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Hardware Haven ~~by Hal Cardona, PC Sleuth Windows XP Is Here!Hello again. This month’s column is on Windows XP, Microsoft’s new and somewhat controversial Operating System.
(There
weren’t very many comments about last month’s article, so I assume it
was too geeky. Sorry. I tried to make it understandable, but
it can be difficult to translate from geek to English.) What is Windows XP?Windows XP is a PC operating system that Microsoft has been working on for years. It is the first time they have managed to combine the stability of their Windows NT based line (NT, 2000) with the compatibility of the 9X line (95, 98, 98SE and ME). You’ve probably heard people on the Internet saying that their Windows 2000 machines never crash, well they’re right, Windows 2000 has been Microsoft’s best operating system to date; it is very reliable and fast. The downside has been a lack of compatibility for both hardware and software, also Windows 2000 hardware requirements are quite a bit higher than for the 9X line. I had to wait over 6 months from the release date of Windows 2000 for drivers for my favorite TV Card. If you wanted to run Windows 2000 for its reliability, most people make their machines dual boot with Windows 98 so that they can play all of their games. The strength of Windows 9X has always been its compatibility. Just about every piece of hardware on the market has drivers for Windows 9X. You can run almost any program you want under the 9X line, even Windows 3.1 and DOS programs. The down side is that it isn’t as robust as 2000, it crashes more, it has problems with the system resources issue I discussed in my third column, and there is virtually no security. The strengths of Windows 2000 are the weaknesses of Windows 9X. The strengths of Windows 9X are the weaknesses of Windows 2000. Microsoft has done their best to combine these different operating systems and they’ve done a very good job. But, there are a couple of flies in the soup called Passport and Windows Product Activation, along with a few others. VersionsMicrosoft has released 3 versions of Windows XP so far, with server versions to follow. In this article, I will discuss Windows XP Pro and Home. I won’t be covering the 64 bit version which is only available for very expensive workstations that use the Intel’s new Itanium processor. The most important thing for most users is that Windows XP is Microsoft’s first fully 32 bit operating system designed for home users. Windows XP HomeWindows XP Home was designed from the ground up for home users. The difference between Home and Pro versions is that the Pro has some additional features that are aimed at business users. The most important thing about Windows XP Home is that it is based on the reliable Windows 2000 base. Windows XP ProWindows XP Pro version is designed for businesses and or power users. It includes everything that is in the Home version plus some additional features. They are:
What’s GoodPhoto WizardThe new Photo Wizard is just cool. If you have seen how Windows ME handles pictures, then you have an idea of the way folders that contain photos can be displayed. With XP though, it goes further. When you plug in a supported digital camera, XP asks what you want to do with the pictures: copy them, print them, e-mail them, or burn them to a CD. Another feature of the photo wizard that I really like is the ability to print pictures from a folder; you can select the size of the prints, the layout on the page or print a contact sheet of all the pictures in the folder.
CD BurningMicrosoft took a page from Apple on this one and for the first time has included CD burning support into the OS. The CD burning features aren’t a threat to third party vendors… yet. It works, but you will have much more control and a better interface with a more established product. NetworkingThe new networking features in XP include built in support for Wireless 802.11b, Ethernet, Home PNA (phone line), and IEEE 1394. If you have more than one type of network installed on an XP PC, it automatically becomes a bridge between the various segments. If, during the set-up process, Windows XP detects a live Internet connection, it will automatically update itself to the latest version. Remote AssistanceRemote Assistance lets you invite another person to access your PC via a network or the Internet to fix your PC. The person requesting help can control who accesses their PC and how long they have to connect.
RobustSince Windows XP is a fully 32 bit operating system (no more DOS) it is as stable as Windows 2000. The System Resource issues under Windows 9X are gone. XP will also allow more than one version of a dll to run side by side with a different version. Another new feature is device driver rollback, if you install a driver that makes your PC unstable Windows XP makes it easy to go back to the previous version. CompatibleMicrosoft has done a good job of making Windows XP compatible with most hardware and software. XP includes a compatibility wizard that will tell programs to run under an older version of Windows.
Fast User SwitchingFast User Switching allows you to log off from your Windows session, leaving the programs you are using open, so that someone else can use your computer. Fast User Switching is available in both versions of Windows XP, but cannot be implemented if you are in a Domain based network environment. SecurityWindows 2000 users are already familiar with the level of security offered by Win XP Pro. Windows 9X users are in for a treat. For the first time in a Microsoft consumer operating system, you can limit access to certain files and folders. XP Home doesn’t have the depth of security that XP Pro does, but it should be adequate for most home users. FirewallA first for Microsoft! They have included a rudimentary firewall in both versions of Windows XP. Unfortunately, this may give people a false sense of security, as the included firewall only blocks incoming connections, and most good third party firewalls can block both incoming and outgoing connections. What’s BadProduct ActivationWindows
Product Activation (WPA) is something Microsoft has added to Windows and
Office XP to prevent casual copying and sharing of CDs.
Microsoft’s End User License Agreement (EULA) has always stated that you
can only install Windows on a single PC; however, many people have
been purchasing a single copy of Windows and using it to upgrade all the
PCs in their house. They also haven’t thought twice about taking
their Windows CD over to a neighbor's house and allowing them to
“borrow” the it. WPA is Microsoft’s attempt to combat this
problem. The way WPA works is, when you first install Windows XP, it looks at your computer and creates a “hash”. The hash is 50 digits long and is madeup of information from various parts of your computer. Things like the processor serial number, motherboard information, Video card, MAC address from your Network Interface Card (NIC), hard drive serial number, etc. The hash contains NO personally identifying information. When you activate your copy of Windows, the hash is sent to Microsoft along with the product key that you entered during the installation process. Microsoft then responds with a 40 digit number that activates your copy of XP. You can activate your copy of Windows XP through the Internet or by calling Microsoft. If the hash changes enough, then you must reactivate XP, therefore preventing you from installing the same copy of XP on more than one computer (if the hash varies too much). You can make up to 6 changes to your hardware, if you make a seventh you will need to reactivate. In their infinite generosity, Microsoft has decided that after 120 days you can make 6 more changes. If you buy a new PC from a large manufacturer, they will probably activate your copy of XP for you and also tie it the BIOS of your motherboard, which makes it impossible to use your copy of XP on another computer. PassportIf
you have visited http://www.msn.com, you
have probably seen the option to sign in using a passport. Microsoft
has decided to include its passport in Windows XP. You have to have
a Passport to use the new MSN Messenger program to chat with your buddies.
Microsoft has messages pop up in the taskbar (the area next to your clock)
reminding you to sign-up for a passport. Some of the wizards you run
will ask for a passport to continue, i.e.; using the Photo Wizard to order
prints from one of Microsoft’s preferred vendors. Microsoft
wants you to use your passport as an e-commerce wallet to store your
credit card and shipping information. With Microsoft’s *stellar*
security record, you may want to think twice before giving them your
credit card information. Once you signup for a passport, Microsoft and its partners can use it to track you whenever you visit a passport partners web site. I have to say though, that nothing will prevent you from signing up for a passport using Bill G from Redmond, WA. Open SocketsOpen
sockets are kind of geeky, so please bear with me. Open sockets are
a new feature to the Windows 9X line. Basically what Microsoft has
done is bring their TCP/IP implementation into compliance with the rest of
the world. Open sockets in and of themselves are fine, the danger
comes from the way Microsoft implements user security. When you log
onto a Windows XP Home system, by default you have Administrative access.
What this means is that you can modify anything on your system. The
problem is that if you’re logged on as Administrator and a hacker
accesses your system, then they also have Administrator level access,
which means they can modify your TCP/IP settings so that your computer can
participate in Distributed Denial OF Service attack (DOS). This
wouldn’t be as much of a concern if standard users didn’t have so much
power over the inner workings of the operating system. In most
operating systems, UNIX, Linux, Windows 2000 or XP Pro, standard users
don’t have enough permission to modify the operating system to the
extent they do under Windows XP Home. There is an easy way to overcome this security hole and that is to install a good third party firewall. What It’s LikeOn the whole, Windows XP is very pretty. By default it uses a new start menu; but just like they allowed you to use Program Manager in Windows 95, you can still use the old 95 style interface in XP. With the default “clean desktop” look the Start Menu has taken on even more importance, it now includes a shortcut to My Computer, Internet Explorer and your e-mail program. You can even right click on My Computer in the start menu just like you could from the desktop in Windows 9X or 2000. By default, the new Start Menu also contains your 6 most recently accessed programs on the left side and you can choose to make programs “sticky” so that they stay on the menu. The Program Menu is now at the bottom left of the Start Menu. Like Windows 2000 and ME, it uses “personalized menus” by default.
Windows XP is more task oriented than previous versions of Windows. When you open a folder, there are task panes on the left side which provide you with ways to do common tasks that vary by file type. For example, if you open a folder full of pictures, XP’s task panes will let you print them, print one, print a contact sheet, burn them to CD, post them on the Internet, e-mail them, or view them in a slideshow. At first, it felt to me that the task panes were just taking up space, but after a while I found that they were fairly helpful.
It took me a couple of weeks to get used to the new layout of the Control Panel. Like Windows ME, it appears to contain fewer choices than it did in Windows 9X or 2000. In reality, they are just grouped icons under some common headings. All the old options are still there, just slightly rearranged.
On the whole I like the new interface. Should I Upgrade?Now
for the $64,000 question. I don’t have any definite answers for
this one, sorry, but I can only offer some common guidelines so you can
make your own decision. First,
don’t upgrade to Windows XP if the Windows Product Activation and/or
Passport Service bother you. I
personally tested XP on a variety of machines and found that it actually
ran better on lower end hardware than I anticipated. The slowest machine I
ran it on was a AMD K6-2 350 with 64 MB RAM, it ran OK on that machine,
albeit with all the visual enhancements turned off. I found that XP
runs well with enough horsepower under the hood; at least a 700 MHz
processor and at least 128 MB RAM, but with today’s RAM prices I would
recommend at least 256 MB RAM. XP also takes a bunch of space on the
Hard Drive, Microsoft recommends at least 1.5 GB free. If
you are happy with the operating system you are running, then don’t
upgrade unless you have a compelling need for one or more of the new
features. If you are running Windows 9X and experiencing out of
memory errors or other system instabilities, then you should seriously
consider it. If you're running Windows 2000, don’t bother, unless
one of the new features is a must-have for you. Before
you consider XP for an existing machine, run the upgrade advisor (you can
get it
here).
Microsoft did a good job trying to make XP compatible with as much
existing hardware and software as possible, but run the upgrade advisor
before you buy XP. It will let you know if your favorite program is
compatible with the new operating system. There are quite a few
utilities that won’t make the cut. Some vendors may offer free
updates and others will want you to purchase a new version. You
should check Microsoft’s upgrade chart to make sure what upgrade options
are available, based on your current operating system. The chart is
available
here. I
want to caution you though, I NEVER recommend that you upgrade an
operating system, I always prefer doing a clean install. It keeps
you from bringing problems with you to the new operating system. One
more thing: BACKUP your data before any kind of an operating system
change. There are just too many chances for something to go
wrong. My Impressions of Windows XPI wanted to play with XP on a machine that could let it fly, so I put together new machine to test it, with the following specs:
Some Observations on What I Learned:1. The Windows XP CD is bootable and it was very easy just to follow the prompts to get it installed. 2. The Sound Blaster Audigy was too new so XP didn’t have drivers for it, but the Windows 2000 drivers installed without a hitch. 3. There are some issues with the Windows XP default drivers for the nVidia GeForce cards. You will need to download the latest drivers from nVidia. 4. When the installation was complete, my new PC was on the Internet. (I use a cable modem to connect my home network to the Internet.) 5. With a fast enough PC, XP is very pretty with all the visual enhancements turned on. 6. I like the clean desktop so much that I’m using the active desktop on my Windows 2000 laptop to get the same effect. 7. It plays games very well, and I am having fun with Max Payne. 8.
I’m also playing a couple of my old Need for Speed games since I had to
test them! Personally,
I like Windows XP. I don’t have any major issues with the
Passport or Windows Product Activation. My wife and kids like the
look of the new operating system and the new Photo Wizard. Once I
got the video driver sorted out, it never crashed. I pulled over 25
games and various programs off the shelf and in almost all cases they just
worked. I find it easier to make things work in Windows XP than in
Windows 2000. It crashes much less than Windows 9X. Finally a
Windows OS where standby and hibernation just work without having to
download patches or specialized drivers. It won’t be long until
most of the PCs in our house are running XP. If
you do decide to move to Windows XP or just want some more information on
it, I have created a Yahoo Group called WinXPHelp, you can check it out
here: As
always, if you any questions or comments, please e-mail me at abcomputers Hal Cardona, PC Sleuth, serves as tech support and/or offsite Sys Admin for over 200 clients around the US. He designs, builds, and troubleshoots networks and builds custom computer systems. |
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