Im new to WinXP......question for techies.

Egghead

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2005
1,811
42
58
✟2,204.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Ive been using win98se for quite some time.
I love it with the USB fixes and such and havent had any real problems.

My cpu and mb were fried a few months back, so I ended up with an XP cpu an mb, but they both would still run win98se, so I continued to use it.

I recently was given a copy of WinXP as a gift from a brother in law who swears by it.......so I gave it a try.

during the first loading, he just ''updated'' my win98 to XP, leaving the fat32 file system.
It ran great, so Im happy, right?

Well, I ended up reloading everything, but I figured instead of reloading both systems, since it is an XP mb and cpu, just load the XP.

It runs like trash, and wont install programs that I had on it before.
Morrowind runs so horribly I cant even play it.

Yes, I did the service packs and all the auto updates. :)
Still ran like garbage and wouldnt even let me install the wifes new camera software.


So I get upset and fdisk the thing (had to to get rid of some file from XP) and start from scratch.

I reload win98se, it runs great.
I ''update'' it to XP again.......again, it runs great.

This makes no sense, but as long as I have the fat32 file system instead of the newer XP one, it runs fantastic (I have an amd 2400xp cpu, btw).

can anyone tell me if the file system in XP can cause severe problems with the video (128meg nvidia), and terrible problems with loading software and sometimes I would double click an application and it wouldnt start at all.

anyone that knows the 2 systems and could offer some help would be greatly appreciated.

Its a real pain having to install both OS just to get this thing running good :(
 
  • Haha
Reactions: linux.poet

Qyöt27

AMV Editor At Large
Apr 2, 2004
7,879
573
38
St. Petersburg, Florida
✟81,859.00
Faith
Methodist
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Yes, I did the service packs and all the auto updates. :)
Still ran like garbage and wouldnt even let me install the wifes new camera software.
Do you do that every time? In my experience the updates for XP are a complete waste of memory and time. They only made my computer (a WinXP Home 2002) run as slow as molasses. There have also been a lot of reports of broken compatibility with Service Pack 2 in particular.

As far as NTFS negatively affecting system performance, I've never experienced that problem, but then again, all the computers I've had XP on have come with it automatically; I've never had to update from a different OS. Does it run terribly in general or only with the old programs? Maybe the backwards compatibility feature in XP has screwed itself over somehow. If the programs aren't meant for XP, that could be where the problem originates. When you've got the FAT32 basis to work from when installing XP over top of 98, the backwards compatibility may not react quite so negatively.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: linux.poet
Upvote 0

Egghead

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2005
1,811
42
58
✟2,204.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Mikesoft said:
I don't think it would be anything to do with your video card.
I have never had that problem before so I am not 100% sure I am right.
nope, not the video card.
It lags terrible even on applications that arent graphic intensive....such as just opening a browser. :(

If your hard drive is small or older then that could be the reason to why fat32 file system runs better.
Both harddrives.....an 80 gig and a 120 gig, are about one year old.
the funny thing about this is my wife has a amd 550 mhz machine with 128 mem, and a trash video card.

When we both have just xp on (no upgrade from 98se) her machine smokes mine (XP2400 cpu, 512 (266ddr), with a newer hard disk and 128mg nvidia geforce 4)

Sometimes mine wont even start an application even when it lets me install it (mind you, this is ONLY when I do an XP only install, with an 98se upgrade to XP it works fine)

Im lost :)
 
Upvote 0

Egghead

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2005
1,811
42
58
✟2,204.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Qyöt27 said:
Do you do that every time?
yeah :(
I was sure to repeat the exact steps, one being a fresh XP install, one being a XP upgrade from 98se.

everything was done in steps to see if I could track down the precise moment the performance degraded.

In my experience the updates for XP are a complete waste of memory and time. They only made my computer (a WinXP Home 2002) run as slow as molasses. There have also been a lot of reports of broken compatibility with Service Pack 2 in particular.

Right after a frest install of XP it ran terribly.
I added the service pack 2 next.....still terrible.
then ran the automatic updates......again, terrible....no change.

This was with a fresh install of XP, not upgrading with the fat32 file system from 98se.

Does it run terribly in general or only with the old programs?
It ran even its own included software badly......explorer, for instance, would take like 60-90 seconds just to open after I clicked it.

Some of the older stuff I tried wouldnt install, but gave no reason.
Stuff that DOES install if I do the upgrade from win98se instead of a fresh XP install.

Maybe the backwards compatibility feature in XP has screwed itself over somehow. If the programs aren't meant for XP, that could be where the problem originates. When you've got the FAT32 basis to work from when installing XP over top of 98, the backwards compatibility may not react quite so negatively.
yeah.....not being familiar with XP I just dont know what it could be.

The only thing so far that is consistant is that if its upgraded from 98se, then it runs everything perfect.....Im very happy.

If fdisk, then set partitions, format and do a fresh install of XP, i get a machine that runs worse than my old 486/66mhz :D

thanks for the replies so far.
I appreciate the effort :)
 
Upvote 0

linux.poet

Electric Nightfall
Angels Team
CF Senior Ambassador
Supporter
Apr 25, 2022
2,046
1,005
Poway
✟196,584.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
In Relationship
Politics
US-Republican
It looks like your hard drive is incompatible with the NTFS file system and slows down. Perhaps your old hard drive is formatted using Master Boot Record (MBR) instead of a GUID or GPT. The latter is required for most modern file systems, including NTFS.
 
Upvote 0

elytron

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2008
465
193
California
✟287,846.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
It looks like your hard drive is incompatible with the NTFS file system and slows down. Perhaps your old hard drive is formatted using Master Boot Record (MBR) instead of a GUID or GPT. The latter is required for most modern file systems, including NTFS.

Thank you for the wonderful advice! :)

Mr @Egghead probably still uses XP and has been offline since 2005, unable to connect to the Internet. :p
 
  • Haha
Reactions: linux.poet
Upvote 0

linux.poet

Electric Nightfall
Angels Team
CF Senior Ambassador
Supporter
Apr 25, 2022
2,046
1,005
Poway
✟196,584.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
In Relationship
Politics
US-Republican
Mr @Egghead probably still uses XP and has been offline since 2005, unable to connect to the Internet. :p
He's probably still on dial-up and is wondering why it isn't working and why all of his pages take forever to load. :p
 
  • Haha
Reactions: elytron
Upvote 0

Neostarwcc

We are saved purely by the work and grace of God.
Supporter
Dec 13, 2015
5,228
4,189
37
US
✟909,909.00
Country
United States
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
Thank you for the wonderful advice! :)

Mr @Egghead probably still uses XP and has been offline since 2005, unable to connect to the Internet. :p

Hey I still used Windows 98 SE until 2015 and I couldn't anymore and was forced to upgrade to Windows 10/11. It was a fantastic OS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: elytron
Upvote 0

elytron

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2008
465
193
California
✟287,846.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Hey I still used Windows 98 SE until 2015 and I couldn't anymore and was forced to upgrade to Windows 10/11. It was a fantastic OS.

I remember using Windows 98 to type out homework assignments. Wasn't able to touch type at the time and would take forever to complete. For home Internet we used AOL which was almost unusable.

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing was a wonderful piece of software. :cool::floppy:
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Neostarwcc

We are saved purely by the work and grace of God.
Supporter
Dec 13, 2015
5,228
4,189
37
US
✟909,909.00
Country
United States
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
I remember using Windows 98 to type out homework assignments. Wasn't able to touch type at the time and would take forever to complete. For home Internet we used AOL which was almost unusable.

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing was a wonderful piece of software. :cool::floppy:

Yes I remember using the AOL trial CDs they sent you in the mail for target practice. They were fun to shatter with my BB gun lol. My grandfather used to use them as coasters. I think I remember Mavis beacon typing my school was using it.
 
Upvote 0

elytron

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2008
465
193
California
✟287,846.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Yes I remember using the AOL trial CDs they sent you in the mail for target practice. They were fun to shatter with my BB gun lol. My grandfather used to use them as coasters. I think I remember Mavis beacon typing my school was using it.

I also did strange things with mine. Like attempting to cut them into ninja stars for example.

If I can find my old copy of Windows XP might try and install in a VM to play some my old games.

CF Mods may close this thread now is off-topic. :p
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Neostarwcc
Upvote 0

Neostarwcc

We are saved purely by the work and grace of God.
Supporter
Dec 13, 2015
5,228
4,189
37
US
✟909,909.00
Country
United States
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
I also did strange things with mine. Like attempting to cut them into ninja stars for example.

If I can find my old copy of Windows XP might try and install in a VM to play some my old games.

CF Mods may close this thread now is off-topic. :p


Ninja stars? (Staff Edit) Thatx the funniest thing ive ever heard of! Did they actually work? They should have closed this topic a long time ago! It's from 2005 XD.
 
Upvote 0

elytron

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2008
465
193
California
✟287,846.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Ninja stars? (Staff Edit) Thatx the funniest thing ive ever heard of! Did they actually work? They should have closed this topic a long time ago! It's from 2005 XD.

The CDs would shatter when I tried cut them. Then leave a mess of silver film all over. Didn't work.
 
Upvote 0

Neostarwcc

We are saved purely by the work and grace of God.
Supporter
Dec 13, 2015
5,228
4,189
37
US
✟909,909.00
Country
United States
Faith
Calvinist
Marital Status
Married
The CDs would shatter when I tried cut them. Then leave a mess of silver film all over. Didn't work.

Aww that's too bad. I would have hoped it worked as a kid lol. Yeah the CDs were kind of useless.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: elytron
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums