Moving to Vista 64 or 32 this weekend

[Gavin34]

hi all,

This weekend i am upgrading my hard drive/memory and operating system so i am looking for a little help.

My current system is

Intel core 2 duo 4600@ 2.4ghz (stock)
2 gb Adata ddr2 800mhz ram
160gb pata hard drive.
Creative X-FI gamer Soundcard
Nvidia geforce 9800gt 512mb gpu.
Arctic Storm modular 600w power supply
Asus P5KPL G31 chipset motherboard.
SATA DVD writer x20

This has a non legit Windows Xp 32bit SP3 installation.

As you can see i have been honest about my OP system and i am desperate to have a legal one.

My upgrades are

1) Windows Vista 32 or 64 bit OEM
2) 4Gb OCZ DDR2 800MHZ ram
3) Western Digital 500Gb Sata II Hard drive.

The reason i am asking for help is that as a gamer is it ok to have Vista 64 bit ?( I play World of warcraft )
Or would 32bit Vista be a better idea?

Also how smooth is the installation without loading sata drivers these days, does VIsta load automatically?

My last question is that i have backed up all my photos, drivers and security software onto an external hard drive, will i need the Chipset drivers loaded before the USB drivers are activated or does Vista generally have them from the time you have loaded it up.
Same goes for my Ethernet.

Sorry about the long post

[cje]

Since you are getting 4gb then I would recommend 64 bit Vista. I assure you that I saw no program compatability issues or problems. And I have owned both 32 bit vista and 64 bit on the machine in my signature.

Can't recommend 64 bit enough really. ;)

Plus, 32 bit won't use all of your 4gb of ram, so you're wasting a bit of money going for 32 bit.

[snakedoc]

Using OEM software on a machine you have built and use yourself is no more of a legal license than a pirated OS. OEM is for use by a system builder to pass on to a client. This depends on how much you care, you should not be got by WGA though. You will have problems if you want to change hardware, again not difficult to overcome though. You are better off going for retail. No valid reason for not going x64, been using Vista x64 for 2 and half years adn don't have any 64 bit specific problems. Drivers are easy to come by for modern hardware.

[q6600]

vista 32 can work with 3.25 gb ram and vista 64 can work with more then that.
my opinion is to stick with win xp sp3 if u are a gamer.

[Mungo]

my opinion is to stick with win xp sp3 if u are a gamer.

Why? Games are now being made to work with Vista, and support is better.
64bit Vista is the way :thumbs:

[q6600]

well me personal i dont think so vista is one of the bigest c...p that microsoft put on the market. at the moment im impres of win 7. but i m still waiting for a mature version.

[Gavin34]

vista 32 can work with 3.25 gb ram and vista 64 can work with more then that.
my opinion is to stick with win xp sp3 if u are a gamer.


Not an option unless i buy a legit Xp pro which seems like a dull option considering i want to try something new.

How about the sata installation side of my question?

[snakedoc]

well me personal i dont think so vista is one of the bigest c...p that microsoft put on the market. at the moment im impres of win 7. but i m still waiting for a mature version.

Please enlighten me as to how you see the ageing OS is XP is somehow better for gaming than Vista? Xp does not even have DX10./10.1. I have been dual booting from the start, don't even bother with XP since mid 2007. No point, performance games wise is the same or better in Vista. I mean, really. Let's have some proper reasons and not just jump on the boring old bandwagon. Vista's netwoking can be annoying when you first use it but it's very simple once you are used to it.

I was the same about win95 at first, as dos games ran loads faster and I preferred using the CLI. It wasn't until dx took off that windows was a good platform for games. When the likes of Nvidia started making the Geforce cards.

[Callidus]

tbh I'd run W7 RC until you're forced to buy an OS


Cal

[David84]

tbh I'd run W7 RC until you're forced to buy an OS


Cal


QFT its on my main machine works just as well as vista 64bit if not better

[cje]

Vista loads SATA drivers automatically mate. All I did with both 32 bit and 64 bit was pop the install disk in the drive, and click install.

With a RAID setup it is a different story, because you'd need to load the drivers and set up the array first. But if you want the single SATA disk, then you'll be fine.

Regarding OEM vs retail. Yes, I forgot to say that unless you're building the pc for a customer, then your copy is as legit as a pirated one I'm afraid. Plenty of people do it though, just not strictly legal.

[q6600]

Please enlighten me as to how you see the ageing OS is XP is somehow better for gaming than Vista? Xp does not even have DX10./10.1. I have been dual booting from the start, don't even bother with XP since mid 2007. No point, performance games wise is the same or better in Vista. I mean, really. Let's have some proper reasons and not just jump on the boring old bandwagon. Vista's netwoking can be annoying when you first use it but it's very simple once you are used to it.

I was the same about win95 at first, as dos games ran loads faster and I preferred using the CLI. It wasn't until dx took off that windows was a good platform for games. When the likes of Nvidia started making the Geforce cards.

dude u can put dir 10 in xp ( i have it install since 1 year )
just looke around.
in all my games the fps are much lower in vista than in xp and yes i have a decent pc.

[snakedoc]

dude u can put dir 10 in xp ( i have it install since 1 year )
just looke around.
in all my games the fps are much lower in vista than in xp and yes i have a decent pc.

I am aware you can download hacked versions of dx10 to "work" in XP so it behaves like Vista natively. As you aparently have reasonable hardware however, you obviously have poor computer building skills or simply lack the ability to configure your machine correctly.

http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/20/0,1425,i=209758,00.jpg

http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/20/0,1425,i=209759,00.jpg

http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/20/0,1425,i=209756,00.jpg

Need I go on?

Source (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2302500,00.asp)

[cje]

SP1 really did wonders for gaming in Vista. :D Happy days. By the time I bought Vista SP1 was already out, so I saw no problems.

[Gavin34]

SP1 really did wonders for gaming in Vista. :D Happy days. By the time I bought Vista SP1 was already out, so I saw no problems.

That sounds just the ticket, i have decided on Vista 64bit.......

[AeroFX]

If you want to get in the right frame of mind for Windows 7, give Vista a go. Its not all that bad really, although there were many issues and some people continue to have some. IF you've got relatively new hardware you won't have a problem.

64-bit is definitely good, it supports 32-bit applications and gives you the ability to use your Processor to its full potential.

[H_a_p_p_y]

tbh I'd run W7 RC until you're forced to buy an OS


Cal

This, it's free for the best part of a year, and buy then you'll be able to buy Win7 outright. Vista and XP are pretty level now for gaming, however Vista is a much nicer OS to use. Now that Win 7 beats Vista at basically everything there's no reason to use it :)