OS Best for FFXI?

[Tres]

Wondering what OS would be best for FFXI. Right now I'm still running Win98 SE but I have the WinXP HE Upgrade. Should I go ahead and go with WinXP or stick with Win98 SE? Thanks for the help.

[Nex]

You must have the japanese OS if you're going to play on win 98, you don't need that with windows xp. So it works only on windows xp

[JncoDragon]

I would recommend Windows 2000 Professional for either version of the game. Windows 2000 has the same ability as Windows XP to allow Japanese support. I know this given that I am running it now. ^^ You could also go with Windows XP for both versions, but I like Windows 2000 moreso than Windows XP. The choice is your own though.

~JncoDragon :eek:

[Pai Pai Master]

If you're importing, you can only use XP, and I believe 2000 as well. Otherwise, you should be able to run the english version on 98.

[Tres]

Umm sorry I didn't specify, but I'm talking about if the N.A. PC Beta. Not the import :sweat:

[StarRealms]

XP was the first windows upgrade since 95 that I thought was actually worthwhile... I would upgrade to XP even if you were not playing ffxi.

[Pai Pai Master]

Don't bother with XP, it's basically just a bunch of bells and whistles no one ever uses. the only useful function on XP is the ability to create system restore points.

but to reiterate (i love that word), the American version of FFXI can run on your Windows 98, 2000, ME, NT or XP.

[UltimaWeapon]

Originally posted by Pai Pai Master
Don't bother with XP, it's basically just a bunch of bells and whistles no one ever uses. the only useful function on XP is the ability to create system restore points.

but to reiterate (i love that word), the American version of FFXI can run on your Windows 98, 2000, ME, NT or XP.

Don't forget all the pretty colors! ;)

[AKosygin]

FFXI supports Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millenium Edition, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows 2003 (server family).

As to which operating system is the best for FFXI? Well, starting with the OS individually, Win2K, XP, and 2003 are the best ones. If you still have Windows 98, you should upgrade to Second Edition to get rid of those odd ball quirks. Out of the DOS based Windows, Win98 SE is the most stable. Windows ME is just stacked too high on the architechture that the small foundation of DOS can't support it and it is total crap.

As for the Win2K, XP, and 2003 debate (more like 2k versus XP). If you are going to get Windows XP Home Edition, FORGET IT! You either buy Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional. Home edition is so stripped down, there really isn't a good reason to get it. Having to deal with the Home edition stuff drives me up the walls. (Users just keep asking why they can't do something that they can do on Pro..... Duh.)

XP offers better (not good, better than Win2k) security and pretty colors with its "wonderful" interface to better please those whom are extremely color coordinated. The cost, of course, is that all those wonderful effects and such things cost background resources.

Windows 2000 is weaker on security and is a little less "user friendly" but it has less "crap" to clog up your resources.... unless you know how to tune XP to drop its bells and whistles to become a lean mean machine.

So personally, Windows 2000 is my recommendation.

[Doppelganger]

i believe that windows ME also has system restore, that or 2000.
xp doesn't have to use the colors and sounds, there is a secondary configuation so it's like all other windows. i personally like the xp style though, as long as you disable some stupid apps that run in the background hogging up as much as 15 megs easily

[StarRealms]

Originally posted by Pai Pai Master
Don't bother with XP, it's basically just a bunch of bells and whistles no one ever uses. the only useful function on XP is the ability to create system restore points.

but to reiterate (i love that word), the American version of FFXI can run on your Windows 98, 2000, ME, NT or XP.

Stuff XP offers that Windows 98 doesn't (or at least was harder for me to use/find in 98):
Easy interface to set up at home networking
Faster load times when computer is turned on
Better Task Manager/Resources use Program (ctrl+alt+delete)
More Stability (no more blue screens)
Easy EN+JP language support
New taskbar scroll list when you have many of the same program type open
Automatic support to resync clock time (this drove me nuts when my clock was off on win98)
And I'm sure there are many other features that I am not mentioning.

I am not highly computer oriented and I have never used XP Pro or windows 2000, but that doesn't change the fact that I would still upgrade to windows XP for the reasons above. Perhaps compared to the pro versions XP home is not worthwhile, I wouldn't know the difference (and if cost is an issue, I think xp home is the cheapest out of windows 2000 and the Pro editions). Just wanted to say I politely disagree with the do not bother with XP statement, I think some people (including myself) would really like XP over 98. :thumbsup: Although Pro edition might still even better as AKosygin mentioned.

[gurico]

XP is the officially "recommended" OS for FF XI in Japan.

More than likely will US release have the same specifications as Japan, so there you go.

From testing results, XP and 2000 are on par with each other, but for other compatibility issues, and as all you have mentioned the colors =), I would go with XP.