Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit with SP1 preloaded, Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q8200
8GB DDR2 memory
640GB Serial ATA II hard drive (7200 rpm)

I'm using xp on all my other computers. I use some open source software like open office and some free opensource video stuff (like to convert youtube to avi).
Some music powertracks pro, OMB some of the free utilities.

My question is about the Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit, I have no idea about 64 bit. Do I need to know anything?
Will all of my old software still work? Most of it?
Will McAfee still work? (I get it free with my IS)
Thanks

I bought a vista laptop last year. It was the worst thing i ever done. Xp is the only stable way to go if your gonna use windows. I decided to drink to kool-aid and bought a mac. I'm never going back

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God Bless,
Mikey

www.mikeymaestro.com
www.myspace.com/kidconcert
www.balloonanimal.com
www.1000colorcards.com

Good move Mikey on the Mac

Just bought a Dell for the wife with 64 bit "Premium" Vista....Going to put XP on it. Network is not right, Print drivers are different causing remote printing issues. We have XP on three notebooks and the Studio Desktop. Unfortunately thats the PC on the router and print server. The Studio PC is on the LAN too but rarely connected.

Thumbs down.....If its not broke ....and all that XP SP2 is not broke. We didn't allow the the SP3 update either.

Vista is the Windows ME of 2000. All form no function. I would go Apple for the Studio PC if Sonar had a MAC version . But I built it and used the best possible components from New Egg and it was pretty inexpensive.


[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 01-07-2009).]

Some of my audio software refused to work properly and in a few cases it wouldn't work at all on Vista. That's ok when you have stuff that is still being updated, but some of the apps I like best are no longer in production ( Sonicbytes Phrazor for example ).

Instead, three months or so ago, I bought a Sager laptop with xp home edition on it.

These are rather stripped down machines designed mainly for game players and audio buffs, and I have to say it works better ( for my needs.. mainly computer audio and softsynth apps ) than any computer I've owned, desktop or laptop. The price wasn't exhorbitant either.. I customized mine with 4 gb of ram, a better processor, and a faster hard drive.. and spent around $1100.00 usD. You can spend a lot more on these machines, but mainly the higher priced ones have larger screens and more powerful graphics cards and tools.

AJ

One option you may consider. Go with Vista business with the downgrade rights to Windows XP. Specify Windows XP installed.

Your computer comes with Windows XP installed and you get the Vista business version if you need Vista in the future.

Thanks.

Sager makes a great notebook. I bought a Dell 8600 at the time i was looking at the Sagers which then were around $2000 for the P4! I did not want a desktop chip in a notebook considering the fan I needed on my Desktop P4 LOL

I wish I could have remembered Sager when I bought the Dell 1705 Im using now. Prices have dropped. But I bought three Dell notebooks and all from the outlet refurb section.

I figured they had been gone through twice. Once in Malaysia where they are assembled, then again in Texas when they are returned and resold. DOUBLE the checkup!! So far my theory has worked out well and saved a few dollars.

Amazing...! People here will spend a FORTUNE on the latest TOTL arrangers, but nickel and dime themselves when it comes to a computer.

Get a Mac. Pay the money. Get a computer that just WORKS. The apps work (no crippled bloatware, half baked demos and shareware), the OS works, the hardware works, no Geek Squad needed.

No popups, no spyware, no trojans, no viruses, no nothing.

You just payed $3500+ for an arranger. You could have got one for $800. The $800 one sort of works...

Avoid Vista as there are major compatibility problems with a lot of music software and drivers, unlikely older apps will work either.
64bit is the future; however we are in a crossover period at the moment, so no guarantees that everything you want to use will work.
XP Pro is the way to go.
Alternatively wait until 2010 when Windows 7 is released (The Vista replacement) as the reports from those that have tried early Beta versions say it really kicks ass.
Hope this helps

Bill

Mac.