Upgrading to Windows 2000/XP?

[+ friendofsheila]

My punky lil' computer (3G HD, 32Mg RAM) is running Windows 98 that a repair shop installed to replace the Windows ME that was on it before.

 

One of the Windows features, StickyKeys, got gummed up by a mouse I tried to install and the mouse people were no bloody help. So I'm considering upgrading to W2000 or XP since I can get it at a bargain student rate.

 

As important as StickyKeys is to me (it helps a LOT with hand and wrist pain), I'm just not sure it's worthwhile even at the bargain rate, especially since I don't know if it will make StickyKeys work again. And buying a new computer is WAY out of the question with student loans just over the next hill.

 

Any opinions?

[+ deej]

I missed this when it was posted.

 

>My punky lil' computer (3G HD, 32Mg RAM)

>Any opinions?

 

There's never been a 3G HD in the history of personal computers and Win98 will barely run in 32Mg RAM. I think your stats are a little off. :-(

 

Win2K is about to drop out of support so I wouldn't recommend it. To run WinXP, you need 128MB of RAM. Just for Windows. You need more if you want to run anything IN Windows. Consider 256MB a good starting point.

 

A new computer (sans monitor & keyboard, because presumably you already have those) would only run around $300-$400.

[+ friendofsheila]

>There's never been a 3G HD in the history of personal

>computers and Win98 will barely run in 32Mg RAM. I think your

>stats are a little off. :-(

 

The company sticker on the outside of the computer says "3.2GB HD". I guess I read poorly (the lighting is pretty bad down there!)

>

To run WinXP, you need 128MB of RAM. Consider

>256MB a good starting point.

 

Hmm. Good point, well-taken.

>

>A new computer (sans monitor & keyboard, because presumably

>you already have those) would only run around $300-$400.

 

*Sigh* Not on the horizon, sadly. I'll have to settle for what I've got for now.

[+ deej]

>The company sticker on the outside of the computer says "3.2GB

>HD". I guess I read poorly (the lighting is pretty bad down

>there!)

 

There's never been one of those either. ;-) That sounds like some sort of mishmash combination of the Mhz rating and the HD size, or they dropped a digit. The latter is more likely, because a 3.x Mhz processor CERTAINLY wouldn't have shipped with a disk that small. And since you said it came with WinME, it wouldn't have been 3.x Ghz anyway.

 

Right click on "My Computer" and choose properties. That should tell you what you REALLY have. Let's zero in on that and then see what there is to see.

[+ friendofsheila]

Computer:

emachines

eTower 300c/333c/300k/333k

Authentic AMD

AMD-K6 3D processor

64.0 MB RAM

 

Sorry it took so long to reply.

[+ deej]

OK, 64MB RAM -- double what you originally said.

 

Now open "My Computer", right click on your c: drive and choose properties. How much disk space do you have? (And how much is free?)

[+ friendofsheila]

2.97GB total

(embarassed admission): 100MB free

[+ deej]

The (lack of) free space is probably what's causing your issues. Time to archive some of that porn! ;-)

 

Start by cleaning up. "Temporary Internet Files" is a good place to start. IE doesn't always completely clear that when you tell it to. It will sometimes leave stuff in subfolders.

 

In Windows explorer, look also for folders named TEMP in the root and in the Windows folder. You can safely delete stuff in there.

 

If you're using Outlook or Outlook express for email, check the "Sent Items" folder. It probably has a copy of every email message you've ever sent (complete with attachments). That crap piles up more than you might think! Delete stuff that's old enough not to be needed.

 

Windows (and Windows application) need "elbow room" when running. You need more free disk space. You might want to consider an external hard disk. (Does that machine have USB ports?) A 40GB external USB drive can be had for around 50 bucks. Move all your pics & movies to one of those.

 

W2k/XP are out of the question if you can't upgrade your computer. They require more free space than you have total.

[+ friendofsheila]

Time to archive some of that porn! ;-)

 

Done dood dat already. (see below)

 

>Start by cleaning up. "Temporary Internet Files" is a good

>place to start. IE doesn't always completely clear that when

>you tell it to. It will sometimes leave stuff in subfolders.

 

Hmm. This folder, even after DiskCleanup has about 100megs in it, nearly all cookies (sounds like colon cleansing!). Don' know much 'bout cookies so I gotta ask: Is it okay to delete them?

 

>

>In Windows explorer, look also for folders named TEMP in the

>root and in the Windows folder. You can safely delete stuff in

>there.

 

Another 35 megs, I think.

 

>

>If you're using Outlook or Outlook express for email, check

>the "Sent Items" folder.

 

Nope, don't use it.

>

A 40GB external USB drive can be had for around 50

>bucks. Move all your pics & movies to one of those.

>

Pics and movies of young athletic men looking, well, young and athletic, were moved recently to a cd. $50 is not something I can do for a long time (I'm glad I got my Christmas gifts already!), so I'll live with what I've got. I'll probably move my schoolwork to a cd (plus a dupe) as that will free about 300 megs.

 

Thanks for all your help Deej! An escort I met once said he really wanted to talk to you sometime 'cause "it sounds like he knows EVERYthing." Maybe he was right!

 

[+ deej]

>>Start by cleaning up. "Temporary Internet Files" is a good

>>place to start. IE doesn't always completely clear that when

>>you tell it to. It will sometimes leave stuff in subfolders.

>

>Hmm. This folder, even after DiskCleanup has about 100megs in

>it, nearly all cookies (sounds like colon cleansing!). Don'

>know much 'bout cookies so I gotta ask: Is it okay to delete

>them?

 

You might have to re-enter passwords but otherwise cookies are ALWAYS expendable and often even dangerous. Nuke 'em.

 

>>In Windows explorer, look also for folders named TEMP in the

>>root and in the Windows folder. You can safely delete stuff

>in

>>there.

>

>Another 35 megs, I think.

 

Nuke it. Some firewalls and Virus utilities are known for creating but never deleting temp files, gradually eating up your whole disk drive.

 

MANY applications use the temp directory for storing work files. The well behaved apps delete them when they're done with them. But they can pile up over time like crazy.

 

>Thanks for all your help Deej! An escort I met once said he

>really wanted to talk to you sometime 'cause "it sounds like

>he knows EVERYthing." Maybe he was right!

 

You're welcome! And he's way wrong!