Sound Easy aren't compatible with 64bit Vista.

[R-Carpenter]

Well there it is. I build a kick *** gaming puter with 4gigs of ram, sli 880gts and 3ghz Pent.
Vista 64 as a newest operating system to recognize and take an advantage of all new toys and oh well.
It doesn't even want to try to install.
Guess I have to pull out my old XP based puter.

[kiwi_abroad]

Get VMWare workstation 6.0, VMware server, or the Microsoft equivalents, build a VM and install XP 32bit onto that.

Workstation 6.0 is preferred, but costs money, VMware server is designed for 'back end' type applications, and the console interface isn't as slick, but it's free.

Cheers, Adrian

[R-Carpenter]

Thank for the suggestion Adrian.
Most likely I will just set a separate XP based PC in my shop, specifically for this purpose.
But I'll try VM just for the hell of it. 64 bit Vista needs to be tamed.

[Inductor]

A lot of problems with Vista (I guess). People staying with XP... and waiting for a new OS after Vista is over. Also opting for XP installed (or dual boot) in brand new computers. "Avoid Vista, keep XP and wait for Windows 7?" this is what they say... more input appreciated on this subject. Also read this: "Windows XP to be phased out by year's end despite customer demand", who knows?!

[R-Carpenter]

Unfortunately, Vista 64bit is the only operating system that will recognize 4 gigs or more of ram and fully benefit from dual core processors.
Then you are using Microsoft products it's always the same story. I remember then XP came out on the market. It was the same exact story. I hated it. Microsoft usually upgrades their software for a few years till it works like a charm and then they come up with another potentially great soft that's half assed, not working correctly and needs updates.
Vista isn't recognizing my old Lexmark printer and has no driver for it.
I don't feel badly about it because I paid $99 for Builders Special of Vista at New Egg.
I also have an old computer that's running XP.

VM is an expensive program and I hear that some people have problems with it too. Since I have options, I'll just wait for Microsoft's emulator and will be using other computer.

[planet10]

Originally posted by R-Carpenter
Unfortunately, Vista 64bit is the only operating system that will recognize 4 gigs or more of ram and fully benefit from dual core processors.

I suspect most UNIX variants will. The new 8-core Macs for instance support up to 32 GB RAM. (all Macs have at least 2-cores ans will support 4 GB if you can install it). And with the afor-mentioned VMWare maks a kick*** Windows box.

M$ really shot themselves in the foot with Vista. By the time they get windows 7 out (with M$ track record for meeting deadlines, 2012-2014) they might not even be a player.

dave

[ShinOBIWAN]

Dave is a Mac fan and as a dedicated follower he presenting his case every couple of months or whenever an opportunity presents itself such is the case here. Meanwhile people such as myself sit behind our Vista based machines scratching our heads at the mismatch of reality and wishful thinking.

Why? Because the Mac ain't so pearly either. Pick your poison probably best describes the choice between platforms.

On performance basis Mac's cost more than PC's, quite a lot more. What Dave also fails to mention is there's also performance hits with the virtual machines used to run native PC apps. So best to buy a powerful Mac, oh wait aren't those expensive? VM gaming in many cases simply doesn't work because of the architecture and driver hurdles. Reading and researching the various gaming and IT forums will quickly show just how much hassle this can be. But Mac's are easy to use and stable right? Of course they are.

So what do we have? A PC with an OS that's heavily supported in the mainstream that's what. I walk into my local PCWorld and its telling of Dave's prophesied Microsoft collapse and loss of market share - 5 isles of windows based machines and half of one for macs which it shares with the printers. Hmm. I do think they've made headway though because before Vista they had only had 1/4 of an isle and were sharing with desk accessories.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to come off as a rabid PC fan. After all a PC loaded with Vista was an awful proposition this time last year and it still continues to hate machines that don't have hardware that's not current generation. Its also taken hardware and software manufacturer a good while to get their wares into shape. It seems chucking time and money at a problem eventually works because after god knows how many updates and the release of the first Service pack, Vista isn't bad at all now. Not perfect by a good margin but certainly nothing like the dooms day stories you used to hear(and continue to hear from users of other platforms).

Put it this way, I now wouldn't load XP on to my daily use machine and that's a pretty good complement considering I loathed Vista 12 months ago.

Light hearted relief:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEAGmBRC1dc

[planet10]

All my Vista info coms from the 2 1st rate PC techs at work... and unless you DIY a Mac is no more ecpensive than a comparable Windows PC. Of course it is more difficult to DIY a Mac

I am a rabid mac guy for sure, but a statement like "Vista 64bit is the only operating system that will recognize 4 gigs or more of ram and fully benefit from dual core processors. " needs rebutting.

And tests have shown that the VMs are getting pretty close to native speeds.

dave

[R-Carpenter]

My statement actually wasn't targeted at Mac. There are so few people that are using it that I frankly didn't seriously consider it a competitor. Besides Gaming is not Macs specialty.

Personally, I am from PC school. I started in DOS and writing in “basic”. So at this point I kinda know what to expect and where to look for it and I am not about to switch horses.
Not to say that Mac is crap but it's not for me. Mac was always lousy at gaming. I like gaming. That's why I have SLI 8800gts and 4 gigs of ram.

I don't think Microsoft will go out of business. They have plenty to show and will develop more soft. 99% computer users in the world are dependent on their products. Why would they go out of business?

64 bit Vista hasn't crashed on this machine once, since I went through all the installation, service packing, driver looking and switching, rolling back and forward, uninstalling and reinstalling, blue screen, woohooo it runs.
I can run Time Shift in full resolution. Haven't tried Crisis, just not interested in the game.
I remember XP, 98 and Pro crashing all the time.
I think Vista is the best system Microsoft came up with so far. As I mentioned before, they always come up with raw product and people start flipping, then they fix it.

Of the subject.
Dave I saw your tube player going for $350 on ebay. So why tubes in a CD player? And is it a decent player? (for example, how it compares to Sony CDP30es) I am going to be looking for one in the next few month.

[R-Carpenter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4iyksLeo7w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_kG...eature=related