50 Open Source Replacements for Windows XP

Welp, not replacing XP, obviously but will never move beyond Win 7 after my M$ experience today. Replaced an old smaller HD with a nice new large HD a month ago, did a fresh load with the legally purchased and activated Win 7 disc I used on the old drive. Today I get the black screen with Windows 7, Build 1706, This is not a genuine Windows (or something like that). Tried activating and the damn activation was still spinning a hour later so I closed it out and called tech support. Explained what I did, gave them the product code and they told me it was an invalid key, I would have to buy a new one......... :wtf:
Basically they told me it was pirated, BULL SHIT!!!!! Told them they just lost another customer. Looks like M$ just forced me to chose and I'm not choosing M$.......... Maybe I should learn to write high graphics games for Linux........ :eusa_whistle:

I know you know this, but others reading this may not --
When you buy a copy of Windows, and you install it, it records info about your motherboard and Harddrive.
That info is then applied to that product key. It is now invalid on anything else other than that HD on that motherboard. Period. You can call M$, but the internet is loaded with people saying the exact same thing as you - "sorry, we show that as an invalid key".
M$ doesn't want you to upgrade your computer. They want you to buy a new one, or another copy of Windows. Period. This is why people put a "$" in Micro$oft.
Now it would make much more sense if M$ just recorded info ON THE MOTHERBOARD ONLY. This would let you upgrade HD's, install a slave HD, replace a bad HD - etc. But that would make way too much sense, and the only "sense" M$ understands is "cents".
But of course it gets worse, M$ has been trying to get software makers to "join in" and if the system does not appear "genuine" - then the software will not install.
They have successfully partnered with some graphics card makers to also check the validity - look this up on the internet and you will also see plenty of complaints about people not being able to upgrade their graphics card.
Anyone who thinks this is about battling piracy is a sheep. It is not about preventing theft, it is about selling more copies of Windows.
 
Well, M$ just lost another customer and the more people they screw over in the name of profit, the more they will eventually lose.
I have now officially become anti Microsoft all thanks to them.
 
A CPU with 64 bit support doesn´t force one to use a 64 Bit Operating System. XP 64 is a rarity end ever was so there may be driver issues. Some Vista/7 drivers work for XP 64, however.

As for Windows 8, there are some tools available for download in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread, that make Windows 8 far better to use.

Yes, I could have stayed with the 32 bit system, but since I had 4 gigabytes of DDR2 RAM, the outdated 32 bit software would have only recognized 2.8 gigabytes, hence, I went with the 64 bit software. Hindsight says I should have gone with Windows 7 64 bit, but I didn't want to have to learn a new operating system. I was already quite familiar with XP so why ruin a good thing?
 
As for Windows 8, there are some tools available for download in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread, that make Windows 8 far better to use.

You must have stepped away before finishing your sentence above... I'll help - "As for Windows 8, there are some tools available for download in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread, that make Windows 8 far better to use by making it like Windows 7 as much as possible.
:eusa_angel:

Since I have never used Windows 7, I would have no idea what a Windows 7 environment would look like. I am happy just like it is. I am now used to it. I don't use the Metro tabs and just hit one key and am instantly taken to my desktop.
 
A CPU with 64 bit support doesn´t force one to use a 64 Bit Operating System. XP 64 is a rarity end ever was so there may be driver issues. Some Vista/7 drivers work for XP 64, however.

As for Windows 8, there are some tools available for download in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread, that make Windows 8 far better to use.

Yes, I could have stayed with the 32 bit system, but since I had 4 gigabytes of DDR2 RAM, the outdated 32 bit software would have only recognized 2.8 gigabytes, hence, I went with the 64 bit software. Hindsight says I should have gone with Windows 7 64 bit, but I didn't want to have to learn a new operating system. I was already quite familiar with XP so why ruin a good thing?
XP64 is a nice OS, that´s true. 2.8 GB only? Have you a graphics card with 1GB or more installed?
 
As for Windows 8, there are some tools available for download in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread, that make Windows 8 far better to use.

You must have stepped away before finishing your sentence above... I'll help - "As for Windows 8, there are some tools available for download in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread, that make Windows 8 far better to use by making it like Windows 7 as much as possible.
:eusa_angel:

Since I have never used Windows 7, I would have no idea what a Windows 7 environment would look like. I am happy just like it is. I am now used to it. I don't use the Metro tabs and just hit one key and am instantly taken to my desktop.
Metro in Windows 7? And what are Metro tabs?

spuelmaschinentabs_7in1_100_stueck.jpg
 
BP, you mentioned that Windows 8 has some add-ons that will make 8 look like 7. Since, I know nothing about 7, that is to what I was replying. This new interface on this site seems to create a lot of confusion as to what post we are responding.
 
A CPU with 64 bit support doesn´t force one to use a 64 Bit Operating System. XP 64 is a rarity end ever was so there may be driver issues. Some Vista/7 drivers work for XP 64, however.

As for Windows 8, there are some tools available for download in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread, that make Windows 8 far better to use.

Yes, I could have stayed with the 32 bit system, but since I had 4 gigabytes of DDR2 RAM, the outdated 32 bit software would have only recognized 2.8 gigabytes, hence, I went with the 64 bit software. Hindsight says I should have gone with Windows 7 64 bit, but I didn't want to have to learn a new operating system. I was already quite familiar with XP so why ruin a good thing?
XP64 is a nice OS, that´s true. 2.8 GB only? Have you a graphics card with 1GB or more installed?

You evidently don't know about the incompatibility between 64 bit hardware and 32 bit operating systems. Now, it would appear that everyone has embraced the 64 bit hardware as well as 64 bit operating systems. Granted, 64 bit hardware will work with a 32 bit operating system, but if you have 8 gigs of RAM, 32 bits will only see 2.8 gigabytes of RAM, and that's not Video Ram. FYI, I have an NVIDIA Geforce 660 with 2 gigs of VRAM. I'm running Windows 8 at 64 bits.
 
A CPU with 64 bit support doesn´t force one to use a 64 Bit Operating System. XP 64 is a rarity end ever was so there may be driver issues. Some Vista/7 drivers work for XP 64, however.

As for Windows 8, there are some tools available for download in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread, that make Windows 8 far better to use.

Yes, I could have stayed with the 32 bit system, but since I had 4 gigabytes of DDR2 RAM, the outdated 32 bit software would have only recognized 2.8 gigabytes, hence, I went with the 64 bit software. Hindsight says I should have gone with Windows 7 64 bit, but I didn't want to have to learn a new operating system. I was already quite familiar with XP so why ruin a good thing?
XP64 is a nice OS, that´s true. 2.8 GB only? Have you a graphics card with 1GB or more installed?

You evidently don't know about the incompatibility between 64 bit hardware and 32 bit operating systems. Now, it would appear that everyone has embraced the 64 bit hardware as well as 64 bit operating systems. Granted, 64 bit hardware will work with a 32 bit operating system, but if you have 8 gigs of RAM, 32 bits will only see 2.8 gigabytes of RAM, and that's not Video Ram. FYI, I have an NVIDIA Geforce 660 with 2 gigs of VRAM. I'm running Windows 8 at 64 bits.
This is not a compatibility issue. 32 Bit CPUs can address up to 4 GB of memory, no matter if it is a MME U80701 or a Pentium IV. That includes the VRam. Other people may have another value than 2.8 GB, depending on their graphics card´s VRam size. A 64 Bit CPU (exact: 32 Bit CPU with AMD 64 Bit support) can address far more.
 
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BP, you mentioned that Windows 8 has some add-ons that will make 8 look like 7. Since, I know nothing about 7, that is to what I was replying. This new interface on this site seems to create a lot of confusion as to what post we are responding.
Windows 8 includes nothing like that. Unlike Vista/7 that feature the nice Aero optics, Windows 8 and 10 lack of any blurred transparency except that of the taskbar. I mean this (Windows 7):
Download-Free-How-To-Disable-Windows-7-Blur-21.jpg


However, the developer "Big Muscle" aka "Big Mouth" created a tool that restores Aero Glass for Windows 8.1 (and a different version for Windows 8). It is a really good tool but he includes a watermark on the desktop and a nagscreen that appears regularly. Example, taken from google search:
K4Vja0.jpg

Aero Glass for Windows 8

That´s not helping! Donationware is begware. If you donate you don´t have any entitlement. Ignore his page...
If you download my tool collection I offered in the Windows 8 Tips and Support thread and install Aero Glass for Win8.1 (Not for Win8, only 8.1), neither the watermark nor the nagscreen will ever appear.
Aero Glass for Win8.1 includes an optional Windows 7 like theme, but if you use another theme, you must uncheck it during the installation.
Windows 8 Tips and Support Page 7 US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum
 
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As I remember it, Windows XP 32 bit would not address all 4 gigabyes of RAM. It only recognized 2.8 gigabytes. Now, other software apps such as Windows 7, 8, and Vista in 32 bit format will only address 4 gigabytes. Since I now have 8 gigabytes of RAM and XP 64 bit is no longer supported, it was a good thing that I updated to the 64 bit version of Windows 8. Below is some more information regarding this matter of memory in a 32 bit system vs the 64 bit system. No, this is not concerning video cards, which usually have their own graphics processor and memory.

32-bit versions of Windows have low memory limits. The maximum amount of RAM supported by a 32-bit version of Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP is 4 GB. if you have more than 4 GB of memory, you’ll need a 64-bit version of Windows to take advantage of it.

Hardware Upgrade Why Windows Can 8217 t See All Your RAM
 
As I remember it, Windows XP 32 bit would not address all 4 gigabyes of RAM. It only recognized 2.8 gigabytes. Now, other software apps such as Windows 7, 8, and Vista in 32 bit format will only address 4 gigabytes. Since I now have 8 gigabytes of RAM and XP 64 bit is no longer supported, it was a good thing that I updated to the 64 bit version of Windows 8. Below is some more information regarding this matter of memory in a 32 bit system vs the 64 bit system. No, this is not concerning video cards, which usually have their own graphics processor and memory.

32-bit versions of Windows have low memory limits. The maximum amount of RAM supported by a 32-bit version of Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP is 4 GB. if you have more than 4 GB of memory, you’ll need a 64-bit version of Windows to take advantage of it.

Hardware Upgrade Why Windows Can 8217 t See All Your RAM
XP x86 can adress 4GB as well as other 32 Bit systems.
Does 4GB ram limit in 32 bit include video ram - Tested
 

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