I build PC's - its my life work.

I run Vista 64 bit on a massive home built system and it runs EVERYTHING! I have no problems with it at all. SP1 fixed most of the issues. I have not has one problem with it. Prior to SP1 Vista the above comments applies. Also, Vista needs high power video and lots of memory and the system you are talking about will work fine.

Having said that? My favorite little machine is my new Acer Aspire One netbook running XP!! It is not as powerful as my Desktop but geepers I use it alot. Now to get Vista on it!!

I am a huge gammer, so if Vista was an issue it would not be on my system at all!!

Quad core and 64bit OS is the way to go so you can add more than 3 gig of memory.

I also have a mac I use from time to time that I use for photo work.

Good luck with your purchase. GO VISTA!

-Linda

thanks for the replies.
I guess the question I am trying to ask is do you need to buy different software for the 6t4 bit thing or does 32 bit software work?
The older I get the less time I want to spend learning how to do the same things over again.

What I'm looking for is to replace my xp media center computer that is having problems. The system I'm talking about has the built in tv card so I can use it as a personal video recorder to record TV.

Normally I wouldn't think about it but I saw a good price for what looks like a lot of machine.

I make music. It's my life's work.

NOT learning every last detail about computers, just so I CAN make music on it...

Hey Mike,

If you plan on using all 8 Gigs of that memory you bought, you'll need a 64-bit OS. So if you do go back to XP, make sure it's the 64-bit flavor.

Goin' a little OT here:

I'm the Computer Support Director for the Libraries here at the U of MN.

The campus IT folks are responsible for the network here and they constantly scan all computers for vulnerabilities. They will deactivate any ethernet jack almost instantly if they detect problems. The last deactivations in our main Library happened on the iMacs used in our computer lab. All three had the Zlob infection (that's the one where you want to watch a video and you get prompted to download the proper codec). And we also see more root-kits being installed on Macs since they're UNIX-based at heart. Campus folks won't let us simply remove the root-kit...you HAVE to rebuild the computer and get it scanned before they put it back online. Too easy for the hackers to hide their tracks with UNIX.

Don't let somebody fool ya that Macs don't get dinged.

Back to the topic...we just installed 4 workstations with XP 64-bit SP3, Quad-cores, and 8 Gigs of memory in our Digital Scanning lab. The boxes scream! Haven't done much with Vista yet but it's coming.

-mike

I am about to buy a desktop, probably today. Over the past year, I have been advised by numerous experts NOT to buy Vista under any circumstance. Not just one person said this, many have. Far too many problems that are just totally screwball. Use XP.

I am looking at buying a Dell desktop with XP installed and it has the Vista license if I want to use it later.

I am also told do NOT buy a computer with Vista installed, thinking that you can just wipe it out and put XP on it... they say it's sometimes impossible to totally clean up the drive.

Mike, you said you bought...

XP 64-bit SP3, Quad-cores, and 8 Gigs of memory

My needs are for general business use. Word processor, spreadsheets, map scanning, map drawing, heavy internet use. I have the fastest DSL my telco offers.

I need speed. In my work, time is of the essence. I need a smoking machine, I hate waiting on the computer. What you bought above, would that help someone like me or is that unnecessary overkill?

Right now, I'm looking at a Dell with 4gb ram, 320 gb hd and Win XP for about $900 - $1100.

YOu an actually do both DIKI!! You can actually multi task and learn more. Being a MAC user I understand the magnitude of complexity the non proprietary component based computer may look. Many of us make or have made our living in music and still learned how to do other things.

I realize the The Mac UI is so easy to use, it’s actually insulting to a power user and yes Apple has always catered to people who prefer pictures over words. People who want the computer to be a "transparent" component which has it's benefits as long as long as everything is running as it should.

But learning the intricacies of the OS and hardware is a good thing. Really! Learning is ALWAYS a good thing. Yeah even at the "expense" of a few hours of "creating". It can save your hide as well.

It has been very comforting and handy over the years to know if ANY component fails I have the ability and knowledge get it up and running again in the time it takes to run down the street pick one up, install the readily available part and be up and running in less than an hour.Or build a computer to my exact specifications. I have never met a MAC user who could claim the same. They just swear their parts never fail are bullet proof, seemingly made of some special secret super silicon, magnetic material, "Macmega" phosphors,wafers in some secret Apple lab.

I actually enjoy not having to purchase new Recording software with each OS upgrade like some of my MAC brethren wailed about. I like having had more CHOICES in software packages as well. No doubt Windows has not been without it's problems. (Windows ME, now Vista) I am rolling back the only Vista computer we have to the rock solid XP.

In my case(and I am sure many who still use Windows based PCs) the benefits far outweighed the "issues" IF they took the time to learn how it operates. However the line is becoming blurred on the hardware side. Which is not a good thing for MAC and the myth of no virus issues.
Apple simply never had a large enough market share and were not as large a target, however that is changing and MACs are sharing more components and chips with traditional PCs and being targeted like Windows users. Its not like the OS is naturally immune. No OS is. It simply wasn't worth the effort for those who create the nasty little programs. I dare any MAC user to run on the net without anti-virus software nowadays, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12537279/


Like many, I prefer to be my own manufacturer, repair tech, upgrade tech,network tech for my mission critical machines. That's the single biggest reason (second being cost) I chose non proprietary component based machines and "suffered" through a learning curve at the "expense" of some music creation. Yeah darn, I had to learn DOS while other's created music. But that's no longer an issue and it wasn't so bad to put some music "on hold" for the long term benefits. Nowadays I just have all the parts delivered and build it and buy Dell refurbs for the rest of the house.

As the hardware lines become more blurred and the the more "PC component" like and less proprietary MAC gets the more I am more inclined to give it a try. But not at an additional cost for the OS and only then if Cakewalk Sonar runs natively on it.

[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 01-08-2009).]

Well, I haven't bought it yet I'm thinking about it, it's only 800 bucks and has the built in TV card so I can use it like a tivo but without the monthly fee.

"What I'm looking for is to replace my xp media center computer that is having problems. The system I'm talking about has the built in tv card so I can use it as a personal video recorder to record TV.


I'm kinda worried about the vista thing


Anbody have a tivo?

You're a PC.

Hold on Windows Washers:

Version 7 will be out soon and is purported by the Washington Windows Wizards to solve all the problems that Vista has either created or encountered.

Any Linux users here? Anybody satisfied with one of the Graphical Interfaces for Linux? I've tried several times but it seems to me the volunteer teams that dream up these variations always forget that most users are not programmers and don't want to jump through hoops to use their machines.

I own an older Mac and it's a nice platform but takes more practice and reading to get familiar with the system because I don't use it very often. (Kinda like flying a 747... you have to make a few practice landings and takeoffs to remain current... LOL! Macs are great for Art, Graphics and Music. I have owned an Amiga (before it was killed by Commodore) and wish to goodness it had survived. That Motorola Chip was so far ahead of it's time!

For music management these days, I use XP Home and am satisfied... but still not over being angry with Microsoft the Magnificent.
They want to control the world... for a price... and they want you to pay for upgrade after upgrade after upgrade. No thanks!

Dave Rice