[Compiler]

Certain M$ games are coded for vista only... er, halo2. but there are hacks to make that work for XP. I don't think XP looks that much dated... Wait, Windowblinds is built into XP, it takes a few clicks and or downloads to make XP look like VISTA, Mac OS X or anything else.

Okay... here is a reputable source. They were reviewing a TOP END motherboard - but I looked at the results as XP vs Vista64 bit. Funny I think... note: I included 2 links as the review wasn't about XP vs Vista - but they did both for both camps:

Gaming:
Vista: http://anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3190&p=6
XP: http://anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3190&p=9

Battlefield2 on an intel Core2 Quad 6800 = 190fps vs 160fps (Xp vs Vista 64 bit)
Cinebench rendering = 12,805 vs 12,140...

The XP setup has 2GB of RAM, the vists64 bit has 4GB of RAM. The same mobo, HD, videocard and RAM was used. You need 4GB of RAM to get vista running good, but then you need the 64bit version to access ALL of it... and still get kicked to the side by 2GB of WindowsXP.

[RobLinux]

Obviously Granny is going to appreciate the 30fps above 160 fps finding extreme Halo 2 performance crtical. Similarly the < 10% difference in Cinebench.

What you're saying is true but misses the point. Typical consumers just buy a box, called a PC, then some disks or add on hardware that they can plug in. Then when something goes wrong and confuses t hem, they go call on a "computer" expert (even one who dislikes Windows finding it restrictive, inflexible and patronising).

Any superiority in XP at meeting the actual needs, is going to be crushed by the eventual weight of "Designed for Vista" logos, and disks, where somone has done the work of intetegrating that product, to make it seem like it "just works".

I've talked with Dell about installing XP on my box, and yes I can, but it'll involve hunting down and integrating drivers from a whole load of Vendor sites. Then I'll have to hope that it all integrates well in the final system and I don't hit any gotcha's. Realistically is that a good use of time?

[Compiler]

Don't buy a dell or get one that comes with XP... Local to major Dallas stores, they can't get enough XP PCs on shelves... I bought a notebook for a client a little while ago from a store (needed ASAP from that store) - they only had 3 within budget... then 2-3 weeks later, they get in a Lenovo Thinkpad with XP on it DOH!!!

[RobLinux]

Well I did... Ironically I didn't build my own box, because I wanted to minimise the cost of the M$ tax and the time involved. The big OEMs have driven HW costs down so low that, building my own like I used to seemed pointless. The fact is a bottom line desktop is now 2x as fast, as my dual Athlon MP ECC server, which was a very high end desirable machine when I built it.

As the machine runs the same OS perfectly as >98% of the top 500 Super Computers, rather than seeming like it really needs a super computer to run, I'm just not going to bother very much driver collecting, and then suffer regular virus scans, windows update and other BS.

What seems better is to run a cheap version of XP inside a virtualised environment with simplified basic emulated hardware, for the applications I wanted to run. Vista works there but wastes silly amounts of disk space and memory.

[steppenwolf]

vista works even on 512 ram slow at times i guess

but its sick wordpad was only for a trial run then i have to pay for it and the cd writer was only for a trial run and maybe something else

microsoft are greedy jerks

[namenotfound]

I don't even use DirectX functions. I don't know why everyone is so obsessed over it.

[managed]

What's the best/easiest/least stressful way of learning Linux ?

[namenotfound]

Originally Posted by managed

What's the best/easiest/least stressful way of learning Linux ?

Ubuntu (ubuntu.com) is a version of Linux that "just works". It's hassle free (for the most part).

If you're just starting out with Linux, I'd recommend Ubuntu for an easy transition into the Linux world.

[Compiler]

Just read that the adoption rate of vista is around half that of XP... When they into account that there are twice as many systems out there. Of course this is # of copies of vista made, not actually installed.


I picked up a PC sale today... a guy was on the Dell site, building a system up. He wasn't happy that the XPS class didn't have the XP option. So I told him to finish building his PC and I'll quote him a system when he finishes the list. What he wanted ended up costing $2700! (With a 22" LCD monitor) - I quoted him a system that is slightly slower, but for the most part the same feature set with a 24" Samsung LCD at $1800. I'll have parts within 5~7 days - rather than him wait 3-4 weeks for Dell to deliver the system.

And he gets WindowsXP, which he wants.

[steppenwolf]

Originally Posted by managed

What's the best/easiest/least stressful way of learning Linux ?

book""linux for dummies"

[tcy]

I bought a HP dv2617us Pavilion laptop with pre install Vista. I have some programs which only run in XP. I am trying to install XP from the XP boot up CD. After initialing the hardware the Windows XP Professional Setup blue screen give me the following messages. "Setup didn't find any hard disk drives installed in your computer.
Make sure any hard disk drivers are powered on and properly connected to your computer, and ............ Set up can't continue. To quit Setup, press F3"

I read almost all the material in the tech support guy since yesterday but I couldn't find the solution. I tried to change my bios setup but there is no option for SATA drive.

The BIOS is Phoenix Version F.27. I have another HP pavilion dv6000us which BIOS version is F.16, after changing the SATA drive disable I successfully installed XP. If the version is the problem how can I download BIOS version F.16

Please help me out to install XP over vista.

Thanks,

TCY

[Compiler]

TCY - you need to make a new post of this.

Possible reasons why your HP install doesn' work:
1 - Your Install CD of XP is SP1 or older and doesn't know what SATA is.

2 - A BIOS for an HP dv6000 is not the same for a dv2617. Unlike standard motherboards - getting BIOS updates from the big companies is rare.

3 - You'll need to get online with an HP tech (live-chat) and he'll send you hidden links to the drivers you may need for the HP computer.

4 - If #1 is true - then you'll need to slip-stream SP2 into another Disc and then try to install XP, or go to newegg.com or frys and pay $120 for WindowsXP Media Center Edition OEM pak. (Its an updated XP-PRO with extra eye-candy, but without VPN)

If these don't work - you need to start your own thread.

[tcy]

Compiler,
Thanks for your email. I am using XP professional SP2. HP said they not going to help me. I need to call Microsoft.

[RobLinux]

Originally Posted by Compiler

4 - If #1 is true - then you'll need to slip-stream SP2 into another Disc and then try to install XP, or go to newegg.com or frys and pay $120 for WindowsXP Media Center Edition OEM pak. (Its an updated XP-PRO with extra eye-candy, but without VPN)

Great industry isn't it. A behemoth corporation lets you down, so now someone's disatisfied the solution involves handing them move yet more money, rewarding failure!

[PanamaKevin]

Originally Posted by Compiler

...then 2-3 weeks later, they get in a Lenovo Thinkpad with XP on it DOH!!!...

Sorry, this is off subject just a little but why do you say DOH about XP on a lenovo thinkpad, i just got one for my office and so far it seems to be working ok, is there something I should be worrying about or expecting in the near future?