Greetings --
Personally, at this point in time, I'd choose WinXP. WinXP is the
newer OS, and it supports more hardware and software than does Win2K,
and it will be supported longer by Microsoft.
Have you made sure that your PC's hardware components are capable
of supporting either or both Win2K and WinXP? This information will
be found at the PC's manufacturer's web site, and on Microsoft's
Hardware Compatibility List:
(
http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/default.asp) Additionally, download
and run Microsoft WinXP Upgrade Advisor to see if you have any
WinXP-incompatible hardware components or applications.
You should, before proceeding, take a few minutes to ensure that
there are Win2K and/or WinXP device drivers available for all of the
machine's components. There may not be, if the PC was specifically
designed for Win98/Me. Also bear in mind that PCs designed for, and
that were sold and run fine with, Win9x/Me very often do not meet
Win2K's or WinXP's much more stringent hardware quality requirements.
This is particularly true of many models in Compaq's consumer-class
Presario product line or HP's consumer-class Pavilion product line.
Win2K and WinXP, like WinNT before them, are quite sensitive to
marginally defective or sub-standard (iow, poor quality) hardware
(particularly motherboards, RAM and hard drives) that will still
support Win9x/Me.
In either case, you can get by easily enough with buying the
Upgrade license, as it's possible to perform a clean installation
using an Upgrade CD, should you so desire. If you choose Win2K, I'd
recommend the clean installation, rather than an in-place upgrade. If
you want to perform an in-place upgrade to WinXP, Microsoft has
greatly improved (over earlier versions of Windows) WinXP's ability to
smoothly upgrade an earlier OS. WinXP is designed to install and
upgrade the existing operating system while simultaneously preserving
your applications and data, and translating as many personalized
settings as possible. The process is designed to be, and normally is,
quite painless. That said, things can go wrong, in a small number of
cases. If your data is at all important to you, back it up before
proceeding.
HOW TO Prepare to Upgrade Win98 or WinMe
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q316639
Also, if you choose WinXP, you'll need to decide upon which
specific edition, WinXP Home or WinXP Pro. The two versions are
_identical_ when it comes to performance, stability, and device driver
and software application compatibility, but are intended to meet
different functionality, networking, security, and ease-of-use needs,
in different environments. The most significant differences are that
WinXP Pro allows up to 10 simultaneous inbound network connections
while WinXP Home only allows only 5, WinXP Pro is designed to join a
Microsoft domain while WinXP Home cannot, and only WinXP Pro supports
file encryption and IIS.
Windows XP Comparison Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp
Which Edition Is Right for You
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/whichxp.asp
Windows XP Home Edition vs. Professional Edition
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp
Which is "better?" That depends entirely upon the uses to which
you put your computer, the network environment in which you'll operate
it, your specific security needs, and your level of computer
knowledge. The links above should help you decide.
Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
