Which version of Windows?

You may be thinking of buying a new PC. You may have a PC and are considering upgrading it. You may even just be wondering; which version of Windows is right for me?

Well unfortunately choosing the correct version of Windows to suit your needs and budget is not like choosing the right shampoo for your hair of the right style and size of trousers to wear.

When it comes to Windows you're pretty much stuck with what Microsoft want you to buy and they always want you to buy the latest version.

As you read this, you're PC will most likely be running either Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

If you're looking at upgrading your version of Windows, I highly suggest you go for the best and upgrade straight to Windows XP. Windows XP supports the most and widest range of add on equipment (peripherals), digital devices and many other gizmos than any other version of Windows before it.

However there are some things I'd like to point out to you that you need to be aware of prior to asking your friendly corner PC tech shop to upgrade your PC to Windows XP.

The story is different however, if you're looking at buying a new PC. If this is the case, don't take it with anything but Windows XP.

If you are looking at upgrading your PC, there are a few things I'd like to point out to you that you may not be aware of

Why am I suggesting you upgrade to Windows XP and nothing else?

Latest = Greatest.
XP is the latest and greatest version of Windows. With each new version of any product, be it an automobile, a television, or microwave oven, the latest version is better than the version before it and Windows is no different.

Stability, Reliability and Ease of Use.
With Windows XP you get the most reliable, most stable and possibly the easiest to use version of Windows ever. I've used every version of Windows since Windows 3.0 and without a doubt, XP is the most reliable and fault tolerant version I've used.

Support
Microsoft always removes support for products after a certain number of years, as do most product manufacturers. Windows XP is the latest version of Windows, so by purchasing or upgrading to XP, you will have a version of Windows that will be supported by the manufacturer for the longest period of time into the future.

Upskilling.
By upgrading to Windows XP and using it every day (or every time you use your PC) you will be learning how to move around the software. You will be developing skills on the latest Windows software and these skills can be taken anywhere, work, home, on the beach (you do own a laptop computer don't you?).

And finally, why would you want to buy something old when you can buy the latest and greatest version?

What are the things you need to be aware of prior to upgrading to XP?

Hardware
The biggest problem you may run into when upgrading an old PC to Windows XP is hardware.

XP is a bit more hardware intensive than previous versions of Windows especially Windows 95, 98.and ME. What I mean by this is that Windows XP likes more RAM (memory), faster CPU (processor) and may like a little more disk space than you have available.

Windows XP likes to use more RAM than Windows 95, 98.and ME and will run faster and more reliably if it has access to more RAM.

So with that in mind you may need to purchase additional RAM if you plan on upgrading to XP. Now if the motherboard in your old PC, is just too old, you may not be able to locate any additional RAM to put into it. This could be a major problem on the road to an XP upgrade.

Windows XP also consumes more hard disk space than Windows 95, 98.and ME. So you may have to upgrade your hard disk drive as well.

As with RAM, if your PC is old, you may find that you can no longer locate any hard drives that will interface with the hard drive controller within your PC. This, again, is another major problem on the road to an XP upgrade.

Windows XP includes many software drivers for things such as video and sound cards, but if your PC contains old cards, you may find that you cannot obtain software drivers for these cards. So you may need to upgrade some of the cards inside your PC.

There are also several other issues that you may encounter when you look at upgrading an old PC to Windows XP.

Many people find that when they come to the point when they either want to or have to upgrade to Windows XP, they end up purchasing a new PC altogether. Some times this is the cheapest and easiest solution.

Your friendly corner PC shop should be able to help you with all this and if they can't, go somewhere else.
So in summing up, when thinking about what version of Windows to use on your PC, always try and install and use the very latest version. In most cases it is the most stable, most widely supported and most feature packed version.

But, always be aware that to be able to run the latest version, you may also have to upgrade or replace your current PC.

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