[PLUG] W2K or XP for dual-boot system?

[Steven A. Adams]

On Mon, 2003-02-24 at 09:00, Eric House wrote:
> I'm in the market for a new desktop machine.  It'll run Debian 90% of
> the time, but I do handheld software for fun and will need to run
> windows occasionally to use the compilers for WinCE.  So it'll be a
> dual-boot system.
> 
> I seem to have a choice between machines with W2K and XP installed,
> and so am wondering if I should care.  My work-issued laptop
> dual-boots with W2K and seems fine (and runs all the apps I need).  XP
> is newer, and presumably will be current longer; but I worry about its
> reputation as spyware and whether it'll be a good citizen on a
> dual-boot disk.
> 
> Any suggestions or experience to share?  Any good articles on the
> subject?

XP, from my experience, is a bit picky about hardware. Take a look at
the Microsoft compatibility library and make sure your covered before
you install. The install itself will/should print a report about the
hardware that might not be supported but if you know ahead of time you
can have the current specific drivers ready for the OS at install time.