XP and a New Puter ... It's a Whole New World ...WOW

vanity | 01-01-02 | mercy

[mercy]

It sorta just snuck up on me. My old nanao monitor started winking at me, the ole gal felt like dropping by Comp USA and the next thing I know I'm rolling out the door with a new VAIO tower, a Samsung syncMaster flat screen LCD and a Canon bubble jet (there goes my buy American bluster).

I wasn't going to do it. Really. The thought of venturing past my garden path was too scary. The ole Dell XPS 200 and windows 95 was so .... well, familliar. I was afraid taking the leap would be just too painful. Boy was I wrong. Mama was in the mood to spend money and ya just can't go against that flow. Might not happen again in a coon's age.

Been hearing not so good things about Dell and the prices have been plunging so that one has to wonder about what they're putting in those things these days. Besides I wanted the security of just being able to walk the box into the service dept. if I had a prob and actually getting the thing back in days rather than weeks. The Sony seemed like a solid machine and not a conglomeration of god knows whose parts. The flat screen just knocked my eyes out. XP made my old OS look like a cheep 40's cartoon. So I jumped.

Despite my desire to get in a dig at Bill Gates whenever possible I'm going with 'internet exploder' for now. doesn't seem so bad and I'm not really missing Netscape ... yet. (I may pinch him a bit by dropping Office and going with Corel) I haven't had any trouble with XP whatsoever. I've deleted some junk they had in the box and I've added several programs. I'm all over the net and not a glitch. ON THE FIRST DAY. I can't believe I waited so long. I love the whole package. AND for some unknowable (for me) reason my internet connection is chunking along at twice the speed of before though my dialup connection is the same lame ole 28k and I already had a new top line modem in the ole box. Go figure.

So if any of y'all out there are like me and afraid of the change .... don't be. It's wonderful.

[kazoo]

Here's a website that may help you find some answers: Practically Networked

Here's a web forum that may help you get some answers: DSL Reports Networking Forum

[Paul C. Jesup]

The AMD Socket A CPUs (Deron 1 ghz to Althon 1.3 '1.2' to 2000 XP '1.66'ghz) are way ahead in performance when compared to Intel's processors, for example, the 2000 XP AMD CPU is faster than a 2 ghz Intel CPU.

Also, AMD CPUs are 1/3 to 1/2 cheaper than their performance comparable Intel CPUs.

And AMD CPUs last way longer than Intel CPUs.

Do yourself a favor and when you up-grade go buy AMD Socket A motherboard with a AMD Socket A CPU.

[Paul C. Jesup]

The AMD Socket A CPUs (Deron 1 ghz to Althon 1.3 '1.2' to 2000 XP '1.66'ghz) are way ahead in performance when compared to Intel's processors, for example, the 2000 XP AMD CPU is faster than a 2 ghz Intel CPU.

Also, AMD CPUs are 1/3 to 1/2 cheaper than their performance comparable Intel CPUs.

And AMD CPUs last way longer than Intel CPUs.

Do yourself a favor and when you up-grade go buy AMD Socket A motherboard with a AMD Socket A CPU.

[Amelia]

I can't find that protocol on the XP machine?

[Amelia]

It did install the Netgear driver... Also, I brought the old computer downstairs & hooked both directly to the hub, in case we'd done something wrong with the connections in the wall....still doesn't work.

[kazoo]

Why load another protocol when the systems already has TCP/IP installed. Assuming both computers will be accessing the internet; two protocols aren’t necessary and waste system resources. If you’re thinking of security, a software firewall should be enough.

[Amelia]

Well, I spoke too soon. Had to reboot the old machine (they are both still downstairs directly connected to the hub now) and all of a sudden, I CAN SEE BOTH COMPUTERS!

So maybe it IS a hardware problem of some sort? I didn't change any network settings....

[Amelia]

No offense, but I'm greatly relieved to say that you are wrong. Copying files from the old computer as I type. *whew*

Course, I still haven't figured out what I need to do to make the old one work upstairs...

[kazoo]

Windows seems to do all that itself. I've never shared an internet connect through a hub though, so that may be a bit interesting. The links I provided above should help her figure that out -- that is if she intends to share the internet connection. <g>

[Petronski]

Wow. I don't know what XP network setup is like, but some common mistakes I think happen in any windows system. Make sure all computers on the network have at least one Network Service and Network Protocol in common (use the network icon in the win98 control panel). Most commonly, NetBEUI and TCP/IP are setup on all computers, and each application selects the one it likes.

If a computer shows up on the network, but it's drives aren't available, and it's at least in win95/98, you must manually turn on 'sharing.' Open "My Computer" and right click on each drive icon, then select 'sharing.' If it's a home network with trust all around, just set all drives to Shared as...full. When you're through, a little hand should be show reaching out to each drive icon within 'my computer.'

[Incorrigible]

Rebooting solves many problems! :-)

Yeah IB? I just set up my first XP box and ACK! Where's my NetBeui! The unloved protocol that only I could love!

I always set up my clients with dual protocols so just incase there's a DHCP problem or an ID-10-T problem that causes a TCP/IP failure, at least there's something there to make the connection to the local server. Can I download NetBeui for XP????

Amelia, since you are still using dial up connections, I would suggest you get this:

3Com Office Connect LAN Modem

This will automatically dole out IP addresses to both your machines. It will also do something called NAT that will provide a little more protection for you machines from potential hackers. If you install ICS like I mentioned earlier, you will have to leave that one machine running at all times if the other is going to connect to the net. With the LAN Modem, you can connect anytime.

It's easy to set up (I've go two running at, shall we say, price sensitive clients) and will automatically dial the line when needed and hang up the line when not.

[ExSoldier]

My OLD Macintosh Power PC is grinding along fairly well for not even being a GEE WHIZ G3 let alone a G4 but I do okay. I'm soon however going to leap for the Toshiba Laptop and Windows XP. HOWEVER, one of my former students came by to visit me before the Christmas break and he warned me that when using Explorer and visiting any microsoft website..they can read the entire contents of your hard drive and relay any suspicious info to the proper agency. ALSO he told me something about a security hole which allows somebody to completely take over your computer and lock you out of your own manchine. Now, I'm not a "techie" but this is pretty frightening to me. Anybody out there heard of this and what is a good fix for the problem?

[Incorrigible]

Unless there's a break in the Cat 5 cable, the computers should be able to communicate just like they are now.

Also, the 3Com Lan Modem I suggested would replace the hub you have currently.

[Incorrigible]

I found something in the Knowledgebase but the article is blank. :-(

HOW TO: Install NetBEUI on Windows XP (Q301041)
Microsoft has discontinued support for the NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI) network protocol in Windows XP. However, it is understandable that migration to another network protocol, such as TCP/IP could involve significant time in planning