Windows Vista Experience

[Hall]

I don't think so. Vista has much less tolerance to memory timings mismatch. Even when claimed being identical.

That's interesting... Where can I read more about this ?

 

[diogen]

I don't remember where I read it. It was around the time of RC1.

I had more than one chance to confirm it in practice.
The tighter the timings, the more chances of problems.
I'm running 667 memory in my Vista PCs (DDR2).

And just forget about non-identical sticks.

Diogen.

 

[shugo77]

Seeing since I make a living working on computers, I finally decided to take the plunge and upgrade my four year old computer to Vista Ultimate just a cople days a go, so I can get familiar with it. My computer has Pentium4 2.8, 1.5GB RAM, 256MB geforce 6200 video.

I was expecting a nightmare after everything I have read, but Vista has been running great for me. I installed all my drivers without a hitch, I only have one software program that won't run, but it is minor and inexpensive software to upgrade.

Overall, I am very pleased, Vista will take some geting used to and has a few annoyances (like constantly asking me to allow programs to run or be installed) But it is actually running faster than my previously installed Windows XP Pro.

I might suggest that when installing drivers, DO NOT install the drivers from Windows update, I have seen this cause problems since Windows 98. Go to the manufacturer website and get the latest Vista certified drivers and hide the drivers on the windows update page so you don't do them accidentaly. Also, the 64 bit version of Vista is much more picky about drivers, so make sure you can get drivers before installing this. Another thing I think you should NEVER do is an upgrade install, always do a clean install. I cringe at the thought of performing an upgrade install, have seen this crash many many computers from Windows 95-98 days to today.

 

[bateau980]

Another thing I think you should NEVER do is an upgrade install, always do a clean install. I cringe at the thought of performing an upgrade install, have seen this crash many many computers from Windows 95-98 days to today.

I agree to avoid upgrades. With my experience of Vista, it forces you to do a clean install, even though you select upgrade. The nice thing is that it will copy the old OS information into a folder like Windows.OLD for easy migration and backup.

My experience with Vista is ok... just don't use IIS for web hosting. I installed IIS and my system croaked. No problem for me, I just reinstalled the OS and used Apache instead.

 

[shugo77]

I don't think so.
Vista has much less tolerance to memory timings mismatch. Even when claimed being identical.
Especially on DDR (I assume it is not SD RAM). Especially mixed capacities.

Maybe I'm just really lucky then, my memory is SUPER mismatched...LOL. Below is my memory that is running Vista Ultimate with no problem at all

1 ea Crucial DDR 333 512MB
1 ea PQI DDR 400 1GB

The combined memory is running at 333, so the 400 stick is underclocked to match the slower stick.

Of course, I would always reccomend matched RAM, but by no means is it NECESSARY.

 

[shugo77]

I agree to avoid upgrades. With my experience of Vista, it forces you to do a clean install, even though you select upgrade. The nice thing is that it will copy the old OS information into a folder like Windows.OLD for easy migration and backup.

My experience with Vista is ok... just don't use IIS for web hosting. I installed IIS and my system croaked. No problem for me, I just reinstalled the OS and used Apache instead.

I could be mistaken but I think in some circumstance you can do an upgrade, like form Windows XP PRO to Vista Business. I haven't tried it, so I don't know for sure.

Your right about the Windows.OLD folder in situations where you cannot upgrade, that is a great feature.

 

[bateau980]

Your right about the Windows.OLD folder in situations where you cannot upgrade, that is a great feature.

You wouldn't believe how powerful this utility is. I atteneded a Microsoft TechNet Training last week and they highlighted this feature. If a machine needs to be reimaged for some reason, the WIM process can back this info up then easily transfer the information back and restore the user's local profile. If only my company would wake up and get on the cutting edge!

 

[Poke]

Yeah I been running Vista fine for awhile now most of the issue I have seen is folks trying to run it on machines that can not really push it. As far as drivers go before you go to load it on a 3-4 year old machine make sure to run the tester. They have a Vista Tester that will test your current machine and will tell you if your current hardware and software will run on Vista and if your hardware has drivers for Vista. Your best bet is just stay on XP until you can get on a new machine.

 

[Neutron]

Yeah I been running Vista fine for awhile now most of the issue I have seen is folks trying to run it on machines that can not really push it. As far as drivers go before you go to load it on a 3-4 year old machine make sure to run the tester. They have a Vista Tester that will test your current machine and will tell you if your current hardware and software will run on Vista and if your hardware has drivers for Vista. Your best bet is just stay on XP until you can get on a new machine.

Unfortunately the MS tester for Vista won't work on Windows XP x64.

 

[philhu]

I've had major problems too, with a brand new system.

1st install, it would freeze every 5 minutes for exactly 60 seconds, even showed up in the performance event log. Can you say blocking driver call?

Second time, it hates my raid builton to the Gigabyte board I have, either destroys the data or just plain doesnt see it. Even with the vista driver

Right now, 3rd try, I was past all that, and now all installs stop for 4 to 60 minutes during the install! Most then fail but a few continue.....

And finally, I had 2x2g memory. Vista would not let me use it, the mb had no problem with it, but vista saw it at 2x512meg and would crash constantly with it. It had worked fine on xp pro

So, I have this honking water cooled quad processor machine on a shelf for 2+ months waiting for sp1

 

[koolbean]

PC World Reports That MS Windows Vista Runs fastest on a Mac Laptop

Interesting story for all you Apple lovers out there. PC World reports that MS Windows Vista runs faster on a Mac laptop than any other laptop period.

PC World - In Pictures: The Most Notable Notebooks of 2007

 

[Neutron]

If and when I get a Mac Mini I'm going to dual boot Vista.

 

[superray]

i have one of the fastest rigs there is.intel dual core,asus p5ne mobo,4 gigs of corsair ram,i built this baby myself to run vista.after 6 weeks i finally got that virus off my rig and put it on the shelf next to WIN ME and reinstalled xp.mac has it right with that new commercial.no more microsoft kool-aid for me i,m buying a mac

 

[superray]

for all those waiting for sp1,that won't stop it from asking "is that you?are u sure u want to do this?'.and how much good hardware and software is no longer supported?the only reason i stayed with them this long is $7500 in software.besides they have a new os on the drawing board already.have u noticed very few companies have made the switch

 

[tawhite]

While your at it there Superray, get yourself a grammer lesson, would ya? A few spaces every now and then wouldn't hurt!

 

[John Kotches]

i have one of the fastest rigs there is.intel dual core,asus p5ne mobo,4 gigs of corsair ram,i built this baby myself to run vista.after 6 weeks i finally got that virus off my rig and put it on the shelf next to WIN ME and reinstalled xp.mac has it right with that new commercial.no more microsoft kool-aid for me i,m buying a mac

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but a Core2 Duo is quite midrange these days. When you install Quad-Core we can start talking about "one of the fastest there is.".

Cheers,

 

[Legato10]

I actually have a problem with winamp at times, I don't understand it either. If I load winamp frst then anything else the applications do not work, I mean all of them IE, My Computer, even the basice calculator app. However if I load these thigns first then winamp it works just fine? my ram and computer process are good too

 

[ocnier]

The only thing about vista I would wait on is SP1. I am curious to see if some of the major flaws can be fixed. From a gaming standpoint, XP is the way to go hands down. My recommedation is similar to the mac, just dual boot your windows machine with one paritition vista and one partion xp. BTW a beta copy of XP SP3 is in the wild now. It is from microsoft. I slipstreamed it with a old copy of xp I had lying around using NLite (if you haven't downloaded this program already then i highly recommend you do so soon). I tried it on fresh install on one of my secondary machines and it worked like a beauty. I think in total it needed updates on the web that were maybe 5 in all. Caveats to SP 3 - still no damn native nvidia raid support (which is total BS on MS's part). N-Lite obliviates the need, but thats not the point. I am very curious to see how SP1 for vista pans out. Probably contrary to popular belief I still think Vista has a lot of potential, it just needs a hell of a lot of tweaking.

 

[koolbean]

When I posted that the Mac seemed at the time to run vista better than a PC I was hoping it would not start a PC vs Mac war; I'm glad to see it did not. I have been a PC user pre Windows 95 era. Windows for me was always kinda of a hit and miss OS. Sure a new OS is going to have problems; I Feel that even after Vista is patched it will still have issues that 98 and XP users don't want to deal with. Allow this? Are you sure? No thanks. Micro$oft really needs an OS built from the ground up. Not a reissued fixer upper of a 13 year old (95)OS. A few years ago I would have never, ever , eveeeeeer thought I would use a Mac. NO way. Then they go and start using Intel. Hmmm... I could dual boot. cool. Then I got Vista Big Bad Boy Ed. Yeah! But wait; why is my PC running slower than ever? It's not a world beater but was a 5.0 out of 6 on there new rating scale. I felt like I had stepped back to a PC I had in 2002. That was it for me. I got a 24' Imac and installed XP as my boot option. It's there if I need it but I rarely use it. For me it's a great fit. Like the last poster said if your a gamer an XP PC is the way to go. I think even those days are numbered. Have you been to your local gamestop or game store in the last few years? PC games have been pushed to the back 4x4 corner to make way for the Xbox360, PS3, and Wii. Do the games run fast and look great on a NEW PC with a $$$ video card? Sure. Will 90% of PCs' out there run the same game as well as the 360 or PS3? Nah... I doubt it. I think Apple has a better made box than Dell or Gateway or brand X. That's the other half of what it comes down to. Why else did Vista run faster on that Mac than it's PC counterparts? For the few folks here that said they were going to try the Mac I say go for it if your not a Heavy gamer. I own and use both. I have built PCs' for years and feel confident enough to say you could sure do worse hardware wise with brand X PC. You will gain a great computer that will run Windows and OS X.

 

[diogen]

When I posted that the Mac seemed at the time to run vista better than a PC I was hoping it would not start a PC vs Mac war; I'm glad to see it did not.

Are you really?
WTF is then the rest of your second post all about?
Start a thread "Buy a Mac, Don't Buy a PC" and stick it there...

Diogen.