XP/Vista Dilemma

**bigstick509** · 03-20-2008, 04:54 AM

I have Vista running on the wifes iMac and XP on my MBP, along with XP on another machine and I would recommend XP Pro. Microsoft has just released a Service Pack 1 for Vista that is supposed to address issues but all in all I still would go with XP Pro.

**mclear6** · 03-20-2008, 06:19 AM

go with xp if you can

I don't know about the service pack for Vista, but I know there are many compatibility problems with programs with Vista. I know several people who have returned Vista installed computers for XP. I know Dell still sells some machines that come installed with XP (Inspirion??).

I know at the school I work at they have stayed with XP and with OS10.4 (Tiger) for the mac.

The biggest problem I see with vista is the new word. It produces .docx files that many computers non vista can not open (unless you download patches).

**rnelson0** · 03-20-2008, 06:23 AM

You can get XP Pro still, you just won't find it installed on OEM machines. Depending on your technical capabilities, you can install XP Pro yourself. You will likely also be able to find some small box makers who offer XP Pro, even if it costs extra, but you won't be able to get your HP or Dell with it installed.

I see little need for Vista, especially for things like Office apps, email, and web browsing. For that matter, Win2K probably would suffice. Vista's real advantages come when gaming, although right now it's just the framework, very few actual benefits until game development targets Vista.

The biggest problem I see with vista is the new word. It produces .docx files that many computers non vista can not open (unless you download patches).

Office is a separate application independent of Windows, the OS. Neither OS comes with Word, that is an additional piece of software and you can load older versions of it on either OS.

**cgallery** · 03-20-2008, 06:28 AM

Even though you will still be able to get XP (Pro only, I think) for some time, one thing you should be aware of is a lack of drivers for some machines. Many machines available in superstores that ship with Vista won't have XP drivers readily available. You may or may not be able to find them from other sources, but for a novice it can be trying.

I have not be a Vista fan.

**MURPHY-D** · 03-20-2008, 06:53 AM

vista

I received my HP last November with Windows Vista. VISTA SUCKS!
My up dates won't install, have had problems getting some of the programs to work.
Microsoft won't answer or address my complaints.
I should have purchased the Mac.

**JSUPreston** · 03-20-2008, 07:06 AM

Just to clear the air, I'm a network administrator and have been building machines for over 15 years. I know there are others with more experience and knowledge than me, but I'll put it my two cents worth.

IMHO, Vista should have never been released. I am already hearing of problems with SP1. Microsoft had so much egg on their face that they had to release Vista. They were several years behind in development...similar to what happened with the original release of Win95.

I have tried Vista 3 times personally. Once, on a P4 w/2.8GHz HT processor, 1.5GB RAM, 256MB video card (Asus 9550GT) on an Asus P4P-800 Deluxe motherboard. 250GB boot drive and 2x80GB SATA drives in RAID 0 array. Ran dog slow, and broke my Adobe Acrobat and Photoshop. Games that I enjoyed playing under XP on the same hardware were unplayable due to frame rate. I had several other issues. Worked with it for two or three months and dropped back to XP Pro.

2nd time, on the kid's machine. I know it is low end, but I was interested in the parental controls. Their machine is a Dell Dimension B110. 80GB drive, 64MB PCI video (no AGP) w/1GB RAM. Although slow, it was tolerable. However, most of the stuff the kids run wouldn't work. Even the 6 year old begged to go back to XP. Fortunately, I swapped the HD in anticipation of this, so I had the old XP installation to fall back on.

Last time...I bought a Dell Inspiron 531 to repace above Asus based system (Asus system will become my media center). Dual core AMD x64 processor running 2.6GHz. I upgraded the ram to 4GB and added an nVidia based 8500GT PCIe video card w/512MB ram. 250GB SATA II drive. Upgraded the power supply to support the video card. Machine came preloaded with Vista Home Premium. My antivirus wouldn't load (is Vista Compatible according to manufacturer). Games were unplayable at any resolution due to slow frame rate (see a pattern here). Machine was slow in general. I found a forum on the web where I could get almost all the drivers for this machine for XP (unsupported by Dell). Putting XP back on it, I can do just about anything I want. As a matter of fact, I rendered a video in Adobe Premier for our Cub Scout B&G banquet two weeks ago. Video was approx. 30 min. long. Rendered in about 25! The Asus system would have taken an hour.

At the office, I've made the decision that we will not move our desktops to Vista unless required by an application. Since we write most stuff in house, that shouldn't be a problem.

Vista has been such a problem for MS that, from my understanding, they are ramping up to start beta testing Windows 7...Vista's replacement.

I understand that Microsoft had to break some backwards compatibility. For Pete's sake, I can still run some apps on my machine that were written 20 years ago. However, MS could've take a play from Apple's book and virtualized XP inside of Vista, similar to how Apple ran System 9 inside of OS X 10.x

So, long story short, I would recommend getting an XP based system if possible. If not, pick a system that you like and see if you can get the drivers for it yourself and reload with XP.

**Stytooner** · 03-20-2008, 07:15 AM

I am sorry that I can't be of much help in this thread. I am still not quite over my close encounters with Vista and all the unneeded heartache it instills. Thinking about it still gives me the shivers and a tremendous feeling of dread. I keep wondering if I have enough booze and tranq's to even contemplate Vista and the utter meaning of it all.

SP1 is very new. It took two SP's for XP. There was a lot of hardware issues that resolved with time when I initially got Vista. I am running a Vista loaded new machine now though under XP SP2 Home control. It is a Lenovo. I eventually got all the right drivers for my hardware, but actually had to upgrade some of my software and installed Virtual PC running XP when I ran Vista for some of my pother software.

I still do not think it is ready for prime time. One of my machines in the shop runs under Vista, but I have it stripped down as far as you can take it and still get it to boot. It runs machines only, so at least Vista can be tamed.

I still recall that Tiger attacking his magician trainer too though, so I won't say much more about that.

**balzac.thegreat** · 03-20-2008, 07:20 AM

Originally posted by rnelson0

You will likely also be able to find some small box makers who offer XP Pro, even if it costs extra, but you won't be able to get your HP or Dell with it installed.

You can from Dell. I priced out a quad core machine last night and I had the option to choose XP or Vista.

**dkerfoot** · 03-20-2008, 07:20 AM

I am a former self-employed IT Pro. Like others, I do have some experience but can't speak definitively. My main computer runs Vista, largely because I needed to familiarize myself with it to support customers.

IF you have a machine with sufficient Memory, Video and CPU (In that order) it is a fine operating system. The only application or hardware I have had trouble with is my Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum 2ZS. I use it for audio recording. It works but is only partly supported. Some of the connections on the external module no longer work. Other than that, it has been very stable and runs quite well (on 4GB of RAM and an ATI 1800X video card)

That being said, I know of no compelling reason to choose Vista over XP if given the choice. My home and business' other three PCs are unlikely to ever see Vista loaded on them, even though it would be free for me to do so.

**iceman61** · 03-20-2008, 08:15 AM

I have 3 computers running XP Pro, 1 running XP Home Ed. & 1 running Vista. I have had my Vista machine for 7 months now & have had no problems with it so far. The only quirks I've found so far are software related in that some of my old programs wouldn't run on Vista, so I had to acquire new programs versions, Autocad namely.

The main reason I went with Vista on my new computer was for Media Center, even though the last version of XP had Media Center already incorporated into it. That being said I did make 7 DVD "coasters" last night with Nero while backing up some of my movies, but I'm attributing that to a bad stack of blank DVD's.

**RayintheUK** · 03-20-2008, 08:16 AM

The interface - the "look and feel" if you like - is a bit different, but you soon get used to it. It's far more "nannyfied" than XP and insists that you "ask permission" to do something fairly ordinary. Again, you soon get used to that and - after a while - once you're data is fully loaded, it doesn't arise.

You should be able to transfer all data across from your XP system without any problems. In fact, there's a wizard to help you, I think. Vista identifies stuff easily, it is a bit more fussy about the hardware it works with (printers, scanners, etc.), but that will resolve as new drivers are written for an increasing number of peripherals.

You do hear a load of horror stories about Vista, as about anything new from Microsoft, but to be honest, where I've used it, it's been fine. Most of the horrors are concerned with upgrades onto existing machines, as far as I can see, whereas if it comes pre-installed, those issues won't apply. My friend's son bought a laptop last month which has been superb, with Vista Premium (top end package, whatever it's called) pre-loaded.

Ray.

**JSUPreston** · 03-20-2008, 08:30 AM

I forgot to mention that on all my trials, I have installed fresh. I do not believe in OS upgrades unless absolutely necessary.

I forgot, my father in law has a Dell Inspiron 531 similar to mine. He was happy until he had to make use of the internal wireless, since he is remodeling his office and had to relocate his computer. He is calling me every day or two to get his network back up and going. His old XP laptop (and new iPhone) have no problems...just the Vista box. BTW: The wireless card came installed from Dell.

**Stytooner** · 03-20-2008, 09:03 AM

Originally posted by JSUPreston

I forgot to mention that on all my trials, I have installed fresh. I do not believe in OS upgrades unless absolutely necessary.

I forgot, my father in law has a Dell Inspiron 531 similar to mine. He was happy until he had to make use of the internal wireless, since he is remodeling his office and had to relocate his computer. He is calling me every day or two to get his network back up and going. His old XP laptop (and new iPhone) have no problems...just the Vista box. BTW: The wireless card came installed from Dell.

THAT was another issue I had with Vista as the base of a home network. It would not give permission for any other computer hooked to the network. I had to use work arounds for printers and things as well as only being able to share one folder for some reason. XP has no trouble at all even with a high encryption on everything. I spent days on it and had help from My Step father and he is an IT guy. He now does all the IT for the ED center @ Ft Sill. He now uses a Mac BTW.

**JSUPreston** · 03-20-2008, 09:09 AM

Lee, if it weren't for work (and the occasional game), I'd probably be all Mac at this point. I know I can buy Mac hardware and run XP, but I'm too cheap right now...plus I've got student loans coming due soon.

XP/Vista Dilemma

XP/Vista Dilemma

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