I've mentioned I wanted my station revival (whenever that occurs) to operate from an Windows XP base. I am so serious about that, but same goes for any kind of production work, be it desktop publishing (non digital), or a home media center..
Like AM radio and its general consensus as being obsolete, it remains because it's the most dependable means of mass communication, because its unbreakable. You can't break an AM signal like you can FM or digital or cellular networks. AM is unbreakable.
Windows XP is like AM in that respect. Both ancient and obsolete.. Only they're not.
I already knew the majority of ATM systems in the U.S. operate on XP, but never considered that military and medical systems are also highly reliant on Windows XP to operate:
6 Things You Won't Believe Still Run Windows XP
https://www.howtogeek.com/things-you-wont-believe-still-run-windows-xp/
I looked on Ebay and XP is available new for as low as $40 to $50 and up to $100. I wonder if I could get one of these and install on any computer in place of 10 or 11 or give it to a service place to do it for me?
Just thinking out loud.
@mark They go much cheaper there, just steer clear of the Dell or other proprietary distributions. Unless of course if your installing on it an old Dell. Incidentally, and I hesitate to say but ISOs are on the internet archive.
Windows XP User Runs Windows 11 in Virtual Machine
https://www.extremetech.com/computing/a-windows-xp-user-runs-windows-11-in-virtual-machine
A Reddit user figured out how to run Windows 11 on a Windows XP computer using a virtual machine. The experiment was conducted on a Windows XP x64 system, utilizing VirtualBox 5.2.44 with Certificate Updates and a Windows 11 ISO. The user made two key changes to bypass Windows 11's hardware requirements, allowing the newer operating system to run within the virtual environment, as reported by Windows Report.
@mark They go much cheaper there, just steer clear of the Dell or other proprietary distributions. Unless of course if your installing on it an old Dell. Incidentally, and I hesitate to say but ISOs are on the internet archive.
Ok, so one of the station allocated machines I have is an old Dell. Has "DLL" run error that I cannot fix. Should I trash it? I thought about running Linux Mint on it.
It's usually a simple and quick to search out your missing DLL and install it. Or just get a cheap Dell XP cd on Ebay and do a fresh install.
It's usually a simple and quick to search out your missing DLL and install it. Or just get a cheap Dell XP cd on Ebay and do a fresh install.
I could overwrite another operating system on it, right? Hit ESC at start up and load it.
@centinel You could wipe it and install a fresh operating system, yes.
Who needs Windows 11? FreeXP is a modern version of Microsoft’s greatest OS, powered by Debian Linux February 18, 2025 • By Wayne Williams
[EXcerpts]
"I appreciate calling Windows XP “Microsoft’s greatest OS” will elicit snorts of derision from a good number of you. ... But certainly, Windows XP was a classic, and a huge step up from the operating systems that preceded it.
If you miss XP but aren’t crazy enough to run an OS that (mostly) hasn’t had security updates in over a decade, FreeXP might be just what you’re looking for. It’s not XP, and it’s not from Microsoft, but it looks and feels just like it...
..The nostalgic OS includes the famous Bliss wallpaper, the XP Start menu and taskbar, icons, control panel, and more. You’ll have to pinch yourself that it’s not actually XP at times. Because it’s a modern OS, you’ll find cool features like virtual desktop support and the option to install the Chromium browser.... You can download FreeXP (or Free10) from here.
@richpowers Me personally I don't care what version of windows it is as for what I do it's all the same. Some older programs like Chessmaster for example were made for XP but won't run on later versions...well it will, but it won't install in the computer. It was on a DVD so now you'd need an external drive, and it accesses the drive to operate. You could maybe transfer it to a USB drive. Zara won't run properly on 10 or 11 with later versions so I switched to Salamandra, much better.
Other than that it doesn't matter. I don't see how XP or 7 which was also popular would matter much to me over other versions.
But would this free XP run Zara or Salamandra if it's not actually Microsoft Windows but a clone so to speak? Just wondering.
@mark i have no idea if Salamandra would run on it, its not really a clone, it's just a linux operating system with XP skin thrown on top of it, so if theres a Salamandra linux distro you could.
I just thought it was cool is all.
@richpowers Johny C in New Zealand said he got Salamandra(I think it was) to run on Linux but he is way more computer technically savvy than many of us.
But for me it can be XP, 7, 10, 11 doesn't make any difference. I don't understand the preferences for one or the other. Some use a Macbook and say it's so much better than Windows but why I don't know, you do the same thing on both. The only thing we really need Windows for is our hobby as far as I know all the automated broadcast programs are made for Windows, not the other operating systems. As for Windows 11 and the set up having to go through Microsoft and not being able to have a local account....Youtube has many videos showing you how to get around it.
@mark As a dedicated pc, intended for only a few specific task - like Zara and WW, and virtual cables - I always found XP the most reliable, no glitches, leave running unattended for weeks 24/7.
Not so reliable in Windows 7 or 8, though it ran fine... dont know about the rest.
Or maybe it's all in my head, but I prefer XP for station automation.
@richpowers You are right about XP as Zara won't work on 10 and 11 without problems.
It's old and hasn't been updated for compatibility with 10 or 11. But Salamandra which has a similar platform as Zara will work without a glitch. Mine runs 24/7 week after week, month after month. Windows 11. All that matters in not have the updates.
...Salamandra.. Mine runs 24/7 week after week, month after month. Windows 11. All that matters in not have the updates.
Really? Good to know.