Should i upgrade from XP to vista?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Benjamin_500
  • Start date Start date
B

Benjamin_500

I have XP Pro, its quite good a little slow here and there despite the high
end output of my computer( 2.6ghz core 2 duo E6600, 2GB Ram 2x 250gb HDD 512
pci-e card more fans than you can count ) I get along fine, apart from a sata
issue i have been fighting with ASUS, but thats nothing really. but is it
worth upgrading to Vista, one thing i noticed is that it takes 40GB on
install thats a large jump from XP, i guess ill have to get a bigger main
drive? 500gb or something. Also my G/card is directx 9 do i have to get 10??
or will vista work with the 9 card (ATI x1950xtx pro 512mb MSI Build) i run
the full adobe suite cs3, word 2007, a few other industry video and imaging
programes, divx and a load of games (mainly titles within the last 5/6 years)
so i put the question to you again, should i upgrade??
 
Benjamin_500 said:
should i upgrade??
Click to expand...

WHY? Is there something broken with your XP?

A little basic houskeeping and optimization would probably speed it up.
 
Not really, just a few bugs and stuff, its clean from virus and ad were etc..
the only issue i got is that the SATA ports on the MB seam to disconnect the
HDD now and then, but thats an issue with the MB not windows. i am just
curious if its worth the upgrade, is it a better OS or (if you look at the
spec in my opening message) taking in to account the programes and spec i
have should i just stick with XP??
 
I've been reading this group since it's inception... and there are plentiful archives,
that if researched, would suggest that upgrading would most likely be a complete
nightmare for you. I've been through two versions of VISTA personally (giving both
of them away with new PC builds) and I support a few dozen VISTA PCs on the
side. It's nothing to write home about and it's forcing thousands and thousands
of new 'upgrade' users to simply buy new computers.

MHO is that VISTA is pretty much a complete nightmare for anyone who has plenty
of experience with previous operating systems... especially when 'upgrading' and not
doing a fresh, clean install. For new computer owners, they'll never see the differences.
I find VISTA to be a slow and bloated hog once a little software is added... and there are
a few personal privacy 'issues' between VISTA and Microsoft if you aren't very careful
about how you set up the OS and what you let run in the background.

There are hardware and software compatibility lists all over the net to help you make
a decision, but my personal decision was to buy another half dozen copies of XP last
year.... and 90% of the PC builds I completed *requested* XP.

I see no compelling reason to change at this time.... but that's just me.


--
David Morgan (MAMS)
Morgan Audio Media Service
http://www.m-a-m-s DOT com
Dallas, Texas (214) 662-9901
_____________________________
http://www.januarysound.com
 
Benjamin_500 said:
I have XP Pro, its quite good a little slow here and there despite the high
end output of my computer( 2.6ghz core 2 duo E6600, 2GB Ram 2x 250gb HDD
512
pci-e card more fans than you can count ) I get along fine, apart from a
sata
issue i have been fighting with ASUS, but thats nothing really. but is it
worth upgrading to Vista, one thing i noticed is that it takes 40GB on
install thats a large jump from XP, i guess ill have to get a bigger main
drive? 500gb or something. Also my G/card is directx 9 do i have to get
10??
or will vista work with the 9 card (ATI x1950xtx pro 512mb MSI Build) i
run
the full adobe suite cs3, word 2007, a few other industry video and
imaging
programes, divx and a load of games (mainly titles within the last 5/6
years)
so i put the question to you again, should i upgrade??
Click to expand...

You have a lot of money invested in some expensive software. Make
absolutely (and positively) sure that it will run under Vista. There have
been some issues with Adobe and Vista. As an example, my copy of Nero 6
Ultra is not supported under Vista. When I ran the Windows Vista Advisor it
reported only a problem with my scanner and nothing else. No indication
that Nero 6 would not work in Vista. Same for my copy of Zone Alarm Pro.
It is not supported under Vista. There goes about $120 out the window for
both of those applications.

You will have to check each application to see if it is Vista supported. A
hassle, to be sure, but the only way to see if you are going to have some
problems if you upgrade to Vista.

Vista may need 40 GB of free drive space to install, but it certainly does
not occupy anything close to that when the installation is through. You
will want a video card with DX10 to get everything out of Vista that it is
capable of. That alone may cost you $100 or more depending on if you want
512 MB of video RAM or not.

Your current 2 GB of RAM is what I would suggest as a minimum performance
requirement for Vista. I am personally considering adding at least one more
GB of RAM to my Dell, which has 2 GB on board at this time. Bottom line,
it's a decision you will have to make for yourself. I've had my Vista
system for about two months or so and I'm just now beginning to get
comfortable with it.
 
That was really helpfull, i think i will try the dual boot as suggested and
check all my progs in that, as for Zonealarm did you try to download the
vista upgrade and use the same Serial Number? only i have Zonealarm pro like
you and nero 6, is there a solution to these now? thank you for your help.
 
Benjamin, it is more practical. Everything is in the RIGHT place.

With vista, by default it does nor display Menubar with Windows Explorer .
It is there, but you have to go and look for it.
An example: in Windows Explorer, go to ORGANISE> LAYOUT>MENUBAR.
Just to put the old "file, edit, view, etc" into place!

I am a realist; I don't want to play with an Aero look. Why would I?

We get away well with 512 of RAM in XP; 1024 is the BARE minimum in Vista;
and it is SLOW with that.

Recommended buy: NO.
 
Forget Nero 6.6 with vista; throw it in the rubbish bin.
No workaround; finished.

And the later versions of Nero are now bloated crap.
 
you should write user guides, appart from being very funny to read, they are
to the point and good advice!
 
nemo said:
Hi Benjamin_500 !

Have you considered Dual-Boot ? Your system has all the hardware that
is needed for Vista... Works great on my system witch is about the
same configuration as yours... I suppose SP1 will only make things
more appeling for a lot of people...
Click to expand...

If you read this group regularly, you will find that SP-1 is wreaking a bit of
havok for quite a large number of people.
 
Upgrade advisor here recommended that I uninstall both Nero 6 (OEM version)
and Sonic Simple Backup before doing an upgrade because they are
incompatible with Vista. It also listed about around a dozen other installed
programs or utilities that were either fully or partially incompatible with
Vista.

In a dual boot clean install Vista runs adequately fast with just an ATI
X600 card and it's a DX9 hardware card. The gaming graphics score is 3.8 on
the Windows Experience Index, the lowest of the subscores and also the base
score. A score of 1 or 2 is all that's required to run Vista, 3 for Aero.
The X1950 should be screaming fast in comparison (5.9 is/was the current
highest WEI base score). DX10 won't be an issue until you find a game you
want that requires DX10 hardware support. System RAM is only 1GB and for
general purposes that is adequate but it does strain with high definition
videos whereas XP MCE does not, so more RAM would be better.

The partition I originally created for Vista was only 40GB but with the
shadow copies more than 1/2 of that was quickly consumed so I increased the
partition size (the hard way) to 55GB for some extra breathing space. When
it becomes convenient I expect a 100GB partition will be an adequate size
for the OS and software, but that is with the user files, photos etc. being
kept on a different drive/partition.

If you do decide to dual boot, there is a registry edit you should do in XP
first so that XP does not erase Vista's system restore points every time you
boot into XP. Except for email I can access documents and media files
equally from either OS in the dual boot configuration. It's the way to go
IMO, at least until you get familiar with the OS and have your software
requirements ironed out. Still finding out what does and does not work well
in Vista, one app at a time. :)
 
I had been using ZA Internet Security suite and was trying out the Vista
beta version for better compatibility. Even with the beta there was a
problem running IE7 with Protected Mode enabled, but that might have been a
left-over effect from the original ZAISS install. A lot of the functionality
of the suite that I was used to in XP is disabled in the Vista version.
Since reinstalling Vista (due to a repartitioning issue) I'm just using the
Vista firewall. It's quite adequate for now. There's always the Comodo
firewall to try out if I want those outbound traffic pop-ups again.

I do miss my Nero 6.6 but there are freeware burning apps that at least
replace the basic functions.
 
Benjamin_500 said:
I have XP Pro, its quite good a little slow here and there despite the high
end output of my computer( 2.6ghz core 2 duo E6600, 2GB Ram 2x 250gb HDD 512
pci-e card more fans than you can count ) I get along fine, apart from a sata
issue i have been fighting with ASUS, but thats nothing really. but is it
worth upgrading to Vista, one thing i noticed is that it takes 40GB on
install thats a large jump from XP, i guess ill have to get a bigger main
drive? 500gb or something. Also my G/card is directx 9 do i have to get 10??
or will vista work with the 9 card (ATI x1950xtx pro 512mb MSI Build) i run
the full adobe suite cs3, word 2007, a few other industry video and imaging
programes, divx and a load of games (mainly titles within the last 5/6 years)
so i put the question to you again, should i upgrade??
Click to expand...


Why? Just to have the "newest and shiniest OS?" If your current
operating system is meeting all of your computing needs, there's no real
reason to change your operating system. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

If you do want to upgrade, then simply choose whichever Vista
edition best meets *your* specific computing needs. And as none of us
have functional crystal balls, you'll have to research and decide for
yourself.

Windows Vista: Choose an Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/default.mspx

Windows Vista_ Upgrade Paths from Previous Versions
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradepaths.mspx


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
lol, yer the home-preim* is the one that meets my needs but yer its nice to
have the newest and shiniest OS, hehe. but i must admit xp does work!.
 
There is NO REASON to "upgrade" to VISTA. Don't do it.
I only struggle with it because I got a new computer with Vista
pre-installed, and so I thought I would give it a try.
Now, I am beyond the return period and stuck with it.
 
VISTA_BOY said:
There is NO REASON to "upgrade" to VISTA. Don't do it.
I only struggle with it because I got a new computer with Vista
pre-installed, and so I thought I would give it a try.
Now, I am beyond the return period and stuck with it.
Click to expand...

You can always put XP on there if you have device drivers.
 
Back
Top