Is Windows XP required to take advantage of fastest Pentiums?
By JOHN TORRO
Published June 9, 2003
Q. I use Windows Me and am upgrading my computer to a 2.4-gigahertz Pentium processor. The technician says that I have to go to Windows XP to fully utilize the new processor, something about a different file system. I seem to have heard some adverse comments about XP. Do I really need XP to gain the full speed of the new processor? Are there problems with XP and, if so, can they be worked around?
A. The XP operating system is built to manage the kind of power you would have in a 2.4 GHz processor. Windows Me is still based mostly on DOS and has many restrictions. Will you see a difference? Maybe not. Few applications require that kind of power, regardless of the operating system.
If you're happy with Win Me and don't want the hassle and expense, stick with it. Otherwise it would make sense to move to XP.
XP does have some problems, like any other operating system, and mostly with older peripherals, such as printers and scanners. I still contend that Windows 2000 Pro is a superior operating system. But XP is hands down better than the other Windows versions.
Troubleshooting quirky PC
Q. I use CompuServe. My computer keeps going into Safe Mode, then I reboot and it works again. But it also freezes on a regular basis, not to mention how slow it is. Is it my server or my Compaq computer?
A. This could be anything from bad RAM, faulty or corrupted drivers, power supply to a faulty disk drive.
To determine the cause, start by doing a backup of your personal data. Move on to thorough ScanDisk check (right-click the C drive, Properties, Tools, etc.). Make sure you also have sufficient free space - at least 20 percent - on your hard drive.
Make sure all cards, such as video and sound, are securely seated. Switch out your RAM one piece at a time and run the PC for a while until that possibility is eliminated. Sometimes reloading Windows can fix a lot of quirky problems.
Missing DLL file
Q. I use Windows 98 SE. I downloaded software for a new digital camera. Everything seemed to be operating properly, but I discovered a "Missing Program File" when I ran my Norton 1-Button Scan. It tells me this file is missing: "c:\Windows\System32\Drivers\1cam6usb.sys" and that it cannot access a necessary file, "hal.dll." I don't have a clue what any of this means. What should I do?
A. It seems the digital camera software you installed has a reference to the HAL.DLL. This is a dynamic link library, or DLL, file in Windows 2000/XP. The HAL part stands for Hardware Abstraction Layer. The camera software needs the file to communicate with the camera. Windows 98 has no such file. To get around the annoying messages, create an empty file in the Windows/system32 directory named HAL.DLL. An easy way to do this would be to go to a command, or DOS, prompt and type in "type nul>\windows\system32\HAL.DLL" (do not include the quotation marks).
AIM conflict
Q. I am getting a message on startup that I never got before: "A required .DLL file, XMLPARSE.LL, was not found." Then there's an option to click OK. The startup then proceeds without problems. I use Windows 98 SE.
A. This is a known problem in some cases where AOL Instant Messenger is included as one of the startup programs.
One solution would be to take AIM out of the Startup group. To do this, click Start, Run. Type msconfig and click OK. In the System Configuration Utility box, click the Startup tab. Clear all check boxes that are associated with AIM, click Apply and click OK. Then restart your computer.
