Avoid Pentium II Leftovers
cadieux@librarybook.com
Sat, 4 Oct 1997 23:49:24 -0400
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 1997 23:49:24 -0400
Message-Id: <3.0.32.19971004235242.007bc8f0@librarybook.com>
From: cadieux@librarybook.com
To: Multiple recipients of list <conntech>
Subject: Avoid Pentium II Leftovers
Reprinted from: http://www4.zdnet.com/
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Some things are obvious. Water is wet. Smoking kills. Everyone looks better
in a tux. Nothing is really free. Duh.
OK, try this one: If you're buying a new Pentium II, make sure it will run
Windows 98 properly.
Sounds like a no-brainer, but if you're not careful you'll get stuck with
leftovers. Late this year Intel quietly introduced a new 440LX chip set to
handle some of Win98's key hardware-specific features. But unless you
specifically ask for it, you may end up with the older 440FX chips, which
can leave you totally hosed at upgrade time.
Don't you just hate waiting for your PC to boot? Or installing something
and having to restart your system for it to take effect? Or needing to
leave your PC humming just to receive faxes or do delayed file downloading
at midnight when the rates are low? Win98's OnNow (a.k.a. Advanced
Configuration and Power Interface, or ACPI) will fix these. But only with
the new silicon.
About the only way to tell if your new PC has one of these chip sets is to
look on the motherboard--if it has Intel chips labeled 82439TX and 82371AB,
then you own a 430TX. If you see Intel chips marked 82439LX and 82371AB,
you're running a 440LX.
Next year Microsoft will ask system vendors with the new chips to slap a
Designed for Windows 98 sticker on the front.
by Paul Somerson
The above article was edited for ConnTech to reduce length.
Please read the full text at:
http://www4.zdnet.com/pccomp/opinion/opin1197/paul1197.html