Upgrading ME to XP??

[cjensen]

I have an HP Pavilion 8765c running Windows ME. I also have an HP laptop running XP. I seem to have fewer crashes, freeze-ups, etc on my laptop which I'm thinking is because XP is a bit more stable?? (I'm not a computer whiz by any stretch of the imagination) My question is this: would it make more sense to upgrade to XP on my 8765, or would I be better off just to buy a new computer. I'm not a gamer; I basically use it for photo's, office work, and internet. Some input would be appreciated; and if this subject has been covered by someone else before, I'm sorry. thanks.

[DonVito]

does it work fine for what you do on it besided the crashes? If so then upgrading to XP kind of depends on you. It will cost about $100 to upgrade to XP. But if your computer is really old and runs to slow for your likeing then you should buy a new one. with some of the deals dell and gateway are running you can get a pc perfect for you needs for under $400.


EDIT: by the way if by any chance you know how much ram you have that would really help. XP needs more ram than ME to run smooth.

[Ob1]

if your computer can support it then i would upgrade to XP. what are the specs on your pc?

instead of upgrading from ME to XP, just set the boot order in your bios to cd first, then pop the cd into the cd drive and boot to the xp cd, and do a clean install. then your pc will be running on fresh installation. just make sure to backup any important documents and photos either to another hard drive, external usb hard drive, burn it to a cd, etc. then after your new xp install is complete just put all the info back on your pc.

[Marke522]

If you look around you can get a bundle for $400 after mail in rebates, monitor, computer, printer and all. The only thing you would need is the time to open the box. I would do it this way if I were you, if your pc has ME, then I would guess it's about 5 years old, and it would be time to upgrade the whole thing, and not just the operating system. It would be a shame to spend $100 on the XP software and for the computer to be to slow for it. XP demdands a lot more than the older operating systems.

Plus an added bonus, is you would have a warrenty on all the parts, not just 2 free calls. Microsoft doesn't support thier stuff real well, but DELL or HP would be a lot more help to you. Unlimited calls and email tech support for a whole year is a real good place to learn a lot about the inner workings of a computer, think of it as a free class. Just keep thinking of reasons to email or call, they'll be more than happy to make sure you're satisfied with your purchase and explain it all to you.

[govigov]

i would suggest doing a dual boot option that way you can have both ME and XP on your system.

[GaryRouth]

Hi all -

I took a quick look at the base model for your HP, and it looks like the slowest processor it offered, a 900mhz Athlon (Thunderbird core), is fine for running XP. The base hard drive is listed as 45gb, also plenty roomy. The maximum memory for the base model's motherboard was 512mb (two modules of 256mb each). That too, should run XP well.

Every now and then the Upgrade version of XP goes on sale at various stores, like Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, etc. - the lowest I've seen it is $40 with a rebate. Seems do-able for $40. [When not on sale, though, XP Home Edition is usually closer to $80 or $90].

I imagine you are long past any warranty period - but I suppose you should know that Hp won't be of much help for that Pavilion should you try XP. A note on their webpage for your model states: "NOTE: The only operating system supported on this HP Pavilion PC is Microsoft Windows Me" . . . This doesn't have anything to do with whether XP will work on your computer, but it does mean "Don't call Hp if you have any trouble with it". -- But hey, you do still have us!

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[glc]

It also means that if XP doesn't have native drivers for all the components, you won't be able to download any drivers from HP for them.