Before You Buy
Many people buy Windows XP without bothering to check if their computer is actually ready for it, or if their favourite software is supported. Incompatible hardware and software are a common source of strife. There are a number of things you can do to determine if XP supports your current configuration. If you have already decided on a system that includes a pre-installed OEM version of Windows XP, you should consider reading the article on this site about Solutions for Backup and Recovery.
Index
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard
If you have the bandwidth, you can download the Microsoft XP Upgrade Adviser, but beware, it's 50MB in size.
Alternatively, you can FTP the Hardware Compatibility List from Microsoft
PC Pitstop provides an on-line XP Readiness Check . It works reasonably well but the information it returns is extremely limited. PC Pitstop will also want to download a control onto your machine. For the paranoid out there, I have no idea what data is sent back to PC Pitstop.
Microsoft also have a Knowledge Base Article on How to Determine If Hardware or Software Is Compatible with Windows XP
If you are considering buying a new PC, find out what pitfalls to avoid at Eric Legge's excellent site:
Eric's site is a great resource if you are looking at buying a new PC. It covers warranty, support, included software, motherboard, BIOS and more. It also has an excellent section on building a PC for purchased components. Back to Top
Read the MSKB System Requirements for Windows XP Operating Systems if you need to know about the minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional. Back to Top
Try these links if you are having problems locating your hardware or software vendor:
http://www.dgl.com/docs/vendors.html
http://www.innsysnet.com/Vendors.htm
http://dns.uncor.edu/links/sitehard.htm
Microsoft Vendor contact list, A to K
A complete list of drivers included in Windows XP:
The A to Z of Printer Drivers:
A complete list of sound and gameport drivers included in XP
3Dfx Voodoo video cards are known not to work properly with Windows XP. Read the Display Problems with 3Dfx Voodoo Video Cards MSKB article and visit the voodoofiles website.
If you still cannot find what you are looking for, try a search engine:
Failing that, a large number of the Win2000 drivers work quite well on XP. As a general rule, if your equipment or software is old (sometimes 2 years at best) then be prepared to dip into your pockets. Back to Top
Some older machines may need a BIOS update before XP will install or function properly. Use these articles to find BIOS updates or other related information.
List of web sites for BIOS manufacturers (Part 1)
List of web sites for BIOS manufacturers (Part 2) Back to Top
If in doubt, read these documents:
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard
The List of Programs Whose Settings Are Migrated When You Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard MSKB article is a list of the programs whose settings are supported by the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. The article includes a link to another article describing how to use the wizard. Back to Top
Windows XP can be purchased in a number of languages, but it also supports Language Packs to allow multilingual users to work in more than just the default language. Note that installing a Language Pack allows you to input, edit, and print documents in another language. It does not alter the default language used by the XP sub-system (menus etc).
Learn more about the Multilingual Features in Windows XP Professional in this Microsoft Article. Another helpful language article is International Support Evolves in Windows XP . Back to Top
Revision Date: 29 Nov 2003