Windows XP is an older operating system that was popular 10 years ago. It has high capabilities but low hardware requirements, making it ideal for budget computers.
You’ll need 1.5 gigabytes of space for XP, although you should have more than that for programs and downloads. You’ll also need a board with PS/2 keyboard and mouse support.
Features
In addition to the improved four-color window logo and a clearer, brighter Luna graphical user interface, windows xp introduced features such as the ability for multiple users to log into the same computer with different personal settings and a separate Documents folder. It also enabled file sharing via Simple File Sharing.
The search capability improved to allow searches for documents and pictures, music and video by perceived type. It also included the ability to exclude a folder from searches and the ability to expand environment variables in search entries.
The boot time was reduced by streamlining the loading of drivers and system files using a logical prefetcher, which tracks frequently accessed files and optimizes their locations on disk so that they are loaded more quickly during startup. It also enhanced debugging by allowing attachment of the debugger to a non-crashing user-mode program and dumping of the process memory space for analysis. It also includes Vectored Exception Handling (VEH) which can be enabled for application developers to improve performance in situations where the kernel is overwhelmed by unexpected exceptions.
Requirements
Despite Microsoft’s decision to stop supporting Windows XP, the OS continues to be used by many organizations. However, there are some risks to using an XP system and it’s important to take steps to protect your computers.
A new error reporting system was introduced that automatically sends application or system crash data to Microsoft for analysis. Other innovations include a wireless network configuration utility and DirectX, a set of application programming interfaces that make it easier to develop video-oriented applications.
In order to run XP, your computer must meet the minimum requirements — which are pretty low. You’ll need a processor (minimum of 233MHz), 128MB of RAM, and 1.5 gigabytes of free hard drive space. If you want optimum performance, you’ll need more hard drive space and a faster processor. You’ll also need a mouse and keyboard to use as input devices. Lastly, a DVD ROM drive is required to install the operating system. If you’re running a Media Center Edition, the requirements are higher because of its focus on video.
Installation
Before you can begin the installation process you will need to insert a full version bootable windows xp CD into your computers drive. When the computer boots up, it will ask you to press any key to boot from the CD (As shown in picture 2). Press any key and files begin to load from the disk.
When the setup program has finished loading the files onto your hard drive, it will display a screen asking you to select which partition you want to install Windows on and its file system. The installer recommends that you choose a NTFS file system, which offers stability and security features that FAT32 does not.
The next screen prompts you to enter a computer name and an administrator password. It is recommended that you use a strong password for this account, because it is the only one with full administrative privileges on the computer. Once you have entered the user names, password, and location, setup begins copying and installing the system files on your computer.
Security
Most businesses are still using Windows XP, and while Microsoft no longer offers security updates, Telx Computers Miami says it’s possible to mitigate the risks by taking these 10 tips. One obvious measure is to ensure the use of a secure password and to install only essential programs. Then, scan USB drives before using them as many worms and viruses spread by infecting an XP system, then e-mailing themselves to other computers.
Another step is to isolate XP systems from the internet so that external hackers cannot attack them. This is a last-resort measure but it can be effective on a small number of systems that cannot be upgraded to other operating systems. However, it should not be a substitute for upgrading the system as attackers are constantly looking for ways to exploit vulnerabilities in XP systems. Newly discovered vulnerabilities will originate from non-authoritative sources that will not be disclosed via well-monitored communication channels and may be incomplete or inaccurate.