OT computors

If your Win98 computer is really giving you trouble, you could buy a newer machine (not necessariy NEW), and reinstall Win98 on it and the drivers for the printers etc that you have. You will of course need a Win98 install cd, or Win98 upgrade cd and Win 3.1 install disks.

You don't HAVE to buy a new machine, one that is several years old will run Win98 very well. The hard part will be getting all the install and driver software, which probably can be found on the internet since you have brand name printers etc.

This is not hard to do, a little time consuming and having something other than dialup would make the downloads faster.

Find as many of the cd's for the hardware and windows as you can, and they ask for help from someone who knows more about computers than you claim.

x

p.s. Drivers are just interfaces/adapters between Windows and whatever piece of hardware. Things are not standard like the 3pt and hydraulic 'hardware' you are used to.

It's so bad, in the business world you can still buy Windows XP. Go to the Dell site, look up a home'office model & it will come with Vista. Look under small business machines, & you will be offered the machine with either Vista or XP on it. Too many incompatibility issues for business to swap over to Vista.

So, if being compatable with your older hardware is prime, Windows XP is still supported & generally works with much of the stuff.

If you want a new machine with the newest stuff to keep it's value as long as possible - then Vista is the way to go. It will not work with much old hardware tho.

--->Paul

If you was to go with a new(er)computer, get one with WinXP as it is compatable with lots more than the new Vista. While I am using Vista right now I still have issues with getting the drivers and such. I also think XP would be sooooo much faster on this machine.

What printers do you have, what scanner, and what camera? If you give make and model, one of us can look and see if they are compatable with XP

I think most cameras should work with WinXP. Most printers will have XP drivers and if not then many times the Win2000 drivers will work. The scanner maybe the sticking point if there are no drivers for it.

I have used most Windows since win3.1,

95 was ok but quite unstable for me needed constant restarts, 98 and 98se was much more stable but needed a restart at least once a day,

ME most unstable of them all. Always messing up. Went back to 98

XP love it!! Very stable for me. Restart maybe once a week.

Used 98 and 2000 at work. 98 needed a restart at lunch and again at end of day. 2000 very stable maybe better than my XP I use at home.

Got Vista just so I could learn it. I find it to be a big bloated thing that takes to much computer to run it. Seems stable enough though. Just so big the computer runs slower than it should.

I currently have a Dell Laptop with XP and a bought used desktop I installed Vista on.

For the HP ScanJet 3300C: I found drivers that say they will work with XP.

For the DeskJet 842C printer: Drivers are availible upto Vista from HP.

For the Deskjet 820cse printer: Drivers are availible upto Vista from HP.

For the Lexmark printer: Drivers are availible for most upto XP and only the newer ones for Vista

You as wondering if your printer, camera, and scanner would work on a newer computer. They will if there are drivers available for them compatable with the new operating system.

A driver is basicly a program that tells the OS (operating system) how to use the devise. Microsoft with their massive wisdom makes it so each new OS, the devises need a new driver.

I will look and see if drivers are availible.