Windows Vista

[beegeebee]

I realise that Vista, like death and taxes is rather inevitable but, the question I have is, would it be better to 'bite the bullet' now and get the 64 edition rather than the 32 bit? I assume providing the CPU, motherborad and the memory is OK there should be no problem with either. (except perhaps in the wallet?)

[rojash]

Well the wallet, a lot of the software, the drivers, etc... But as Vista is virtually unusable anyway, the fact that yours was even less usable, might not be too noticeable.

[ACtheTROLL]

roj
lol roflmao ....

beegeebee
it's not quite that straightforward
64 bit os will run most 32 bit apps ... but there can be problems with drivers and esp utils.
also some games can't cope with all those extra bits
currently there are less than a handful of 64 bit apps available.

the biggest advantage is you can access more than 2Gb of ram.

should you ?
probably not unless you know you need to - it's still a specialist decision rather than a high end option

[beegeebee]

rojash & ACtheTROLL, from what you say it would appear not to bother just yet, just stick with XP. Maybe wait for Vista SP3?

[beegeebee]

Sorry to you both, meant to say thanks for your quick responses. Thanks.

[daffy654]

If you are going to bite the bullet go for the 32bit,as the others said unless you use your PC for professional graphic design(where a MAC would be better anyway) you don't need the 64bit. I have Vista Home Premium 32bit and i'm very happy with it.It has nowhere near as many problems as it did 12 months ago and you rarely come across software that is not compatible.All the major hardware manufacturers have updated drivers for their products.I would never go back to XP now,although we do still have an older PC with XP as the OS.

[vehelpfulguy]

>Maybe wait for Vista SP3?

Vista SP1 is almost ready, but a review in PC Pro magazine I got the other day says it makes little difference.

They also said it takes nearly an HOUR to install (45 minutes on a desktop PC, 1 hour 15 minutes on a laptop).

I think Vista has been such a disaster for Microsoft that they are likely to "rush" the next version of Windows out with a new name and Vista will soon be forgotton.

Stick with XP for now and my guess in a year so (well maybe 18 months) the next version of Windows will be out.

[ACtheTROLL]

beegeebee
not certain that's what I meant ....
I personally quite like Vista ... but you have to understand it's limitations.
Older kit (and by older ... generally more than 6 months!!) may not work ... older progs (same!) may not work.

Old utils almost certainly will not work .....
having said all that ... I use virtual PC running an XP and a 98 os ... and between us ... we get on pretty well .... and the times I have to reach for an alternative platform is getting less and less.

and (due to my work ... I have no problems updating to the latest versions of software(I realise I'm a priviledged spoilt brat in this respect (probably others as well)

so I like vista

[rojash]

Sorry, beegeebee, if my answer was less than clear - this is a problem that we sarky ******* quite often have. Basically what I was saying was that (a) I, and many other techies are less than enamoured of Vista, but the 64 bit version has even more problems, not because it is of itself any worse, but because there's not a great deal of 64 bit software out there to take advantage of it, some other software which will work on Vista32 won't work on Vista64, and there is a dearth of reliable 64 bit hardware drivers.

[rojash]

sarky bu99ers

[Gromit]

Instead, buy an intel Mac and put your existing PC software on that using Bootcamp. You will get all the benefits of OSX Leopard which is light y ars better than Vista, and you can install your existing PC programs.

[rojash]

When ACtheTROLL says "I like vista", you have to ask yourself: "Should I trust the word of someone who makes a living leaping out from under bridges, and demanding with menaces?"

[beso]

Virtually no application software is 64 bit yet. A 64 bit OS offers nothing to 32 bit programs. Like the old 16 bit apps on a 32 bit system, half the processor bus sits idle.

The longer you leave Vista alone the better. Pundits are predicting MS will relent on retiring XP this July anyway.

[4GS]

Vista is about as useful as a one legged man in an a r s e kicking contest.

[camioneur]

Never heard such rubbish. I use Vista without any problems at all. Perhaps you should have stuck with an abacus rojash, I understand they were quite the thing in Greece once upon a time

[SlackAlice]

I have just completed a new build for my pc and pondered on this question for a long time. Eventually, I took the plunge and installed Vista 64, having made sure any peripherals I transferred from my old pc (printer, scanner etc) had Vista 64 compatible drivers and software.
I was quite pleased that everything has gone well and no problems occured.

I must admit that I would not consider upgrading an older pc to Vista 32 or 64 due to compatability worries. But if your buying a new pc then Vista 32 is ok and unless you must have Vista64 would'nt bother with it.

I needed Vista 64 because I'm using 4Gb ram

[beegeebee]

Have to say everyone's opinion has overwhelmed me somewhat. But, from all that I've read it still appears to be, that if I'm not happy with XP, then upgrade to 32 bit Vista. Otherwise stick with what works for me (and I have to say it does work very well for me at the moment (except when grandchildren arrive and need (!!?) to play**?)
So thanks to everone for the info and advice. I really do seem to have stirred a hornets nest-:)
Many thanks to each and everyone of you, for having given me you help. B

[chelsieuk]

I now have Windows Vista and I am not sure if I like it.

My problem is windows media player not playing media files and my messanger live wont work.