Articles tagged with: windows xp

Asus is taking the strain out of loading Windows XP onto its tiny 7in laptop, with a ready loaded version due to hit the shops in the States in nine days time. And the good news for Windows fans is it won't cost any more than the current Linux model.

If you’re not happy with using the heavily customised version of Linux that comes with the Asus Eee PC 701 and 900, there’s nothing to stop you installing Windows on it instead. Actually, that’s not strictly true–   with only a 4Gb SSD drive, the Eee PC 701 won’t be much use once there’s a 3.8Gb patched Windows XP installation sitting on it. It's a less of a squeeze on the Eee PC 900 , but even its 16Gb drive will be better off without the Windows components you'll never use. 

Unfortunately, even if you opt not to install any of Windows XP’s extraneous components, you won’t make much of a dent in its disk footprint – much of the bloat is installed whether you want it or not. The solution is to create a customised Windows XP installation CD that just installs the files you need. All you need is a free download, a Windows XP CD and a little know how…

With Windows XP Service Pack 3 now available for download, we’ve updated our step-by-step guide to creating a slipstreamed Windows install CD for the Asus Eee PC. SP3 is a 316Mb download and by bundling it into your own Windows install disc, you can skip the lengthy Windows Update when you install Windows XP on your Eee PC 701 or 900.

The slipstreaming process (which uses nLite) is a bit long-winded, but our guide makes it easy by showing everything you need to know. Better still, adding Service Pack 3 into the mix is a breeze.

So, check out our updated guide to installing a lightweight version of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 on the Asus Eee PC using nLite.

After giving Windows XP an unexpected stay of execution in response to the sudden popularity of UMPCs like the Asus Eee, Microsoft has now said it will offering the operating system at a bargain cut price. It'll now be available to PC makers for just £16, a considerable reduction on the current £55 retail cost.

Currently XP comes at a noticeable premium over Linux on most UMPCs, either in cost or specification, something that's given Linux a considerable foothold. This move could well reverse that trend, making XP models almost identical in price to Linux versions.

And just in case you were thinking of taking advantage of Microsoft's gesture yourself, there is a catch. It's only available for PCs with a maximum 1GB RAM, up to 80GB hard drive, 1GHz or lower and a screen no larger than 10.2in.

[BBC]

Just as we suspected it might, Microsoft's announced that Windows XP won't be completely pulled from the shops in two months' time after all. Instead, a special XP Home for ULCPCs (ultra-low-cost PCs) will live on in OEM form until 30th June 2010.

Rumours abound that Microsoft is about to extend the life of Windows XP past the 30th June cut-off. That was when it had originally planned to stop selling XP licenses to encourage us all to move to Vista. According to InfoWorld, the decision's to be overturned because of the unexpected success of stripped-down, low spec laptops like the Asus Eee PC.