Poll: WinXP vs Win7

[rabu 9]

Windows 7 64 is the one to go for especially if you are buying new hardware, allows use of more memory over 4GB, and bonus is not quite VISTA. Pretty good, just some annoying quirks regarding permissions but otherwise slick..

 

Unless you build your own computer (I did this time and have XP Pro at home), you are pretty much going to get Vista, or now Windows 7. The computers at work, that I mentioned earlier, all have Vista 64 with a free update to 7, but I'm also going to wait awhile till I know that 7 isn't having any problems.

On my home built with XP I'm happy and won't change probably, untill I find some reason to need drastically more memory, or unless I find some other reason to upgrade to 7.

[flynn 0]

...what is UAC, that you deactivated?

 

Olham, it's User Account Control which is a part of the security system in Vista and Win7(6.1). In Vista it is switched on by default, I'm not sure about Win7(6.1).

 

It protects you against malware that is trying to overwrite or delete important system files (while running under your account), and thus goes a long way to protect you against viruses, spyware and adware.

 

 

To turn it off in Vista:

 

Open up Control Panel, and type “UAC” into the search box. Click the link for “Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off”.

 

On the next screen you should uncheck the box for “Use User Account Control (UAC)”, and then click on the OK button.

 

 

I can of course understand that it seems a big pain for end users who don't even know what it's called and therefore can't Google it to find a quick way to turn it off. But, as part of my job is being sysadmin to a group of 8-12 users who are only moderately computer literate I can tell you from my expereince that since our business switched over to Vista we have basically eliminated IT issues that used to consume a lot of my time.

[OvS 8]

I can of course understand that it seems a big pain for end users who don't even know what it's called and therefore can't Google it to find a quick way to turn it off. But, as part of my job is being sysadmin to a group of 8-12 users who are only moderately computer literate I can tell you from my expereince that since our business switched over to Vista we have basically eliminated IT issues that used to consume a lot of my time.

 

I think you nailed it on the head with this comment. From what I've read, my best guess is that Vista is actually very powerful and useful across a network. However, this does not help the 1st time user that has never seen a PC before, let alone knows what a 'ping' does. So it hurt M$ from a new user point a view, but maybe helped it from an IT point of view.

 

Either way, I'm reading a lot of good stuff about Win7 and like Polovski mentioned, Win7 64 seems spot on for overall performance increase and speed. I'm going to switch to that when things cool off as they always do. Better to let the 'must-havers' take the first bullets and hold in the bunker until the smoke clears a little.

 

OvS

[Guest Eject]

I was just searching if there was an XP SP2 64bit (NEVER will use the SP3! It's a trawler that scoop ur HDD contents. All of it! Unless u de-activate the Firewall.), and my Search are following. Worth reading guys: https://ssl.scroogle.org/cgi-bin/nbbwssl.cgi

 

Hope u guys find it useful we XP fanatic!

[Kamikaze 0]

Currently using XP . . but plan on moving to Windows7 Enterprise soon.

 

Been reading about you folks that have turned off the UAC on your VISTA boxes. You may be opening yourselves up to hacking issues by doing that. Here is a link to a tool that "suppresses" the UAC and is a "more recommended" method of making it be quiet.

http://www.tweak-uac.com/home/

 

In the end . . the decision is yours. Hope ya made a back up! I recommend GHOST for that <grin>.

[rabu 9]

I was just searching if there was an XP SP2 64bit (NEVER will use the SP3! It's a trawler that scoop ur HDD contents. All of it! Unless u de-activate the Firewall.), and my Search are following. Worth reading guys: https://ssl.scroogle...bin/nbbwssl.cgi

 

Hope u guys find it useful we XP fanatic!

 

Your link doesn't link...

[SirMike1983 3]

I'm on Vista 64 (new computer came that way). I was pleasantly surprised by Vista 64-- it actually was workable. The early version Vista 32 my parents have on their machine is the most awful OS I've ever used (worse than WinME). But this Vista 64 has been ok, though not as smooth as XP in running games. I recently got a chance to work on a Windows 7 machine and I do think Windows 7 is the way to go rather than Vista.

[JimAttrill 24]

I am not so happy with Windoze 7. Since I installed it I have not been able to fly in OFF at all, what with OFF telling me to reinstall for some reason, then TrackIr not 'seeing' OFF, and now my joystick only rolls to the left. I cant seem to find any utility in W7 to calibrate it, and the calibration software that came with the joystick shows the stick centre way off to the left, and tells me that the stick will calibrate itself dynamically, which it doesn't do.

 

I am tempted to go back to XP on one of my drives and dual-boot the system somehow.<br><br>I have now (at work) downloaded a 64 bit driver from the manufacturer - Rockfire.  I'll see if this fixes the problem. <br>

Edited December 4, 2009 by JimAttrill

[rwmarth 0]

I am not so happy with Windoze 7. Since I installed it I have not been able to fly in OFF at all, what with OFF telling me to reinstall for some reason, then TrackIr not 'seeing' OFF, and now my joystick only rolls to the left. I cant seem to find any utility in W7 to calibrate it, and the calibration software that came with the joystick shows the stick centre way off to the left, and tells me that the stick will calibrate itself dynamically, which it doesn't do.

 

I am tempted to go back to XP on one of my drives and dual-boot the system somehow.<br><br>I have now (at work) downloaded a 64 bit driver from the manufacturer - Rockfire.  I'll see if this fixes the problem. <br>

 

 

Have you tried disabling the UAC completely when flying? With the UAC on in Vista I was always told to reinstall OFF. Turn it off, and no issues at all.

[Guest Eject]

Your link doesn't link...

 

Oops! I sometimes use that on www.scroogle.org when browsing some Sites that the"Gov" hates. Use Google instead. Sorry

[JimAttrill 24]

And now my web camera shows me upside down with no means of altering it. I am definitely thinking of running a dual boot setup and going back to XP pro 32 for some things, like OFF and Skype. I refuse to believe that my joystick and my camera both went wrong at the same time. Pity, for I quite like the 'look and feel' of 7 and it seems quick enough. Although some things have been moved about from XP and take a bit of finding now.

[Morris 2]

Dear Jim,

 

Always remember to use genuine Microsoft Software.......

 

m

[JimAttrill 24]

Dear Jim,

 

Always remember to use genuine Microsoft Software.......

 

m

 

This copy is personally signed by Bill Gates

Edited December 4, 2009 by JimAttrill

[Siggi 10]

This copy is personally signed by Bill Gates

 

That'd put a hex on the second coming, never mind a copy of an OS.

[JimAttrill 24]

I have gone 'back' to XP pro 32 and now everything works properly. Obviously one has to get all the correct drivers for Win 7 64 and they just aren't available for my hardware. At least I can now fly in OFF again.

 

I have deleted my vote and re-voted for XP.

[Morris 2]

dear Jim,

 

I have had a look at the recent poll between XP and Windows 7 (64bit).

 

So i did a clean install from windows 7 64bit back to XP 32 bit.

 

OFF runs better under XP. It feels and sounds right.

 

Since i only play OFF on my gaming rig. I will stay with XP untill the SP for Win 7 are released.

 

Cant belief......

 

Morris

 

no stuttering under XP. Just Perfect.

 

M

[Tonyo - legion 2]

I bought my system earlier this year, (instead of building my own as it came out cheaper,) and although it was to be bundled with Vista, The shop gave me the option to have XP installed instead - I chose the XP version for several reasons:

 

vista has showed it was a very hit & miss affair to get old software working with it,

 

I have a lot of peripherals hanging off my system which there arent any vista drivers available - why should I have to waste money buying all new kit just to be able to get the drivers to work with vista when the old kit works fine on XP??

 

& to be honest, working with vista on other peoples rigs was a total pain in the a$$!! im no longer in the computer build/ network installation game anymore, but i do keep my ear to the ground, & there are plenty of professionals around who, like me wouldnt touch Vista with a bargepole!!

 

Theres a great many small computer repair shops in london who offer to remove Vista & re-install XP which also shows how unreliable Vista is.

 

Xp has worked fine for me & as many have said -"if it aint broke - dont fix it!"

Edited December 7, 2009 by Tonyo - legion

[JimAttrill 24]

Cheers Morris, I didn't actually uninstall the Windoze 7 64-bit setup, I just added a 40Gb IDE drive to the machine and installed XP, TrackIR and OFF on that. After all the effort required to get the 64-bit to work (mostly) I will keep it there for a while for use with the internet, emails and Office stuff.

 

As my machine at work is also XP pro 32 and my wife's new laptop has Vista Home Basic I am now dealing with 3 operating systems at once!

[ConradB 0]

Been using Vista x64 for over a year now. I will eventually upgrade to Win7, but have no issues with Vista x64. Honestly, I would wait for a bit, as any issues with a new OS are usually wrung out in the first 6 to 12 months of release. The only thing was getting used to Vista, but the "culture shock" between XP and Vista was minimal compared to going from Win98 SE to XP. It took a good month of frustration getting used to all the changes.

 

Other games / sims I play aside from OFF are:

 

Battle of Britain II WOV

 

B-17 The Mighty Eighth

 

Silent Hunter III and IV (can't wait 'til V comes out in the spring)

 

Panzer Elite Special Edition with the different mods that came with it

 

Medeivel Total War II

 

Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper.

 

And my daughter has some games on here that aren't officially supported on Vista but they work. One of them is the latest Pirates of the Caribbean game, Indiana Jones and the Emporos Tomb, and an old Bugs Bunny game my sister gave her a long time ago. I was really suprised the the Bugs Bunny game even loaded up, as it is an old 16 bit app.