I am going to upgrade the system i built a few months ago to Vista 64 Home Premium SP1. I haven't worked with Vista ever before, plus it's just been a long time since I have worked on computers period, so i have a few questions. First here is my hardware.
 
Case: Antect 900
CPU: Q6600 B3
RAM: 4GB DDR2 800
GFX: 8800 GTX
HDD: WD320AAKS and WD500AAKS
MB: Abit IP35 Pro
 
First question, and i know it dumb, but will the Vista install automatically partition my main hard drive and install both the first and second properly? I have heard Vista has trouble with multiple hard drives, but i fail to see how hard it is. On top of that, the second hard drive i will actually be adding, right now it is my external and i cannot lose the data on it.
 
Should i expect to have any compatibility with any of my hardware and/or drivers? Any problem with Vista i should be aware of?

Just to be safe, keep the external unplugged to preserve your data.  
 
the only driver you might have a problem with is the on board sound driver --- vista SP1 had problems with my laptop sound card, but it was resolved about a month after SP1 was released so i'm guessing you shouldn't have a problem.
 
Thats all pretty new hardware so I wouldn't expect ANY problems.

I've used Vista pretty much since it came out and haven't ever had the troubles other people claim they have with it. The x64 version runs just as well (if not better) as XP sp2. One issuse I did have though was in the install. The installer only recognizes HDDs with 3 (I think) or fewer partitions on it. If your worried about the data on your second HDD, you could always unplug it during the install process and just plug it back in when you get the system up and running.  
 
I don't foresee any driver issues. My system is in my sig, and is rock solid in Vista even with my OC.

lol bc, ya beat me to it.

I just thought I'd reply before all the Vista haters hop on here and start their "why are you even considering Vista.  Vista is crap, stick with XP" FUD.  I am currently running Vista 64 Ultimate SP1 and have not had a single problem.  I run 3 hard drives and Vista handles them fine.  Vista setup will list all your hard drives and ask you which hard drive you want to install on.  You can choose to format or partition your drive if you wish at that time.  

You shouldn't have any compatiblity problems with the hardware you listed.  I think the people running into problems are trying to use 5+ year old hardware.  I have a printer that is about 2 years old and didn't have any problems with drivers.  

Don't listen to the Vista haters.  Install Vista 64 and don't look back.  I did and I don't miss XP at all.

 
Amen.

Question:  Assuming it will work just fine for you, is there a particular reason you want to install Vista, when you have a functional XP running?  Yes, you'll need it for DX10.  Any other reason?

Not a Vista hater, Vista is slow and buggy on my brand new q6600 4gb ram SATA drive 8800 GT. Out of the 20 games I installed half would crash or studder. I removed Vista after 2 weeks. ( This was before SP1). Maybe i will try Vista in 3 years when they get the bugs worked out.
 
 
MCSE
Olin9

Vista-64 should be fine in your HW. I have been running Vista-64 Ultimate since 12/07.  No issues related to Vista-64.
 
No issues with multiple Hard Drive.
 
All of my support software  (e.g new drivers, ref files,data files...etc) are on a USB2 drive.  
 
 
 

I have both XP and Vista 64 installed on the same machine.  You can have both OS's no problem.  Vista is smart enough to locate the existing OS and install itself in a separate drive or partition, just not on the same drive or partition.  This is a good thing.  
 
Note to all those Vista lovers.  A month ago I stepped up from a 680iSLI mobo to a 780iSLI mobo..., any guesses on which OS bit the dust???
 
XP didn't care it kept humming right along.  I haven't had the time to fix Vista but most of my main programs are already installed and configured to my liking in XP so I rarely used Vista anyways.  Now I'm glad.

I run Vista64 and XP32 with the rig in my sig.  I rarely use the XP installation save for that rare occasion when a utility doesn't run under x64 .  I know I have fairly contemporary HW but I don't have any trouble with Vista at all ...and it looks nice to boot.  I can't recommend to anyone with contemporary hardware from well known manufactuers (re: drivers) to do with XP.  ...but for those that still swear by XP...damn, its nearly 8 years old (and it looks like it), it should be stable by now IMO.
 

 
You got a new mobo without reinstalling your OS?

 
Not something I would have tried, but whatever floats the boat.  

XP looks like an old fuddy duddy.
 

 
LOL, thats what we like about XP, its stable and quicker.  Plus I have had windowblinds, since before Vista was released, loaded and with Vista theme(s) XP can look like and act like Vista, translucent bars, gimmicky widgets and all if you want, which I don't.  I'm a more function over form guy, extra CPU cycles shouldn't be wasted on flying windows and useless widgets.  I use windowblinds for the new icon pacs, taskbars and newer backgrounds. Some are even better looking than Vista's.

^You care about how it looks or about how it performs. Anyone doing serious work can live without Vista (and it's random features). It's a nice "Wintendo games console" OS for now.

 
First I use Ghost to make images of my OS's.  Something doesn't work, remove it and 20min later your complete system is restored intact all the way to your boot MBR.
 
Second, I knew despite the newer number 780iSLI, mobo is virtually identical to 680iSLI, just better support for YorkField quads. A mobo upgrade from this series should only require a quick driver patch from the CD, which it did (in XP).  
 
Third, since I rarely use Vista, it took me a couple of weeks to realize Vista was even DOA. I'll reinstall it whenever.  Point is, Vista shouldn't have required a reinstall.

I have been using vista for a year now on and off.  I would say overall its not bad.  Its a little more complicated but a good deal of the issues people were having before are gone.
 
Very well known program compatibility is now gone as they updated them.  Drivers for the most part are fixed, that is if they are going to be.  As long as you install sp1 asap, then do a windows update, and have all the newest drivers available for all your hardware you should be good.
 
Video, mb (intel chipset drivers), sound card etc all need to be downloaded from the vendors website, dont use anything from a cd you received.  
 
Also make sure the software you install says vista compatible, older cd burning programs may not work, as well as other programs that worked well in xp.  Case by case basis though.
 
Other then that, I really haven't had any issues recently.  Even UAC with sp1 has really settled down so it can be left on now.
 
So yeah good luck, do those things and you should have a fairly good experience, a tleast with the hardware you listed.
 
As far as hard drives go, no idea what you mean by having issues with multiple hard drives,  its identical to the xp install system, little ibt easier in fact.  
 

+1

...but for those that like that old fuddy-duddy look, Vista can do that too, you don't have to live with the contemporary look of Vista if you prefer something a little bit more, shall we say...dated.

As far as functionality, if I take the above points correctly, why not just use Windows  2K, is it not faster than XP?  It reminds me of when we moved to XP...7-8 years ago, and many said how much faster Windows NT was.

Anyways, people should use what they prefer, and for those that prefer XP its  there for them.  If I need XP, 2K, ME, 98, NT, 95, or 3.11 I've got VMWare and it does the trick very very nicely.  ...but really its just fun to see the classic OS' run on current hardware.

Thanks a lot for all of the responses.  
 
To answer a question i managed to catch, i am getting vista for DX10, no other reason what so ever, and i hate to have vista just for dx10.
 
But i am still easily willing to get vista