Reinstalls all done
Last weekend I re-jiggered both PCs and installed WIN 7 on each. Both have more hard drive storage and have more or less been running a lot smoother than when they were using XP.
I considered installing some version of Linux on either, and have left space for a dual boot later o. I wouldn't consider having ONLY Liniux installs but there are Windows programs that I prefer to use and running things under WINE just doesn't cut it. Funny too how some programs I was using under XP (like Foobar 2000) just don't work as well under Seven (I replaced it with Music Jukebox). Haven't reinstalled any games yet, but did save the settings from the ones I had installed before.
One problem I did have was connecting up to other PCs on the network. Win 7 has something called HOMEGROUP (sounds like something to do with a HOMELAND) and I was extremely frustrated trying to connect to that. Kept getting error messages and the lounge PC wouldn't download Windows updates! The solution I found was to un-install ZONEALARM FREE (which stopped the IPv6 protocol dead) on each (replaced it PCTOOLS FREE FIREWALL) and instead of trying to connect with HOMEGROUP, I logged on to each of my PCs remotely as a know user - works great!
Always fun to start over again.