switching o.s. can I still use original software ?

[chucky cheeze]

I have a 450 tower dimension 20 months old with win.98se
I would like to eventually install the newer operating which is not out yet I am not sure what its called ,whistler or xp or something like that ,not sure
but my question is after I reformat and install the new o.s
will my original 20 month old software and hardware drivers work with the new O.S like its working with windows 98se ?

I got encarta and money 99, works99, word 99 quicken 00
chess 5000 on hardrive chess 7000 virtual pool 00
who want to be a millionare 00 trivual pursuit 00
puzzle master,99 mavis bacon 10 99
or do I have to replace all my software and buy all, [say for example 2002 software ]and get rid of all my original software and also what about all my hardware ?I have a hp deskjet 895Cse printer ,what about the drivers and also the other software like adobe reader and quick time player and iomegaware and internet explorer
chucky00@earthlink.net

[hiredgoonz]

Any of those programs that are compatible with Windows 2000 will probably work with XP...

XP also has a "compatibility mode" that allows you to emulate the 95/98/ME/2000 operating environment, to increase compatibility.

I've only tried this with one program so far, but it does work with that program...

As far as your hardware, I would check it against the HCL for Windows XP

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/whql/hcl/WinXPHCLx86.txt

One warning though, I'm running XP on a 500mhz K6-2 system w/224 mb ram and it is sluggish...huge difference from WinME (it's dual boot)...

Minimum specs are a 300mhz cpu and 128 mb ram for full functionality...and when I was at 128, it was almost hard to use...

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When all else fails, read the instructions.