What OS to use?

[cmr]

I know maybe should be in technical but more people read here

Recently got a load of legit CD keys from uni so i can use the following OS:

Windows XP Pro
Windows XP Pro 64 bit Edition
Windows Vista Business

At the moment im using XP Pro but it wont allow me to change the CD key on it because microsoft have blocked that even thought they have ways to do it listed on there website. Anyway nevermind that ive tried lots of things and it wont work and i want a fresh install

I recently bought a SATA 500GB drive, i know nothing about SATA drives as ive never had one up until now. I tried to install Vista Business on it and when it tries to boot up it says winlogon.exe is corrupted and wont start, i guess its some problem with the drivers for the hard drive as ive used 2 different DVDs, one being downloaded from microsoft themselves. Ive tried to get it to install the drivers before installing, but the drivers ive downloaded it wont accept and neither will it accept the drivers from my motherboard CD, anyone with a clue what the hells going on there would be appreciated.

Now this and the other things ive heard has put me off Vista really, so im now decideing what OS im going to install on my new HDD and transfer my stuff over from my old HDD.

System specs are:
AMD Athlon 64 3400+
Asus 7900GTX 512MB
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
2GB Cosair DDR2

thats what i can remember right now Just wondering if its worth using a 64 bit OS or will i have more problems with it than its worth and just stick with windows XP

Main stuff im using it for is

Adobe Applications (Flash/Photoshop/After Effects ect)
MS Office
DAoC!
and the usual crap

 

[Chronictank]

XP Professional(sp?) 32 bit until they release a service pack for windows vista
not really worthh going 64 bit with what you are going to do and your system spec

 

[Overdriven]

Completely agree with Chron. Nothing else to say. - Make sure you run the lastest service packs too.

Vista isn't worth it till SP1 comes out, imo.

 

[cmr]

thinking the same atm

Fresh install of XP Pro should make my system faster anyway

Currently downloading an iso of XP Pro SP2 from microsoft site

Microsoft site is so well made ive managed to click around and obtain:


2 x Vista Business CD Keys
3 x XP Pro CD Keys
1 x XP Pro 64 Bit Edition

All for free \o/

 

[Darzil]

Vista isn't worth it till SP1 comes out, imo.

And even then, not if they rush out the SP1 just to haul in all those people who say 'not til SP1', rather than actually fixing it.

Darzil

 

[evzy]

I am still using Windows 95 til I know they sort out the later versions - better to be safe than sorry tbh!!

 

[Saggy]

Since you have two HDDs you may aswell install both XP 32-bit and Vista on separate HDDs and see how they perform. The problem you have with that new HDD is probably BIOS related.

 

[soze]

I dual boot both Vista and XP Pro i do most things in Vista but keep XP for when Vista struggles. So far Hitman blood money is the only thing i cant do. If i went looking for problems i would find them but so far no problems at all.

 

[Overdriven]

And even then, not if they rush out the SP1 just to haul in all those people who say 'not til SP1', rather than actually fixing it.

Darzil

Look what they did with XP Pro, they released it - All the end users got it, they released SP1 and more of the techs started using it. SP1 made things easier, SP2 made things ugly; but got it finally working.

Just check the SP1 changelog when it comes out, all we can really do.