rec.autos.simulators

I'm considering upgrading from Windows 98SE to Windows ME. CompUSA has it
for only $25! Well... actually it's $50 but you get a $25 gift
card/certificate, so it works out in the end to be only $25.

I've heard that it's really not necessary if you've got Windows 98, but at
that price I'm tempted.

I've also heard it's supposed to be more stable than Windows 98 and has
self-installing correction utilities so your operating system doesn't get
hosed up as often as 95 or 98 does.

But... I still like to play GP2 from time to time and that runs in DOS,
although I think it runs in a DOS window, under Windows 98. Is this
something I need to be concerned with? Can I still run DOS based programs
with M.E.?

And... I'd love to hear some testimonials about how M.E works with your
racing sims... GPL, SCGT, CMR1 & 2, Rally Masters, RC2000, Need for Speed HS
& PU, F1RS, DTR/DTR Sprint Cars, and F1 2000 are the ones I'm most worried
about.

Thanks in advance for the feedback!
Jay J

As for DOS games, most games should work. The one limitation I recall from
my brief test of WinMe was the problem with Indycar II. The stupid OS
thought it was Indycar 1 (which won't run in Windows) and it wouldn't let me
create a pif to run the program. Basically, WinMe hides DOS.

If you really want WinMe, send me $25 and I will e-mail you Windows Media
Player 7 and if you act now...... a link to where you can download IE 5.5.
Oh if you insist, I can also send you a registry patch to permanently remove
your Real Mode DOS support. Call now! Operators are standing by!! : )

All kidding aside, considering you have Win98SE, I would leave your system
alone. Perhaps if you were you using an older OS I would recommend and
upgrade.

Michael M

The driver problems are worse than they were for Win2K when it came out.

There is a lot of junk running in the background which causes frame jumps in
many games.

I was not impressed at all.

I've gone back to a dual-boot Win2K/Win98 setup and will stay there.

-Larry

                Mike

Cons:

*The program works best with a clean install and not an upgrade for one.

*The DOS part is disabled. Fine if you don't need it but an "Ooops" if you've
used Windows backup anytime.

*Many vendors aren't supporting Windows ME so careful with compatibilty.

*Make sure you turn everything off that Windows ME does automatically. There are
things that check software, updates, etc... when you sign on the internet and
turn your system on. This can bog down a system when online *** is being
used.

Pros:

*Boots and shutdown faster

---Basically I prefer Windows 2000 now over W98 and ME. Windows 2000 can do most
everything and drivers/compatibilty are being updated daily. I haven't found a
problem there yet and seems more stable. Then you'll be ready for Whistler or
whatever they call it by then....

Good luck and save the $$$

Matt

IMO, the extra bells and whistles are not worth the aggravation. There are
no "must have" features in ME that I could see.

Maybe when Win ME/SE comes out ...

Regards,
Gordon

My biggest issue with something not working was the USPS' Shipping Online
which refuses to work. Rally Masters, NFS HS/PU SCGT DTR and F1 all have
worked for me. Haven't played GPL in ages. I know, I'm awful to be
posting here and not playing GPL. :).

My advice, AVOID ME!, and pick up a copy of 98 while you still can.

I've heard a lot of bad stuff about ME, but my experience has been
pretty good. I installed it after a re-format.
I don't really have much use for DOS, and the upside to this is that
the "removal" of it has sped up boot times considerably.

The TCP/IP has been updated, and I notice it doesn't leave RNAAP
running after I disconnect from my dialup like Win98 always did.
I'm not sure what to make of the driver/crashing complaints, since I'm
using all the same drivers I used in Win98 without a problem.
I can't speak for everyone's setups, but I can tell you the NVidia
Detonator and Soundblaster Live Win98 drivers are fine.
I'm also using 98 drivers on a Linksys ethernet card, an Adaptec SCSI
card and a Zoom ISA modem without a problem.

I didn't need the "Go Back" and PC Health features of ME so I disabled
them. You can run MSCONFIG and disable PCHealth, Task Monitor and
Scheduling Agent. GoBack (whatever it's called) is disabled from the
Control Panel->Performance->File System menu.

One negative: I have noticed that ME doesn't seem to recover resources
like Win98. In one instance, I opened a bunch of browser windows to
knock my resources down, and discovered the resources weren't
recovered upon exit. By messing around, I got them to drop to like
52%, which I've never seen with Win98.
The solution is to reboot before a *** session, and since ME
reboots in half the time it took Win98, it's not so bad.

I'll go against the grain and say it's worth $25.

Tim

Hi Jay

Here's a read for you:
http://www.crucial.com/library/WinME_vs_Win98SE.asp

A man is no less a Slave just because he is
allowed to choose a new Master every four years.

Registered Linux User #180746
http://counter.li.org

If you only have Win95a or b you need to upgrade.

WinME uses up a lot of resources compared to 95/98. I put it on a machine
with 64Mb of Ram and it was dog slow because it was using 60Mb of it before
you even thought about running a program!

You can switch off a lot off stuff  (System Restore, PC health statemgr,
taskmon, scheduler etc) which frees up a lot of mem and stops you system
from mysteriously slowing down every now and again (very, very annoying!)

This can get you down to something like 48Mb used which is still a lot more
than 98.

However if you switch off all this new stuff that is in WinME you might as
well be running 98 anyway.

If you do have the ram then you might as well be running Win2k which is a
lot nicer than either 98 or ME and.

In fact a I've found that Win2K is even more compatible with older software
than ME. I was even playing "The Secret of Monkey Island" a marvellous 10
year old DOS game last night in Win2K with sound! It was even easier to get
working in Win2K than ME or 98SE.

I run a quad boot system NT4 Server, Linux, Win98SE and Win2k Server but
then I'm a little eccentric.

If I was sane I'd only ever use Win2K.

--
Some Call Me Tim

TIA

PH

On Sat, 13 Jan 2001 16:58:59 -0000, "Some Call Me Tim"

  Personally, I'm not upgrading from Win95b until I have to (in other
words, until a game requires a newer version.)  I know how to make
Win95b lean and mean, and I haven't found anything in Win98 or WinME
that would make me want to upgrade.  If I did install 98 or ME, I would
just have to turn all the extra stuff off, and I'd be pretty much back
where I started with 95b.

-Dan Bateman