• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Putting Vista On Hold When Buying A New Computer

D

DC Hertz

Junior Member
Hi.

I'm planning on purchasing a new computer with my tax returns. Nothing extravagant. Just something that will give me ample amount of processing power. I'm not a gamer, or a DVD enthusiast. I'm an Audio guy.

I was wondering if its possible to purchase a computer with Vista installed, swap the hard drive, install Windows XP SP2 on a spare drive, and use it until Microsoft (Or third party vendors) have all the driver issues remedied.

While I don't mind using Vista (I have never tried it btw) I do mind being limited to software I will install based on driver incompatibility. Which defeats the reason of buying a new computer........ Not taking advantage of the processing power.

Is this possible?

Could this be done seeing that I'll never activate it? I?ve acquired a good amount of Audio software (Measuring tools and so forth) and can?t afford to buy them all over again.

The reason I was planning to go this route is because I don?t want to lose the operating system and programs doing a clean install of Windows XP. I would like to just keep Vista on standby until compatibility problems are no longer an issue. I would then, swap drives, activate Vista, download the necessary patches, and that?s that.

Would my idea work?
 
It sounds like you are going to try and use your current install of XP with the new PC..that usualy doesn't work well at all, it's unlikely to even boot, although you could try and do a repair install. None the less, when you switch to Vista, your programs installed on XP aren't going to work in Vista, unless they are installed in Vista..
 
Hey thanks for the reply.

What I was planning on doing is installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 on an empty drive (I have the retail CD I purchased at J&R Musicworld last year) in the new computer I'm planning on purchasing. In which, I would take out the original drive (with Vista loaded but not activated) that came with the new computer, and use the empty drive.

So I guess my question is.........

Will I encounter any problems doing this if/when I decide to swap the original drive (Vista unactivated) in the computer and activate it when all the driver issues are resolved?

This computer I'm planning on purchasing will be replacing an older computer. So, I can erase Windows XP off the older computer, and I should be fine.

Does that sound possible to you?

Thanks again.
 
Yeah, that will work fine. You just had me confused by:

"I don?t want to lose the operating system and programs doing a clean install of Windows XP"
 
😕

Why not just install XP on the primary drive, use that second drive for data only, and when the time comes to give Vista another kick, reimage the machine from the recovery discs?

- M4H
 
Or install your software, see if it works just fine on Vista, then go from there if it's even necessary.

In my case, I dumped an extra HDD into my WinXP rig, unplugged the WinXP drive, installed Vista on the new drive, then plugged the WinXP drive in again. Result: the two OSes are independent. I could remove either the XP drive or the Vista drive, and the other OS would still work, because the boot loaders are on separate disks.

To select an OS, I just hit F8 at POST and my motherboard lets me pick which drive to boot from. If I don't select one manually, it boots whichever one is set highest in the BIOS's HDD-priority list (currently Vista). If your new computer has that feature, consider that approach.
 
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Or install your software, see if it works just fine on Vista, then go from there if it's even necessary.

In my case, I dumped an extra HDD into my WinXP rig, unplugged the WinXP drive, installed Vista on the new drive, then plugged the WinXP drive in again. Result: the two OSes are independent. I could remove either the XP drive or the Vista drive, and the other OS would still work, because the boot loaders are on separate disks.

To select an OS, I just hit F8 at POST and my motherboard lets me pick which drive to boot from. If I don't select one manually, it boots whichever one is set highest in the BIOS's HDD-priority list (currently Vista). If your new computer has that feature, consider that approach.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I do, I find it better than the Vista bootloader.

You can also image one OS from inside the other, takes about 6 mins to restore either.
 
Thanks for the comments.

My concern is if I activate Windows Vista, and the software is not compatible (in which I?ll need to swap drives) will I have to go through the ordeal of reactivating Vista once I return the original drive back in the computer?

I may need to wait some time before third party manufactures get their drivers in order. Won?t swapping the Vista hard drive from the mother board back and forth that is activated defeat the activation process?

I?m looking to buy one of those bundled jobs (Best Buy) PCs so, I?m not sure if they will offer a Windows Vista DVD. The last new computer I purchased was in 1999 and, a lot has changed since then. I was given a recovery disk with the full operating system and software upon purchasing that computer. So, I can swap drives and the computer could care less.

With this activation process (Which I?m unfamiliar with) I don?t want to switch drives, and have to re-register again. So, I was thinking my idea would work.

Is it not possible?

What are the cons of doing so?

I can live without all the bundled software for the time being.

Here?s the computer I was considering.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp...Id=pcmcat103700050049&id=1166840115228

Thank you
 
Originally posted by: DC Hertz
Thanks for the comments.

My concern is if I activate Windows Vista, and the software is not compatible (in which I?ll need to swap drives) will I have to go through the ordeal of reactivating Vista once I return the original drive back in the computer?

I may need to wait some time before third party manufactures get their drivers in order. Won?t swapping the Vista hard drive from the mother board back and forth that is activated defeat the activation process?

I?m looking to buy one of those bundled jobs (Best Buy) PCs so, I?m not sure if they will offer a Windows Vista DVD. The last new computer I purchased was in 1999 and, a lot has changed since then. I was given a recovery disk with the full operating system and software upon purchasing that computer. So, I can swap drives and the computer could care less.

With this activation process (Which I?m unfamiliar with) I don?t want to switch drives, and have to re-register again. So, I was thinking my idea would work.

Is it not possible?

What are the cons of doing so?

I can live without all the bundled software for the time being.

Here?s the computer I was considering.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp...Id=pcmcat103700050049&id=1166840115228

Thank you
Click to expand...
A Celeron?! 🙁 With 512MB of RAM?! Think what you're doing, man!
 
Originally posted by: DC Hertz
Thanks for the comments.

My concern is if I activate Windows Vista, and the software is not compatible (in which I?ll need to swap drives) will I have to go through the ordeal of reactivating Vista once I return the original drive back in the computer?

I may need to wait some time before third party manufactures get their drivers in order. Won?t swapping the Vista hard drive from the mother board back and forth that is activated defeat the activation process?

I?m looking to buy one of those bundled jobs (Best Buy) PCs so, I?m not sure if they will offer a Windows Vista DVD. The last new computer I purchased was in 1999 and, a lot has changed since then. I was given a recovery disk with the full operating system and software upon purchasing that computer. So, I can swap drives and the computer could care less.

With this activation process (Which I?m unfamiliar with) I don?t want to switch drives, and have to re-register again. So, I was thinking my idea would work.

Is it not possible?

What are the cons of doing so?

I can live without all the bundled software for the time being.

Here?s the computer I was considering.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp...Id=pcmcat103700050049&id=1166840115228

Thank you
Click to expand...


Yeah, I agree with Mech..Vista would run like a pig on that machine, 512mb of ram is barely enough for XP let alone Vista..and the Celeron is definatly no screamer either.
 
Thanks for your input.

Recommendations would be great! Please bare in mind, the last new computer purchase was 1999 so I'm pretty much out of it in terms of cutting edge technology.

What's wrong with Celeron if I may ask?

This will be the primary function of the computer;

Real time Spectrum Analyzing preferably 1/24 octaves (I actually have a few of these in which I would like to use)

Saw tooth and Sine wave generating.

Wave file Authoring.

Music file playback (Wav Files) on a daily basis.

Word processing for saving my work.

No Games, no DVD viewing and a great possibility no Internet.

From my understanding, more processing power will execute Audio conversions, and rendering faster. Also, benefit the accuracy with my real time measuring tools. I'm currently using 500 MHz so, I was hoping 3.3 GHZ would be more than enough.

If the above computer I hyper linked will have difficulty handling that, I am open for suggestions.

Thank you.




 
Depends on the celly, but for what you want, get at LEAST 1 GB memory....

Memory is one place where it's hard to have too much.
 
Originally posted by: DC Hertz
Thank you.

So, I should be looking for at least 1 GB of memory. I see.....

Thank you for your time.
Click to expand...

No, more like 2GB, especially if you are planning on putting vista on there eventually...
 
Originally posted by: DC Hertz
Thank you.

So, I should be looking for at least 1 GB of memory. I see.....

Thank you for your time.
Click to expand...

1GB is fine for XP, 2GB for Vista. Celerons have small cache sizes, which tends to make them sluggish compared to a regular processor, but if your 500mhz CPU can handle your software, the celeron should be fine, there are just much better CPU's out there is all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top