Fresh New System - Need to buy operating system - WinXP or Vista

[uberloungedotcom]

Just built/building a new Duo Core system....

Will be dual-booting with some version of windows and Linux.....

So, I don't own windows and never have (always got it for free) but am willing to buy it. What should I buy:

1.Windows XP Professional
2. Windows Vista, and if windows Vista, what version?

 

[jpeyton]

3 threads in 15 minutes?

Itching to be banned?

Or just plugging your website?

 

[uberloungedotcom]

building a new system. Have been out of the hardware loop for 1.5 years or so. I have tons of questions that need to be answered. Simple as that, sorry if I seem aggressive but I am itching to get an order placed by tomorrow morning from Newegg so I can build this system for the weekend. Instead of just making a comment as you did, why couldn't you just have helped me and answered the question.

Back to the topic. I know that there are like 5 versions of windows Vista. What I have been reading about Vista is that it is essentially just a $200 service pack of Win XP.

Jpeyton, if you would want to be helpful, could you please let me know which version I would want to get or let me know if I should not bother, save money and just buy XP Pro.

Also, am I not allowed to make 3 threads in 15 minutes? I find that to be very reasonable so I am left to believe you just wanted to be scornful since I am a n00b and am having a good time getting help from other helpful people on the forums....

 

[jkresh]

It would be better to ask all your question in 1 thread (as long as they are all in the same category (ie general hardware)). This might go in operating systems but to answer your question it depends on what your needs are and what you are using the system for. If the system is for home use and you will not be connecting to a domain then its either Home Premium or Ultimate. Ultimates main features are imaging (saves having to buy something like ghost or acronis true image) and shadowcopy (if you screw up when editing a document it can most likley recover it for you), there are some other benefits but for now those are likely to be the big ones, whether that is worth the cost difference is up to you. Also Vista has a nice feature called "Windows any time upgrade" so if you buy home premium and decide later that you want ultimate you can go online pay an upgrade price for the new key and use your install disc to go to ultimate (it likely will cost more then the difference between ultimate and home premium if you bought them outright but less then a ultimate upgrade from xp would cost). One thing you can do would be to borrow a vista dvd form a friend or "obtain" one in some way, install ultimate without a key then spend a few days (you have 30 before you need to activate) and see if you need the ultimate features, if you do just buy ultimate from a store and enter the code and activate (no reinstall necessary) if you dont you will have to reinstall using home premium before you can activate (assuming you buy a home premium copy). One additional benefit of vista over xp is if you buy a retail copy of vista then you ge 32bit and 64bit on the same disc so in a year or so you decide you want to go 64bit you dont have to buy a new copy just reinstall using the 64bit edition.

 

[uberloungedotcom]

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

 

[Zepper]

Personally I would never buy Vista. Don't you think M$ has got their hooks into you bad enough with XP. I understand they can kill your installation of Vista by remote control - I can't wait until the crackers break that one... The only way to work around that is to never go online.

I just received an article today outlining how Vista can be used without activating...

.bh.

 

[uberloungedotcom]

ok no Vista for me. I will use Sabayon Linux with Beryl and AIXGL and use a win xp laying around...

 

[Cadaver]

I dunno. I like Vista actually, compared with XP. The Areo effects are nice, and making the OS theme color a deep black I think has a very clean, professional look.

And since I'm not pirating my copy of Windows, I'm not too worried about Microsoft deactivating me or deleting software remotely (a good external hardware firewall helps, too).