What operating system for a new pc?

[PlaylistOne]

I need to know what operating system to get for a PC that I'm building in a week or two that will be primarily for gaming. I'll be playing Counter Strike 1.6 and Source, Half Life 2 and its episodic sequels, Team Fortress 2, Garry's Mod, Bioshock 2 (when it is released), any Battlefield game, and Crysis (if my pc can run it).

Here is a parts list, for anyone who is interested:
http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=15675547

I'm primarily going for two factors:
1.Reliability
2.Ease of use

So help please?

 

[Mookie_Magnus]

Your best bet would be to find a copy of the latest Service pack for Windows XP. Vista is an alright OS if it's on a good enough computer, but it's better to have XP for gaming. However, if you were to get a computer with Vista, most of them are offering a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it's out.

 

[Boxinatorizore]

If you get a computer with 4gb of ram or more get Vista. Or you cold wait for 7 which looks like it'll be good.

 

[night_chrono]

I say get windows 7 for DX10. And on semi-related notes you should be able to play crisis no problem. Also I have that monitor and its AWESOME.

 

[PlaylistOne]

If you get a computer with 4gb of ram or more get Vista. Or you cold wait for 7 which looks like it'll be good.

I'm afraid I might have some compatibility issues with Vista and Windows 7. A lot of the stuff in my house revolves around XP like my router, printer, etc. Is there some way to get around that?

EDIT:
Here is the router I have:
http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/WirelessNRoutersandGateways/DGN2000.aspx?detail=System+Requirements

It seems to be compatible with Vista, but doesn't mention Windows 7

 

[manaman]

Your best bet would be to find a copy of the latest Service pack for Windows XP. Vista is an alright OS if it's on a good enough computer, but it's better to have XP for gaming. However, if you were to get a computer with Vista, most of them are offering a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it's out.

Sure cause XP does directX 10... Wait a minute! It doesn't! It is also only a 32 bit OS sure there is a 64 bit version around but there was never the support for drivers that the main versions had. Vista 64 had good support for drivers from the companies, is 64 bit (so he can actually utilize all 5GB of memory there), runs great with Areo turned off, and has directX 10+ support.

I would say get Vista with an upgrade coupon to Win7 if they have them. Win7 is going to be good.

I'm afraid I might have some compatibility issues with Vista and Windows 7. A lot of the stuff in my house revolves around XP like my router, printer, etc. Is there some way to get around that?

EDIT:
Here is the router I have:
http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/WirelessNRoutersandGateways/DGN2000.aspx?detail=System+Requirements

It seems to be compatible with Vista, but doesn't mention Windows 7

Windows networking is windows networking and they usually build that stuff backwards compatible. Thats for the automated crap, anything not automated in the older version they tend to allow you to make compatibility disks to set up the older computer. As far as that router goes, why would it not work?

If I was giving out hardware advice I would advise you to move away from the AMD processor and get an i7 from Intel. I would also go with DDR3 as DDR2 is getting phased out slowly. Oh and I have never been a fan of those caviar blacks since WD burned me on replacing one. They claimed I damaged it, it was DOA possibly shipping damage.

 

[PlaylistOne]

Well have most of the issues been fixed with Vista?

And will I still be able to play my beloved Quake 2 and 3 or CS 1.6?

 

[manaman]

Well have most of the issues been fixed with Vista?

And will I still be able to play my beloved Quake 2 and 3 or CS 1.6?

Most of the issues never really existed with Vista, and plenty where the result of MS temporarily losing its spine. They recommended a gig of RAM, a large amount when Vista was released. The OEM's got together and forced MS to claim the min was 512, so they could get buy with cheaper units for another year or so. Mostly Dell was to blame for this, once they asked everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. Vista did not run very well on 512. Kinda like you could physically force XP to run on 32mb of ram (did it myself you nay-sayers), but there is no way it was going to do much other then run, and even that was tricky. XP needed 128MB to run, and work. Vista needed a gig to run and work properly.

 

[Connor Lonske]

XP, or wait for 7.

 

[PlaylistOne]

Well have most of the issues been fixed with Vista?

And will I still be able to play my beloved Quake 2 and 3 or CS 1.6?

Most of the issues never really existed with Vista, and plenty where the result of MS temporarily losing its spine. They recommended a gig of RAM, a large amount when Vista was released. The OEM's got together and forced MS to claim the min was 512, so they could get buy with cheaper units for another year or so. Mostly Dell was to blame for this, once they asked everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. Vista did not run very well on 512. Kinda like you could physically force XP to run on 32mb of ram (did it myself you nay-sayers), but there is no way it was going to do much other then run, and even that was tricky. XP needed 128MB to run, and work. Vista needed a gig to run and work properly.

Um, ok then the issues have been resolved. What about some of the older games that I love? Will they be compatible?

 

[manaman]

Well have most of the issues been fixed with Vista?

And will I still be able to play my beloved Quake 2 and 3 or CS 1.6?

Most of the issues never really existed with Vista, and plenty where the result of MS temporarily losing its spine. They recommended a gig of RAM, a large amount when Vista was released. The OEM's got together and forced MS to claim the min was 512, so they could get buy with cheaper units for another year or so. Mostly Dell was to blame for this, once they asked everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. Vista did not run very well on 512. Kinda like you could physically force XP to run on 32mb of ram (did it myself you nay-sayers), but there is no way it was going to do much other then run, and even that was tricky. XP needed 128MB to run, and work. Vista needed a gig to run and work properly.

Um, ok then the issues have been resolved. What about some of the older games that I love? Will they be compatible?

With the system you are running I think it would not be a problem to run a hardware emulator and just run a copy of XP or earlier version in it on top of Vista. I have a couple of programs lying around for when I want to try software I downloaded, that way I can try it and see if it will screw up the system before I install it to the actual OS. Any newer game that cannot cope with the usual 256 MB ram limit on most emulators should run on Vista anyway, remember the OS was released in 06'.

Edit: Forgot to put the line about Windows usually doing a very good job with backwards compatibility.

 

[PlaylistOne]

Well have most of the issues been fixed with Vista?

And will I still be able to play my beloved Quake 2 and 3 or CS 1.6?

Most of the issues never really existed with Vista, and plenty where the result of MS temporarily losing its spine. They recommended a gig of RAM, a large amount when Vista was released. The OEM's got together and forced MS to claim the min was 512, so they could get buy with cheaper units for another year or so. Mostly Dell was to blame for this, once they asked everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. Vista did not run very well on 512. Kinda like you could physically force XP to run on 32mb of ram (did it myself you nay-sayers), but there is no way it was going to do much other then run, and even that was tricky. XP needed 128MB to run, and work. Vista needed a gig to run and work properly.

Um, ok then the issues have been resolved. What about some of the older games that I love? Will they be compatible?

With the system you are running I think it would not be a problem to run a hardware emulator and just run a copy of XP or earlier version in it on top of Vista. I have a couple of programs lying around for when I want to try software I downloaded, that way I can try it and see if it will screw up the system before I install it to the actual OS. Any newer game that cannot cope with the usual 256 MB ram limit on most emulators should run on Vista anyway, remember the OS was released in 06'.

Edit: Forgot to put the line about Windows usually doing a very good job with backwards compatibility.

Ok, so Vista 64 bit would be my best bet then? And possibly windows 7 after its release and initial bugs are fixed?

 

[Horticulture]

Well have most of the issues been fixed with Vista?

And will I still be able to play my beloved Quake 2 and 3 or CS 1.6?

Most of the issues never really existed with Vista, and plenty where the result of MS temporarily losing its spine. They recommended a gig of RAM, a large amount when Vista was released. The OEM's got together and forced MS to claim the min was 512, so they could get buy with cheaper units for another year or so. Mostly Dell was to blame for this, once they asked everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. Vista did not run very well on 512. Kinda like you could physically force XP to run on 32mb of ram (did it myself you nay-sayers), but there is no way it was going to do much other then run, and even that was tricky. XP needed 128MB to run, and work. Vista needed a gig to run and work properly.

Um, ok then the issues have been resolved. What about some of the older games that I love? Will they be compatible?

With the system you are running I think it would not be a problem to run a hardware emulator and just run a copy of XP or earlier version in it on top of Vista. I have a couple of programs lying around for when I want to try software I downloaded, that way I can try it and see if it will screw up the system before I install it to the actual OS. Any newer game that cannot cope with the usual 256 MB ram limit on most emulators should run on Vista anyway, remember the OS was released in 06'.

Edit: Forgot to put the line about Windows usually doing a very good job with backwards compatibility.

Ok, so Vista 64 bit would be my best bet then? And possibly windows 7 after its release and initial bugs are fixed?

You could also install the release candidate [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/download.aspx] until 7 is officially released.

 

[manaman]

snipped all the old quotes in the bud.
Ok, so Vista 64 bit would be my best bet then? And possibly windows 7 after its release and initial bugs are fixed?

It works fine for me. I have also been playing around with the Win7 beta and I really like it so far it works extraordinarily well for a beta, or a Microsoft beta that is.

My gaming rig has Win 7, Vista 64 ultimate, and XP installed on it. My HTPC has XP installed, but when Win 7 is released it will be upgraded to Vista 64 (the copy on the gaming machine) so that I can finally move the blu-ray drive (in the gaming rig) over to the HTPC, XP does not have full native support for the craptastic level of copy protection crap, and does not seem to work well with XP.

So there is another thing to think about, you can dual boot. Using XP to tool around with, and Vista to game with. If your current install is an OEM version it will not transfer to the new system and you will have to buy a new copy of XP, that license key came from a volume license key was always intended only for that machine (why OEM copies of XP are so cheap).

You could also install the release candidate [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/download.aspx] until 7 is officially released.

Thanks for that, should have been keeping track of that. Tempted to just say screw it now, and not bother with it. Nah, downloading it now.

 

[PlaylistOne]

snipped all the old quotes in the bud.
Ok, so Vista 64 bit would be my best bet then? And possibly windows 7 after its release and initial bugs are fixed?

It works fine for me. I have also been playing around with the Win7 beta and I really like it so far it works extraordinarily well for a beta, or a Microsoft beta that is.

My gaming rig has Win 7, Vista 64 ultimate, and XP installed on it. My HTPC has XP installed, but when Win 7 is released it will be upgraded to Vista 64 (the copy on the gaming machine) so that I can finally move the blu-ray drive (in the gaming rig) over to the HTPC, XP does not have full native support for the craptastic level of copy protection crap, and does not seem to work well with XP.

So there is another thing to think about, you can dual boot. Using XP to tool around with, and Vista to game with. If your current install is an OEM version it will not transfer to the new system and you will have to buy a new copy of XP, that license key came from a volume license key was always intended only for that machine (why OEM copies of XP are so cheap).

All right. Thanks for the help. Its almost 3am here so I'm gonna go to bed.

 

[hurricane006]

My friend got the Windows 7 release candidate, and after dicking around with it for a few hours, I found it to be pretty easy to use. It's user friendly, it looks nice, and it comes out soon.

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

Reliability? Ease of use? No such thing as a PC OS with those features... You, my friend, are talking about a Mac.

 

[Horticulture]

Reliability? Ease of use? No such thing as a PC OS with those features... You, my friend, are talking about a Mac.

Appropriate avatar.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

If you get a computer with 4gb of ram or more get Vista. Or you cold wait for 7 which looks like it'll be good.

I'm afraid I might have some compatibility issues with Vista and Windows 7. A lot of the stuff in my house revolves around XP like my router, printer, etc. Is there some way to get around that?

EDIT:
Here is the router I have:
http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/WirelessNRoutersandGateways/DGN2000.aspx?detail=System+Requirements

It seems to be compatible with Vista, but doesn't mention Windows 7

ummmm there's no "compatibility" issue with any router and an operating system. you can use any os you want with any router

it's called a marketing gimmic and a way for your to pay more money for a new router when you don't need one

Reliability? Ease of use? No such thing as a PC OS with those features... You, my friend, are talking about a Mac.

actually you're talking about a *nix based os such as linux or unix

 

[Zer_]

Well have most of the issues been fixed with Vista?

And will I still be able to play my beloved Quake 2 and 3 or CS 1.6?

Most of the issues never really existed with Vista, and plenty where the result of MS temporarily losing its spine. They recommended a gig of RAM, a large amount when Vista was released. The OEM's got together and forced MS to claim the min was 512, so they could get buy with cheaper units for another year or so. Mostly Dell was to blame for this, once they asked everyone else jumped on the bandwagon. Vista did not run very well on 512. Kinda like you could physically force XP to run on 32mb of ram (did it myself you nay-sayers), but there is no way it was going to do much other then run, and even that was tricky. XP needed 128MB to run, and work. Vista needed a gig to run and work properly.

http://www.techmixer.com/download-directx-10-for-windows-xp/

Just thought I'd throw that out there.