OS Questions for new build?

[ajsellaroli]

Hi, I'm just finishing a build I've been buying parts for for a couple months now. It's going to be an image/video editing rig. Now, here's what I wanted to pick your brains about this time: Which Operating System should I buy? There are alot of choices. There are different versions of xp, and different versions of vista. Should I go with xp or vista, for that matter? And finally, where is the best place to buy this software (i'm trying to save money).

The direction I'm leaning is Windows XP home, because it seems cheap, and is (supposedly) faster than vista. If you agree with this, I still need to hear where you would buy this from, so if you have any ideas, please speak up! Newegg has home (retail version) for $100, which seems expensive. OEM is $90, which brings up another question I have - Which should I buy, OEM or Retail?

I know i'm throwing alot at you at once, but you guys are smart, I think you can handle it
Thanks alot,
AJ

 

[antonwalker]

I say screw Vista. I have it and hate it.

You should just have gotten a mac

But yeah umm I say xp Home or if you have 4gb of RAM u should get 64bit xp professional.

I bought everything from Newegg because they are amazing. www.Newegg.com

OEM means you cant install it on that one PC and if you change your motherboard or something big you wont be able to reinstall. $10 isnt a lot I would just go retail. Kudos on not being a pirate and just stealing this stuff though

 

[lunyone]

If you have older software programs than XP home will work. If you want to go with Vista, than I'd go with Premium OEM. The biggest difference between OEM and Retail (besides price) is that Retail is supposed to let you move your OS to another computer and not have to buy the OS for the new one. This is of course assuming that you would have to remove the OS from the previous computer too. OEM is supposed to be for only 1 PC and not be transferrable to another PC down the road. This is how I understand it, someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this.
Currently I don't have any reason to go with Vista, so I currently don't recommend it. There are pro's and cons with either OS, so you'll have to decide which one works best for you. If your going to use more than 3 gb's of RAM than I'd suggest getting a 64 bit OS, so you can fully utilize all of your RAM that you install. Here's a quote from newegg's website concerning OEM OS purchases:
Disclaimer: This OEM software is intended for system builders only and cannot be transferred to another PC once it is installed. The purchaser of this software is required to comply with the terms of the System Builder license, including the responsibility of providing all end user support for the software. http://www.microsoft.com/oem/sblicense/default.mspx

$110 shipped
Microsoft Windows Vista 32-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116202

$90 shipped
Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2B 1 Pack - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116056

Not sure where you can get cheaper, at least from a reliable source. You might get it cheaper from eBay, but that might not always work out right, so buyer beware there.

 

[antonwalker]

If you have older software programs than XP home will work. If you want to go with Vista, than I'd go with Premium OEM. The biggest difference between OEM and Retail (besides price) is that Retail is supposed to let you move your OS to another computer and not have to buy the OS for the new one. This is of course assuming that you would have to remove the OS from the previous computer too. OEM is supposed to be for only 1 PC and not be transferrable to another PC down the road. This is how I understand it, someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

Thats how I understand it too

 

[ajsellaroli]

Ok thanks guys. One more question then.. On windows xp 64 bit, isn't that really buggy and doesn't it not work with all programs? At least that's what I've heard. Or - maybe you could just tell me if it would work with my programs, I have sony vegas 7.0, photoshop cs2, (Planning on getting cs3 soon), picasa, counterstrike source , flight simulator '04, planning to get cod4 and f.e.a.r. (I've got a radeon 3870 with this build, my current gpu is directx7), microsoft word, and firefox. If you can tell me all these programs will work well on windows xp 64bit, I'd love to get it, so I could buy more ram.

@ antonwalker: lol thanks for the compliment man. I actually used to be a major pirate (I still have pirated versions of Sony Vegas 7 and Photoshop CS2), but I've changed my ways lol - I'm doin it right from here on out

 

[resonance451]

Don't get 64 bit for anything. No reason at all. If you want Vista, get the 32-bit Home Premium or Ultimate Edition.

And unless you that desperately need DX10 (XP supports 9.0c) and to recognize 4gb instead of 3, I wouldn't bother with Vista. XP will do you fine, particularly with the apps you've listed.

 

[ajsellaroli]

Ok, I need some more info here - I'm really confused. Which of these should I buy:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16837116194
Can I buy this? this is the 'upgrade' but as it is a new build I wouldn't really be upgrading anything, would I??

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116056
I think this is what I'm looking for, but it's oem, I'd rather have retail (I think??)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16837116193
This is retail, but it is $90 more than OEM!! how is this possible? which version do I buy?

 

[antonwalker]

1) Only if you already have a windows OS on your pc, which you don't because you just built it right?

2) I say get this one because it is like half of the price of the retail and if you need to install XP on another PC down the road you can just buy another OEM for the price of one retail. So you can have 2 functioning PC's with the price of 1 retail disk.


Oh and I forgot. How much RAM do you have for your PC.

 

[DiscoDuck]

If you plan to get xp, then get it before the supply drops and the prices go up and get xp oem and register it to you when you validate. I have had very good luck moving registered xp oem from one machine to another after an upgrade. In particular, i have 2 xp home oem licenses from p3 era emachines that have been moved twice over the years, from p3-1200 to athlon xp to A64x2. I have had good luck with oem. Sometimes it validates over internet, sometimes over phone with computer, sometime over the phone with some guy in India.

 

[ajsellaroli]

I have two gigabytes for my pc. Why do you ask? Actually, I'll just tell you all the stats for it:

e2180 processor
gigabyte ds3l motherboard
antec 900 case
visiontek radeon 3870 graphics card
2gb crucial ram
lite-on dvd burner
250gb hard drive

Thanks for the advice on the oem guys, I'll definitely go with oem.

I have just one more question though: Would a Vista Machine with 4gb of ram be just as fast as an xp machine with 2gb of ram? I am really wondering if I should go with vista or xp. Vista is beautiful, but speed is definitely more important to me (i'm doing lots of video/image editing). Will Vista eventually get faster as they work out the bugs? or is it more worthwhile to go with xp for now and get vista later?

 

[Shadow703793]

^No. The way that they use RAM are different. Imo. XP x64 vs. Vista Ultimate x64, XP wins hands down (both with 4GB RAM). And, yes Vista will become better as more SPs are released. SP1 already takes care of some application compatibility issues and stability problems.

 

[ajsellaroli]

Shoot shadow, I didn't see you revitalized this thread, I thought it was dead so I made a new one. Oh well. I don't know which to go for.. I just bought a directx10 gpu and I feel like it would be a waste not to get vista..then again I want my machine to be fast

 

[elsc0rch0]

i put vista 32bit on my new machine and don't regret it.. very nice looking and works ok for what i do (mainly gaming). but i'd say for your work stick with XP!

 

[antonwalker]

with only 2gig I say just go with xp 32bit. I have vista and did dx10 with my 8800GTX on Crysis and I have got to say I wasnt impressed. The picture wasnt that great for how bad the hit on performance was. If I were you I would go with 32bit XP.