Operating System Installation Question (PC)

[vladittude0583]

Hey guys, I currently have Windows XP Home installed on my desktop, but I am thinking of purchasing either Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate, preferably the latter. Anyhow, my desktop supports 64-bit processing and I am interested in the 64-bit OS primarily for future purposes in case I encounter more intensive applications in the not too distant future. However, I am not a computer programmer or some software engineer, therefore, I was wondering if I actually have to tweak settings on my actual desktop itself to configure it to run as a 64-bit OS? Also, are there really any advantages to having a 64-bit OS since I keep hearing that most software right now is 32-bit? I currently have Windows Vista Home Premium factory installed on my laptop and my experience with it is just about the same with the Windows XP on my desktop, however, I have yet to utilize a system that ran Windows Vista Ultimate (either 32-bit or 64-bit). What would you guys recommend?

Some specs of my desktop:

Intel E6850 Dual-Core @ 3.0GHz per Processor
nVidia GeForce 8800 GT
nVidia nForce 680i SLI motherboard
4GB of System RAM running @ 800MHz Corsair Hi-Performance
2x320 GB Hard-Disk Drives

[phlydude]

Here's a little deal that isn't well known...if you buy the 32 bit version, you can get the 64-bit version from microsoft for very little (like S&H + $10) just because you have the 32-bit version...BUT

I HATE Vista (aka Mojave) - the GD permissions is enough to drive you nuts! You click on a program to run it (a program you have clicked hundreds of times) and it still asks you to continue....ARGHHHH!!!

Stick with XP - you will be happier and you can use that $160 and spend it on some blu-ray movies!

[katharsis]

Originally Posted by vladittude0583

Hey guys, I currently have Windows XP Home installed on my desktop, but I am thinking of purchasing either Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate, preferably the latter. Anyhow, my desktop supports 64-bit processing and I am interested in the 64-bit OS primarily for future purposes in case I encounter more intensive applications in the not too distant future. However, I am not a computer programmer or some software engineer, therefore, I was wondering if I actually have to tweak settings on my actual desktop itself to configure it to run as a 64-bit OS? Also, are there really any advantages to having a 64-bit OS since I keep hearing that most software right now is 32-bit? I currently have Windows Vista Home Premium factory installed on my laptop and my experience with it is just about the same with the Windows XP on my desktop, however, I have yet to utilize a system that ran Windows Vista Ultimate (either 32-bit or 64-bit). What would you guys recommend?

Some specs of my desktop:

Intel E6850 Dual-Core @ 3.0GHz per Processor
nVidia GeForce 8800 GT
nVidia nForce 680i SLI motherboard
4GB of System RAM running @ 800MHz Corsair Hi-Performance
2x320 GB Hard-Disk Drives

Not sure if you have to tweak it somehow to run the 64-bit Version at first, but I do know that a lot of programs will not work if they do not support the 64-bit and you might have to look for a new version of them, which can be rather frustrating.
If you are not programming or doing really heavy editing or graphics design I would say stick with 32-bit but also get the cheap upgrade for 64, like phlydude mentioned.

[mikejet]

Go Linux!

[katharsis]

Originally Posted by phlydude

Here's a little deal that isn't well known...if you buy the 32 bit version, you can get the 64-bit version from microsoft for very little (like S&H + $10) just because you have the 32-bit version...BUT

I HATE Vista (aka Mojave) - the GD permissions is enough to drive you nuts! You click on a program to run it (a program you have clicked hundreds of times) and it still asks you to continue....ARGHHHH!!!

Stick with XP - you will be happier and you can use that $160 and spend it on some blu-ray movies!

I just got a new desktop PC about 3 months ago, and of course it came with Vista. At first I hated it as well, but I am getting more and more used to it and somewhat start to like it. Sure it's a bit more of a pain than XP, but also offers new features.
About the GD permissions, you can turn those off real easy. That was one of the first things I researched when they kept popping up.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...ns&btnG=Search

There is also a bunch of other tweaks to get it running smoother and faster.

[Forrestandjen07]

1 thing i found real funny with vista was that prograg security feature where it would ask you are you sure every time you open a program

but once never asks you if you are sure about restarting or shuting down your computer, you hit that button and away it went

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by phlydude

Here's a little deal that isn't well known...if you buy the 32 bit version, you can get the 64-bit version from microsoft for very little (like S&H + $10) just because you have the 32-bit version...BUT

I HATE Vista (aka Mojave) - the GD permissions is enough to drive you nuts! You click on a program to run it (a program you have clicked hundreds of times) and it still asks you to continue....ARGHHHH!!!

Stick with XP - you will be happier and you can use that $160 and spend it on some blu-ray movies!

You know you can turn the UAC off right?

[phlydude]

I know I turned off one of the account controls but I still get this - I will check on the other setting