Experience with different versions of Windows.

I was just wondering how ya'll get to try all these versions of windows, I mean these things are expensive. I've been having bad luck lately with windows. First of all, I'll admit I used the Corporate edition or the "hacked" version of of XP as some may call it because I was mad that they did that activation thing and I really liked XP, but then when I went to install it again after my hdd crashed, the disk was messed up or something, so I decided to go buy Windows. Because of the stupid activation thing in XP, I decided to just go with 98SE. (Before all this by the way I was using NT, and I don't like it at all, but thats a whole different story.) So, I get 98Se home and I install it and right off the bat I am having problems. I can't even install my sound card which is a SBlive 5.1 or my modem and it's really aggrevating.

I was just wondering about XP. Since it has that activation code thingy, would I be able to keep installing it again and again on my pc. LIke if I messed up my hdd and had to reformat, would I be able to install Xp again without having to buy another liscence?? I am really inexperienced with operating systems and i never really had to buy one because I was using a Compaq.

So now I have 98 and it sucks because I keep getting errors. What a waste of $194!!! Now I am wishing I would have paid about $100 more to get Win2k or even got XP since I pretty much know it's compatible with my pc and hardware! I have the worst luck with pcs.

Dude you paid $194 for windows 98???? Get operation system from an online retailer such as newegg, they sell oem version that costs under $100. It's basically the same thing without technical support from microsoft (but I believe you don't use it anyway). For the windows XP activation thingy, don't worry about it, once you have it activated you are okay even if you reinstall it over and over, however, you can't install it on another computer without another license, and you have to reactivate it if you have changed 5 or more components in your computer. But don't give up on windows 98 just yet, a lot of issues can be solved by driver update etc

Yes, I know about OEM online, but the problem is, I can't but things online, so I had to pay that much for it. Anyway, I am ready to kick in my computer because I can NOT get anything to work right. Now Windows won't even boot up. It gets to a black screen and has a blinking cursor at the top left!!!! I am really ticked off right now and I don't know what to do.

I like Win98, but if I can't have sound or a modem, what's the use. ARGH...I better go chill out.

Been reading your posts, sorry you're having a hard time. If I were you, remove all unnecessary parts, boot from a floppy, format your drive again, and after formatting, copy your windows disk to your drive using these DOS commands: c:md win98, c:cd win98, c:copy e:\win98\*.*c:\win98\*.*/e. That is if e: is your CDROM, which depends on how many drives/partitions you have. After you have copied the CD to your drive, and are back to the c:, type c:setup /?. This will allow you to use some time saving steps on the windows setup. You'll be amazed at how much faster Windows sets up from the harddrive versus off of the CDROM. If you aren't sure what letter your CDROM has been assigned, at each drive letter, type DIR (C:dir). This will show you the files on that drive, and it will be obvious which one is your CDROM.
I hope this helps.
Also, the drivers for 98 are the VXD, WDM are for 2000, and XP. My Phillips sound cards driver site said you could use the WDM drivers with 98, but when I tried them, they worked, but the volume was much lower than with the proper VXD, so I went back.
Edit: I forgot to mention, when you copy your 98 CD to your harddrive, you don't have to go hunting for it everytime you install something new. It just finds the folder where it is on the harddrive, and gets the drivers from there.

student priced software rules. thats how i got 98/98se/2k and xp as well.
xp pro at my college bookstore is only 99 bucks for students.

Thanks for all the help...I'm learning a lot!

Wow, I didn't even think about copying Windows to the hard driver to install it, that would have been much easier. I finally got it installed right and as for my sound card, I had to write down all the files that it said it couldn't find on the cd-rom and then I searched on the cd-rom and found those files, I guess it would be better to copy that to the hard drive also. I don't know what could be wrong with my cd-rom, it is new. Maybe it's because I haven't re-installed the drivers for it. NOw I have already installed all my programs and everything, so I don't think I'm going to re-install again yet. The only problem I have now is getting my stupid modem to work. The 98 drivers for that don't even work for some reason.

Thanks a lot for that tip, I'll rember that the next time. I'm a senior in high school and I don't know of any college book stores around here, so I probably won't be finding it for $99, thanks for that though, I'll check around.