OS for new rig?

[Clark1221]

I recently finished building my new rig, and now I'm ready to buy the OS and get up and running.
Now.....the guys at the local computer parts shop have confused me a bit.
I had pretty much decided to go with Vista Home Premium 64 for these reasons: ultilizing all 4 gigs of ram installed, and I just can't see spending $185 for Vista Ultimate to use it for a year until Windows 7 is released.
One of the guys is telling me that I should just go with Vista 32bit because the ram limitation was resolved with the release of SP1, and also to avoid the extra issues associated with 64bit. (drivers, older programs, etc.)
I've read many threads on ram limitations, but need to know the bottom line: I know that Vista SP1 32bit will show 4 gigs of ram installed, but does it USE the full 4 gigs? (Same guys at the shop say that 32bit will use up to 8 gigs)
Secondly...it seems lots of people are using 64bit Vista, and my new system probably won't be running older programs, and all hardware is fairly new, so doesn't it make better sense for me to go with 64bit?.....and does the DVD drive care as far as 64bit goes? (will it work)
Someone please help me decide which way to go, so I can get on with it!
Thanks very much..

Hardware in this system:

790i Ultra mb
4 gigs ddr3 ram
Creative X-Fi Fatality Pro audio
GTX 280 (gig of vram)
Asus DVD-RW drive

 

[coolnewyorker]

With tech products, it is always less regretful to go for the latest as things just move so fast. Right now 32-bit looks so totally obsolete and anything not Ultimate is second or third class already. After a few weeks, the cost difference is down to a few cents a day.

I'd say go for Ultimate 64-bit. I wish I had .

 

[AP312]

32 bit operating system can handle 2^32 bytes = 4,294,967,296 bytes = 4,096 MB of memory. 8 gigs wont run on 32 bit system.

 

[Clark1221]

I've heard that Vista 32bit will show 4 gigs of ram installed, but still can't use the full amount.......actually uses around 3 to 3.5. It's just a limitation of 32bit. (All SP1 did was allow Vista to report the full 4 gigs installed)
I'm trying to confirm this.

 

[coolnewyorker]

Yep. Confirmed. The more reason you gotta dismiss going for 32-bit.

But wait a minute...you have only 2GB RAM? You need more.

 

[z3r010]

Why not wait until next week (maybe the week after) for the public beta of Windows 7, I have the 32bit version running on a couple of my systems and it's fast and stable, as soon as I can get my hands on the x64 version I will move over as my full time OS.

 

[coolnewyorker]

2GB RAM is enough for W7? Does W7 come also with 32 and 64-bit versions?

Is my current specs W7 ready?

 

[z3r010]

Yes to everything

 

[coolnewyorker]

How did others (like johngalt) get to be in W7 already?

 

[skunksmash]

How did others (like johngalt) get to be in W7 already?

?? what do you mean, how is he running windows 7..??



SK

 

[coolnewyorker]

?? what do you mean, how is he running windows 7..??

Well, I read a week ago in one of his posts . He claimed it's been a while since he was with Vista. With what else would he be, if not W7.

Why would he be with XP? Goodness!!!

 

[skunksmash]

millions are running W7 right now....



SK

 

[coolnewyorker]

How did millions get to run W7 already? Beta? If so, how did they get to run it in Beta?

I mean you gotta be special...like johngalt?..or something?

 

[SGT Oddball]

If you need to ask then it's not for you.

 

[skunksmash]

why don't you take a trip to our W7 forum located at the top of your screen, there is a wealth of info there



SK

 

[coolnewyorker]

If you need to ask then it's not for you.

Anybody else with more enlightening explanation?

 

[SGT Oddball]

You did say the snipping tool was too complex to use in another thread today.

I suggest you leave win7 well alone.

 

[coolnewyorker]

OK, Anybody else? Where is Shawn?

Actually, in my defense...it wasn't the snipping that I could not do. It was the posting. I had always used the quick reply, thus never , hitherto seen the paperclip.

 

[SGT Oddball]

Still a very basic task.

I do wonder just how many weeks you have been using a PC? as some of the advice you have been giving people is absolute rubbish!!

3 week Geek?

 

[coolnewyorker]

Ouch!

8 year newbie, actually.