Vista: myths and performance

I now have to choose whether to stay with XP or get Vista. I'm tempted to go for Vista, hoping it will overcome any "teething problems" because I'm getting a DX10 capable graphics card. However, got some questions:


-I've heard that Vista only comes with license that limitis you to one reinstall? For pete's sake is that true? Dunno how many times I've reinstalled XP

-How can I tell if the Vista I'm getting is 64 or 32bit and what is the difference?

-Most importantly: how does Vista's resource-management (with regards to for example RAM) compare to that of XP? I'm getting 2gig RAM, but apparently Vista requires lotsa RAM, so I'm wondering if I'm better off in terms of performance just staying with XP anyway?

-I'm also hearing alot about DRM enforcement- If I upload my music library for instance from CD-R's am I going to have problems playing it off? (likely on iTunes)

-Security: always a big issue. Is Vista significantly better than XP?


Cheers. Computers is very much a love-hate relationship.

 

That wasn't a limit for reinstalling, it was for reassigning your Vista install to a new machine, which they initially said could only be done once. It has since been rescinded. Realize that most OEM preinstalls CANNOT be transferred under any terms to another machine, prevented by both technical and EULA "legal" restrictions.

If the copy of Vista you have doesn't say 64bit, then you will have the 32bit version. The 32bit version is more compatible with different software in general. A lot of software is moving to 64bit though, and Vista 64bit theoretically can run 32bit software (with varying degrees of success).

Vista requires a lot of RAM, but it also uses it fairly effectively. If you have enough RAM, Vista will be faster on the same machine as compared to XP (from what I hear). If you don't have enough memory, it could be much worse. If you have over 1GB of RAM, you'll be fine with Vista.

No, you won't have any problems playing your music, if you have the CD's. You can rip them to an unencrypted/unprotected mp3 just fine with standard ripping tools. The problems come when you want to view "protected" content, especially videos. Video is the primary sticking point. Basically, they made it a pain in the rear to buy or use media digitally, so it's at this point easier to pirate media (even though it's illegal, and we don't condone it here).

Vista defaults are significantly better than XP's defaults if you follow proper practices. Turning off UAC and other security paradigms because they're highly annoying negate any major benefits Vista has over XP.

 

As for the repeated online reactivations, XP was much more lenient even on the oem version. Microsoft has since closed this hole on oem Vista, as it appears to be a "one-shot" deal (requiring telephone activation thereafter).

 

UAC actually saved my laptop. Avast detected the virus and Vista asked if I wanted to install the program.

 

uac asks u to install or not on most (all) of software installations, regardless if they r infected or not. ANd then of course, coming to the installation "continue" or "cancel" prompt.

nah, it was aVast that saved u, by giving u a good warning.

cheers ...

 

1.) Yes this is correct you only can install the retail copy to one NEW machine with over the web activation. However installing it more than once on the same machine should not take up any actiavtion slots, plus Vista has a new "smart" way to detect what consist of a new machine. On XP replacing simple things may require a new activtion, Vista tho keeps track of each piece of your computer thats replaced and untill you have say both mobo and hdd changed it wont make you do this.

However the thing to take into mind this only consist of the over the web actiavtion, if you do use it up and have to install again, all it takes is a 5 minute call to MS and tell them your mobo fried or what ever and they will give you a key. They already said they were going to be very leniant on this, you may as well consider it infinity actiavtions you just have to use the phone, the big thing to not do is have it on more than one machine at once.

2.) All retial vista disks are the x86 one, or 32bit. with the exception of vista ultimate wich comes with two disks, the x86 and x64 disk.

But any of the retial disks gives you a licence for both versions, you will get a piece of paper inside your case that says "need 64bit...." and give you instructions to log onto a secure MS site and order the x64 disk for free, but you do have to pay for s&h. I ordered mine the other day it was like 10$

All vista disks are the same, it doesnt matter what it says on the case, home basic, home preimium, business, ultimate. The are the exact same dvd down to the very last bit, the only diffrence is your activation key tells the computer wich one to install. So... that means if you have a friend with vista ultimate you can borrow his x64 disk and install x64 that way. Also since the disk is free for x64 and your key gives you rights to it. I see no reason why it would be illegal to just download the x64 disk image from the internet and install it that way.

The diffrence is just what it says one runs off 32bit arcitecture the other 64bit. 64bit is more of an enthusiast thing with more compatability issues but gives support for more than 3.2gb of ram like x86, also it feels more snappy to me and is definitly the future for OS's. You must have a 64bit cpu to run it tho.


3.) Performance is give and take. Some people report gains in fps with vista, others say they lose some but its pretty minor and not game breaking.

Yes vista reserves alot of memory for itself when you on your desktop, but when you launch a game or somthing, it releases all that memory for the program. Thats the big detail everybody seems to leave out when they put down vista and its memory use. Its just holding memory for you its not stealing it. Infact the more ram you install the more it holds. I had a link to show this with some benchmarks but I lost it. So bottom line on that dont worry about the memory use, 2gb is perfect.

Performance will get better over time with better software support and more hardware drivers to be better compatible with vista, games right now are mostly in need of good video card drivers. Sound cards are suffering abit too.

4.) No issues with playing your music

5.) Its much much much more secure than XP, infact you may even turn off some security tools because its almost over protective.

 

Oh I must add also, if you dont mind an extra 10-20 mintues of install time you can save alot of money and just buy the upgrade version of the disk and not the full version.

If you already have XP on your machine you can install over the top of it in most cases, or do a clean install. There will be no additonal time to install over the full version.

What I mean tho is a way to install the upgrade disk by itself without a OS in place, its a loop hole MS left there on purpose and its totally legal.

You have to install a trial of vista first with the upgrade disk, then install the upgrade over it and you have a clean install of the full version for a big chunk less money.

Its only "illegal" if you do not own a valid copy of XP, however... if you dont thats your business and nobody will ever know.

Sure it takes maybe 10-20 mintues of your time more but it saves you well over 100$, time is money my friend.

I also just went and got a college id and was able to buy the academic upgrade of home premium its only 70$ shipped. I have the full verison of vista for only 70$ not too bad of a deal.

 

someone up there said that some people have actually (with appropriate amount of RAM) saw performance and speed increases over XP. this is true in my case, as well. i was running XP Pro and dumped it because it kept crashing and now am running Vista Ultimate and it runs smoother, faster, and more reliably.

ev

 

albeit i have made many tweaks, but i also did whilst using xp, on the same computer i have noticed substantial performance increases in vista. particularly with regards to the speed that applications boot up. for example, itunes used to take 6 seconds in XP, now in vista (greatly a result of superfetch), it takes just 2.5 while all other applications are INSTANT, to the extent that people are actually amazed, lol!!!

 

Yes the OS is much quicker, and x64 is even faster than x86 IMO. When people say performance drop I think they mean game frame rates in almost all cases not application load times tho.

 

How did you get iTunes to run with Vista? Everytime I try it says something about a missing or disabled VBScript. But according to Vista VB Script 3 is included with it. Someone said because it's not compatable with the Zune software (I have Zune), deleted it and it still didn't load. I even disable my antivirus and firewall but to no avail.

Could you help me installing iTunes?

 

I'm outta the loop for a while and look at all the responses! Awesome!
@ VisciousX- appreciate your time in posting mate, very informative.

Yup, I'm gonna go for Vista then.

However, like I said I am getting a dx10 graphics card, the GeForce 8600M GT, and apparently there is no (or will be no) driver support for this card from Nvidia? Do you guys know anything? I've snooped around but couldn't verify it. If so I'm definitely going Vista.

At any rate I have my copy of XP, and so I should be able to relatively easily do a dual boot, right? How does this work- is it exactly like running xp normally?

Thanks again