XP? Vista? 32bit? 64bit? 7?

[RainMaker]

So, I am going to be building a new system here pretty quick and I got to thinking about what OS to run. I was thinking of just staying with XP, but then I wondered about new games needing Vista? So I have some questions I hope to start some educational discussion. Should I go with Vista, or just "future-proof" my new machine for Windows 7 and stay with XP for now? What are the compatibility problems between XP and Vista? Is Vista worth it? etc, etc. :help:

Thanks in advance,

RainMaker

[JD]

Personally I'd go with a 64bit version of Vista. I haven't had any recent compatibility issues since all manufactures are pretty much up on Vista now. SP1 also fixed a lot of little quirks and performance issues.

I know some people will disagree and say XP forever but I prefer to keep up with the latest stuff. Also by getting used to Vista, moving to Windows 7 will be a bit easier too since they are pretty similar.

The only compatibility problem with Vista that you may have is with old peripherals like printers, scanners and webcams but those are all pretty cheap to get one that works with Vista.

Just make sure you have at least 4GB of RAM for Vista IMO. 2GB is okay, but with RAM prices right now you'd be better off with 4GB+.

[sswilson]

If you need to purchase a new OS I'd go with Vista (not completely sure on 64bit, but it's gotta be almost time to move away from 32bit... :) ), if you've already got a valid copy of XP it might not be worth it ATM.

Aside from M$ gaming offerings.... I can't think of any games which currently won't run on XP, and I'm not sure there's enough of a difference in visual quality to switch OS's based solely on that.

[RainMaker]

Will XP stuff run on Vista? What about Open Source stuff? (Open Office, Firefox. GIMP, Inkscape, Jajuk) Sorry if these are stooopid questions...

[kzEr]

32-Bit or 64-Bit

If you're going to run 4GB or more in that system, it'll be beneficial to run a 64 bit operating system so all the memory can be properly mapped due to the 32-bit memory limit. There are switches you can throw in a 32-bit OS to allow it to potentially access all 4GB of RAM but it is not a sure thing (dependent on other hardware). Also, iirc Windows maps your GFX memory also, so staying at 3GB isnt going to really do much for you here.

Games for Windows

There's not many games that directly require DX10 to play at the current time, but developers at some point will all take this path, and MS has already said that they will not be developing a DX10 for legacy Operating Systems as it is 'not possible' so if you're looking at these games, might as well upgrade to Vista.

Upgrade Path to Windows 7

From a UI standpoint...if what the Milestone and Alpha releases are anything like what the UI is going to be like for 7, it may be good to get some experience using a Vista-esque Operating System just to get used to the new feel.

Hearsay about Drivers/Vista64 Gaming

From what I can tell from my experiences, all the talk about Vista 64 being terrible for gaming or the driver support being sparse and slow...its just that, talk. It was true (drivers) when Vista was launched but its all been ramped up and I've yet to have any problems running Vista 64 and gaming or doing pretty much anything. They've substantially improved on the x32 emulation and it works quite well, no need to run in compatibility mode for any application (that I've run across at least as of yet).

TLDR Version

Vista x64


//AVOIDING DOUBLE POST

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Will XP stuff run on Vista? What about Open Source stuff? (Open Office, Firefox. GIMP, Inkscape, Jajuk) Sorry if these are stooopid questions...

What do you mean by XP stuff? Open source applications will run fine under Vista as far as I can tell, I'm running OO and Firefox on my PC at home

[JD]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Will XP stuff run on Vista? What about Open Source stuff? (Open Office, Firefox. GIMP, Inkscape, Jajuk) Sorry if these are stooopid questions...

Any program, assuming it doesn't require drivers, will work fine on Vista x64. There's always the infamous compatibility mode as well.

If it's a really old program, say for Windows 98, then you should look into finding a newer version. But all recent programs should work fine.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by kzEr

32-Bit or 64-Bit

What do you mean by XP stuff? Open source applications will run fine under Vista as far as I can tell, I'm running OO and Firefox on my PC at home

The programs I am running now on XP, and bought for XP...like Nero.

[kzEr]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The programs I am running now on XP, and bought for XP...like Nero.

They'll work fine

[lcdguy]

for the most part yes. But with nero it depends if it's versio 6 then no. vista won't let you install it. i think 7, 8 and 9 do work though.

[enaberif]

Don't bother asking this question as you'll never get a precise answer from anyone and will always have a heated debate.

Myself I don't see any reason to run Vista as it doesn't give you any benefit over Windows XP despite what others will say and no if you only have 4gb of ram you don't need a 64bit OS a 32bit OS will work just fine.

IMHO Superfetch and DX10 is a marketing gimmick and if your computer is fast enough whether you have superfetch or not things will load fast.