[Lynx]

My Athlon 2400 with a GF 4 460 MX, 256 MB RAM and  Win 98 SE performance with newer games, applications etc. isn't satisfying any more, and W98 is getting an ever increasing source of annoyance. Time to upgrade. But since moneay doesn't grow on trees, I have the question: What sould I upgrade first? OS, graphics card or RAM?

[GoulMeister]

os first, get win 2000 or xp pro.

[Taristin]

Windows 2000 > Windows XP

[Lynx]

Originally posted by Raa
Windows 2000 > Windows XP

Every single thing I saw about W2000 suggests otherwise. What makes it superior?

[Fury]

If you buy an OS, get XP Pro. It will serve you better in the long run.

[Taristin]

Originally posted by Lynx


Every single thing I saw about W2000 suggests otherwise. What makes it superior?

My opinion really. And I don't like how XP will only allow you to install on one PC that will access the net. Nor do I like all of the 'special helper programs' that are with it. And I've never crashed 2k, except for when I tried to partition my HDD... and windows didn't like how the volume file didn't match the actual volumes.

[GoulMeister]

be careful though bill wrote a secret command into every version which allows him to crash computers at will!!!

[an0n]

Yeah, but he forgot to debug it and never realised the same IO code is used to access main().

[TopAce]

Get more RAM!

[Stealth]

negative.  don't upgrade RAM past 256MB when you're still running 98.

i say go OS.  your specs can easily handle windows 2000, and will be able to handle XP fairly decently (and afterwards get some more RAM ).

PM me if you decide to go windows 2000 though.

[TopAce]

I have 384, and win98 runs better than it did with 256. Speaking of expereince.

[Fineus]

Originally posted by Raa


My opinion really. And I don't like how XP will only allow you to install on one PC that will access the net. Nor do I like all of the 'special helper programs' that are with it. And I've never crashed 2k, except for when I tried to partition my HDD... and windows didn't like how the volume file didn't match the actual volumes.

Granted that's your opinion but I must say that the special helper programs can all be turned off (the first thing I do on a fresh XP install), also XP is very stable indeed (far more than 98) however I have had it crash from time to time while "playing" with it.

Of course, those are my own opinions as well and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Lynx - how much cash do you have to spend on this and what would you like to get out of your upgraded machine (that is - do you plan on playing Doom 3 with this thing, or sticking with something older / less demanding)?

I'd go for this order:

OS, graphics card (to a Radeon 9800 - cheap and powerful) and then RAM.

[wolfdog]

Hmm... 2000 pro I'd say... XP always crashes for me... *hates it*
Don't really understand how they dare to call XP stable...
oh, well... most people don't get crashes with it so I guess it's my computer:D

I've got  win2K pro for 1 year now, and it crashed once, and that was while running fso in a mode my vid doesn't like

[an0n]

My FX5200 128mb is pretty frickin cool. And apparently it's a budget card.

I can spin **** around in EvE without it even batting an eye-lid.

[Lynx]

@Kalifreth: A machine that'd be able to play doom3 smoothly would be nice too, but my first priority is a computer that doesn't crash every five minutes.

OS would be no problems 'cuz I've got some friends working in computer stores, I just don't really know what's the best alternative to W98.

I've got abput 750 Euros to spend on those upgrades.

[TopAce]

Crashes may be caused by your HD.

[01010]

With the CPU you have I'd say the GFX card would be a worthwhile upgrade that you would definitely see a performance boost in with games, however if games aren't your priority then I'd say bag yourself some RAM as 256 isn't a large amount really nowadays.

Never buy an OS, that's all I can say, they are pretty damn easy to "acquire" via other means either people you know or places you know.

Until MS make an OS worthy of buying they can **** off.

[Martinus]

[color=66ff00]2k pro = lean mean fighting machine (after much tweaking)
xp pro = no so lean fighting machine (downright pudgy actually) but it's a lot more friendly and looks nicer if you're into that.


But Linux owns both.
[/color]

[Kosh]

Originally posted by wolfdog
Hmm... 2000 pro I'd say... XP always crashes for me... *hates it*
Don't really understand how they dare to call XP stable...
oh, well... most people don't get crashes with it so I guess it's my computer:D

I've got  win2K pro for 1 year now, and it crashed once, and that was while running fso in a mode my vid doesn't like

If XP is crashing, then you have something wrong with your system. XP doesn't just crash on its own.

@Kalifreth: A machine that'd be able to play doom3 smoothly would be nice too, but my first priority is a computer that doesn't crash every five minutes.

I have Windows 98 original and it never locks up.

[Liberator]

Originally posted by Stealth
negative.  don't upgrade RAM past 256MB when you're still running 98.

Why?

I run 384 and have no problems other that the usual Win98se blue screens.  I might upgrade to 2000, but XP with its problems and the fact that you can only install it on one computer make it a software-non grata to me.  The only way I would "upgrade" to XP is if it came pre-installed on a computer I bought.  Unless something drastic happens, I probably won't upgrade my OS until Longhorn comes out next year.