Anyone buy Vista yet?

Today is the day, anyone pick it up yet?

nope...WinXp will be supported until 2011..sounds good for me to wait a bit...if i decide to go back to PC after WinXP

Normally I wait about 5 years to pick up the new OS.

I've decided to hold off on buying Vista for at least 6 months. Maybe longer. I want to wait and see if there are any showstopping bugs, security breaches and to generally wait and see how well people take to it.

Well, I am going to install the shell - not Vista itself - just the graphical shell - just to see what it looks like.

It's on this month's PC Format DVD. I do quite like the look of the Vista's black Task bar - I am really quite excited at visually turning XP into Vista.

I might get it next year, as my PC will probably get a fairly major upgrade anyway then.

That said, I've read somewhere that more than 50% of all games on the major portals will not run on Vista. So I might have to get it sooner for the purposes of investigating further.

For anyone whos interested, CCL have the OEM version of Vista Home Premium for under £70.

Actually, I am too frightened to install the 'Vista Transformation Pack'

Can someone do it and report back?

http://www.windowsxlive.net/?p=361

I've tried the transformation pack. It is an okay-ish approximation of the Vista look, but don't expect a miracle.

Well, apparantly you need to purchase 'Windows Blinds' to get the transparacy stuff.

I just want the new 'Task Bar' - I love the look of the new black one.

One annoying problem that I had was that the top of the "start orb" was slightly misplaced. Maybe the pack doesn't like wide screen displays.

Well, there are several versions of this pack - I note some users decided to revert to previous versions for some reason or other.

One thing I note is this thing appears to be uninstallable in the normal way and it seems you can deactivate/uninstall certain features. I'm not seeing anyone screaming it killed their system or they cannot uninstall it.

So, it is looking good.

I just need 3-5 volunteers to test it and report back, then I shall install it too.

EDIT:
Mmm, their site is now coming up with a '403 - Forbidden'.

I've changed my mind. I'm going to but Vista Home Premium but which should I get, 32bit or 64bit?

I can't see it getting better either. Especially for Indie developers ..

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12314

Amon: Get the 32bit version if you don't want driver/software incompatibility headaches.

Yeah, I had problems with XP Pro 64bit. There were no 64Bit drivers for my crappy Dell J740 printer or my soundcard. I had various other problems also.

I bought the 32bit version of Vista Home Premium at a cost of £77.01 from Ebuyer. They charged £7.79 to deliver it on Thursday 1st of Feb.

I didn't ecpect delivery to be that high but I guess it's ok if i get it on Thursday.

Well, I am looking at an OEM version of Vista Ultimate, but then again, I'd like to dual-boot that with Win XP MCE 2005, so that way if there's any backwards compatibility issues, then I'll have the backup OS just in case. I mean, I DID see a demo kiosk at Best Buy earlier on today, and seemed like the thing that interested me was the Aero interface and 3D navigation. So, I may probably just upgrade based on the Media Center, and the flashy Aero interface, and the fact that it has hardware protection on the Ultimate edition, which is especially important for a laptop (especially a Dell, knowing their hardware history). So, that's what I see myself doing, a triple boot of Vista Ultimate, XP MCE 2005, and maybe Red Hat on my external HDD.

I just purchased Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 32Bit 1Pk OEM (DVD) for £60 (+ Carriage £5.98), should get it in a few days but I'm in no rush. I'm only using it for compat testing.

£191.71 for the retail home premium, that just taking the <snip>. OEM version is better priced at £69.81 though.

I think I'll wait for a while and see how it all pans out. I'm in no hurry to spend cash just so I can do the exact same things I'm doing right now.

I wonder how long before a nasty virus comes out which only Vista can save you from ;)

Well, think that pulling the trigger on an OEM edition would be far better, and half the price over pulling the retail package trigger, at this point. For $200 for the OEM version, I can't seem to go wrong. I'll look into New Egg and/or Micro Center, and see what I can do. It's cheaper than what Amazon wanted for the OEM package, I can use that extra $20 savings on maybe tutorial software, just so I can learn the differences between XP's features, and Vista's.

My dad bought it today from PC World. Don't think it was quite selling like hot cakes, though - they had opened early just for Vista at 6 o clock, but my dad was the first to buy it at...9.30. The manager even congratulated him.

Maybe they should have put a PS3 logo on it. :)

Well, I've forked out for the OEM version of Vista, the Ultimate edition for around £112. Not bad considering the price of the retail version. I took delivery of it last Saturday, but am not going to install it until I have a week off work in a couple of week's time.

I'm just hoping that my OEM version of XP Pro will install on the larger hard disk I bought as well without complaining it's on a new system altogether. I needed the bigger hard drive to ensure I have room for Vista. Just hope it will dual-boot, as I don't have another PC.

I would have preferred to wait, but I have a project ongoing now that will be ready for release in a couple of months and I want to make sure it works from the get go. I also need to test that my existing stuff works. I can see me having to make a few changes :o(

Vista will not be my main OS for some time yet.

Interestingly not all PC sellers are including Vista. Dell are not providing Vista with all of their models:

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/desktops_best?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs

Interesting - they don't include Vista with their gaming PC's - you can't opt to have it installed prior to despatch.

EDIT:
I seriously do wonder why Dell do not let you have Vista with a gaming PC - there must be a reason for this.

> I seriously do wonder why Dell do not let you have Vista with a gaming PC - there must be a reason for this.

My guess is that games are going to be among the least compatible programs at first. Give it six months (and the second patch to Vista)

I'm not going to get Vista. Selling my notebook to get an iMac instead. Mac OS X is simply superior.

I'm going Mac as well. At home, anyway. I have to use Windows at work so I'll never truly be free.

Well, there's always Ubuntu and/or Fedora Core, I've been happy. :D

Needless to say, after boosting my 80 GB HDD to a 160 GB HDD, that should leave enough room for a dual-boot, IMHO. Also, the 1/2 GB RAM upgrade to 1.5 GB 533 MHz DDR2 would help bunches, too.

'Va de retro Satana'

I will use my XP until it will possibile...at the time I hope there will be other choices.

PS: I read this http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070129-8728.html
now MS has 'Invented' the modular-update and they want to patent it...BRL starts your engine, you have already the 'synch-mod' system...

Been using various versions of Vista for months and did not have too many problems, so getting the Ultimate retail was the next logical step. I am now firmly in Vista territory and I am not looking back.

Barney

Oooh, I do envy everyone who has the new black Task Bar thing.

Me want.

I recently installed XP on my dev PC after replacing the C: drive with a larger one. It didn't complain about it at all.

I've changed motherboards before and XP Pro OEM still activated. I had to explain to the activation guy though why I had to replace my motherboard. He was OK with it and provided the unlock code.

I've heard the Microsoft will be simliarly lenient with OEM Vista installations and Activation.

Well, I'll find out if I can dual-boot on MCE 2005 and Vista Ultimate OEMs without getting any problems with activating either one. I mean, it's the same notebook, just a RAM and hard drive boost, nothing more.

I bought a new laptop late last year, and signed up as soon as I could for the Visa Express Upgrade (A$27). It'll be a few weeks yet before I see it....

Well, knowing that Microsoft doesn't offer any direct support with OEM versions, I did make sure to add Professor Teaches Windows Vista along side the OS itself, so that way I'm not completely in the dark. May as well invest in a Windows Vista for Dummies 9-in-1 reference for troubleshooting, and/or stuff that the Professor software doesn't cover.

Actually it's only supported "two years after its replacement is generally available". Original XP and SP1 are already out of support, after (if) we get SP3 for XP, the clock is ticking towards obsoletion. 2009 is the best case scenario.

For anyone looking to buy OEM versions, here's some info about it:

Buying OEM versions of Windows Vista: the facts
http://www.winbeta.org/comments.php?id=6016&catid=1

Uhh, yeah, maybe there IS a bit of a trap for that lower price tag, I'm guessing.

Is the lack of official support for the OEM version the only difference with the retail version?

edit: oh I will read the above link, thanks ;)

Nice link. I already new everything written there anyway.

I've been running OEM XP Pro forever. When i bought my New PC I bought a copy of XP Pro OEM to go along with it.

I've never had problems with Activation even when I changed my motherboard. The OEM XP Pro activated without any problems.

U gotta be joking

In one year after the hackers and virus writers are finished poking it, it will be in the same state 98,2k,XP were 1-2 years after their releases.

its been how many years and now XP is just about secure and as stable as it can be (still not , but is now much much better).

From what ive read so far, im not all that impressed. Aside from all the new processor support (which i dont have anyway), is it just a bunch of extra eye candy? if so, no thanks.


Im gonna wait thanks bill!

Not exactly -- there's still the extended support phase as well. during that phase no new features will be added, but hotfixes and security patches will still be released. The extended support phase lasts for 5 years. Even if the primary support for XP would stop today, you still have 5 years of extended support which would be 2012....

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?LN=en-gb&x=16&y=12&C2=1173

(Note that Microsoft's 'corporate' software has a longer support life than the home versions, so it's not impossible that they'll drop support for media center and XP home before XP Professional)

I haven't got Vista yet, maybe will look at it later this year. As I understand, 2 gigs of RAM is recommended for Vista so I also need to upgrade my RAM. Problem is I am undecided wheather to go for a 32 or 64 bit edition ... if I go for 32 bit then there will be problems with 64 bit apps where everyone is headed.

64bit is not the way to go if you are planning to do game creating and game playing.

It only accepts signed drivers and many other security relevant things, which interfers little to very much with "casual" stuff ... its better than WinX64 but to tell the truth, much worse wasn't possible anymore ^^

Well, from my understanding, the Core 2 Duo and AMD 64 x2 are the supported processors for Vista's full potential, but I'm waiting on the quad-core processors before making a HUGE upgrade to a Vista gaming rig. On top of that, maybe I'll wait for the first affordable HD-DVD-ROM or BD-ROM to be placed in a desktop. Sony's already putting BD-ROMs on their VAIOs, but I'm hoping that HP, Gateway, or Dell will start putting HD-DVDs on theirs. Whether or not Vista's DRM thingy will even let that happen, that has me a bit curious now.

Hmm, i'm not willing to pay the artificial higher prices in europe for it, so i'll wait till it's necessary for a job or when i get it bundeled with a new computer. But i'm interested in it as OSX isn't he cure as well.

Operating systems are the same as gamedev tools. None is perfect...

Well, I'll even see if Microsoft will even let me dual-boot with two activation codes out of the same PC, I could probably run into something if I reactivate MCE 2005 and activate Vista Ultimate all at once on here. Guess I'm stuck having Vista as the sole Windows OS on here, if something like that goes wrong. This is making me fairly nervous right about now.

I know nothing about Vista. What are the main improvements and general changes to the way it operates, I should know about? Does it still use a registry, for example?

My 2 rigs are well beyond an upgrade so I'll probably just end up buying a new PC in the next 6-12 months with Vista pre-installed. Hopefully, it will have bedded in a bit by then. :)

Puki,

I go to www.CrystalXP.net and download the BricoPacks.

I have a very vista-like system right now. you can't tell its XP :)

[edit] Fixed wrong link.

XP Pro also counts as a consumer product. Corporate software is stuff like Windows 2000 (NT5) and Server versions of Windows, SQL Server, Axapta/Microsoft Dynamics AX and such. So no extended support for XP (like I said it's already unsupported, only SP2 is supported).

I wouldn't bet on it. Considering how bad Dual core support is in current versions of Windows, I wouldn't even want a quad core for Windows.

You mean .net instead of .org?

*CLICKS*

Um, yup! .net :)

It depends on what software your using, 3dsmax seems to run really well with multiple cores. I just don't think it worth the expense. Especialy with 45nm fabrication on processors coming out in the 2nd half of the year. It looks like what's his names law for doubling CPU power is still going to hold for some time yet.

It's funny how whenever dual CPU's get a chance to stick their nose out, new tech comes out. Wonder what we will be using a year from now.

As far as vista's UI goes, there's more to it than just transparent windows. It's a lot nicer and faster, and the transparent effects don't seem to have much of a speed impact on my 6600GT. I'm quite looking forward to Vista.

It looks like the 64bit version has better game compatibility than XP 64bit which is a good thing too. I may go 64bit when I upgrade since my artist tools will support it, and I need to upgrade anyway.

Right, well, I'll use Vista Ultimate on my notebook for now, but when my notebook goes obsolete in another year or two from now, then I'll consider a 64-bit dual-core, or even a quad-core desktop at that time. Hopefully Vista will support BD-ROMs or HD-DVD-ROMs as a standard by that time, tho.

Maby just better of getting a Nvidia Geforce 8800GTS/X and some more memmory and a new motherboard.. maby after that buy vista.

Smal warning.. If you plan to buy new motherboard or hardware do it before.

When my sisters computer comes (with a free voucher for the Ultimate upgrade), I may either flog it on eBay or send it off and install it on my mac using Parallels...

Hold on - hold on.

If I download this 'Brico' thing - do I get the new black Task Bar?

I want the new black Task Bar. I must have one. My hand quivers to my lap as I contemplate the black Task Bar. I must satisfy the animal lust for it.

Wait a minute - why would I use this? The whole world is using 'Vista Transformation Pack' - even PC World are pushing 'Vista Transformation Pack'.

I suggest one of you maggots test both packs and report back to me - on the double.

Major Geeks have it:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Vista_Transformation_Pack_d4924.html

Right, that's it - 'Vista Transformation Pack' is the winner.

they had a good deal at my local store for a A64 dual core 5000+ with a nice comething or other fatality mobo for $440 the other day.

Was so tempted, but I'd still need a Vid card. In the end I built my wife a nice microATX pc for $300

Yep, done and done, downloaded and installed the Transformation pack, it seems to work wonders here, screenie:

My Vista Home Premium Just arrived. I'm wondering if I should Dual Boot or if I should just install as the main OS.

Truespace 7.11 doesn't work with Vista and AVG + Firewall works but without the firewall. I think there are plenty of other apps that I have that won't work with Vista so it's a case of installing a new OS and waiting for people to make their products Vista compatible or stick with XP for the time being and wait untill support for Vista is better.

I dunno, I'll have to decide. :)

[edit] I've decided to install Vista as the main OS. Lets see how this works out. :)

That's what I plan to do, I got Vista Ultimate coming in the mail shortly, should be on my back porch sometime today, then I'll make sure that it gets dual-booted with Win XP MCE 2005. Should sound like a plan if you ask me.

I doubt I will ever buy vista. Most of the apps I use are either running on OSX or are being ported over. In fact the only reason I have XP Prof. is that I was given it at an Microsoft conf. I won one copy but they sent me three by accident. So unless that happens again, no thank you. Not very impressed.

I have heard Vista Ultimate retail allows you to install either a 32 bit or 64 bit version of itself, can anyone confirm this? If so, does the retail version of Vista Home Premium allow this too?

I have just tried using Microsoft's Upgrade Advisor and it seems Netgear's wireless ADSL modem may not work and Netgear got no plans to re-write Vista 64 bit drivers. I guess this may affects all Sky Broadband users.

It could be that MS wants to weaken the PC gaming industry and move games over the consoles. They have a vested interest in this, and they are doing exactly that.

actually from what I can see windows vista is going to be integrated with Xbox so that both products tie in to one another.

Windows live arcade will be linked to Xbox360's live service and you can share a lot of data and features between the two like maintain your friends list, chat, some of the shop items will be avaliable to both. Award points for PC games that can be spent on 360 games and stuff. Also streaming of video from the PC to the 360 over the network using codecs installed in vista etc.

Looks to me like the two technologies are going to merge, and not a bad thing at all in my opinion.

Depends on what version of Windows Vista you have.

I got me the educational+upgrade edition of Home Premium. I'm not sure if I'll be using it or not. I won't start testing until the 64bit discs are shipped here (apparently only the 32bit DVD comes in the retail boxes - which is shite cuz both 32bit and 64bit can fit on one DVD), but if the 32bit version is anything the same as the 32bit betas, it won't like my 6600 and I'll be reduced to using XP anyway. Hopefully 64bit will somehow be more compatible. I'm not holding my breath.

Maybe the Longhorn Server betas will be more compatible. I'm not holding my breath. =]


It's a bit more complex than the last versions of Windows. For XP, the easiest loophole was finding a corperate product key. That's not possible with Vista. A crack could come out, but the next Windows Update could nullify it again. Cracked corperate validation servers appear from time to time on the net, but the next Windows Update could blacklist them. With Vista, it will be an endless battle like with XP and WGA now - except the stakes are higher.


Lol yes, it's Windows =] Vista is built off of 2003, which is built off of XP, which is built off of 2000. Actually, back when Vista was called Longhorn it was a new codebase which supposedly did away with the registry, but it got scrapped due to growing stability problems (read:MS doesn't know how to create an OS anymore).

Improvements - obviously DX10 (which offers geometry shaders as the only new thing and also other better/faster ways of doing the same things you could do in DX9), the graphic drivers are greatly improved - two systems are used : one for the desktop, one for games, so if a game used to BSOD due to gfx problems, now it will only crash. The audio system is improved, although no hardware acceleration is supported, which really only screws Creative over (they have created a workaround).

Oh, the desktop is pretty. That's about it. There's tonnes of other features the average person will never use, but these are the only real OS improvements. Nothing worth upgrading your system/from XP for - but if you're getting a new computer, Vista is a good Windows to have on it.


Vista Home Premium is the one and it's the one most people will be getting, because the Home Basic edition (or whatever it's called) doesn't have Aero Glass either.

> Interesting - they don't include Vista
> with their gaming PC's

Well if they did 3 things would happen:-

1 - Why won't any firewall/utils that worked in XP work properly?
2 - Why won't any of my old games work properly?
3 - My graphics card seems to be incompatible with Vista but worked fine in XP, how can my top of the range PC and brand new OS havre all these problems.

Dell would have to a technical support nightmare if they included Vista with ALL of their hardware, because it simply won't work and it'll make anything under 2gb back to the days of running your P500 with XP instead of 98. Vista has just taken several years of progress away from XP.

If Vista is progress, then I'm my mother's auntie on toast.

The only reason vista is being tied to dx10 and xbox live is to encourage takeup, otherwise no sane person would upgrade.

Wait a minute - why would I use this? The whole world is using 'Vista Transformation Pack' - even PC World are pushing 'Vista Transformation Pack'.

I suggest one of you maggots test both packs and report back to me - on the double.


THanks Puki u saved me 400 box :) i now installed it an my old XP is as new as vista..

Question:

Now that my XP is looking as vista why shold i buy vista ?

that vista transformation pack is OK, but the startup time is HELL! my home PC has looked like vista for all of 8 months or so now, using (almost) no extra software and only patching the system files- so there's no slowdown.

I just ordred the danish business version

I got the business version early for free. I love MSDNAA.

Hey puki, I'm not sure if you ever got around to downloading and using vista transformation pack, but I haven't noticed anything with JUST the black task bar you're looking for.

I use the transformation pack to use the Luna Element theme, which has a Vista feel to it.

The transformation pack can be a lil tricky to install, but if you screw around with it a little bit you should be able to get it.