Microsoft hype to the contrary, deciding whether to upgrade your current version of Windows to Windows XP isn't exactly a no-brainer. Certainly, XP has some neat new features and is more stable than its predecessors, but it requires you to have fairly heavy-duty system resources, and it's incompatible with some older hardware and software. And then there's the expense: The upgrade version of XP Home will cost you $99; the upgrade to XP Pro will set you back $199.

Assessing the merits of an XP upgrade involves answering several questions, not only about whether you should upgrade, but also about whether you can upgrade your existing PC. Even if you can, you must consider whether the prospective benefits are worth the potential hassle--especially if you have an older system.

The bottom line: Before upgrading to XP, you must do some homework. We've assembled an overview of the decision points involved in the upgrade process. For detailed information on the new OS, see November's " Windows XP Inside and Out".

Stan Miastkowski is a contributing editor at PC World. Send him questions at stan_miastkowski@pcworld.com.

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