Thinkpads Forum

Ok guys, I've finally settled on the T400! Crossing my fingers that I love this machine as much I love my T42!!!!

Now, the question is the OS.

I'm going to stick to windows but I've heard some bad news about Vista. Not sure how many bugs they've handled but I like XP. I don't even know what advantages Vista has (other than 64-bit Vista being able to read over 3GB of Ram).

So, having said that, whats my best option?

Do I get

Operating system 12 Help me decide Help me decide
All Genuine Windows Vista operating systems include Service Pack.
1. Genuine Windows Vista Business
2. Genuine Windows Vista Business 64 [$0.00]
3. Genuine Windows Vista Business downgrade to Windows XP Professional [$0.00]
4. Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate [add $70.00]
5 Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate with Windows XP Professional Downgrade**** [add $70.00]

What do you recommend in my situation? Thanks for any and all help!

You can leave out the Ultimate edition of Vista with good conscious. No one really needs Vista Ultimate. While Vista is in general bloated, the Ultimate edition can be considered as over-bloated Although Vista still has some flaws, I don´t really like Windows XP , as a matter of fact and being possibly the only one here I think XP is the worst OS ever (it was just like that M$ was successful making the business folks dependent on windows, in particular on XP, so in a way XP can be considered as a drug...). Anyway, my point is only Vista is not that bad at all, but you may have to make a fresh install of Vista after having received your laptop, and BTW the same actually applies to XP (I mean to the Lenovo preloaded Vista or XP). If your applications are well compatible with Vista x64, I would go for that. If not, then I would consider Vista 32bit

Just my 2 cents

Marin

I would do #3 or #5. That way you get both Vista and XP. Then you have a choice.

Windows 7 will be built on Vista, so moving to Vista has finally proven worthwhile to me. I waited some months for software to catch up, but it has, and I used the Classic and Performance models in Vista so it looks, feels and acts like XP Pro. The only thing I would say is that it is nearly pointless to engage in new hardware unless you also move to 64-bit. If you really think you are going to stay in a 32-bit world, buy a refurb, save some cash and stick with XP Pro (still an outstanding OS).

So I recommend Vista Business 64-bit. ... JDH

I would also go with #3 or #5. I use Ultimate 64 myself and really like it. Business edition is very similar minus the media centre stuff.

Vista really work well for me in T400 so far.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback.

The first reply mentioned compatibility....

Do your typical and the most popular programs work with Vista Ultimate? I don't do anything fancy...

typical windows programs
matlab
games

Pretty much it!

Thanks again!

Matlab is not really the typical type of windows application ... Actually, Matlab has a native x64 support, so I think you will be better off with Vista x64 for performance reasons. As for gaming I haven´t ever experienced any problems under Vista x64 (Starcraft, Warcraft III, Diablo II, Heroes III etc). Unlike in XP, I can run Warcraft III with maxed out settings in Vista without any problems

Hope this helps

Marin

Marin85 wrote:Matlab is not really the typical type of windows application Actually, Matlab has a native x64 support, so I think you will be better off with Vista x64 for performance reasons. As for gaming I haven´t ever experienced any problems under Vista x64 (Starcraft, Warcraft III, Diablo II, Heroes III etc). Unlike in XP, I can run Warcraft III with maxed out settings in Vista without any problems

Hope this helps

Marin

Lol my bad. After 6 years in engineering, MATLAB feels typical but you're right, its not lol.

Thanks though...I think with what you said and with the big discounts coming up, I'm going to max out at 4 GB of Ram and get Vista 64!

nykobing06 wrote:

Marin85 wrote:Matlab is not really the typical type of windows application Actually, Matlab has a native x64 support, so I think you will be better off with Vista x64 for performance reasons. As for gaming I haven´t ever experienced any problems under Vista x64 (Starcraft, Warcraft III, Diablo II, Heroes III etc). Unlike in XP, I can run Warcraft III with maxed out settings in Vista without any problems

Hope this helps

Marin

Lol my bad. After 6 years in engineering, MATLAB feels typical but you're right, its not lol.

Thanks though...I think with what you said and with the big discounts coming up, I'm going to max out at 4 GB of Ram and get Vista 64!

Vista 64 is what I got... just for the extra ram, and to stay current.

Net result... Vista is an improvement in minor ways... no problem adapting to the minor user interface changes, such as windows explorer. Minor frustration at the start, but quickly realized its better than XP windows explorer.

Also, I probably have had to replace a bit over $100 in software... example: MS Money... $39. Overdue for an upgrade anyway.

I've a C7180 HP printer... downloaded their latest do everything interface... and it worked. Plus I'm using bluetooth now for the interface to the printer. Great for working outside...

So my vote is... your choice is the right one. Vista 64.

Btw, I run from 42% to as high as 72% of active ram... no disk swapping for memory. This suggests 3GB would have been enough for my current way of using the system... but I've got a GB to spare... for growth, larger apps, and the option to go to 8GB at some point... if I need it.

Speed-wise... all my benchmark programs suggest Vista 64 is about the same as XP speedwise... but that may not take into account future programs which take better advantage of the dual core and 64 bit addressing. In other words, I suspect Vista 64 will be faster in future apps.

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition is, in my opinion, an amazing OS. It's built on Windows Server 2003 SP1, not normal Windows XP. I've never had any reliability problems with it. One issue, though, is driver availability. You can get T400 drivers mainly through Intel, and ATI should provide 64-bit XP drivers as well. I don't know about your accessories, though.

wswartzendruber wrote:Windows XP Professional x64 Edition is, in my opinion, an amazing OS. It's built on Windows Server 2003 SP1, not normal Windows XP. I've never had any reliability problems with it. One issue, though, is driver availability. You can get T400 drivers mainly through Intel, and ATI should provide 64-bit XP drivers as well. I don't know about your accessories, though.

There's a 64-bit version of XP?

I'm confused lol.

Anyways, I ordered and received my computer. Its preinstalled with Windows XP with a Vista Ultimate license. I was expecting Ultimate to be installed with XP coming in cds....for reference, I chose the last option on the ones mentioned earlier in this post.

There's a 64-bit version of XP?

Yup, there is. It is really just W2K3 64-bit with a few services removed and the XP GUI.

At this point, you may be better off with Ultimate than XP, but it is personal preference really.[/quote]

citrixscu wrote:

There's a 64-bit version of XP?

Yup, there is. It is really just W2K3 64-bit with a few services removed and the XP GUI.

At this point, you may be better off with Ultimate than XP, but it is personal preference really.

Windows Vista Ultimate is going to have better hardware support than Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.

Should start a thread on things we've discovered about Vista 64 Business....

I was casting about for a good chess program.... and was somewhat frustrated until I realized I already had it.

Chess Titan... excellent GUI... and a good gradient for the the novice up to maybe 2800 rating.

You can find it (and other games) by control panel,program features.... then on the left had panel, turn Windows features on or off.

Very cool.

Marin85 wrote: as a matter of fact and being possibly the only one here I think XP is the worst OS ever

You're not alone.


It's pretty obvious choices 3 and 5 are the best, giving you choice. Choice is always better than no choice, because then you can only blame yourself and not Lenovo.

I'd find someone with regular OEM discs and do a blank install anyways, the 'preloaded software'* bogs down the system so much and isn't worth it.


*Interchangeable with cheap-arsed crap

I think you have choice with all of them, no? Even if you don't select a downgrade, you can select an "XP Recovery CD". It is my impression that you can just install XP with the recovery cd. Or at least use your own XP cd and use the serial from the recovery cd. Please correct if I'm wrong.

Regarding 64 bit OS's, are there 64-bit versions of most software? I thought there was alot of software out there that didn't support 64-bit...

albo wrote:I thought there was alot of software out there that didn't support 64-bit...

Most of the 32bit apps will run just fine in Vista 64. Now if you have any legacy 16bit apps, then you are out of luck. Vista 64 doesn't support 16bit apps anymore.

I would install Vista Home Basic 32 bit. It is relatively easy to upgrade in a year or two to 64bit and it doesn't cost anything to do that. Then do two things: one by one eliminate the performance robbing features, and then add free third party software that adds what you are missing by not getting the premium edition. You will have an operating system that looks more like Windows XP, performs as well if not faster on the latest hardware, and has more of a future.

jtimouri wrote:I would install Vista Home Basic 32 bit. It is relatively easy to upgrade in a year or two to 64bit and it doesn't cost anything to do that.

Really? Care to clue me in as to how?

My understanding is that if you have a legal 32 bit version of Vista, then the same key can be used to activate the 64 bit version. What you need to do is one of two things: borrow a 64 bit version DVD (apparently all the X-bit DVDs have all the X-bit versions), install and use your present key, or somehow get another copy - I was able to download an iso file for 64 bit Vista from the web someplace (this was a few months ago, so I forget where), although I have not tried to see if it works.

jtimouri wrote:My understanding is that if you have a legal 32 bit version of Vista, then the same key can be used to activate the 64 bit version.

Yup, that´s right. The only limitation is the edition of Vista which should be the same, otherwise activation is not possible (yet I don´t know about a downgrade say from Business to Home (who would do that anyway...), that´s interesting question though...)

Cheers

Marin

But there isn't a 64-bit version of Vista Home/Basic, is there???

Matt wrote:But there isn't a 64-bit version of Vista Home/Basic, is there???

I believe there is, see for reference Windows Vista Editions in wiki.

Cheers

Marin