Find out if you've got what it takes to support XP.

Microsoft issued Windows XP Release Candidate 1 (RC1) last week, and although it looks like XP's far from finished, the candidate does give us a better sense of Windows XP's hardware requirements.

In this article, I'll pass along some guidelines to help you figure out if your system is XP compatible. Along the way, I'll point you to some sites where you can continue to find up-to-date information on hardware compatibility between now and the official Windows XP release date.

Wizard Note: If you signed up to participate in the Windows XP Preview Program, you're probably wondering where your copy of RC1 is. Well, you're not alone. There are an estimated half-million folks in line for either the RC1 download or the RC1 CD. Sit tight, Microsoft has promised that you'll get your copy soon enough.

Greg Shultz is a freelance writer specializing in the Windows operating system. Greg can be reached at The_Windows_Wizard@hotmail.com.

If your current system is running Windows 2000 Professional or Windows Me and has a minimum of 128MB of RAM, you should be ready for Windows XP. If you recently bought a system, and it came with Windows 2000 Professional or Windows Me preinstalled, has a Designed for Windows 2000 Professional or Designed for Windows Me logo on it, and at least 128MB of RAM, you're definitely ready for Windows XP.

If you're running an older system, you must have a 300 MHz processor with 64MB of RAM at the very least and at least 2.5GB of free hard disk space. If your system just meets the bare minimum requirements, you probably won't be very happy with Windows XP's performance. If your system falls below this level and you're dying to get XP, you should definitely consider getting a new system.

Wizard Tip: Wanna be the first one on your block to order XP? Sign up for our e-mail notification program, and we'll let you know when XP becomes available.

If you're in the market for a new system, you're in luck. Many computer manufacturers, such as Acer, Gateway, and Compaq, are already marketing Windows XP-ready PCs. Some computer manufacturers are even offering a Windows XP upgrade package deal if you purchase a system now. Dell is offering a Windows XP Upgrade Kit Coupon package that will allow you to get the new operating system for US$39 when it becomes available.

For more information on Windows XP-ready PCs, check out the Microsoft Windows XP site.

Wizard Tip: If you want to learn more about Microsoft's overall plan for device and hardware support in Windows XP, check out "What's New in Device and Hardware Support?"

In addition to basic system compatibility, many folks are curious about compatibility issues with various hardware devices. Well, the good news is that Microsoft has really put a lot of work into making sure that the new operating system supports a plethora of hardware devices right out of the box.

Since Microsoft put the Designed for Windows XP logo program into effect early this year, most hardware manufacturers should have Windows XP drivers for their devices ready by the time Windows XP ships. Plus, you should be able to download Windows XP drivers for most, if not all, standard hardware devices from either the Microsoft Windows Update site or the manufacturer's Web site.

If you can't find a Windows XP device driver for a specific device but do have access to a Windows 2000 driver, you can use the Windows 2000 driver in the new operating system. In some cases, you can even use Windows 98 and Windows Me drivers in Windows XP--if the driver is designed using an architecture that Windows XP recognizes. For more information on using Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows 2000 drivers in Windows XP, see the Windows XP Hardware Compatibility Tests FAQs on the Windows Hardware Quality Labs site.

Wizard Tip: If you're curious to find out which hardware devices have currently passed the Windows XP compatibility testing phase, check out the most recent Windows XP Hardware Compatibility List courtesy of the Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility site