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Software: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Tips and Tweaks, Licensing, Fixing Problems, OEM Software, How to Make Restorable Backups - Page 1

Last updated on 31 May 2009

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CONTENTS

Click here! to go to Page 2 - Devoted to Windows and software

Click here! to go to Page 3 - Devoted to backups

A vital point to bear in mind is where you stand regarding your computer's software, of which the operating system is the most important, because nothing can run or work without it...

Operating system - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system

Microsoft Windows XP

Microsoft stopped selling Windows XP Home and Professional Editions after June 30, 2008, so no computers sold after that date can have those versions of Windows preinstalled; a version of Windows Vista will be preinstalled instead. However, Mainstream Support and Extended Support will continue according to Microsoft's lifecycle timetable.

Microsoft Support Lifecycle - main page - http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=lifecycle

Microsoft Windows Vista

Microsoft's Windows Vista is the latest version of Windows that comes in several different types to suit different users. Click here! to go to the Windows Vista section of this site.

Windows 7

Windows 7 is the official name for the successors to the versions of Windows Vista. The Windows 7 Beta (test version) was available for download by the general public, but it is no longer available. The first Release Candidate (RC), which is expected to be the only RC, is expected to be made available within months (date of writing March 2009), followed by the release of the final official version, which could be as early as July 2009, or as late as the end of the year.

Windows 7 Beta videos: a peek at the coolness to come [includes videos covering Internet Explorer 8 and Windows Live] -

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-videos.aspx

Office suites/free deskop publishing software

Most PC users use an office suite. Therefore, they would like to have one preinstalled on a new PC. However, not many new PC s come with the most popular office suite, MS Office, preinstalled unless it is chosen as an optional extra that is paid for. It is done that way in order to keep the cost of PCs as low as possible as the best way of selling them. If you need an office suite and don't want to pay for it, you can use the excellent OpenOffice suite from http://www.openoffice.org/ that has a wordprocessor, spreadsheet, database and presentational application.

If you are a home user, Office 2007 Home & Student Edition, which contains Word (wordprocessor), Excel (spreadsheet), Powerpoint (presentational program) and OneNote (an application for organising notes and important information), is currently (May 2008) available from amazon.co.uk for only £79 (click the link to go to its page). Any home user or student can buy a copy and it comes with three licences, enabling it to be installed on three PCs. It requires product activation, so any PC you install it on should be online. If you are not online, you will have to phone Microsoft for an activation code. If the software is not activated, after 30 days it can only be used to go online for activation.

Here are two free desktop publishing applications:

Scribus Open Source Desktop Publishing - http://www.scribus.net/

Serif PagePlus -

http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/software/PagePlus/default.asp

To locate reviews of office suites or desktop publishing software, you can enter those words in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).

Desktop and laptop/notebook PCs

Most of the available software is run on suitable desktop and laptop/notebook PCs.

Visit the Desktop PCs section of this site for information on how to buy, build, repair, fix, and protect the various types of desktop PCs.

Visit the Laptop/Notebook PCs section of this site for information on buying and protecting them, and fixing problems with them.

The Linux operating system

Click here! to go directly to the page on this site devoted to Linux if you're interested in the Linux operating system. Some interesting information is provided there, such as how to go about successfully installing Linux on a laptop computer.

The lifecycles of the different versions of Windows XP/Windows Vista

Microsoft provides all of the information on the lifecycle support of its products. Here are some relevant pages on its website:

Microsoft Support Lifecycle - main page - http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=lifecycle

Select a Product for Lifecycle Information - http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselect

Table showing support dates for the different versions of Windows XP -

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?LN=en-us&x=23&y=16&C2=1173

Windows Vista was only released in January 2007, so it has many years of mainstream and extended support left.

Here is the page on Windows Vista Home Premium:

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=11712

OEM software

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEM hardware or software is supported by the business concern that uses it in the manufacturer of its own equipment instead of by its manufacturer.

For example, if a hard disk drive made by one manufacturer is used in a computer made by a PC manufacturer, the PC manufacturer is the OEM hardware manufacturer that provides the support for the drive, not its real manufacturer.

A useful piece of information to bear in mind with regard to the software that comes with a computer is this: does the software come with its creator's support, or is it an OEM version that is only supported by the computer's supplier - and even then usually only via premium-rate phone lines.

In other words, apart from the exception in which the purchaser is the OEM, if the software on your computer is OEM, you will have to contact the computer's vendor for support, often over premium telephone lines, or on lines that are so busy that you can be kept waiting hours before your problem is dealt with - and then usually by inadequately trained personnel that do not have the depth of knowledge that the software company's support staff will hopefully, but not necessarily, possess.

Indeed, it is often a better bet to subscribe to the computer newsgroups provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), register with computer forums, and visit pertinent websites for information than it is to rely on vendors and manufacturers to provide hardware and software support. This is where having a brand-name motherboard installed is invaluable, because all of the major motherboard manufacturers have an ALT newsgroup which has this address alt.comp.periphs.mainboard followed by its trade name. For example the MSI alt newsgroup is:

alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.msi-microstar

Moreover, most manufacturers of computer components, including motherboards, have FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) pages, which should be the first source of information to resort to if you are having problems with a particular component. Most of the most frequently experienced problems will usually be dealt with there. Over the course of time, the motherboard manufacturer's newsgroup will discuss everything that can go wrong with it, or with any expansion cards or devices that can be attached to it. Moreover, you can, of course, post messages to the newsgroup, which will almost certainly receive pertinent replies.

Windows Vista OEM/FPP volume licensing

Note that Windows XP Home and Professional Editions are no longer available from retailers or on new PCs.

Full Windows Vista operating system licences (US: licenses) for desktop PCs can be acquired only either preinstalled on a new PC by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), or as a retail product, which is also known as full packaged product (FPP).

Click here! to download a 52K MS Word document that covers Microsoft Volume Licensing - "Microsoft Operating System License Requirements: Initial Operating System, Transfer of License, and Reassignment of License".

Note that many software retailers that sell computer components are allowed to sell OEM versions of Windows Vista. The technical support is provided by the person or company that installs the software, so you will have to provide your own support for it.

If you purchase an OEM copy with hardware from a site such as eBay, e-mail the seller to make sure that it comes with a Product Key, because without one you will not be able to obtain a Windows Product Activation (WPA) key from Microsoft.

Searching for oem windows vista (you can make use of the Google search box at the top of this page with its Web radio button enabled) finds OEM versions of the full products of Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate, and Business Editions.

A version of Windows Vista that has a Product ID such as this one - 76588-OEM-0032903-02827 - is called an OEM copy that has been pre-installed by the computer's manufacturer. It can only be used on the same computer. If, say, a significant component, such as the motherboard, is changed, the PC cannot be used, because Microsoft's Product Activation deems that it is installed on a different computer. You would then have to buy a new licence for that computer.

However, it is known that some users have got around this limitation by calling Microsoft and reporting that their motherboards had died, so they had to replace them. It is Microsoft's policy to allow motherboard swaps in instances where a system is defective or has suffered a hardware failure. However, if you are really just an upgrader taking advantage of that policy, you shouldn't rely on it, because Microsoft may rule that you have to install the same make and model of motherboard so that none of the other components need to be upgraded. In that way, Microsoft can be reasonably sure that you have not just upgraded the computer.

Buying OEM versions of Windows Vista: the facts -

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070130-8730.html

Is OEM Windows Vista software legal? -

http://windows.about.com/od/buyupgrade/f/vista_oem.htm

The safest way to upgrade RAM: Use the UK and US Crucial Memory Advisors

Paul Mullen, the highly-respected computer guru of the Helpfile at ComputerShopper.co.uk - "I have recently been buying my memory only from Crucial Technology. I would rather pay the extra cost than waste time trying to track down the obscure program faults that bad memory can cause."

The memory requirements of the versions of Windows Vista

Most of the versions of Windows Vista require more RAM memory to run optimally on a computer that doesn't use memory-hungry applications than Windows XP. A video-editing application is an example of memory-intensive software. Only Windows Vista Home Basic has a recommended minimum amount of memory of 512MB, which is the same amount recommended for Windows XP. Windows Vista Home Premium, the most popular version, and Windows Vista Ultimate require a recommended minimum of 1GB (1024MB) of memory, which is twice the amount of minimum memory recommended to run Windows XP. For more information on computer memory, read the RAM pages of this site.

For example, if your computer has an Asus motherboard, open the menu, scroll down to ASUS, and click GO. If, say, you have a Dell computer, scroll down to DELL, and do likewise. You will be taken to the relevant information on Crucial's website.

If you don't know the make and model of the motherboard installed in your computer, here is a good free utility - Belarc Advisor - that creates an analysis of the hardware and software on a personal computer. Look under FREE DOWNLOAD - http://www.belarc.com/. Another utility that also provides detailed information on the memory itself is CPU-Z.

Optimising/optimizing PC performance

The web has many sites that provide PC optimisation information, or that provide or run optimisation programs from their sites. You can make use of the Google search box (with its Web radio button enabled) provided at the top of this page to locate them. Here is one of the best sites:

PC Pitstop Optimize 1.5 -

"Run our free Optimize scan and identify many common problems that plague most computers. Find out what it takes to get a better performing computer without the expense or difficulty of adding new hardware." -

http://www.pcpitstop.com/store/optimize.asp

How to edit the Windows Registry

Ever since Windows 95, Windows has used a database of entries called keys that configure the computer system that Windows is running on. The database is called the Windows Registry.

When a program is installed it enters information about itself in the Registry. However, when a program is uninstalled, via Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, or by making use of its own uninstall feature, it can leave most of its entries in the Registry, which are then increasing its size for no useful purpose. Running a good Registry cleaner, such as RegSeeker can remove many redundant entries, thereby allowing Windows to access the valid entries more efficiently.

To find download sites for RegSeeker and other cleaners, you can enter the name, or a suitable search term (registry + cleaner + xp), in the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).

In order to fix certain software problems, you may have to edit the Registry. To open the Registry Editor in all the versions of Windows since Windows 95, just enter regedit in the Start => Run box.

Before attempting to edit the Registry, in case you make a mistake that render Windows unbootable, you should create a restore point in System Restore (available in Windows Me, Windows XP, and Windows Vista (due for release in early 2007) that can restore the main system files, including the Registry from Safe Mode, which is accessed by repeated pressing the F8 key at startup just before Windows starts to load.

How Can I Delete a Key and its Subkeys from the Registry? -

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/.../ScriptingGuy/default.aspx

How To Recover From a Corrupt Registry That Prevents Windows XP From Starting:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307545

How to back up, edit, and restore the Registry in Windows XP:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=322756

Software is supplied on CDs and DVDs

Note that software such as the operating system and office suites can be supplied on CDs and DVDs. Do not buy the DVD version if you do not have a DVD-ROM drive, because it will not install from an ordinary CD-ROM drive. But CDs will install from a DVD-ROM drive. This is because the track on the disk that the laser follows is much finer on a DVD disk than it is on a CD disk, so an ordinary CD-ROM drive's laser beam cannot follow the finer track. CD and DVD writers can read DVD-ROM disks.

The operating system

The most important software used by a computer is the operating system, without which the computer itself can't work, because the operating system runs all of the other software.

For ordinary home use, the operating system installed on a new PC should be Windows XP, (Home and Professional Editions), or one of the versions of Windows Vista for home use installed.

Although the versions of Windows Vista suitable for home use were made available on January 30, 2007, Windows XP is set to receive mainstream support from Microsoft until April 2009. Click here! to go to the section of this site devoted to the different versions of Windows Vista.

Windows XP and Windows Vista have to be activated on the Internet or by telephone, otherwise they both cease to work after a notified period. If Windows XP or Windows Vista produces a message saying that it requires to be activated, and you don't know how to go about it, to find out, open Start=> Help and Support and enter product activation in the Search box.

Note that you will only have to activate Windows XP/Windows Vista if you purchased and OEM or retail copy and installed it yourself. If you have purchased a brand-name PC with Windows pre-installed, it will already have been activated.

If you have to activate Windows XP/Vista and the activation process fails to finish successfully because Microsoft's records show an irregularity to do with that particular licence number, you will be supplied with a telephone number of one of Microsoft's support personnel. You provide the Product ID number that you will have with the documentation that came with Windows, or which is on the installation CD/DVD, and in exchange you will be provided with a Windows Product Activation (WPA) key as a means of preventing Windows XP from being loaded on to more than one PC. The idea is not to allow more than one Product Activation key to be issued per product unless a further license is purchased for each additional PC.

Visit How Microsoft Windows XP Product Activation (WPA) Works on this site for the latest information on WPA.

Note that you should be able to buy a brand-name computer (Dell, HP, Acer, etc.) without an operating system (usually Windows), or any software installed. Pre-installed software is not free; it increases the price of the computer, because the manufacturer has to pay license fees for it. Therefore, you should be able to obtain a brand-name computer at a reduced cost if it is supplied without an operating system or software.

You will probably have to buy a computer with or without any software, not just minus the operating system. This is because the manufacturer cannot load any software applications without an operating system being installed. You will therefore not be supplied with a recovery CD/DVD, which restores the whole system (Windows and the applications) to the state they were in when the computer left the factory), unless you have the whole package pre-installed. However, some brand-name computer manufacturers supply the software on CD/DVD disks, so, in this case, you will probably be able to negotiate a deal in which the computer comes supplied with only the software that you want to install.

Therefore, look hard with educated eyes at what is on offer before you buy. If your eyes are not educated read all of the information provided by websites such as this one before you start looking.

See the information on the Warranty page on this site for more information on how PC manufacturers are behaving or can behave with regard to warranties.

Access a database of definitions of Windows error messages

If you're sick of having Windows produce error messages that are as understandable as written Chinese to you, WinErrs is a free utility that accesses a meaningful database of 1554 Windows error messages:

http://www.sofotex.com/WinErrs-download_L3957.html

Visit the Diagnostics page on this site for MS Knowledge Base articles on Windows error messages.

And here are some sites that deal with Windows error messages:

Bootdisk.com - Look for the "Errors" heading on the Home page -

htt://www.bootdisk.com/

The Windows Support Center - http://aumha.org/kberrmsg.htm

And don't forget that you can usually find plenty of links pertinent to a particular error message by using the intelligible part of it as the search term (enclosed within double quotation marks) in the Google search box provided at the top of this page.

Past posts on Windows error messages in Google Groups

Enclose the main body of the error message within double quotation marks and use it to conduct a Google Groups search. It would be quicker than searching through error-message sites, because the search engine will find all of the available references to that error message. If necessary, keep shortening the search phrase until you get links.

Enter the name of the newsgroup you want to search in the search box. Say, alt.windows98 or alt.os.windows-xp. (There are newsgroups listed for other versions of Windows on the Newsgroup page of this site.) In the next search box, enter your search phrase (or error message) within double quotation marks. You have the options to search that newsgroup only, search all newsgroups, or search the web.

Google's archived Usenet newsgroups:

http://www.google.com/grphp?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=

System Resources can be problematic in Windows 95 /98/98 SE/Me

Windows XP and Windows 2000 don't have problems with what are known as System Resources, but the Windows 9x versions of Windows, including Windows Me, can crash or require that the system is restarted if they reach too low a level.

A four-part series on System Resources in Windows 9x - what they are, why they are unrelated to the amount of RAM, how to manage them and prevent memory leaks, etc. - is available here:

http://content.techweb.com/winmag/columns/explorer/2000/14.htm

End User License: Only one copy of Windows per computer

According to the Windows End User License Agreement (EULA) that everyone agrees to before installing the operating system, a single computer can only have one copy installed. Moreover, if, say, the user used the upgrade version of Windows XP to upgrade the system from, say, Windows 98, the user won't be able to install Windows 98 in order to have a dual-boot system, because it's illegal, and in any case, Windows 98 will refuse to install.

This would not legally be the case if the user owns the full versions of Windows XP and Windows 98. Then the user would be entitled to install both versions. But if Windows 98 detects that another version of Windows is installed, it will refuse to install, because it wants to be the only operating system. However, if Windows 98 is already installed, a full version of Windows XP or Windows Vista can easily be installed, because it has the capacity to install itself as part of a multi-boot system, and it will even install a boot menu that allows the user to choose which version to boot with. A full version of Windows Vista can easily be installed on a separate partition of aPC running a version of Windows XP, simply by running the Vista installation DVD (requires a DVD drive). The Vista setup routine installs a boot manager that allows the user to choose which version to boot. Note that Vista is the default option that boots after a set number of seconds. Visit the Using Windows Vista section of this to find out how to set Windows XP as the default boot option.

It is still possible to add the full version of Windows 98 to a system already running Windows XP, but the user would have to implement the workaround of the kind provided on the site of MVP, Doug Knox.

Note the MS Office comes with a license that allows it to be used on one desktop and one laptop computer. If you are a student, or even the parent of students, you can buy Microsoft software with a student license at much-reduced prices.

Why programs and games designed to run on a Windows 95/98/Me system can often not run well, or not run at all on a Windows XP/Windows Vista system

Because Windows 95/98/Me and Windows XP systems have completely different architectures, some programs written for Windows 95/98/Me simply won't run at all or won't well under Windows XP, no matter what you do to rectify the situation.

However, there is a way of making such programs run properly under Windows XP - run the Program Compatibility Wizard.

I used it when MS Excel 97 and MS Word 97 wouldn't work. After running the wizard, they worked as they had done under Windows 98. I chose Windows 98 as the operating system to emulate.

To run the Program Compatibility Wizard in Windows XP, follow this path:

Start => All Programs => Accessories => Program Compatibility Wizard.

In Windows Vista, open the Program Compatibility Wizard by clicking Start => Control Panel => Programs => Use an older program with this version of Windows.

For information on using another method, visit this relevant Q&A on this site: How can I get an old program that requires 256 colours (US: colors) to work in Windows XP?

If you require more information on how to make Windows 95/98/Me programs and games run better under Windows XP, visit the following pages on the Microsoft site. The information there also applies to virtually any program that anyone might want to run under Windows XP.

Compatibility Resources and Information -

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/compatibility/default.asp

Using Program Compatibility Mode -

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gethelp/appcompat.asp

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) incorporates Service Pack 1 (SP1)

If your computer only has the original version of Windows XP that was first made available in October 2001, you should update it by installing Service Pack 2 (SP2), which incorporates the earlier Service Pack 1 (SP1).

You will also have to visit Microsoft Update for the many security updates and hot fixes that have been made available since SP2 was made available.

Since Microsoft first released Service Pack 2 (SP2) upgrade for Windows XP in early August 2004, it has made it available through various channels.

For most users, it should be available from Microsoft Update. Microsoft has also opened their CD-order site, where it's possible to order a copy of SP2 on a CD. Microsoft ships the CD free of charge. Click here! for the details on Microsoft's site.

PC magazines, such as Computer Shopper: Issue 201, have made it available on their cover CDs.

SP2 is a complete update, so you can even install it on an installation of the original (pre-SP1) Windows XP. SP2 should bring your system up to date in one step without having to install SP1 first.

Click here! to go to more information on SP2 on this site.

64-bit Windows XP Professional Edition and the 64-bit versions of Windows Vista

Microsoft has made a 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional Edition available that must run on a 64-bit processor already made available by Intel and AMD. However, it can run 32-bit software because all 64-bit processors are able to run it. But the operating system itself is 64-bit and therefore requires a 64-bit processor.

Microsoft's WOW64 (Windows on Windows 64) translation layer allows the execution of 32-bit software in Windows x64 without any noticeable difference. However, 32-bit software should be run on plenty of RAM, because the 64-bit operating system addresses 64-bits of information at a time, but will only be able to address half of that (32 bits) when running 32-bit software, thereby using twice the amount of RAM that would be the case with a 32-bit version of Windows.

Microsoft tried to attract buyers to the new version by offering a free exchange programme. Owners of Windows XP Professional 32-bit edition could upgrade to the x64 version free of charge, but they had to forsake their 32-bit license (US: license) permanently. However, there weren't many takers who were willing to go for a pig-in-a-poke that didn't even provide 64-bit device drivers for their hardware.

Note that there is no 64-bit version of Windows XP Home Edition.

For more information on this subject read the information on the following pages:

Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition -

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/default.mspx

Top 10 benefits of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition -

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/facts/top10.mspx

64-bit SuSE Linux - http://www.novell.com/linux/suse

64-bit versions of Windows Vista

These are the 64-bit versions of Windows Vista: Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition.

64-bit Editions of Windows Vista -

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/.../windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

Microsoft has extended support for Windows XP Home and Media Center Editions

February 23, 2007. - Microsoft has extended its support for Windows XP Home and Windows XP Media Center Editions to match the support it has always intended to give Windows XP Professional Edition. Support for those two versions was supposed to end five years after their introduction, but Windows XP Home Edition was released in October 2001, and Windows Vista was only officially made available on January 30, 2007, so, although Microsoft had to extend its support for them, it has done so very generously.

Windows XP Home and Windows XP Media Center Editions are to receive free mainstream support until April 2009. Mainstream support includes feature requests, security updates, hotfixes, and support. After mainstream support ends, five years of extended support begins. Extended support provides free security updates and paid-for support. Official support for all three versions of Windows XP (including Windows XP Professional Edition) will end in 2014.

Windows tips and tricks

Click here! to go directly to the information on a page on this site that contains some useful tips and tricks specific to Windows. There are many more tips and tricks on the two Tips & Tricks pages on this site.

Free computer forums

Computer forums can be an excellent source of free troubleshooting, purchasing, or any other computer-related advice. Here is an example from the Sysopt.com forum. -

Windows XP system randomly reboots itself...

System: Dell Pentium 4 1.8 GHz, 256MB RAM, Windows XP. I got this PC for Xmas 2002 and the first time I fired it up it would make it to the Windows XP startup screen then it would reboot. I got it to boot after a few tries and got it up and running. It kept on doing it so I called Dell and we went through some troubleshooting and we narrowed it down to the CD-ROM drive. We set it to boot directly from the CD-ROM drive and that is when it would reset itself on booting. They sent me a new drive, installed it, ran fine while booting from then on. My problem now is it sometimes randomly reboots and usually if I leave it on overnight I'll wake up to the Windows login screen, which tells me it rebooted. The most I ever made it [being trouble-free] was about 1.5 days. I called Dell today and the guy told me to open msconfig [Start => Run - enter msconfig] and remove a few things from Startup and call him back if it still does it. This sucks because it is hard to reproduce the random reboot to try to diagnose what is causing it. Anyone have any thoughts or pointers for me? - Thanks in advance.

Response

I can't believe that they pay those Dell bozos. [Open] Control Panel => System => Advanced => Startup and Recovery. Uncheck Automatically restart and set memory dump to None. Hopefully, you'll get a blue screen with an error message next time [that might help you track down and cure the problem].

Click here! to go directly to computer forum links on the first of the four Links pages on this site.

How to recover, repair, and reinstall any version of Windows

Visit the Recovering Windows XP page on this site for information on how to protect, recover, or repair that version of Windows.

The best way to recover a Windows 98 system other than reinstalling it over itself is to start-up, press the F8 key to bring up the boot menu, select the command prompt option, and enter the command scanreg /restore to be offered the choice of the last five days worth of backups of the system files in Cab files. Use the first one that predates the problem. You can enter scanreg /opt to optimise the Windows Registry and scanreg /fix to repair the Registry.

You can also create a batch file that makes a backup of the system files that can be restored by running a command from full DOS mode. You should run it before making a change to the system, such as installing new software. Then you can return the system files to the state they were in just before you made the change.

Tutorials on how to repair or reinstall any version of Windows are available on the following excellent sites. -

Windows Support Center - http://www.aumha.org/

Windows Reinstall - http://www.windowsreinstall.com/

Visit http://www.bootdisk.com/ for many tutorials on the installation and reinstallation of Windows, software, and device drivers. The site provides the files for every kind of start-up disk, and there is also a good BIOS optimisation guide.

Recovering Windows XP - http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/RecoveringXP.htm

Duplicating Windows 95/98/98 Second Edition Installation to a New Hard Disk -

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310396

The differences between Windows XP Home and Professional editions

Here are a few of the differences between the two editions. -

Only the Windows XP Professional comes with the Remote Desktop feature, which allows the computer to be accessed remotely over the Internet. There are also security and control features, such as group policies, that are missing from the XP Home edition.

If you want all of the security tools available in a Windows environment, including file and folder encryption, extensive user restrictions (groups and policies), and file-level access control, then XP Pro is the choice to opt for.

If you want simplified security for multiple users on a single machine, XP Home is the best choice, since e it only has two choices for the user levels.

If you want support for multiple processors, or want to host a website from your computer (using Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS) or Personal Web Server software), or want to be able to access a computer remotely from the Internet (not just the remote support, which is built into XP Home so that XP Pro can access it remotely), you will need to opt for XP Pro.

As for working with home movies on DVD, there is no benefit to having XP Pro over XP Home for that usage. Spending the extra money you would pay for XP Pro on a larger, faster hard drive which will have a bigger impact on working with video.

Programs created mostly for home users, such as camcorder interfaces, DVD-burning programs, and basic video editing packages are more likely to be created for XP Home. There is also a larger library of support documentation for XP Home because of the larger number of users.

If you currently use older Windows-based systems in a small home network, and you want to introduce a newer Windows XP system to the network, XP Pro would probably work with them better than XP Home.

The administration of the users and the network configuration are probably the most complicated features in XP Pro, so if you don't need them, opt for the much cheaper XP Home edition.

If you read the information on the webpages listed below, you'll soon see why a professional individual or business with demanding and complex computing needs would be best advised to pay the extra money for the Professional edition. -

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.asp

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp

Buying second-hand OEM Microsoft XP Products

Note well that you should never purchase OEM Windows XP or Office XP products from sites such as eBay, because they were provided for use with a new computer only.

You will not be able to obtain a Product Activation key from Microsoft for OEM XP products that were sold apart from the computer they came with as part of a package deal. You can legally sell the computer with its Microsoft software, but you cannot legally sell the software minus the computer.

If you cannot obtain the illegal cracks that overcome having to obtain a Product Activation key from Microsoft, which is provided on-line or by telephone, Windows XP will refuse to function after 30 days if it is not activated, and Office XP will only work in a reduced-function mode.

I have read posts in newsgroups and on forums in which the posters say that they have had no problems getting an OEM version of Windows XP activated online, but they may have been deliberately trying to lead people astray. So it would be best to play it safe by only purchasing a retail fully packaged product (FPP) - new or second-hand - because if someone sells you a FPP copy of Windows XP, he or she is committing the illegality by retaining a copy on a computer. But, as the new legitimate owner of the product, you are entitled to receive an activation key from Microsoft.

Microsoft will no doubt take your word for it that you are the legitimate new owner when you try to activate the product, since you will have to provide your name and address when applying for an activation key.

Note that most other OEM software, such as Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, Office 2000, etc., will function properly if installed on computers other than the one that they were provided with. It is only if Product Activation is required that you should avoid purchasing OEM software, because OEM software is uniquely identified by its product ID number.

Here is an example of a Windows OEM Product ID key - 33601-OEM-0076571- 44179. Note that OEM appears in it. The product key is then used to create an activation key. So Microsoft will know immediately if you are attempting to activate an OEM version via its website or over the telephone.

For more information on this subject, visit Microsoft's site, and enter Licensing in the search box.

Backup strategies and how to make backups

Click here! to go to Page 3 of this article on the programs and methods used to create backups.

Using a USB cable to transfer files between two computers

It's possible to transfer files - or even a backup image of a whole system created by using programs such as Norton Ghost or Drive Image - via a USB cable that links computers together.

Visit http://www.windowsnetworking.com/.../usbmain.html for a full explanation.

System security

First of all, if you can possibly avoid doing so, never have a computer that contains valuable or strictly private information connected to the Internet, either as a stand-alone unit or as part of a network. Secondly, use Windows 2000 or XP with the NTFS file system installed, and enable data encryption on a folder-by-folder basis rather than global encryption of the whole system.

See the next item for information on data encryption.

Visit the Security section of this site for more security-related information and links to security sites.

Data encryption and compression

If your hard disk drive failed and had to be send back to the manufacturer, it could contain private information that could be recovered when the drive is repaired, returned to you, or resold. If your computer is accessed by a hacker, or stolen and accessed, your private information could fall into the hands of those you would least want it to. Therefore, if you have data you want to keep private, you should consider using data encryption to protect it.

You can use encryption to protect a whole hard disk drive, or just to protect a particular file or folder. It is up to you to decide which is the best option for your particular circumstances.

However, note that the NTFS file system that is native to Windows XP, makes you choose between encryption or compression. If you use NTFS for either one, you have to use a third-party utility for the other.

Click here! to read an article on the subject if you need to know how to use encryption, or which method of encryption to use.

And here are some other useful pages. -

The Encrypting File System (EFS); Windows 2000 and XP Pro -

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howitworks/security/encrypt.asp

Only Windows XP Professional version supports encrypted files via the Encrypted File System (EFS).

To encrypt a folder/directory, in Windows XP Pro, right-click on it, and click the Advanced button that opens the Advanced Properties windows. Enable the option Encrypt contents to secure data, and click OK. Thereafter the contents of the folder are encrypted. If you copy a new file in the folder it is automatically encrypted, and if you open the file it is decrypted automatically. But note well that it is your responsibility to obtain and manage the digital certificates that are used in the encryption/decryption process from Microsoft's site.

The same Advanced Properties window has the option to compress data. As I said, you can only enable encryption or compression, not both. Enabling either of these features slows the system down slightly because of the additional processes involved. Because of today's huge hard disk drives, it is advisable to use encryption instead of compression because of the security it provides. No one will be able to access the folders/files that are encrypted should the computer be stolen or the hard drive fail and have to be returned to the manufacturer. Only the person logging on to XP via your user name will be able to access the folders/files.

If you have valuable data that you cannot allow to fall into anyone else's hands and the hard drive fails and the data is not encrypted, you would not be able to return the drive to the manufacturer in order to obtain a replacement under the terms of the warranty. You would have to smash it to pieces, because the data would be accessible by anyone if the drive were repaired.

The encryption provided by Windows 2000 and XP (none is provided with Windows 9.x) is relatively weak, so you are advised to employ a third-party program.

Click here! to go directly to Freeware/shareware sites listed under the letter F on the first of the four Links pages on this site, some of which provide free encryption software - or conduct a Google search such as the one built into this link: http://www.google.com/search?q=encryption.

If you want to conduct your own search, there is a Google search box provided at the top of this page.

"How Encryption Works" - http://www.howstuffworks.com/encryption.htm

Encryption: Do It Today or Pay Tomorrow -

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article...

The best way to uninstall programs

You should never try to remove a program by deleting its folders or files manually. Always use either the Windows Add/Remove Programs utility, or, preferably, the uninstaller that the program itself installs and makes available - usually from the Start => Programs (Windows 95/98/Me) or All Programs menu (Windows XP/Windows Vista).

The Windows 95/98/Me Add/Remove Programs utility in the Control Panel is a very basic uninstaller, so it is always better to use the uninstall feature of the program itself if it has one. The program's uninstaller should be programmed to know exactly how to uninstall the program, and hence be able to handle aspects such as unlocking files in use so they can be deleted, and removing data files specific to the program.

Microsoft has been getting much better at creating its uninstallers. Uninstallers under Windows 95 made a pretty crude job of it, while the uninstallers used by Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista do almost as good a job as the program's own uninstaller.

Always uninstall a previous version of software before you install the latest version

It is always a good idea to uninstall the previous version of a software package before installing the latest version, because the previous version might leave parts of itself that are not compatible with the latest version. This is especially advisable with antivirus and firewall utilities.

You should consult the software's Help files to find out if more is required to remove it than merely using the Add/Remove Programs utility in the Windows Control Panel.

For instance, removing the ZoneAlarm firewall completely is a bit complex. The Windows Registry must be searched and edited, and all residual files and folders must be located and deleted (according to ZoneLabs Service & Support). Otherwise, Internet access is blocked the next time the computer is rebooted. This is because of a failsafe lockout program that is installed by the latest versions of the ZoneAlarm firewall.

Using Add/Remove Programs to remove a program or utility almost always leaves entries in the Windows Registry, and folders and files left intact that should be removed before the new version is installed.

You should also make sure that antivirus and firewall software is completely removed even if you are installing the same kind of software made by another manufacturer, because leftovers from the previous manufacturer's software can adversely affect the new installation.

Note well that if you are going to reinstall or upgrade Windows, you should uninstall all of the security programs, because security programs are more complex than ordinary programs, and consequently reinstalling or upgrading Windows without removing them as completely as possible can result in all kinds of weird problems, such as Windows refusing to reinstall the security programs themselves, or having them block all Internet traffic.

Note well that if you are upgrading from an earlier version of Windows to Windows XP, you should always uninstall the security programs (virus scanners and firewalls, etc.) beforehand, and then reinstall them after the upgrade has taken place.

This advice is especially applicable to the Norton security programs, such as the Norton Personal Firewall. It would be a good idea to comb the computer for all references to Symantec's products (the makers of the Norton products) and deleted them, and then search the Registry and delete all the items you can find, using Norton and Symantec as the search terms.

If you want to make sure that Norton AntiVirus is removed, a file called Rnav2003.exe is available from http://www.symantec.com/ that removes the programs files and Registry entries for Norton AntiVirus 5.0, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003.

There are also sites that provide removal instructions for Symantec software, which is the developer of the Norton products. You can find them by using a suitable search term in the Google search box at the top of this page with it Web radio button enabled. Here is one:

Symantec NAV, NIS, NSW Removal - http://basconotw.mvps.org/SymRem.htm

You should not have more than one software firewall installed, because such a setup can be the cause of numerous problems. Also don't forget that the installation of one make of firewall can affect the installation of another make of firewall, even if one make of firewall has been uninstalled before the other make is installed. This is because entries are always left in the Windows Registry, and these entries can interfere with the operation of the new installation.

Indeed, you may not even be aware that the system has two software firewalls installed, because Windows XP installs its own rudimentary firewall that remains invisible to a user who hasn't become familiar with the list of start-up programs and services, and McAfee VirusScan also installs McAfee's firewall.

Fully Uninstall Software Firewalls - http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/35.htm#csavvy

Always disable an active virus scanner when installing software

You should always close down any programs that are running before installing new software to the system, because programs that are running can bar access to files that the installer requires to access, and therefore the installation can be ruined. This is especially the case with active virus scanners.

If you have a virus scanner installed that is set to monitor the system, you would be wise to disable it before you attempt to install software.

An active virus scanner can ruin the installation, because it can block the installation of files that it is programmed to regard as being suspect.

This is often what happens when the Windows Media Player is installed. The virus scanner blocks the installation of the codec files, which it scans as being suspect, and their absence makes the player unable to execute the functions that require these files. So, if you have installed an application or utility that malfunctions, disable an active virus scanner, use the Add/Remove Programs utility in the Control Panel to uninstall the software, and then reinstall it, and reactivate the scanner.

Always update the BIOS before making a major change of operating systems

If you are planning to change your operating system from say Windows 98 SE to Windows XP ( a major change), save yourself a lot of hassles by checking the motherboard/PC manufacturer's website for a BIOS update. A large percentage of operating-system upgrade problems would be avoided just by reflashing the BIOS with the latest update file.

But you probably wouldn't have to take that action if you changed from Windows 98 to Windows 98 SE, because that is not a major change. Both versions of Windows 98 use the same architecture, but Windows XP uses a totally different architecture.

If you cannot obtain a BIOS update for the existing motherboard, try making the changeover, or dual-boot Windows 98 and Windows XP to experiment safely, but if it doesn't work out, you will probably have to install a new motherboard with a BIOS that supports Windows XP if you want to use it as the operating system. And given how fast technology is changing, you will almost certainly have to purchase new RAM, and a new processor for that motherboard, because the RAM and processor on the old motherboard won't be compatible with the new motherboard. And if you choose an Intel Pentium 4 (Socket 478) motherboard over an AMD (Socket A) motherboard, you will also have to purchase a new case, because Pentium 4 motherboards require a special power-supply unit and special case mountings. But if you choose an AMD solution, you will be at least be able to reuse an ATX case if the existing power-supply unit meets the processor's power requirements. (Check AMD's website for recommended cases and PSUs.) If not, they you will just have to install a new power-supply unit into the case.

Note that motherboards with built-in sound and video chips use much less power than motherboards fitted with PCI and AGP sound and video cards respectively. Therefore, the latter solution might require a 300W or 350W power supply unit, whereas the former solution might be able to run easily on a 230W or 250W power supply unit.

See the Build a PC set of pages on this site for information on how to install a PSU - and all of the other components.

Instead of backup CD or DVD disks (discs), most of the prominent direct and mail-order dealerships in the UK (and US) provide a Recovery Disk that allows you to restore the application software from a space-wasting master image of that software created on the CD/DVD itself, or from a hidden partition on the computer's hard disk drive. In the latter case, if the hard disk drive is rendered inoperable, all of that software will be lost. And if the system is backed up on to the Recovery CD itself and it becomes unusable due to damage or is lost, you'll have to buy a full version of Windows XP, because you won't have a version to legitimise using an upgrade version.

THEREFORE, IT IS ADVISABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT A COMPUTER COMES WITH FREE RETAIL OR OEM CD/DVD VERSIONS OF ALL THE PRELOADED SOFTWARE BEFORE YOU BUY IT, THE USE OF WHICH IS UNRESTRICTED.

If it doesn't, then I would strike a deal with the vendor to sell the computer minus the software, and I would buy my own retail versions of Windows XP and other software. For example, it's possible to buy a full OEM version of Windows XP Home Edition (that the user supports) together with a qualifying piece of computer hardware (that the OEM license stipulates must be purchased) for half the price of the (non-OEM) retail product that is supported by Microsoft.

I personally would never buy a computer that comes with a Recovery Disk or a recovery system instead of the Windows CD, if only because of all of the useless and/or intrusive software that is preloaded.

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How the owners of Dell computers can create a Windows CD

A few manufacturers/vendors include a genuine Windows CD with their computers. Others that don't include a Windows CD might post one to you if you specifically request it. There will probably be a cost, because an OEM license is cheaper for the manufacturer if no Windows CD is provided.

Dell has developed a unique method of allowing the owners of its computers to create a Windows CD by including a utility that can only be used once to create a customised Windows XP setup CD that is specific to the system it is made from that includes all of the necessary device drivers. The utility also preserves the original Windows Product Activation. Therefore, when the contents of the CD are installed, Windows runs exactly as it did before whatever occurred to make the use of the CD necessary.

****

Note well that OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) software, which is provided and given customer support by the manufacturer of the equipment, such as Hewlett Packard, not the manufacturer of the software, such as Microsoft, is often customised. That is, it can be restricted in ways that reduce support costs, reduced in size, (with bits such as resource kits removed), or in functionality.

"Recovery Disk" run from a floppy disk, or on a CD/DVD disk?

Note that some Recovery Disks are now provided in the form of a CD/DVD disk - depending on whether the computer was supplied with a CD or DVD drive - which contains the whole master image of the system as it was when it left the factory.

You restore the system by running the recovery procedure from a CD/DVD drive. Any additions that you have made to the system could be lost after the system has been restored, because some recovery systems destroy any data that has been added to the system during the process of restoring the system to the state it was in when it left the factory.

Note, however, that not all recovery systems destroy the user's data. For example, Advent Computers, a brand from the Dixons group in the UK, uses a recovery system whose default option is to restore Windows XP without destroying any of the user's data.

A brand-name computer's user manual should provide all of the information required to make use of its recovery system.

Another common method already mentioned is to have a hidden partition on the hard drive that contains the master image, plus system diagnostic utilities. You would then use a start-up CD or floppy disk that provides the options to restore the system or run diagnostic tests, etc.

The removal of such a hidden partition is discussed in more detail in Wiping Out Special 'Recovery' Partitions:

http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2003/2003-02-06.htm#1

Click here! to read the Q&A on this site called: How can I remove a hidden partition on a computer from Time Computers?

I know of someone with a Compaq Presario 6000 that came with Windows XP pre-loaded. He didn't like Windows XP and wanted to wipe his hard drive and install Windows 98 SE, but he was told by Compaq support that he could not do that because he would be rendering his warranty void, and, in any case, Compaq use its own customised versions of hardware devices in the system that require Compaq's device drivers, which are not available for Windows 98.

The problem is, you can never tell if information provided by the technical support of a company such as HP/Compaq is true or false until you put it to the test yourself.

For instance, you could backup everything on a Compaq Presario 6000's hard drive to CD-R disks, and then use the Windows 98 FDISK utility (on a Windows 98 start-up floppy disk) or Partition Magic, to remove the partitions (hidden and accessible), reformat the hard drive, disable any virus protection in the BIOS, and then install Windows 98. You will soon find out if Windows 98 doesn't have the device drivers for the hardware devices if, instead of installing them automatically, it asks for their manufacturer's CDs from which to load them. You won't have the drivers' CD because Compaq uses a System Recovery feature, so you will have to try downloading and installing the device drivers obtained from the device manufacturer's sites, and you'll soon find out if they install and work or not.

If any of the drivers don't work, you'll be able to restore the whole system by using the backups you made. You could also restore the backups if the computer has hardware problems that require Compaq's installation of software installed to make the warranty valid.

The use of a Recovery System by the likes of HP, Compaq, and Dell may cut their support costs, but for anyone who wants to customise the computer for his or her own use, it is a serious impediment. For that reason alone, I would never consider buying a brand-name computer. In my opinion, anyone who uses a computer for serious professional purposes, or needs to customise it, should follow the self-build route.

Note that if you have a brand-name computer that came with a Recovery CD instead of a Windows installation CD, you will have to buy a full version of a newer version of Windows in order to upgrade it. For instance, the system might have Windows 98 SE installed, which can be recovered by using the Recovery CD, but if you were to purchase an upgrade version of Windows XP Home edition, it would refuse to acknowledge the Recovery CD as being valid to upgrade from, so you would have to buy the more expansive retail copy of the full version (or a much cheaper OEM license of the full version that must be purchased with a piece of qualifying computer hardware) and use it to perform a clean installation of Windows.

You can buy the reduced-price full versions of Windows XP Home and Profesional Editions under an OEM and OEM DSP (Delivery Service Partner) licenses from certain vendors licensed to sell those licenses. You have to buy an item of hardware, such as a heatsink and fan unit or hard disk drive to qualify for it.

PC manufacturer and vendors that use recovery systems

Hewlett Packard, Compaq, Dell, and most of the major PC manufacturer's make use of recovery systems, each of which will differ in detail and policy and so require individual investigation.

Believe me, you will have to reinstall a computer's software several times over the course of the computer's life; the more often the more experimental you are.

If you install a program or utility that has been badly programmed, it can do things that will require the use of the Recovery Disk to run a complete restoration of the master image, which, if it hidden on the hard disk drive, can take up a gigabyte or more of disk space, depending on the amount of software that the computer came loaded with.

Having a Windows CD is always a much better option than only having the use of a Recovery Disk in order to recover from problems. Even if the recovery procedure of a Recovery Disk doesn't destroy all of the data files on the computer by returning it to the state it was in when it left the factory, which most such recovery procedures do, it will be a lengthy procedure compared to just inserting the Windows CD when it is asked for in order to achieve the same type of recovery.

If a PC you want to buy provides a Recovery Disk instead of a Windows XP CD, it would be a good idea to ask the vendor if you can buy it at a reduced price without Windows XP or any preloaded software, most of which is rubbish anyhow. You can then buy your own retail or OEM copy of Windows XP and use the excellent, free OpenOffice instead of MS Word/Excel, or MS Works.

The full versions of Windows XP (Home and Professional Editions) with an OEM license cost less than half the price of the retail versions. You have to purchase it with a qualifying item of hardware and provide your own technical support for the OEM versions, but you're entitled to all of the updates and to use free programs such as AntiSpyware.

To find local vendors, try using a search term such as oem + "windows xp" in the Google search box at the top of this page.

Recovery systems waste space

It would be much better to have the software disks so that you can delete the master image and restore the software from them instead.

Disk space is not much of a problem nowadays, but on an older system, the loss of 2GB or more of space given over to the master image can be a real handicap, both from a space and performance point of view.

In short, minus the master image, the computer will load its software faster at start-up, can be serviced, and will run much faster - even if you have a monster-sized drive in relation to which two gigabytes represents only 5 to 10% or less of its capacity.

HP, Compaq, Dell, and Packard Bell make use of recovery systems as the cure-all for software problems. Their support staff merely tell clients with software problems to run the recovery procedure, which deletes all of the installed software and replaces it with the master image that was created of the system when it was first installed.

If you have not been provided with backup CDs of this software, all of it will be lost if the computer's hard disk drive dies - an all-too-common occurrence.

Read the complaints with regard to this in the postings in the Compaq and Packard Bell newsgroups. - Click here! for the newsgroup addresses on this site.

Beta software

Unfortunately, something else to look out for is a new or second-hand computer that comes with beta version software - for example, an experimental beta version of Windows 95 or 98 - preloaded. The large suppliers would not dare to use these, but the smaller fly-by-night firms struggling to survive might be tempted to load them in their computers. A second-hand computer could easily be loaded with pirate copies or beta versions of the operating system and the applications. Microsoft releases beta versions of its software, free or at reduced cost, to volunteers who test them and report any bugs. Although it is illegal to resell them, it is not impossible for these versions to find their way on to the open market. In any case, you should never buy a computer that comes without all of its preloaded software on CDs, so if you are not sure of the version you are being sold, telephone Microsoft with the details on the CD packaging, or obtain a translation of the version number from Microsoft's website.

There is a list of the different official releases of Windows from the original retail version of Windows 95 to Windows 98 Second Edition in the Motherboard page.

Windows Me has not been included, because the general consensus of opinion on the web is to avoid it if you can.

The thirty-two bit version of the Windows XP operating system for home users, is expected in the shops on 25 October 2001, and will come bundled with new PCs in advance of that date. But, you should be aware that a sixty-four-bit version will be available in a year or so, which will be supported by sixty-four-bit processors, so why be lumbered with thirty-two-bit kit if you can wait for the next generation of sixty-four-bit operating systems and processors?

Knowledge of Windows Product Activation (WPA) - is essential if you want to keep on top of the policies Microsoft has incorporated into these products. The most important of them is this one. - If you fail to register them according to a predetermined time limit or number of uses, they disable themselves. Windows XP disables itself completely after a time limit, and all of the Office suite programs become partially disabled after a certain number of uses.

Free software

You can obtain an immense amount of software legally free of charge from websites, or from the cover disks that come with computer magazines.

Apart from free downloads that most of the distributions of Linux provide, the Open Office 1.1 office suite is probably the best free software available at the moment.

Click here! to go to the OFFICE SUITES - Alternatives to the expensive MS Office Suite links on the third of the four Links pages on this site.

And, as you can see from the website links provided at the end of this article, a great deal of very useful free software that is not also 'spyware', such as X-Setup, AVG Anti-Virus, Spybot S&D, Ad-aware, ZoneAlarm, can be obtained legally for the cost of the downloads. - See the four Links pages on this site for many free programs - especially under the letter U for Utilities.

Note that Microsoft has directed computer magazines not to include any of its software on its cover CD/DVDs, which used to be a good source of it for those with slow dial-up connections. So, the only way you can obtain programs such as Internet Explorer, DirectX, the service packs that update Microsoft software and operating systems, and the numerous security patches is by downloading them from Microsoft's site, or by purchasing the service-pack CDs that Microsoft has made available.

Google searches

If you want to make your own searches of the web for software or information about software, you can make use of the Google search box at the top of this page (with its Web radio button enabled).

PC Buyer Beware! Copyright © Eric Legge 2004-2009. All rights reserved.