XP vs Vista for new PC

[lbeachmike]

Hey there -

I'm finally building a new box, and wondering whether or not I should stick with XP or move to Vista. I've been loathing the idea of migrating to Vista. I usually like to skip every other OS with Microsoft :)

I was under the impression that Vista was still very quirky, but I've heard a lot of positives from people I've spoken with.

I'm not quite sure what criteria to use to choose XP vs Vista. I like stability, so any opinions on which is the more stable platform at this point?

Any strong recommendations one way versus the other?

Should the decision be based primarily on whether or not all of my software is Vista-compatible?

Any good links that might help me? I trust the opinions here above others. You guys haven't let me down yet :)

Thanks.

Mike

(If the concensus is to go with Vista, next question will be "Which version?" ;) )

[Train]

What do you do?
Examples: gaming, video work, etc.

[lbeachmike]

Right now, a little of everything - I do view a lot of video files - ultimately I'd like to get more involved with video. I'm not a big-time gamer, so my demands are not extensive in that realm.

By the way, this will be an i7-based platform.

Thanks.

Mike

[Midknyte]

i7 is overpriced because of the Triple Channel DDR3. But that's for another thread.

What apps are you running? Can they run in Vista? If not, can they run in an XP VM? (I.E. they are NOT hardware dependant)

How much ram are you going to buy? If it's 4GB or more, I'd probably lean towards Vista 64.

As for Vista version, I'd go with Home Premium or Ultimate.

[lbeachmike]

I have no doubt i7 is currently "overpriced" as is usually the case with new technology - but it's always lose-lose, in that if I buy the "old" stuff, then I'm behind the curve. Honestly, the budget difference is not much of an issue, unless I'm getting entirely ripped off. I never prefer to get ripped off :)

So it seems that the OS decision comes down to whether or not my apps will run in Vista, ay? I'm not familiar with XP VM, but I was thinking that perhaps I can simply create two boot drives - one for Vista, one for XP - then I could still have the option of using XP if I need it for anything. Would that work without any issues?

I am sticking with 32-bit and the 3.25 gig RAM limit. I've heard of too many compatibility issues (lack of support) for 64-bit still to this point.

Re: the specific apps I'm running - it's not just a matter of what I am currently running, but also of what I might need to run at any given time. I do work which supports other users and I need to be able to install and run just about any app at any time.

Thanks.

mrk

[Shoreguy]

Mike....also make certain all your devices, peripherals, etc., etc., have drivers for both Vista and Vista 64. You'll need to check each mfg's website.

[Midknyte]

I'm not familiar with XP VM, but I was thinking that perhaps I can simply create two boot drives - one for Vista, one for XP - then I could still have the option of using XP if I need it for anything. Would that work without any issues?

I guess you're not familiar with virtualization. A VM is a virtual machine, as in VirtualPC, Virtualbox or VMWare. It's basically Windows running within Windows, which eliminates the need to dual boot OSes. It uses generic hardware emulation, so hardware dependant apps may not run properly.

i7 is expensive itself. Throw in an X58 chipset board and triple channel DDR3 and that's really going to take a bite out of your wallet. I'm just preparing you for the sticker shock.

I agree with Shoreguy about the drivers. Going with the bigger names on hardware should reduce the driver headaches (except for Creative Labs).

[Train]

i7 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000340343%2050001157%201050744915&name=Core%20i7 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000340343%2050001157%201050744915&name=Core%20i7)

i7 motherboards.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000200280%201070645357&name=Core%20i7

[lbeachmike]

Hey guys - thanks for the advice.

Shoreguy - Thanks for the links, but I already have my hardware selected. If I understand correctly, what you are saying is that if I choose my hardware such that there are 64-bit drivers available, I will have no compatibility issues and should run with the 64-bit OS - is that what you are advising?

Is it a simply matter to start out with the 32-bit OS and later upgrade to the 64-bit version? Or would a clean install be required or recommended for that?

And, are there substantial advantages of going 64-bit that make it worthwhile at this point in time?

Midknyte - Good suggestion for going with XP VM, but since I already own XP, this would actually be an added cost for something may present some added quirks due to the hardware emulation. I otherwise will be running with multiple drives, so it's not that big a deal for me to throw XP onto one of them and still use the rest of it as a data drive. Then again, if Vista is totally hassle-free, I may never need the XP.

My main question is really this -

Given the choice, would you prefer to run Vista or XP on a new box at this point in time? I'm primarily seeking reliability, versatility and overall less stress! :)

Thanks.

Mike

[Shoreguy]

Mike...although I didn't give you links, what I said and you confirmed are correct. Go through and list the inventory of hardware and peripherals you have and plan on buying. Then go to each manufacturer's website and confirm they all support Vista 64-bit operating systems...and provide drivers for them.
E.G., My HP 2840 MFP has print drivers available. However, it doesn't natively provide drivers to be able to fax, scan or email scanned or faxed documents. I have to keep at least one of my machines on XP 32 bit in order to utilize all functionality of the scan/fax/printer.

You can certainly start out at a 32 bit OS. Upgrading later will cost you the difference in OS upgrade price...and you'll probably enjoy getting beyond the 3GB limit on RAM that 32bit is limited to, especially for Vista...its still a pig.

64 bit is certainly where the market is going, but its still not there yet. Its more a matter of what applications you currently AND intend on running. Most applications run just fine on a 32 bit platform, but if you're doing extensive video editing, etc., 64 bit and added ram will certainly increase your productivity as the reduction in processing may be significant.

VM is stable and allows you more bang to the buck. Yes, you should always back up, back up, back up...but VM should not impose additional risk to data loss, but will require additional resources, as both operating systems running will tax your ram and processing power.

Vista isn't totally hassle-free, but its getting close. There's a learning curve to reduce the number of warning messages and 'protections' Vista includes. However, it IS giving most people what they want....more protection at the cost of annoying "are you sure?" pop-ups.

Given the choice, If all my hardware checked out and I found drivers or work-arounds for any quirks, I'd go Vista 64. All of the newest hardware is geared towards 64bit, and by the time Windows 7 rolls around, your hardware will need another run through regardless.

[Midknyte]

Upgrading from 32 to 64 bit requires a clean install.

Virtual PC, Virtualbox and VMWare server are FREE. I don't know what you mean by "added cost".

If you pass all the software and driver requirements, I'd go with Vista64 Home Premium or Ultimate.

[lbeachmike]

Great info guys - thanks for all of the detail.

I was not aware that the virtualization software was all free - so you are saying that I can XP within Vista without any additional cost, correct?

However, there is also no consequence for me to setup an XP-based boot disk if I wanted to go that route to keep things entirely isolated from my Vista boot drive, right?

As far as being thorough in drivers-confirming, for USB-based peripherals that are currently plug-n-play, that should remain unchanged in Vista with drivers continuing to be native to the OS, correct?

It is actually because Windows 7 is coming, that I was considering sticking with XP for now and then making the leap to Windows 7 instead of dealing with two transitions. Does that make sense? Or is Windows 7 still very far out?

Thanks.

mrk

[Steve R Jones]

Real MEN use Vista...The experience will add to your resume and overall pc knowledge...Plus you'll be several steps closer to being able to use Win 7 in a year or so when it comes out.

[lbeachmike]

I thought real men used Linux? :)

You make a compelling argument. I suppose real men also use 64-bit ;)

Thanks!

mrk

[Midknyte]

so you are saying that I can XP within Vista without any additional cost, correct?

Yes, assuming you own the XP license already.

Setting up a dual boot is more complicated, especially when you try to restore backup images. Boot sectors get overridden, yadda yadda yadda. VM is very flexible and you can flash back to a previous snapshot with ease. That's all for a different thread.

As far as being thorough in drivers-confirming, for USB-based peripherals that are currently plug-n-play, that should remain unchanged in Vista with drivers continuing to be native to the OS, correct?

Do you mean simple stuff like keyboards and mice? Other than that, don't assume anything with Vista.

Windows 7 is still a ways out. They are only on very early betas.

[lbeachmike]

Thanks for all the help. Looks like I've got a bit of homework for tonight.

[cdroman]

Hey there -

I'm finally building a new box, and wondering whether or not I should stick with XP or move to Vista. I've been loathing the idea of migrating to Vista. I usually like to skip every other OS with Microsoft :)

I was under the impression that Vista was still very quirky, but I've heard a lot of positives from people I've spoken with.

I'm not quite sure what criteria to use to choose XP vs Vista. I like stability, so any opinions on which is the more stable platform at this point?

Any strong recommendations one way versus the other?

Should the decision be based primarily on whether or not all of my software is Vista-compatible?

Any good links that might help me? I trust the opinions here above others. You guys haven't let me down yet :)

Thanks.

Mike

(If the concensus is to go with Vista, next question will be "Which version?" ;) )

I really like Vista.

It is very stable for me; I leave it on for weeks at a time as it goes very well into, and out of sleep mode.

I don't have any software that doesn't work with Vista. ( I don't have much in the way of old software though) I still have 1 pc with XP on it (media pc)

32 bit or 64 bit is up to you. I don't need 64 bit. :)

[matobinder]

I'd say this. Yes 64bit is faster at lots of things I do over 32 bit. But that's under Linux at work. Will your current XP license work on the new box(i.e. like a Dell XP license usually only works on that box).

If the license works, just stick with XP for now. Unless you absolutely need a reason for Vista. Depending on your data storage needs, oversize your harddrive a bit, and leave some space unformatted. When you get a bit more time, go grab a license for Vista and play with it on the unformatted space and see how it runs. In the meantime, you can play around with Linux and things on the unused space. I have my 750 gig drive formatted

300 megs NTFS, WinXP
100 megs FAT32 (for data tranfsfer between OS's)
150 megs Fedora 9
100 megs Ubunto
~50 megs .... drum roll here... BeOS 4.5(yes it actually works on my box yet, graphics drivers a problem, but hey its just fun to see that in the grub boot loader.)

And, always a good idea... my last partition.

50 megs NTFS, WinXP (same license as above...)

This is my Virus scan only partition... I boot to it once a month, plug in the network to quick update WinXP and Virus software, disconnect network, and scan my main WinXP 300 meg NTFS partition "offline"

[lbeachmike]

Interesting and helpful advice and I like your dual-XP strategy.

One thing's for sure, you definitely have much more free time on your hands then I do :)

What do you use for boot management?

In my own circumstance, I actually run 6 internal drives total, so I have a bit of flexibility there.

I suppose you keep the backup XP on the same boot drive so that it does not prompt you to reactivate ... ? Or does it?

My XP license will work on the new box - it will just ask for reactivation. But whether or not I go XP or Vista, I'm going to move up to 64-bit, so I'll need a new license either way.

[BipolarBill]

I would go Vista at this time. Finding XP drivers is starting to be a problem. It's time to move on.

I would go 64-bit too and get it over with. x64 will soon be inevitable as well. Virtualize XP 32b with MS Virtual PC for legacy support. That way, when you're finally done with XP, you can just throw out the virtual drive instead of fiddling with boot menus. :)

[Midknyte]

The XP VM may ask to reactivate. You can try backing up your activation files. I haven't tried it with SP3, though.

http://www.theeldergeek.com/activation_workaround.htm

[lbeachmike]

Great - thanks. I am indeed going with Vista 64-bit.

Vista Ultimate Edition is the way to go, correct?

[Midknyte]

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/compare-editions/default.aspx

Home Premium is probably enough, but you can get Ultimate if you want all the bells and whistles.

[Train]

OEM is legal
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=368&name=Operating-Systems