should i change to windows XP pro?

[Accura]

I'm currently running widnows 2000 pro and i'm pretty happy with it but i'm starting to get bored of it, the lack of colours etc i think it's out dated.

I'm thinking about upgrading to widnows XP pro, however i'm not sure, i also heard that there are a lot of open ports which microsoft forgot to close, i'm not sure if it's true but it's better to be safe then sorry so i'm asking you guys. Any input guys?

 

[Jonty]

Any OS is going to have holes in it, but in all honesty, XP is very secure, perhaps even more so than Windows 2000. To upgrade just because XP has a pretty GUI is questionable, but you ought to find that XP has many more features than Windows 2000. Whether you'll end up using all these features is another question, but it is a more 'complete' OS than Windows 2000.

Personally, I would go for it, but it upgrading isn't particularly cheap, so think it over and look around for a good deal prior to any purchase.

Kind Regards

 

[Accura]

thanks for your advice i have all the windows so upgrading isnt a big deal for me i just want the best OS. As a hard core gamer it's important to be safe and run fast.

 

[leggy]

Well the games i play run better in XP pro.

I'm not happy about it, but i live with it.

The pretty GUI is more annoying than the windowyness of 2000.

 

[Jonty]

Well I am certain that games run a whole lot better on XP than on 2000, at least in theory, so you ought to be happy on that score. As for the GUI, it is a matter of taste, but you can always revert to a 'classic' theme like Windows 2000

Kind Regards

 

[Testin da Cable]

I found XP to be less stable by far than 2000. It has some nice extra bells and whistles, but I prefer to forgo some features when the games I play start suddenly vanishing to the desktop for no apparent reason :/

 

[Jonty]

Really? Funny how different users have different experiences. For me XP has been nothing but incredibly stable (save a couple blue screens of death, which I was half-proud and half-scared at being able to produce ). That said I had been using 98 and ME before.

Nevertheless, you must admit that the overall level of support for XP is better than 2000 when it comes to games. Dedicated hardware drivers, software drivers etc have all emerged after the release of XP, where there was pretty little support beforehand ("People don't play games on NT" mentality).

But, however unstable, I presume even XP still out classes Linux and the likes for gaming

Sorry to hear you had troubles, I will contact Microsoft's customer care team and make sure they dispatch you some flowers and a complimentary copy of Longhorn teeheehee

Kind Regards

 

[Testin da Cable]

thing is, UT runs like a dog on 2k (that I've seen) and nicely on XP. runs bestist on linux (strange that) and looks superb in openGL

 

[Will]

I've found 2k excellent for games. Apart from UT, where it really hates changing graphic modes. Everything else seems to run perfectly.

 

[Jonty]

I stand corrected

Kind Regards

 

[leggy]

Don't get me wrong 2000 was fine for gaming. It's just when comparing the two they ran a whole lot smoother under XP (despite similar frame rates).

Horses for courses tbh though. Some people just refuse to use XP on principle. Me, i prefer to be more open minded

 

[kameleon]

I like XP pro because it is really customisable. Its also very fast. (i know this is a bit questionable with some people. It runs fine on a p2 350 (better than millenium ever did) there is a lot of support for drivers etc. There are a few vulnerabilities with it straight out of the box , but SP1 and the other microsoft updates fix those. Compatibility mode is good and I dont really miss DOS games.

 

[isuck]

'We've hidden all the details and features you may want to use, oh and all of your folders. We dont want people to know how to use a PC we want them to know how to use the Windows Start Menu. Mindless automaton's will have to buy Windows as without My Documents they wouldnt be able to find anything.'

As for wether you should switch to XP, i have no idea how well it runs games, I use Win2k and it runs everything fine, except for the oldies like Red alert and Shogo:MAD (which is sexy btw)

 

[Jonty]

Originally posted by isuck
We've hidden all the details and features you may want to use, oh and all of your folders.

Well, you won't have to worry where your files are once Longhorn with WinFS gets here

Kind Regards

 

[Embattle]

As an overall package XP will normally run games best.

 

[xane]

I upgraded (re-installed) to XP Pro from 98SE last Xmas, it was a smooth transistion and I am very pleased with the result. For me, 98SE was rock solid stable so it was a tought decision, but thankfully XP continues that mode.

As for "open ports", I would rely on a separate firewall, I have one on the router (IPcop) and one on the PC (Norton 2003).

My advice for XP is, after installation:

1. Revert to "classic" theme.
2. install SP1
3. de-install Media Player.
4. de-install Messenger

and off you go ... !

 

[kameleon]

Originally posted by isuck
I use Win2k and it runs everything fine, except for the oldies like Red alert

red alert runs on XP

 

[Mellow-]

You lot are forgetting one important thing with Windows XP. It boots up a hell of a lot faster than Win2k does.

 

[(Shovel)]

If all you want is prettyness, then you could probably save money and purchase Windowblinds instead?

I've not used 2k outside of uni though, only 98/98 and now XP, so I can't comment on whether it offers you any other benefits.

 

[Sar]

WinXP Pro > Win2k Pro.

It's as secure, if not more so, and has more features, greater compatability and looks nicer.

 

[TheJkWhoSaysNi]

When I upgraded from 98 to XP, I installed XP as a dual boot so I could try it first, Now i use it more than 98