Do I have a 64 bit system?

[Matt_Stevens]

I feel stupid asking this, but I have no idea. Is my Shuttle a 64 bit system? Yeah, I have a 32 bit XP pro OS, but I put that on myself.

My system specs below. Help a moron out. Sorry. :biggrin:

Another question would be, how upgradeable is this thing. Shuttles tend not to be, but can I slap a much faster CPU in this puppy?

Might be more of a pain than it is worth though.

 

[hulkhelton]

yes core 2 quads are 64 bit.

 

[mfenn]

Yes, you have a 64-bit capable system. The pertinent information is that "EM64T" is listed in the "Instructions" box. That being said, pretty much any AMD or Intel desktop processor sold within the last 5 years is 64-bit capable.

 

[CKTurbo128]

Yes, you have a 64-bit capable system. The pertinent information is that "EM64T" is listed in the "Instructions" box. That being said, pretty much any AMD or Intel desktop processor sold within the last 5 years is 64-bit capable.

Almost all, except for N2xx & Z-series Intel Atoms and all Yonah-based Core Duo/Solos.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

Excellent. Now the question is, do I go Windows 7? I have avoided it because I love my Classic Desktop and DESPISE how Vista and Windows 7 look and work. Hate it with a passion. With Vista you could switch it to the Classic Desktop mode, but not with Windows 7.

Though I see there are some add-ons that get high marks. So i guess I have to figure out which is the best/safest one to use.

Other question is, will my system be strong enough to edit HD with Adobe CS5??? Clearly I'll have to upgrade my ram. 4GD isn't enough.

 

[mfenn]

Excellent. Now the question is, do I go Windows 7? I have avoided it because I love my Classic Desktop and DESPISE how Vista and Windows 7 look and work. Hate it with a passion. With Vista you could switch it to the Classic Desktop mode, but not with Windows 7.

Though I see there are some add-ons that get high marks. So i guess I have to figure out which is the best/safest one to use.

Other question is, will my system be strong enough to edit HD with Adobe CS5??? Clearly I'll have to upgrade my ram. 4GD isn't enough.

Give Windows 7 in its default setup a shot. You'll be surprised how much more efficient you are once you get used to it. I simply cannot use XP anymore without getting irritated at how slow everything is. Hint: Being able to hit the Start key on your keyboard, typing the first few characters of the program name, and pressing enter to launch it is perhaps the greatest thing since sliced bread.

To answer your question, yes you should go to Windows 7 64-bit. If you add four more gigs of RAM to your system, it should be fine for video editing. Of course, a Nehalem would be faster, but your Q9550 is not slow by any means.

 

[Davidh373]

With Vista you could switch it to the Classic Desktop mode, but not with Windows 7.

I can switch Windows 7 to classic.... <_<

 

[mfenn]

I can switch Windows 7 to classic.... <_<

Not fully. You will still have the Windows 7 Start menu, taskbar, and system tray behavior. It'll just be skinned to look like Windows 2K.

 

[Davidh373]

Not fully. You will still have the Windows 7 Start menu, taskbar, and system tray behavior. It'll just be skinned to look like Windows 2K.

True, but he did say he liked the "look" of classic, not the function.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

I like the look and function of the Classic star menu. I despise with every fiber of my being the changes since XP Pro. HATE THEM. But I have no fault with those who don't. That's fine. It's just not for me.

 

[Fallingwater]

Windows 7 is a far better (or should I say "less bad") OS than XP and Vista. You're gonna have to get used to it sooner or later anyway, so you might as well make it sooner and make your system 64-bit. Disable the themes service to remove the eye candy (I always do that), and many of the OS' other features are settable so that they work more or less like in XP.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

I'm going to purchase it in January. No money for it right now with Christmas and all. Especially since I have to snag another 4 gigs of ram. Amazing 4 gigs of ram is cheaper than an upgrade of Windows.

 

[Davidh373]

I'm going to purchase it in January. No money for it right now with Christmas and all. Especially since I have to snag another 4 gigs of ram. Amazing 4 gigs of ram is cheaper than an upgrade of Windows.

Windows seems to have gotten cheaper though too. I've seen XP Pro retail disks for $350, which is way more than the $260 for Windows 7 Pro retail.

 

[Fallingwater]

Purchasing operating systems... what a weird and curious concept.

Seriously, three hundred bucks? Come on, there have to be cheaper ways if one must stay legal. It's cheaper to buy a netbook and use the license you get from that to run the OS elsewhere, for Pete's sake.

 

[Raduque]

Purchasing operating systems... what a weird and curious concept.

Seriously, three hundred bucks? Come on, there have to be cheaper ways if one must stay legal. It's cheaper to buy a netbook and use the license you get from that to run the OS elsewhere, for Pete's sake.

No can do with modern Windows Product Activation systems. Besides, Netbooks that come with Windows 7 use Starter, which is very bare-bones and doesn't really include anything.

OEM editions of Microsoft OSes are generally $100. Retail editions are more because their licenses allow transfer of the OS to another computer, at any time, as long as the previous computer has had all traces of the license removed.

I can't see why somebody would balk at paying the price for the OS. $260 is quite reasonable for a piece of software that's both central to the operation of the computer AND will be able to follow you through several difference builds (if you build it yourself). I've used this same copy of Windows Vista Ultimate retail on 3 self-builds so far - had I paid for it (and not won it) it would have more that paid for itself.


edit: xp? lol.

 

[mfenn]

Purchasing operating systems... what a weird and curious concept.

Hmmm, let's just pretend that you are suggesting that the OP use Linux and are not advocating piracy.

Seriously, three hundred bucks? Come on, there have to be cheaper ways if one must stay legal. It's cheaper to buy a netbook and use the license you get from that to run the OS elsewhere, for Pete's sake.

Guess I shouldn't have given you the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

I have gone from 98 to Millenium to XP and still have my original XP disc so I would just buy an upgrade. No need for full retail, which is, in my view, ridiculously expensive.

 

[mfenn]

I have gone from 98 to Millenium to XP and still have my original XP disc so I would just buy an upgrade. No need for full retail, which is, in my view, ridiculously expensive.

Ouch :$

 

[Matt_Stevens]

Millenium was HORRID! I actually returned it and went back to 98SE. Used that for a long long time. Went kicking and screaming to XP when I built a new system, but love it. Hate to get past it. But time moves and so do we.

 

[fuzzymath10]

Am I the only one who doesn't hate Vista? I've been using it since mid 2007 and other than no Aero on older machines and taking up a fair bit of space, it was decent. It's now up to SP2 too. Missing TRIM maybe, but if you're on magnetic platters that's not an issue.

I have to use XP at work and it's very frustrating. I do like classic win2k mode more than the hideous green/blue skin.

 

[Davidh373]

Am I the only one who doesn't hate Vista? I've been using it since mid 2007 and other than no Aero on older machines and taking up a fair bit of space, it was decent. It's now up to SP2 too. Missing TRIM maybe, but if you're on magnetic platters that's not an issue.

Vista isn't bad, it just came out in a transition phase between 2GB Standard and 4GB standard, so it didn't run very well on machines at the time.

 

[mfenn]

Am I the only one who doesn't hate Vista? I've been using it since mid 2007 and other than no Aero on older machines and taking up a fair bit of space, it was decent. It's now up to SP2 too. Missing TRIM maybe, but if you're on magnetic platters that's not an issue.

I have to use XP at work and it's very frustrating. I do like classic win2k mode more than the hideous green/blue skin.

You're not the only one. I thought that it was quite decent after Nvidia fixed their drivers. Pretty much all of my outstanding nitpicks were resolved with SP1.

 

[Fallingwater]

Hmmm, let's just pretend that you are suggesting that the OP use Linux and are not advocating piracy.
Guess I shouldn't have given you the benefit of the doubt.

Quoting from the guidelines, which I read carefully before posting that to make sure I wouldn't get banhammered:

3) No sharing or requesting pirated software. Discussions addressing piracy are allowed, but using the Forums as a hub or a school for pirates is not.

From that, I gather that - as long as I don't provide a pirated copy of Windows or request one - I'm allowed to say that I find it peculiar to pay hundreds of dollars for bug-ridden operating systems promoted by people I hate, and that I'm forced to endure solely because games won't work on the free alternative. So no, I'm not about to give micro$oft 260 dollars for Windows, and I find it strange that anyone would actively want to do so of their own volition.

Millenium was HORRID!

That, it was. However, I got it preinstalled on my old Athlon 1400, and I must say that it never gave me more grief than Win98SE, and for some things it worked better. I'm fully aware that I'm an exception - apparently everyone but me who tried that OS was ripping their hair off.

 

[Ovven]

If you have access to MSDNAA, you might be able to get win7 license for free. For example, my comp class in university gave everyone a MSDNAA pass as one of the prerequisites to class.