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Netbooks are a relative newcomer to the world of portable computers. They sit comfortably at the opposite end of the spectrum from the "desktop replacement" notebooks, those laptops with big screens, beefy specs and full-sized keyboards. Netbooks sacrifice optical drives (CD/DVD drives) and have generally modest hardware specifications, smaller screen sizes and shrunken keyboards. They also tend toward smaller hard drive sizes ... oftentimes much, much smaller. What you get in return is a small PC that is truly ultra-portable, weighing less than two pounds in some cases. In other words, a netbook is an ideal travel companion. Is a...

Windows XP updates are causing more and more problems with my laptop and I have Norton's Systemworks 2008, Systemworks Premier 11.0, and Ghost 12.0, as well as several other freeware programs. I believe that Microsoft is intentionally trying to destroy Windows XP with unstable patches and service packs, so as ... to sell their new operating system coming out soon. I'm seriously considering going to an Apple for my next computer, because I'm sick of Microsoft trying to squeeze more money out of me every two years, for a quote better system unquote. Am I wrong, or just too disgusted,...

Excerpt - Redmond, WA (AHN) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is pulling the XP operating system from its product line come Monday. The move comes 18 months after the company launched the Vista operating system. Although Microsoft will not sell the XP program any longer, they will still generate revenue from providing support for the software as it will no longer be free. Microsoft will offer extended support packages for XP until at least 2014. ~ snip ~

Just a couple of questions to people who have installed xp service pack 3. Is it worth the installation? What benifits are they? I did a little research and found a ton of info and a lot of people complaining about problems, would you recommend a person with mediocore pc problem solving skills install this?

At this stage, the best thing that you can say about Microsoft's attempt to transition its users to a new, next-generation operating system is that nobody was actually killed. Even so, it might be appropriate to have a bronze plaque installed where the first copy of Vista was sold, so that visiting dignitaries will have a place to lay ceremonial wreaths. It's simply not competing well against XP. Worse, it's opening the door a crack to Mac OS and Linux. Resistance to Vista is so heavy that major makers like Dell are exploiting legal loopholes that will allow them to...

The researchers damn Windows in current form, urge radical changes Calling the situation "untenable" and describing Windows as "collapsing," a pair of Gartner analysts yesterday said Microsoft Corp. must make radical changes to its operating system or risk becoming a has-been. In a presentation at a Gartner-sponsored conference in Las Vegas, analysts Michael Silver and Neil MacDonald said Microsoft has not responded to the market, is overburdened by nearly two decades of legacy code and decisions, and faces serious competition on a whole host of fronts that will make Windows moot unless the software developer acts. "For Microsoft, its ecosystem...

I have a Tablet PC. A Toshiba R15-S829. I bought it new, and it, and all software on it, is legal. Tablet PC's come with a recovery CD, not an unlocked or unbranded version of the O/S. I would like to have an unbranded version of the WinXP/Tablet PC O/S. Historically, Microsoft only sold these to system builders. Now they are selling them to online retailers, also. I have found it for sale on four different retail websites, and marketed as either..."WIN XP PRO TABLET SP2B" or "Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC 2005 W/SP2B". In the Product info sections, it...

I reinstalled XP on a person's computer. When it logged in (yes, logged in!) I noticed that the graphics looked horrible, like it was running in "Safe Mode." And I couldn't connect to the internet or print. Do I just need to download drivers at Gateway.com (it's a Gateway 310) and burn them to a CDR for use on this person's PC? Furthermore, just burn the drivers (all exe files) to a CDR (as a data disc, not ISO) and then boot up normally, install them one-by-one, reboot and voila, the screen will look normal, I'll be able to connect...

Windows Vista, One Bad Year Later A year since the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft is cringing at the poor sales of the new operating system. It was initially touted as a landmark new development to reinvigorate the IT industry, prompting expectations of wide-ranging “Vista effects.” Instead, Apple’s new operating system, which now also works on PCs, is stealing the thunder. Microsoft has hurriedly responded by developing a new version of the old XP. ◆ Windows Vista flops According to market researcher Net Applications, Apple is enjoying the largest-ever share in the global operating system market with Leopard, the...

It’s official, manufacturers are starting to dump Windows XP support entirely and some new models won’t even have Windows XP drivers or any kind of support available, anywhere. One reader, “Mark” contacted us regarding installing Windows XP on his HP V6610 (AU) laptop which is the V6620 in the US. “Mark” said when he went to the HP driver/downloads section that very few Windows XP drivers were available for it and he was right, there were almost no useful drivers for the laptop there. His call to HP support didn’t get very far as “HP is no longer supporting Windows...

Anybody know? Walmart? Circuit City? Ain't got the patience for Vista.

I am not sure what has happened but I always have my AVG Anti-Virus running and it used to be in the task bar. Yesterday, something strange happened. When I noticed it was not there, and after the kids were finished on the computer, I restarted it and got this message: C\WindowsSystem32\vtsqr.exe Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permission to access the item. I got into my AVG program and ran it and some 44 Trojan Horse Dropper, generic THT items were found in many programs such as Acrobat Reader, in...

I'm at work and I am operating Windows XP Professional version 2002 with Service Pack 2 on an Intel Pentium 4 CPU with 2.6GHz and .98GB of RAM. I keep getting the error message, after my computer has been on a while, even after I'm closed out of most of my programs, that states: Network drive:\ not accessable. Insufficient system resources exist to complete the requested service. And other times I get an error message that there isn't enough memory to complete the command/operation.

Bowing to pressure from customers and computer makers, Microsoft plans to keep Windows XP around a little longer. Large PC manufacturers were slated to have to stop selling XP after January 31. However, they have successfully lobbied Microsoft to allow them to continue selling PCs with all flavors of Windows XP preloaded until June 30, a further five months. Microsoft also plans to keep XP on retail shelves longer and will allow computer makers in emerging markets to build machines with Windows XP Starter Edition until June 2010. The move indicates the continued demand for the older operating system, some...

A silent update that Microsoft deployed widely in July and August is preventing the "repair" feature of Windows XP from completing successfully. Ever since the Redmond company's recent download of new support files for Windows Update, users of XP's repair function have been unable to install the latest 80 patches from Microsoft. Repaired installations of XP can't be updated Accounts of conflicts with XP's repair option came to our attention after Microsoft's "silent install" of Windows Update (WU) executable files, known as version 7.0.600.381, was reported in the Sept. 13 and 20 issues of the Windows Secrets Newsletter. The trouble...

Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2c has released to manufacturing and will be available to system builders in September 2007. SP2c to Resolve Shortage of Windows XP Product Keys Due to the longevity of Windows XP Professional, it has become necessary to produce more product keys for system builders in order to support the continued availability of Windows XP Professional through the scheduled system builder channel end-of-life (EOL) date of January 31, 2009. Key Dates Summary September, 2007 Windows XP SP2c will be available to system builders from their distributors. January 31, 2008 End-of-Life for product availability of Windows...

Not that you'd know it from Microsoft's results, or projected revenue, but the giant launched a brand-spanking new version of Windows this year. Not only did Windows Vista - billed by Microsoft as its biggest operating system for 10 years - fail to distinguish Microsoft's latest fiscal year from previous, non-Windows-Vista years, but Microsoft also missed its own expectations by several million dollars. The coming fiscal year looks little better. Microsoft told Wall St it's reconciled to the fact the seven-year-old Windows XP will occupy more of the client revenue mix than Microsoft would have preferred, while revenue for the...

Just lately it seems to be the fashion amongst writers on the internet to compare and criticise operating systems. While one user talks up the merits of Ubuntu Linux versus Windows Vista on her blog, another is quick to criticise Ubuntu’s lack of user friendly features and available software. In this article I am here to sing the praises of the old dog Windows XP. Once the all singing all dancing multimedia darling, XP is now the older brother of the much younger and trendier Windows Vista. While Vista can be the life and soul of the party, it is...

i need some help, please. i messed up--unplugged my pc too hastily which corrupted the software, and had to re-format my hard disk. this requires, of course, re-installing every piece of software, and my ad-aware, firefox, zone alarm, etc. my problem is the appearance and “feel” of everything. my mouse is jumpy, and using the cursor to move down the screen is jumpy. the typefaces are different. even writing this post is problematic; the cursor jumps from line to line occasionally. my copy of ms xp is apparently an older version of xp. for example, the desktop picture is the...

I need help on installing a Windows XP upgrade to a Windows ME machine. The computer is a Micron Systems IBM-compatible machine with 640.0 mb RAM and a 667 MHz CPU clock. I'm getting the following error after the Windows XP setup restarts the computer: A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps: Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly-installed hard drives or hard drive controllers....