  
• Fujitsu "Diagnostic Tools"
  http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/c...utilities.html

Note: In most instances you download the file to your hard drive then (extract)/execute it to create a bootable diskette or ISO CD-ROM image.

If you don't know the Manufacturer/Model# of the hard drive in your computer:

1. Download and install EVEREST Free Edition 2.20
   http://www.majorgeeks.com/EVEREST_Fr...ion_d4181.html
   
   
2. Start Everest and go to Storage > Physical Drives > Drive. To the right of "Drive #1" should be the model number of your drive, (for example "ST3250823AS").
   
   
3. Type that model number into Google (http://www.google.com) and you should be able to tell who the Manufacturer was.

Thanks again!!