Best OS for EQ?

[Kirstin Thornhill]

I am currently running Windows 98. I must have gotten a good version, I have had no problems with it up to now, and I am comfortable with it.

However, I want to upgrade my RAM. I have 512, and was thinking of going up to 1024. A friend informed me that WIN 98 will only recognize the first 512 MB of RAM, and will ignore the rest. A second friend countered this saying that it will recognize it, but will not use it.

To sum up, I do not want to buy RAM my machine will not use. Will WIN 98 allow me to fully utilize 1024 MB of RAM?

If not, which windows OS is the most EQ AND user-friendly that will?

[tabrizia]

Windows 98 has problems with Ram > 512. I have yet to have a rblem with EQ and win 2k professional, but it is harder to find in stores and I haven't heard of problems with eq and win xp (go pro) either. SO either of them should work.

[EnfinitiStarr8]

On my lap top I had Win XP Pro and it worked great. My lap top was a HUGE upgrade over my 5 year old computer but now that it was stolen from me last week I can't really play EQ. I would say go with the Win 2k Pro, the home is just not worth it I think.

[Lothay]

I happen to use 2 flavors of Windows XP (one machine is Home, the other is Professional), and I find it to be a good match for EQ.

~Lothay

[Kirstin Thornhill]

I can get a copy of WIN 2000 Pro from Tiger Direct for $179.99...
I can get a copy of WIN XP Pro from Tiger Direct for $279.99...


Right now I am leaning toward WIN 2000 Pro... has anybody had issues with EQ and this OS?

[EnfinitiStarr8]

AH!, Sorry, I said my Lap top had Win 2k Pro, it really had Win XP Pro. That was a kick ass system.Had to twike it after I looked it over but that's any opp you will have.

[Galathnor]

No issues with Win 2k and EQ, However It was so unstable on my machine that it became unusable. In fact it got to where all I could get was the blue screen of death everytime I tried to start it up. I then switched to Win XP Pro and have it on all 4 machines now and absolutely no problems running any application.

[Lilosh]

If your ducks are all in a row, Windows XP is tops.
Hands down.

I have no floppy drive, old chipset, and havent updated drivers since carter was in office.

So I crash.

If you get all the driver updates, and service packs, and take care of it, XP will rock for you.


-Lilosh

[Dunthor Warsmith]

I've been running EQ for about a year and a half now on Win2k Pro (clean install, not upgrade from 98 ). I like Win2k as it still feels like Win95/98, but is MUCH more stable (for me at least) and still runs all my applications well (except DOS applications), including EQ. I have a few rare crash-to-desktop problems with EQ, but not enough to really impact gameplay or be more than a small annoyance, and that's more EQ's problem than my machine's.
Other than that, my *only* problems with gaming have been some graphics issues, which based on my searching help databases, drivers, and people with similar machines, leads me to believe I've either run into an extremely rare flaw in DirectX and T&L, or my video card has defects in the T&L system, which would not be related to the OS.

I've been debating upgrading to WinXP, but have decided against it for the time being.
-) Win2k is still fully supported by Microsoft and modern applications. (naturally, don't know when this will end)
-) Win2k has no product activation mechanism, WinXP does. That's more hassle than I want to deal with if I can reasonable avoid it.
-) Win2k has fewer privacy and "Evil MS" concerns than WinXP
-) I have been extremely happy with Win2k. It has proven reliable, stable, and able to recover from far more situations than I am used to. So its akin to the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

Since you're upgrading either way, WinXP Pro might be a better investment, just for the "future proofing". But I'm going to put my recommendation in for Win2k Pro - I've used it and been very happy with it.

[Lothay]

If you do decide on XP, don't get XP Pro unless you really need the Server style features.

Windows XP Home will serve you just as well, and is a bit cheaper. Unless you really need to run a web or database server off your home machine, you'd be spending money for features you really don't need.

~Lothay

[Ngreth Thergn]

And the proper thing is. Windows 98 does not PROPERLY support >512 ram.

So normally, it will be ignored.

in some cases, it can even cause problems. I remeber a change in a setting somewhere was needed to make EQ stable if you had >512 RAM.

Now saying that. some individual programs, running on win98 would utilize >512 ram (EQ is not one of them) An example would be Photoshop, shich is a memor hog, and will take all memory it can get, including >512 ram on win 98.

But for the norm... >512 on 98 is a waste.

I agree with the general concensus to go to WinXP. It is suprisingly stable for a Microsoft product (not perfect of course... but stable nonetheless). But it isx a memory hog... were you would want the 1024 (win XP wants 128... though it MAY run on less)

[kiztent]

I run XP home on both my EQ machines. No problems at all.

[Kirstin Thornhill]

Okay, one other question:

Can I CTRL-ALT-DEL with XP (Home or Pro) to get to the "Close Program" window and shut down all programs not absolutely essential to minimum OS operation, internet connection, and EQ (like I can in WIN98)?

Right now in WIN98 I have Explorer, Systray, Rnaapp, and Everquest running (while I am EQing) with my dial up. (No firewall, I am not broadband and usually an attempt to get into my machine knocks me offline before it gets anywhere...)

[Kirstin Thornhill]

Okay, while shopping I found 3 versions of WIN XP:

WIN XP Home
WIN XP Home OEM version
WIN XP Upgrade (the one I am currently leaning toward...)

What is OEM? Is there any advantage or disadvantage between an upgrade and a format/new install?


By the way, thanks for all the help. I felt kinda comfortable asking here after listening to serverwide:eqtraders chat sessions occasionally revolving around this some nights...

[Lilosh]

Windows XP has a BETTER Crl-Alt-Del then Windows 98.


In addition to showing you a list of all programs/applications running, it can also show you a detailed list of all systedm processes running, who is running them, and how much of your precious System resources they are taking.

All with a convienant END NOW button.

-Lilosh