Should I downgrade to XP?

[Prince Lex]

I know the answer to this question from everyone is probably gonna be yes...

But I'm wondering if I really should this time. Usually I toy with Vista until I get really bored with it and then go back to XP (I like to do a fresh install of an OS every once in a while just to keep my drives super-clean). I'm starting to think my interest in Vista is purely aesthetic and I'm starting to get bored with it again because I know if I reinstalled XP it'd run at super-speed and I wouldn't encounter all sorts of problems with installing patches and stuff.

On my desktop (which I don't use much anymore) I've installed Windows 7 (its so damn PRETTY) which seems to handle everything a lot better. But it's still in beta so I don't really know if it's a good idea to use that as a primary OS for my laptop. I'm scared to wipe whats on here too because I know that I might encounter problems as this came pre-installed with vista. it also has a 500GB hard drive that I've amassed so much crap on (a lot of crap that I'd like to keep a-thank-you). I download a lot of my TV shows as I'm outside the US and like to keep up with US TV. Does anyone know of any good deals on external hard drives so that I can keep the amassed crap off my laptop?

I miss how simple XP is... if I had to go back, I'd probably go back to XP MCE. The thing I like most about vista is how anti-aliased everything looks... even the fonts I'm typing out right now. In XP they'd look all jaggy!

Extremely childish way to look at it, I know. I just know how to make XP run like a dream, and it feels like I've left so many errors unfixed with my current version of vista that it'd be easier to start over. At any rate, I can't do anything until I've found out the best way to store all my files. I have 160gb of free space on my desktop but transferring all the files I want is a bitch.

Advice, anyone?

[BrokenCrowe (Mendelevium)]

I was wondering that if you were to make a PC emulator.... i saw something about it when i got my PSX emulator... (i dont know if this is illegal, please tell me if it is) and if one were to make or use an emulator of XP on a Vista... then the problems go away..?


sorry, its just the ramblings of a mad man.. who thinks too much..
Its a stupid idea so please don't get mad at me ... ^.^


Thank you,

Broken Crow

[nfitc1]

It's called a Virtual Machine, not an emulator, that can run XP in Vista. Near 100% compatibility too. Actually, MS changed its name to something else, but I forgot what.

[obesebear]

Microsoft announced 7 will be able to run a virtual XP, and all you have to do is download the program.  I am currently running Windows 7 version 7100 now and went ahead and nuked the timer.  So I'll be able to run this without it shutting down until I am able to buy the official version once it's released.

You also have the option of making yours a dual-boot computer.  Probably the solution you would best like.

[Prince Lex]

Can I take a portion of my drive and make my computer "think" it's another drive altogether?

[obesebear]

Sounds like you're talking about partitioning your drive.  You can easily split your current C: into however many drives you want.  C:  D:   E:  F:  G:  H: .... however many you would like. 
Many computers already have a form of this so that instead of including a boot cd, you boot from your partitioned ghost drive.

Just don't get this confused with dual-booting. From my very basic knowledge of dual booting, I don't think either OS can see the other.

I have yet to try FF7 or any other games on Windows7, but EVERY other program I use has worked flawlessly on the 7100 build.   MS has since quit distributing it, however you can easily find a torrent of it and download that.  Also make sure you go to the microsoft homepage and request your own beta key (yours might still work).

[ChaosControl]

You should upgrade to 7

[CarnageHeart]

You should upgrade to 7

Personally, I hate Windows 7 even more than Vista, and I was hoping testing the RC would make me want to use it. I can't get the majority of my hardware to work correctly with Win7.

The thing I like most about vista is how anti-aliased everything looks... even the fonts I'm typing out right now. In XP they'd look all jaggy!

You DO turn on the ClearType option right? Cause pretty much they just default that to on in Vista while in XP it's default to off. Also there are quite a few mods out there that can make XP almost as aesthetically pleasing as Vista. (Transparent windows, etc etc... here's a sample screen shot of XP modded to be Vista-esque)

Just don't get this confused with dual-booting. From my very basic knowledge of dual booting, I don't think either OS can see the other.

Currently the only OS that can actually SEE that another OS is installed is the new Mac OS, being that it actually lets you run the Mac OS AND Windows at the same time.

[DLPB_]

I have just upgraded to win vista 64bit ultimate

Aside from the ridiculous update process (we are talking over 1 hour to install sp1 and 2 together) and the nasty " windows update fixes"  that actually wreck your computer (i had to reinstall a second and third time because of this) when downloaded 1 at a time, the OS is much smoother and faster than XP imho.

I have a load of programs installed and on XP (SP2/3), once I had this many, load up times were slow  and shut down times slow, this was despite heavy duty registry changes to speed it all up.

The main problem with 64 bit is drivers....2 of my hardware will need selling as no bugger will update the drivers now....
--------

On a side note, I am fed up with Microsoft and its lazy attitude to software.  It seems like they just throw out a beta as a main OS and then spend all their time tweaking it, to be confronted with more complaints about how the "fixes"  ruin other parts.  It is ill thought out.

Not just that, they should have ditched the registry concept years ago, I hate it.  Installations should be based on ini and any program I make does so.  Install>  folder is there.  Uninstall> delete folder.

Not>  Uninstall, have to use registry editor to get rid of left over crap.

Microsoft have to make an OS which is fundamentally different to the others.  It won't be profitable at first but all OS should be 64 bit starting from the next and should ditch the registry completely.  If one needs to use older software it will have to be updated or require the use of an emulator.

Sooner or later, the architecture of windows will have to change and the sooner the better

[CarnageHeart]

I have a load of programs installed and on XP (SP2/3), once I had this many, load up times were slow  and shut down times slow, this was despite heavy duty registry changes to speed it all up.

That's pretty much the ONE drawback to using XP other than the new lack of DirectX updates. Check out this site (http://www.hiren.info) and look at "Hiren's BootCD"... it's not JUST a boot disc, it's also a Windows tweaking disc, which with the use of just a couple of programs you can have keep Windows running really great. Automatically kills off un-needed processes, services, etc. that really a lot of people make no use of, has excellent registry cleaning tools, and optimizes Windows pretty well over a general aspect.

If you really want to tweak the hell out of Windows XP feel free to ask me because system performance is what I do