I am building a new machine with 4gb ram.I am intending to install Vista 64 bit but more than one supplier has advised me against it saying that issues will arise with drivers.The new machine is primarily for flight sim but other applications will doubtless get onto it.I see Vista 64 as the future but am I likely to get significant driver problems with it at the present time?John M.

Hi, John.I've been playing / working with Computers since 1970, you name them, Main frame, Mini, Micro etc. This has got to be the most annoying OS I had to deal with. I used to set up Novell servers, one of the early micro Networks and never encountered the sort of unpredictability that I have with this OS.I would stay with XP 64 bit, or regular 32 bit, but you may have to accept the 3 GB Memory limitation with the 32 bit. If you try to Network with another OS you will run into all kinds of problems, they now have UAC control, useless piece of goop, refused access to certain areas, one time you get it another you don't, even with the Administrator privileges, lack of Fax, other than Business versions and above, File Option Window format configuration, Network branches vanish etc. One word, IT STINKS, OK, maybe two words, but who is counting. TV

John,I've been using Vista x64 for some time now. I have had no issues with the OS and there are no problems with driver support. It has been rock solid. So, I tend to disagree about the OS "stinking". It is an excellent OS for FSX.

I agree with sargeski.The OS is rock solid as long as you make sure the account you're logged in to the computer has admin priveledges, and you turn off the stupid User Account Control.I've managed to find drivers for all my peripherals, including a couple of older Lexmark printers. Even if you can't find a Vistax64 driver for somethig, if it has an Xp x64 river that usually works with a bit of gentle persuasion.I ran XP x64 previously and find Vista x64 alot smoother and better performance on the same hardware, especially with FSX.

The key with Vista is making sure that drivers exist for ALL of your hardware before installing. But then, that is true of any Windows OS.Unless you have very proprietary peripherals, you should not have a problem with drivers. My 9 or 10 year old CH Yoke even works with Vista64.RhettFS box: E8500 (@ 3.80 ghz), AC Freezer 7 Pro, ASUS P5E3 Premium, BFG 8800GTX 756 (nVidia 169 WHQL), 4gb DDR3 1600 Patriot Cas7 7-7-7-20 (2T), PC Power 750, WD 150gb 10000rpm Raptor, Seagate 500gb, Silverstone TJ09 case, Vista Ultimate 64ASX Client: AMD 3700+ (@ 2.6 ghz), 7800GT

I am really grateful for your views.It looks as if it is 3 to 1 in favour of Vista 64,Best wishes, John

Now its 4 to 1: Absolutely love Vista 64!Cheers,jahman.

Hi, John and everyone.It makes no difference to me on what you decide, you will be the one to live with it.I will say this, I just love the MS educated crowd, just say something long enough and everyone will believe it, ignore facts, they just get in the way. I would like to know what the Real advantages, to us users are, of Vista vs XP64? I know what is intended to do, and we just sleeplessly follow, buy this and discard millions of hardware. What happened to the Green doctrine?Here are some facts for you. Two systems compared, one 512 KB RAM, XP based that can have as much as 450 KB RAM available, of 512, and only 21 Processes running, (can be as low as 12), 4400 Handles, 306 Threads. The other Vista 64, 6 GB of RAM with as many as 15,000 Handles, as many as 52 Processes, 630 Threads, over 1.5 GB of RAM in use. As much as 20 % of the system resources can be taken / used up, by just the OS. This is at Idle, mind you. Let's see, Hardware increase of 20%, if you are lucky, minus OS decrease of 15%, you are lucky if you get a 5% gain.I hear a lot of people being surprised when they change from XP system with a Proc. running at around 3.2 and going to a Monster over clocked Quad with 6 GB of RAM and the improvement is only marginal at best. A picture is worth a 1,700,000 Bits.If you do decide to go Vista, get at least 6 MB of RAM, and good luck, with the Puffy fish. TVhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/193878.jpg

QUOTE "Here are some facts for you. Two systems compared, one 512 KB RAM, XP based that can have as much as 450 KB RAM available......If you do decide to go Vista, get at least 6 MB of RAM, and good luck, with the Puffy fish. TV" UNQUOTEXP with 512 kilobytes of RAM? Vista with 6 megabytes of RAM? Try it and see if it takes less than several hours to even think about booting. :)In the above post swap 'KB' for 'MB' and 'MB' for 'GB', or add '000' to the end of the numbers.Confused? You will be ;)

Hi."Confused? You will be"NO, I am fine. How are you? Stay on topic. TV

I'm using Vista x64 and yes, it takes a lot more resources, even idling. But it works fine for me, and I have a Creative sound card hehe!I also have my CH throttle, MS FFB2 sidewinder, a multimedia card reader (external) and a multifunction HP printer - all works fine, no driver issues. I am using beta drivers for the creative card though, but no problems noted since installing (about two months ago)The 4GB definitly helps though, I only had 2GB in XP x86 using the 3GB/switch. The additional RAM is helpful with payware addons in large cities. As far as XP x64 goes - well, it's been a while since I've used it, but I remember having a LOT more driver issues with it than Vista 64

Hi, flilotUK.I will write in ALL the numbers just to keep you from stressing your brain, and make sure you get unconfused, and for after the pic gets removed.By the way one more thing about this OS. If you value your just entered data, and your sanity, make sure you turn off the Updates or you will likely get a 500 ms notice and all your applications will be closed and system will get shut down for updates?If you have a built in Video make sure it gets turned off, when and if you add another card. Vista can get confused and allocate most or all of your RAM to itself, and your apps. will give the Out of memory screen. If you do not have SP1 you are very likely to get the problem regardless of how much RAM you have.Hi, John and everyone.It makes no difference to me on what you decide, you will be the one to live with it.I will say this, I just love the MS educated crowd, just say something long enough and everyone will believe it, ignore facts, they just get in the way. I would like to know what the Real advantages, to us users are, of Vista vs XP64? I know what is intended to do, and we just sleeplessly follow, buy this and discard millions of hardware. What happened to the Green doctrine?Here are some facts for you. Two systems compared, one 523,760 KB RAM, XP based that can have as much as 450,000 KB RAM available, of 523,760 KB, and only 21 Processes running, (can be as low as 12), 4400 Handles, 306 Threads. The other Vista 64, 6,141 MB of RAM with as many as 15,000 Handles, can be as many as 52 Processes, or more, 630 Threads, over 1,726 MB of RAM in use. As much as 20 % of the system resources can be taken / used up, by just the OS. This is at Idle, mind you.Let's see, Hardware increase of 20%, if you are lucky, minus OS decrease of 15%, you are lucky if you get a 5% gain.I hear a lot of people being surprised when they change from XP system with a Proc. running at around 3.2 and going to a Monster over clocked Quad with 6 GB of RAM and the improvement is only marginal at best. A picture is worth a 1,700,000 Bits.If you do decide to go Vista, get at least 6 GB of RAM, and good luck, with the Puffy fish. TV

Avcomware,One simple question. Are you using or have you ever used Vista X64 for FSX??

Its called scalability. If you aint using it the OS will use it for things that will speed things up such as caches and such. You want them and the OS will release them.You can cut back how many things Vista runs and that goes for 32 bit and 64 bit versions. You can tell Vista not to touch the resources and it wont. Just a matter of doing a bit of extra work.Another vote for 64 here and I have tried XP and Vista and I know which one runs FSX better.--John

>By the way one more thing about this OS. If you value your>just entered data, and your sanity, make sure you turn off the>Updates or you will likely get a 500 ms notice and all your>applications will be closed and system will get shut down for>updates?Never happened to me - I have Vista x64 set to check and download updates at 3:00am and all it does is pop up a box saying I need to restart to apply the updates. The box gives the option to Restart Now, or Remind Me in x amount of time. The system never just shuts down of its own accord to apply updates.