OS upgrade from '98

[Glengoyne]

I recently bought a 40 GB drive for my computer, and am figuring on installing a new OS during the install. I am using 98, and have essentially stuck with it because it has met my needs. The system is an Athlon 1800+ with 512MB RAM. I am trying to decide between windows 2000, which I have installed on my wife's computer, and one of the XP versions.

I think I will probably get the most bang for my buck with XP, but I am not sure I wanna fork over $299 for Professional. I am not sure what the differences are between the Pro and home versions. I think I might be able to get by with the home version, but am not really sure what all the differences are. I am only using peer to peer networking, and I think the home version will allow for that. Another thing that scares me about XP is the licensing particulars. If I want to upgrade my system, can I use the same license again and again over time? What does the online required registration actually do? Does it limit my options?

I figure someone out there knows how this whole thing works.

[Yossarian]

The online thing allows you 5 'changes' before it rejects your registration.

But - when it rejects you, you can phone up microsoft and get it re-enabled.

note: network cards count as 2 points.

XP home can do peer to peer.

Unless your a developer you probably wont need pro. Pro comes with IIS - which is a web server - lets you host web pages on your own machine. But if thats important to you, you could get Apache which is free and basically the 'standard' webserver of the internet anyway..

[Glengoyne]

The online thing allows you 5 'changes' before it rejects your registration.

But - when it rejects you, you can phone up microsoft and get it re-enabled.

note: network cards count as 2 points.

XP home can do peer to peer.

Unless your a developer you probably wont need pro. Pro comes with IIS - which is a web server - lets you host web pages on your own machine. But if thats important to you, you could get Apache which is free and basically the 'standard' webserver of the internet anyway..
OK so to make sure I follow you.

The online thing allows you 5 'changes' before it rejects your registration.

"changes" would this include reinstalls of the OS on the same hardware?

But - when it rejects you, you can phone up microsoft and get it re-enabled.
This means it is some kind of soft limit of some sort? I also guess that means in 5 years they can change their policy and I'd be left without an OS? If it rejects me, does the OS stop working, or am I just unable to use windows upgrade?

note: network cards count as 2 points.
Changing/replacing a network card counts as two of my hassle free changes? Why the hell do they care if I change nics?

[Ryan S]

The online thing allows you 5 'changes' before it rejects your registration.
I think it is 5 changes every six months.

It is likely that they will loosen or eliminate this restriction in a few years when Longhorn is released.

[jeff061]

"changes" would this include reinstalls of the OS on the same hardware?

Nope, it needs to be a fairly major hardware change. There is a formula based off the hardware changed that triggers it, don't know what it is.

This means it is some kind of soft limit of some sort? I also guess that means in 5 years they can change their policy and I'd be left without an OS? If it rejects me, does the OS stop working, or am I just unable to use windows upgrade?

Possibly, but i doubt this would happen.

[MizzouRah]

With SP2 coming out in the next few days for public download, XP is a no-brainer over 2000, imo. For work, 2000 pro is great, but for home XP home is excellent.


Todd