What OS are you running?

Until they port foobar2000, EAC, Kega Fusion... etc. Over to Linux, I'm using Windows XP SP2. With the right tweaking it can *almost* be as lean as Win2k SP4

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by freaKperfume

Dualboot:

- Windows XP Pro for games, managing my music collection (the organizing system I've used for years isn't quite compatible with Linux file systems; it would be much less of a hassle if Linux could handle NTFS perfectly, though), software which I've found no equivalent under Linux yet (EAC comes to mind)

- Kubuntu 5.10 for everything else

Before Kubuntu, I had Mandrake Linux, which I've rarely used. Since I switched to Kubuntu, I roughly spend an equal amount of time in each OS.

I'd dualboot, but my HDD space is low and I don't want either OS fiddling with the DST (daylight savings time) settings, they'll cancel each other out. Though I might try a Linux Live CD...

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by BlueMikey

Just so everyone knows, this is how not to make a post in this thread. Say something a little more to accompany your response. Perhaps we could add a poll for people who don't want to say anything.


I use Windows XP (SP2, of course). I'm not particularly fond of it, but it is the most well-supported OS at this point by third-parties. It certainly works well enough on my machine and it takes care of everything I do (Internet, music listening and TV watching, mostly).

If someone could make a port of Win98SE (and Win2k/XP) that would run well under Linux, I'd finally be able to give my illegitimate copy of Win XP the boot, but alas no one has a good system of running ALL DOS/Win9x/WinNT programs under Linux for me (VMWare is too damn slow).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by blackstripe

I'm running Windows XP SP2 at the moment, but I'm really excited for the release of Vista later in the year. I also can't wait for Office 12! Despite the negative things people say about Microsoft, the company does have some truly innovative concepts this time around. The new interface, while resource intensive, looks to make using a computer much more streamlined. Here's an article that summarizes some of the pros and cons of Windows Vista:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...1740&ncid=1729

I'll try Vista once all the dust settles and CPU Magazine and GFFers can give my some hard facts and opinions of how the final code works (that and when I get a newer PC).

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Duminas

You really are closed-minded, aren't you?
First, why should those programs be ported when OSS-equivalents exist? wxmusik, amarok, muine, and several other programs function similarly to foobar2000; grip is (IMO) superior to EAC, as it's got less clutter in the configuration and runs much faster for me; no idea about Kega Fusion. Also, Windows XP, when I ran it, was leaner than Windows 2000. :P

Good for you. You do realise DST settings relate to your OS' configuration, and is not controlled by your BIOS?

That's got to be the most unfounded thing I've ever heard on GFF. "Porting" an OS would be impossible, as it would become an entirely different OS. Also, have you heard of DosBox and Wine? They do exactly what you want. In addition, VMWare's only as slow as you make it, though if your computer is weak, it'll be slow no matter what you do.

As a fun fact, foobar2000 runs perfectly in wine, and EAC is still mostly functional under it.

Also, why are you posting a reply "I'll do [x] when [y]" to everyone? It's annoying.

DOSBox has similar results to running DOS games under VMWare. Though if you could find me a link to running Wine under Damn Small Linux, I'd be glad to give that a try. Foobar2000 under the rock solid Linux sounds very appealing, though I still don't trust running EAC under Wine yet (call me pessimistic), I don't know how Linux handles CD-ROM commands.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Snowknight

While I will not attest that DOSBox is perfect, it is in 98% of the cases I hear about. What super-obscure games do you want to play that fail to run well in DOSBox? (I've never had trouble, and that's with something like 150 games.)

Also, what on earth does, "I don't know how Linux handles CD-ROM commands" mean? Could you elaborate a bit? As far as I've been able to tell over the years I've used Linux (or Unix, for that matter), it handles CD-ROM commands much like any other OS, unless I've been missing something. (Sure, the underlying code is different, but the same effects occur.)

I meant for Linux it doesn't support ASPI (to my knowledge), which is what EAC prefers to use (call me paranoid of ripping stablity, I'm an Audiophile). Also DOSBox runs very slowly under my current PC. Duke Nukem 3D doesn't even get 1fps when I run it (DOOM commonly uses 100% CPU time and freezes Windows)!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Snowknight

ASPI !== ultimate ripping security.

Things can be ripped 'excellently' with things like grip on Linux. As a matter of fact, you don't even need ASPI on Windows: an ASPI layer only provides a standard method of communication between the SCSI/ATAPI host adapter and the devices on it, which may or may not result in more desirable performance.

Also, what version of DOSBox have you tried D3D on? It works fine with 0.63 (for me, anyway).

I actually have a slow 700MHz PC. And it recommends a fast (I'm sure 3GHz is high, but I don't even have 1/4 of that) PC, I just can't compete with the high system requirements. I mainly run DOOM, Duke3D, Dungeon Keeper, Sim City 2000 amoung others when I play DOS games.

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by Dalkaen

I'm running Windows 98SE. It's pretty sad, really. The computer started out with Windows ME, and when that eventually crapped out, I had XP for 30 days until it stopped working. I couldn't afford to buy anything, so I just had my aunt install Windows 98 on it.

Actually Win98SE is not a bad OS as far as pre-Win2k is concerned. It's by far the best Win9x OS you can get. The only real disadvantages would be the lack of stability/security and the fact most newer programs won't run (the big upside is Win98 has reallly low system requirements). About WinXP, if your copy was legit, you should have activated it. If it wasn't, you should just pick up the Corporate Edition, which is on almost any site that has Windows torrents.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Dalkaen

I couldn't activate it because it had already been activated on another computer. It just wouldn't let me do it, because that's not allowed, apparently. Back then, I don't think I knew that BitTorrent even existed, so that wasn't an option.

Well if you're happy with Windows 98SE, I wouldn't change anything, sometimes keeping things the same is a good thing (provided you have no major gripes about using Win98).

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Dalkaen

The gripes I have likely stem from my other specifications, and have little to do with the OS. But I really don't know. 128 MB RAM, 800 MHz processor. And my pitiful 19 GB hard drive. Not exactly good.

According to your specs Windows 2000 would work wonders for you (I run XP on a 700MHz with 128MB RAM, Win2k would run even better). As long as you don't run DOS or old Windows programs (old meaning Windows 3.1), it should run fine for you.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Has anyone tried running an OS on a console? I'm curious to see how Linux would run on a Dreamcast...

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by T1249NTSCJ

I do remember hearing about that sometime in the past, this is what google turned up though. Pretty Cool.

http://www.m17n.org/linux-sh/dreamcast/

Hmm, this is what I like about the Dreamcast, it's so much more hackable than any other console system. Too bad I lack the DC cable modem, the I could try GFF on a Dreamcast...

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Snowknight

Of course, Xbox Linux and Gamecube Linux and PS2 Linux exist, too.

Yes but I would need to mod my PS2 to play the game. Or order the discontinued official PS2 Linux distro, and the latter option would cost me over $150 on eBay.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by MysteryRidah

Windows 98 se, the best os in the world.

Too bad most newer programs don't run on Win98, they all have gone to the lands of Windows XP.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by PUG1911

I'm well aware of Pro's advantages over home. The reason it's not an option when buying a new machine is because any oem I'd be buying from would not change the OS that comes with the bargain machine. Thanks for your input, but my query was only with regards to which OS of the two available would be better or if anything would really be different. It's a stop gap measure until I put a better, more costly OS on it.

Double Post:
Guest, Cetra, thanks for your insight on MCE, as I've not used it. Sounds like home is the way to go at the same pricepoint. Neither is going to do anything I care about over the other, and if I'm using a mediocre OS (home), it might as well have a few less headaches than the other mediocre OS (MCE).

All depends on the sales though. ^^

You do realize you could easily download WinXP Pro, most online versions don't require activation (this version called the Corporate or Volume Licensed Edition). And there's a very easy way to get past the Windows Genuine Advantage check that comes with manual usage of Windows Update and downloading from the Microsoft site.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by PUG1911

I don't pirate software anymore, hence, not going to do that. The XP Pro I'm using in virtual PC is not a legal copy, but I'll remove it when I get a real PC. I appreciate the thought though.

Well I guess you could just save for Windows Vista when it comes out. Unless you really tweak Windows or use Windows in a businesslike environment, you're not missing out on too much by using Windows XP Home (plus why pay an extra $100 for an OS very similar to the one you already have?).

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Kairyu

It should, yet I'm on a windows xp home machine and the EFS option is grayed out .

I do rember there being some registry hack you can use to use EFS on WinXP Home. I wouldn't know if it works or not, because I use WinXP Pro.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Relearning an OS isn't that hard. In fact if you don't deeply tweak or probe your OS, you won't notice too many differences between how to use Win98SE and WinXP (which is how it should be).

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Cless

Nope, not too many, but there's a cadre of us. Before the crash we had a sort of "Mac Users" thread that contained a lot of chat on all things Mac (including requests for help), but that was lost. Maybe one of us should re-make it.

I'm curious if you're going to get MacOSX for the x86 platform. There's a lot of buzz about this, finally you'll be able to dual boot Windows (for all those programs greedy authors won't port) and OSX.
Me? I heven't used a Mac since I graduated from high school (June 2005), I did have a lot of fun getting root access on the school PCs though.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by PUG1911

As of yet, a way to dual boot OSX and Windows on the x86 Macs hasn't been found.

Apple's use of EFI (Without BIOS compatibility/emulation) with 32bit chips means that you can't use the EFI compatible Windows (Those intended for Itanium), because they are 64bit only. The 32bit versions of Windows don't work because they require BIOS instead of EFI.

The really sad news is that it appears that Vista will not include EFI support until the release of 'Longhorn Server' in 2007. So what everyone thought would be the easy way of dual booting those two OSes is looking pretty grim. http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/06/03/10/0526237.shtml

Yeah, but isn't there hacks of OSX that allow it to run on regular Windows PCs? I know it's not official or anything but it's a start,

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?