Weird: Windows XP Netbooks Still Outsell Windows 7 Netbooks

Topic:

For short time the HP Mini 110 Windows 7 netbook lead the Amazon Netbook sales charts last week. Now the first three places are taken up by Windows XP netbooks again. Why is that? Customers still prefer XP over Windows 7 Starter? Is it the price? Do customers do not know that there is a Windows 7 version available? Let’s have a closer look at this situation.

The bestselling netbook is again the Asus Eee PC 1005HA-PU1X like in the weeks before the Windows 7 launch.
Read more

Posted on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Acer Aspire One AOD250 Dual Boot Android And Windows XP Netbook Is Official

Topic:

As reported yesterday the new dual boot Acer Aspire One D250 is already available for pre-order on Amazon. Just now Acer made the dual boot Acer Aspire One AOD250 netbook official.
The 10.1-inch Aspire One AOD250 with Android and Windows XP lets you switch between Android and Windows XP Home operating systems with just a click of a mouse.

I do not quite understand why Acer is launching a new netbook with Windows XP and not Windows 7. Only reason I can see here that the netbook is aimed at Android fans and the Windows OS is secondary. Read more

Posted on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:57:52 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Upgrading Windows XP PC with Super Talent UltraDrive GX SSD Well Worth The Money

Topic:

I was waiting for the longest time for an SSD large enough to replace my Windows XP boot drive to become reasonably priced. Last week was the time. I bought a 128GB SSD from Super Talent: The UltraDrive ME SSD (UltraDrive GX Series FTM28GX25H) based on MLC.
This 128GB SSD sells on NewEgg for only $355 (Compare Prices on other stores).

The performance gains are well worth the money especially if you don't have to spend a day reinstalling Windows XP and all the apps. That's right, I dared to use Linux DD command to copy Windows XP from my old HDD to the new SSD. See instructions below on how to do that. The process is not straight forward, but it works great and takes less than 30 minutes.
My Windows XP system is 4 years old and still has an Asus P5AD2 motherboard with SATA and not SATA II. So I am reaching only 140MB/s on the ATTO Disk Benchmark tool. If you have SATA II you should reach read and write speeds of about 260MB/s with the UltraDrive ME SSD FTM28GX25H.
Read more

Posted on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

The best Way to Upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7?

Topic:

I am running Windows XP on my desktop PC and I am considering installing Windows 7 on it as I think it is still decent enough for the work I do. If you are a Windows XP die-hard you already know that you cannot upgrade XP in-place with Windows 7.

One way to keep your current installation of Windows XP would be to first upgrade to Windows Vista and then upgrade to Windows 7. Of course if you, like me, never touched Vista you do not have a copy lying around. Read more

Posted on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Windows 7 has Windows XP Mode

Topic:

On the heels of the leak of the Windows 7 Release Candidate on Torrent Trackers there is word of a Windows XP Mode in Windows 7.
If the Windows XP Mode works as advertised Windows XP applications can be installed and run on Windows 7. This is a huge story for companies who in a large part still run Windows XP. Read more

Posted on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:33:40 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Viliv S5 Windows XP MID available for Pre-order

Topic:

Japanese notebook exporter Dynamism is holding a special pre-order event for the hot viliv S5 MID.

The viliv S5 is a Intel Atom powered Mobile Internet Device (MID) running Windows XP. The small device features a 4.8 inch WSVGA touchscreen, 60GB HDD, 1GB RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.
Read more

Posted on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:44:17 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Upgrading Windows XP to Windows 7 spells Disaster

Topic:

Microsoft said recently that the way to upgrade an Windows XP system is to first upgrade it to Vista SP1 and then install Windows 7. Personally I will not even try to do it. I just will, if I actually decide to stick with Windows and not switch to Apple, buy new hardware and install Windows 7 clean. But what are all the businesses going to do with their existing huge Windows XP install base?

CRN looked into the proposed upgrade path and did not find gold at the end of the rainbow.
They tried several Windows 7 installs and ran into problems. Windows 7 is still in beta and possibly Microsoft is going to improve on some of the potential issues.
Read more

Posted on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:43:33 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Microsoft Windows XP Availability Extended Again

Topic:

If Microsoft had held to its original plans, Windows XP would be a memory now as the move to Vista would have been completed by the software giant. The overall disdain for Vista in the market by many computer users and the fact that Vista was such a resource hog meant the new OS just didn’t work well on the new and massively popular netbook computers.

Microsoft began letting netbook makers use XP Home on their netbooks and the stay of execution made XP Home the defacto winner in the netbook market. This directly led to Microsoft postponing the retirement of XP earlier this year. Microsoft has now announced that it will again postpone the retirement of Windows XP. Read more

Posted on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:55:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

How to keep Windows XP

Topic:

PC World takes a closer look at your options on keeping Windows XP and how long you will be able to buy new Windows XP licenses.

The official XP doomsday is the end of this month, June 30th, but Microsoft has left several doors open to still get XP after that date. Read more

Posted on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:34:14 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

PC Tune-Up 2.0 on Windows XP SP3 Review

Topic:

I am a believer of the principle: Never touch a running system. Lately I broke it twice by installing Windows XP SP3 and by running the new version of PC Tune-Up 2.0 from Large Software. In both cases promises of getting a more responsive system have been the reason to try it.

After installing SP3 on my trusty 3 year old XP system I was open to test if the speed of the system can be improved further with a registry clean-up and optimization tool like PC Tune-Up. Read more

Posted on Tue, 3 Jun 2008 09:47:46 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Everex Cloudbook SC1200T runs Windows XP

Topic:

Everex is offering a Cloudbook running Windows XP in Taiwan. Everex introduced the Cloudbook in the U.S. with gOS Linux in January.

Apparently Everex (FIC) thinks it needs to also offer a Windows version of this low cost notebook like Asus is doing. It could also be that Microsoft came knocking and offered a sweat deal. Read more

Posted on Thu, 22 May 2008 09:05:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Windows XP SP3 feels snappier and tighter

Topic:

On Wednesday Microsoft made the Windows XP SP3 available on Windows Update. Since I am not as daring as I was when I was younger, I waited until then to install XP SP3 on my PC.

The first good news is that everything still works and the upgrade of the Service Pack 3 went down without issues.
It has been two days since the update and it might just be me, but XP feels better than before. There are less delays in file explorer ops and overall things seem snappier to me. Read more

Posted on Fri, 9 May 2008 08:23:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Windows XP SP3 on Windows Update available

Topic:

After some delays Microsoft released the Windows XP SP3 on Windows Update for everybody.

I just tried several times to download the 66.9MB of the Service Pack 3, but it stalled on me every time. Read more

Posted on Wed, 7 May 2008 03:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Windows XP SP3 Release to Web delayed

Topic:

Microsoft delays the general roll-out of the Windows XP SP3.

Microsoft encountered apparently a compatibility issue between Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) and the XP SP3 update. The problem even exists with the Vista SP1. Read more

Posted on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:19:53 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Windows XP SP3 download Availability

Topic:

A week ago we reported that Microsoft will publish Windows XP SP3 today. The plans have changed a bit as it seems.

MSDN subscribers have already been able to download Windows XP SP3 for a couple of days. A download to none MSDN members could be expected next week, if I interpret this post from Microsoft's Chris Keroack correctly. Read more

Posted on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Apple releases Boot Camp 2.1 to support Windows XP SP3

Topic:

Apple is ready for Windows XP SP3. Why would they care about a Microsoft update? The dual boot tool Boot Camp is of course impacted when Microsoft is updating an OS. Apple is ahead a couple days with supporting XP SP3. Microsoft plans to officially release Windows XP SP3 on April 29th.

The new Apple Boot Camp 2.1 is available for download now. Read more

Posted on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:32:59 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Windows XP SP3 download starts April 29th

Topic:

Microsoft's release manager for the Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) posted on the Microsoft TechNet forum that the long awaited update for Windows XP is a go.

Update 04/29/08:
Update on Windows XP SP3 Download availability

Windows XP SP3 has been released to manufacturing (RTM). Windows XP SP3 is on its way through our manufacturing channels to be available to OEM and Enterprise customers.
On April 29th Windows XP SP3 will be available via Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center. Read more

Posted on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:44:58 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

ATI Catalyst 8.4 Drivers for Windows XP and Vista Tested

Topic:

Tweaktown tested the new ATI Catalyst 8.4 drivers for Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Quote from the analysis: "Another month, another set of Catalyst drivers. Last month we saw some issues with the HD 3870 X2, but hopefully this month we see those problems disappear. There isn’t much in the read me file and the majority of adjustments seem to be related to bug fixes. Read more

Posted on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Windows XP to stay until 2010 because of Asus Eee PC

Topic:

Microsoft announced to extend the availability of Windows XP until 2010. The original plan called for discontinuing XP this Summer.

Microsoft cites the new class of mobile personal computers commonly known as ultra-low-cost PCs, or ULCPCs as reason to extend the life-span of XP.
Microsoft has heard (and apparently listened) from partners and customers that they want Windows broadly available for this new class of devices, because they want the familiarity, compatibility and support only available on the Windows platform. Read more

Posted on Fri, 4 Apr 2008 06:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Asus Eee PC with Windows XP launches in Korea

Topic:

Asus launched the Eee PC 4G in Korea. Like in Japan the Eee PC is shipping with Windows XP only.

The Asus Eee PC 4G sells for 499,000 Won (~$526) in Korea. Pretty expensive compared to what the Eee 4G with Linux sells for in the U.S. Read more

Posted on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:36:24 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Japan gets Windows XP Asus Eee PC 4G-X

Topic:

Asus launches the Asus Eee PC in Japan. For some reason Asus is only offering the Windows XP version of the Asus Eee PC.

Japan is the first market where Asus is rolling out the Windows XP Eee. The first customers today also received a WL-330g Wi-fi access point for free when they bought a Eee PC 4G-X at major Japanese retailer Bic Camera. The price for the XP Eee is 50,000 Yen (~$464). Read more

Posted on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:00:39 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr