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FYI - Installed XP-SP2 on an old Dimension 4100
Elected to do a clean install vs. the upgrade option because everything I read said that's what you want to do if you are going from WinME to XP-SP2. The install was straight forward, no problems, took about 1.5 hours. I thought all my data would be gone, but after the install everything was still there. I switched from FAT32 to NFTS during the install. So I was pleasantly surprised to see all my music and pics still available after the install. I had copied everything to my laptop as a back-up. So now I have all my data in two places. My printer a HP Deskjet 952c still worked after the install, I didn't need to reinstall the drivers. I did have to re-install software for the Santa Cruz soundcard though. Everything works on the Santa Cruz that I've tried so far except for the mute button on the Main tab of the sound card control panel. Also, the Santa Cruz control panel icon used to be down in the task bar area, with the volume control icon, etc..., but not anymore.
So far everything is working swimmingly. No freeze ups or blue screens; unlike running WinME. Just thought I'd let those that are interested my experience. Next I'm going to see if I can get the NIC PCI card can be installed, then a multi USB 2.0 PCI card. Neither would work with WinME running on the D-4100.
Bugs
bacillus
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February 29th, 2008 09:00
bugs11
18 Posts
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March 1st, 2008 16:00
Update...
Left click on the speaker icon in taskbar tray gets me volume control, right click gets me the Santa Cruz control panel. Soooo.... the Santa Cruz control panel is available just not like it was under WinME.
Also, downloaded and installed the free ZoneAlarm firewall form CNET; now for a spyware program.
bugs11
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March 1st, 2008 19:00
Nudder update...
Installed free version of Adaware 2007, full scan revealed nothing but tracking cookies and one critical. All were promptly removed.
Installed linksys NIC card... no go, just like before with WinME. Hmmmmphhhh.
Removed non working NIC card, installed Syba multi-port USB 2.0 PCI card. XP booted right up and found the driver for the USB hub, now I have 4 USB 2.0 ports in addition to the 2 USB 1.0 ports that came with the D-4100 oh so many years ago.
With the USB PCI working I looked over the NIC PCI and found small scorch marks on couple of the teeny tiny transistor looking like electronics. Don't know if the NIC card arrived at my doorstep toasted or if the card got scorched when I installed it for the first time a few weeks back. It didn't work the first time I installed it. Hmmmmmphhhh.
Syba USB hub came from Newegg. Linksys NIC card I got from American Design Components Inc. Moral of the story buy your parts from Newegg. Now to find another NIC card.
bugs11
18 Posts
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March 2nd, 2008 02:00
More good news... downloaded the most current (from 2002) Santa Cruz driver from Dell, installed same. Now the mute button works on the Main tab. Wooo-eeee, we're walking in tall cotton now! Also ordered another NIC card, this time from Newegg, shipping is almost as much as the NIC.
Now to fix the Boggle game my wife likes to play online, I'm guessing a Directx download and install will take care of it.
Stay tuned for future developments on the old Dimension 4100 front.
bugs11
18 Posts
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March 8th, 2008 01:00
Well I got the NIC PCI card from Newegg installed with no problems. XP S2 installed the card without me doing anything. With that done I hooked up the Linksys WRT150N router. Suprisingly enough that went without a hitch. I now have a secure wireless network in my home. So all my hard work has finally paid off. I've gotten my home laptop connected to the wireless network as well as my work laptop (which I am on at the moment). Both laptop have 11g cards and depending on how it works I may or may not purchase a 11n card.
Hope this narrative may help others in their upgrade efforts.