Help Vista then

[Raven]

Does it work properly yet? Looking at getting the 64 bit build so that I can use my 4 gig of ram properly and then get a new graphics card. I have an 8600 so can already run DX10 but want something a bit more meaty.

Anyone have much experiance with it and how the drivers are these days?

Mostly for the odd FPS game and the Conan MMO.

 

[inactionman]

Been running it for a while with no problems. Drivers don't seem to be a problem these days unless you have something esoteric.

 

[Krazeh]

Have been using Vista Ultimate x64 pretty much since release, never had any major issues and certainly haven't had any since installed Service Pack 1. As for drivers I can only repeat what inactionman said, unless you're running something rare or particularly old you shouldn't have problems locating drivers.

 

[Mazling]

3d graphics performance has reached/is slightly better than xp in certain games/apps, although I still see no compelling reason to switch to vista from a perfectly nice xp install. That said, I've just put vista on to have a look at sp1 (seems fine) - I've no idea what xpsp3 is like.

 

[Cromcruaich]

If you have a copy, suck it and see. If you dont, use your old xp one.

If given the choice between xp for free or vista for money, i'd go with xp. If it was parting with cash for both i'd go with vista and risk the headaches.

Aside from esoteric devices - you also have to think about software - if youve purchased xp compatible software then it could well be that you have to pay to upgrade it to run on vista. You'd have to check that on a case by case basis if its relevant. In some instances there might not even be a vista version available yet.

 

[PLightstar]

Been running Vista for a couple of months now, without any problems, had a few problems with some older software but all it took was a tweak in the Compatible menu to get them running.

 

[Raven]

Thanks all, think I will "acquire" it tonight and give it a go, buy the full version if it runs well

 

[TdC]

I've been using 64b vista ultimate for ages now, and all is well except for one thing: since I swapped to using the RAID controller, there are times when the PC will not shut down properly. It goes in to shutdown mode, everything powers down or goes into standby, but the power-led on my case remains on, and then after about 10 minutes or so, it restarts itself.

No other niggles. Soon I am going to perform a major hardware change, ie go from two 250GB disks in RAID1 to three 1TB disks in RAID5, and I expect a reinstall but not much more than that tbh. Only thing to watch for is that I have the drivers for my wifi USB dongle on an USB stick to plug in. Last reinstall I had to download them with my PS/3 hehe.

 

[Kryten]

It'll certainly not hurt to give it a go, it may be an idea to run it alongside (dual boot) XP for a while, then when you're happy you've plenty of time and the means to copy/backup what you need and go over to Vista in your own time
Not that it's a necessecity by any means.

 

[Gahn]

I've been using 64b vista ultimate for ages now, and all is well except for one thing: since I swapped to using the RAID controller, there are times when the PC will not shut down properly. It goes in to shutdown mode, everything powers down or goes into standby, but the power-led on my case remains on, and then after about 10 minutes or so, it restarts itself.

No other niggles. Soon I am going to perform a major hardware change, ie go from two 250GB disks in RAID1 to three 1TB disks in RAID5, and I expect a reinstall but not much more than that tbh. Only thing to watch for is that I have the drivers for my wifi USB dongle on an USB stick to plug in. Last reinstall I had to download them with my PS/3 hehe.

Smells by miles away that the Raid Controller Driver acts with Vista.

 

[TdC]

yeah, I agree. I'll see what happens when I reinstall. If it keeps doing it, I'll try and update the raid driver, though it's the generic intel one for P35 mobos.