Windows ME - Is it for the trash can?

[Ian]

Recently I had the displeasure of working on a pc running Windows ME.
The basic problem was that surfing the net was very slow when it shouldn't have been. I set up several diagnostic tools on the pc to test the data rate and found out of a 56k modem that data was only coming in at around 36-40kbps. (connection speed a constant 52k). Yes occasionally it did compress data, but general flow was only constantly around 36-40. After making several changes to the RWIN, TTL and several other settings with no improvement, I changed modems (to a modem I used to use on my own system), this modem with the latest drivers used to run peak speed all the time, it was great, and I ran it on several different systems so I knew it ran well. But guess what? there was no change....
Now, after asking around a bit, i found a friend who just upgraded or installed Windows ME from Windows 2000, and he is having the exact same problem (never had it in Win2k).
So it looks like Win ME has some serious bug when to comes to networking and data transfer.
Does anyone else run ME and has struck or know of similar issues and is there a patch or fix for it? (if not I'm going to format the damn thing and install Win98 and into the trash can ME goes :))

[HyperBaseball]

Yes, Windows ME sucks. Windows: Many Errors (trademarked by me:) )

I would keep with 98 SE if that's what you are running, or install Win 2000 if you have that. Hopefully XP (formerly Whistler) will take care of all these problems and will revolutionize the OS.

[Jacob]

Some of my friends have had related networking problem's on their machines running ME. We couldn't even do something as simple as network two computers together, using ME's "supposedly" easy to use home networking. Every time we tried to setup a network connection, we saw a good old BSOD. Gotta love ME :)

At least it keeps the good old MS tradition alive...




[Edited by Jacob on 02-17-2001 at 10:31 PM]

[SteveS235]

Hehehe.....good ole Uncle Bill. And they're supposed to be releasing another new OS late this year.

[Jason]

Another Microsoft OS for the desktop? I haven't heard anythign about it. Do you have any other info on it?

[SteveS235]

It's called Windows XP.

Check it out here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/

Also:
http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/ptech/02/13/windows.xp/index.html
http://www.msnbc.com/news/530686.asp?0nm=N15N
http://www.winmag.com/specialreports/news/2001/msxp0214.htm

[Edited by SteveS235 on 02-18-2001 at 09:29 PM]

[Jason]

Ha! My parents got their first home PC today, and I had this exact conversation with my dad! (via the phone)


No. 5. Remote support is built into Windows XP. This will be a boon to people — like me and probably you — who get called upon to solve other people’s problems. You’ll be able to log onto their machines over the network or Internet and fix the problem. No more, “Now, Dad, click the Start button and open the Control Panel.”

[opal_flower]

Just curious...I have DSL and I've called them out several times because while I'm online, about every 5 minutes, I will be frozen for about a minute and a half. I click a link and it won't move, the back button won't move... It does this faithfully so I sit there and wait and it's so frustrating. The DSL people said they checked the lines and it's fine and they had me remove all these applications that were running that I didn't need and it doesn't help. I have Windows ME and I wonder if that's the problem and if I have to continue using it. I had no idea Windows could have been the problem.

[Jason]

WHo is your service provider for DSL? I have MSN Internet Access, and I have the same problem after 2 dozen calls, MSN doesn't by chance provide your DSL access, do they?

[opal_flower]

I use SBC (Pac Bell) and EnterNet and Prodigy are my ISP's (I hope that's what you meant). Other than being locked into a 2 year contract, and these constant lapses while I'm online, I love it.

[SteveS235]

Originally posted by Jason
Another Microsoft OS for the desktop? I haven't heard anythign about it. Do you have any other info on it?

They are even coming out with Office XP as well.

http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-201-4878345-0.html?tag=tp_pr

[Dr. Web]

I would have to say, that I just bought a new laptop, and the comments concerning win ME definately influenced me to buy a system running win 98se, instead of winME. At least I am comfortible with the errors win98 throws!

[whkoh]

Win ME is merely a small upgrade to 98SE. If you want, install Win2K. Or, better still, wait for Win XP.

[Snake]

Luckily I have never run into any problems with Windows ME regarding online and I have a 56k modem also. My connections are at optimum performance my bitrate is always at 53000bps which is pretty sweet. The only thing I can complain on ME is that there is VERY LITTLE Support for the ME OS. It pisses me off too because I love to play PC Games and most PC Games that have been released so far are made to be more compatible with Windows 98 SE than with ME I have gotten numerous errors while running programs and games. Its driving me up a wall! My good ole' 500 Mhz with Windows 98 SE never gave me such hassles ( Sure it may have not been state of the art , but It was Old Reliable to me!). I now have the Oppurtunity to get Windows 2000, Based on everyones personal experiences I guess that perhaps I should go with Windows 2000 , what do you think?

[Ian]

Save your $$$ and stick with good old reliable win98 if you are not having problems with it. When windowsXP arrives (currently in beta), there will be even less support for Win2000, ME, 98, and 95 as it will be a whole new learning curve.

[Dr. Web]

Question:
Why release win2000, and winme just to replace them with winXP less than 2 years later?

I myslef have stuck with win98se old and reliable(yeah, rrrrrright!! blue screen of death anyone?!!)

[whkoh]

Windows 2000 is for business, like Windows NT. Windows XP, on the other hand, is for home use too. Windows 2000 is much more reliable and doesn't crash with Internet Explorer.

[Ian]

Originally posted by Dr. Web
Question:
Why release win2000, and winme just to replace them with winXP less than 2 years later?

I think the software industry has been pushed partly by the hardware industry. With processors leaping in power in the last several years it has opened the door to faster system buses, graphic/sound cards, scanning devices and a heap of other new high tech hardware. Software has to be produced to be compatible with this new hardware and constantly changing configuration.
That is one angle, the other is Microsofts market Share. You're going to make more $$$ if you release a new OS every 2yrs and tell people your previous version is out of date and you have to upgrade, than you would if you released a version every 5yrs.

Microsoft recommends that if you want to run their new Windows XP, you should buy the lastest computer to run it on. The OS alone requires 2gig harddrive space and 128meg of ram to operate, so think about that one. !!
I can see me sticking to Win98 for a few years yet it does everything I want it to do.