New Machine - Need Advice - Linux Options anyone??

[clackered]

I have recently bought myself a new machine [yeah!!] - now to set it up... [sigh]

• PROCESSOR : Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.40Ghz) Quad Core, 8Mb Cache, 1066Mhz, LGA775
  
  MAINBOARD : Asus (P5B-E) Intel P965, LGA775, DDR2-800, SATA II RAID, 8C Sound, 1394, Giga LAN
  
  MEMORY : Kingston 4Gb DDR2 PC5300 667MHz (4 x 1Gb)
  
  VGA-ATI : 512Mb, ATI Radeon X1950 GT, DDR3, PCI-Express
  
  Hard Drive : 2 X Western Dig 320 GB Drives in RAID1

So first up... What OS to choose???

I have access to XP, Win2K3 (Standard) and Vista - Or I'm happy to go Linux if there is a version that I can get to grips with quickly (I have no prior with Linux)

I'm no expert in the "Nitty Gritty" I'm a programmer and a designer and I've always had access to "people" to do the infrastructure stuff for me!

What I want to do is install a OS that will make best use of the machine, and pretty much the only thing I will ask of that base OS is to have an install of VMWare on it so I can run my three pre-configured VMs (one for Development/Programming, one for design/multimedia, and one that hosts a Webserver/DB/etc)

I want the VMs to "go like stink" - in other words, I need them to perform really really well even if all three are up and active.

What to do, what to choose? I put myself at your mercy... I need a friend, someone who would love the challenge of shoving an infamous "Low Level Computing Avoider" into the seven circles of hell that is Infrastructure and System config!

(i.e. use short sentences, avoid acronyms, treat me gently!)

I will be forever in your debt,... (that is unless I can't find you, or I forget!)

Mr Clacker.

 

[clackered]

don't be scared to offer an opinion.... it will be more valid than mine!

 

[mechBgon]

Welcome to the Forums

Between the three Windows options, I'd use 64-bit Vista. Easy no-brainer reason: it'll hit all 4GB of your RAM, not ~3.25GB, and if you want to change that to 6GB or 8GB, it's ready for that too. If you're running three VMs, I imagine you're going to need your RAM.

Hope that helps Oh, and that video card is a bit overkill for a business rig... want to trade?

 

[Alone]

+1 for 64bit Vista.

 

[clackered]

Thanks.... not sure that the Vista that I have access to is a 64-bit version. or is that up to you to choose during the install.....

...nah can't be - doesn't sound very MS to bundle evrything into one option now does it!


about the videocard... yes it is overkill... but hopefully I'll grow into it!

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: clackered
Thanks.... not sure that the Vista that I have access to is a 64-bit version. or is that up to you to choose during the install.....

Well, what version do you have access to, exactly? Unless it's OEM Windows, you should be able to opt for 64-bit by using the alternate-media ordering page at Microsoft, at worst. And if it is OEM, it may be 64-bit already, just take a look at it.

 

[mechBgon]

Oh, and after picking up $1500 worth of machine, you could probably justify OEM 64-bit Windows Vista Business for $140, if you couldn't get 64-bit Vista any other way.

 

[clackered]

Yep the version is 64 bit. Mine for only $100 AUD - Microsoft Direct Corporate deal.

Is there an equivalent 64-bit option in a Linux distro... I worry about how much Vista is going to claim for itself just to be a host for vmware. I really don't need the host OS to do anything else. and I want the max available to my VMs

 

[DigitalCancer]

Wow...Vista for $100, wheres mine?? ^_^

64-bit vista would prolly be your best bet. Not sure on Linux, but i don't think it supports 4GB does it??

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: clackered
Yep the version is 64 bit. Mine for only $100 AUD - Microsoft Direct Corporate deal.

Is there an equivalent 64-bit option in a Linux distro... I worry about how much Vista is going to claim for itself just to be a host for vmware. I really don't need the host OS to do anything else. and I want the max available to my VMs

If you edit your first post and add a subtitle such as "Maybe Linux?" then more Linux guys will probably drop by to give you their input

 

[Arkaign]

Another vote for Vista 64, I'm not a huge Vista fan, but for your hardware it's miles better than XP 64.

Linux, if you don't already have a lot of experience with it, is probably not going to be worth the learning curve this go round. Grab a live CD and mess with it for awhile, or toss it on a spare HDD, but I wouldn't recommend diving in completely until you're comfortable breaking/fixing it.

 

[Noema]

If you are using 4GB or more, you don't have much of a choice other than a 64-bit OS. So that leaves you with either Vista 64 or Linux.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I would either install xp pro or vista 64 provided that you can find drivers for all of your stuff.

 

[Skeeedunt]

Originally posted by: clackered
Yep the version is 64 bit. Mine for only $100 AUD - Microsoft Direct Corporate deal.

Is there an equivalent 64-bit option in a Linux distro... I worry about how much Vista is going to claim for itself just to be a host for vmware. I really don't need the host OS to do anything else. and I want the max available to my VMs

If you're really not going to do anything with the host os other than run VMWare, it does seem like a waste (of money and resources) to use Vista. A 64 bit Linux distro might be a better choice, assuming your hardware is well supported... but I can't speak to that. Hopefully one of the Linux gurus will be able to chime in.

I'll toss in another $.02 - virtual machines are pretty cool, but from my very limited experience with them, I don't think I'd want one as my "primary" computing environment. Maybe I'm missing out on some tweaks, and maybe I'm too picky, but the interface just doesn't feel snappy enough to me when running in a VM. I assume you've done this before though and know what to expect - but one advantage of having Vista as the host OS is that you could use that as your programming/graphics editing setup, and just use VMWare to host your web server/db/etc.

 

[clackered]

It seems Vista 64 is the only MS bet - But if you Linux gurus have a suggestion....?

I was prodded in the direction of Ubuntu by someone at work... not sure if I trust them very much... but he does have a stuffed penguin on his desk!!!

It seems fairly straight forward to get going (drivers permitting)

But do I take the risk of spending all my time learning my way around Linux when I should be working??!!