Would the Vista Starter be enough to run and use all the features of FSX?I already have 4 computers with each one having Win XP Pro. I want to build a PC dedicated to running only Flight sim. I probably would be changing the Mother board and CPU after a year or so. I don't want to keep spending $300 bucks each time. I am looking for the cheapest OS that FSX can run on. I don't care for anything other than FSX on this machine.Would Vista Starter be OK or would I need Vista Home Basic?Manny

>Would the Vista Starter be enough to run and use all the>features of FSX?>>I already have 4 computers with each one having Win XP Pro. >>I want to build a PC dedicated to running only Flight sim. I>probably would be changing the Mother board and CPU after a>year or so. I don't want to keep spending $300 bucks each>time. I am looking for the cheapest OS that FSX can run on. I>don't care for anything other than FSX on this machine.>>Would Vista Starter be OK or would I need Vista Home Basic?>>MannyThe only problem would be if you are in an "emerging market" or not, as that's the only place it's supposed to be available. Other than that, as far as I know, it should work fine. It just doesn't have any bells or whistles.

I am in Texas.. Does that count? Its emerging an all!Bells and Whistles outside Sim takes up valuable resources. Moreever, I should be able to buy it from abroad if its not available here.:)Manny

I would suggest staying with XP Pro for the next year or so.There will be all kinds of issues with device drivers that have to be rewritten for 64bit (remember FSX is a 32 bit app, doesn't need a 64bit OS), and then all the other 1.0 release issues of any major project.One simple example, if you fly online, then Vista/early-DX10 is a no go, as currently DX10 has no ability to link to SB3 or any other such client.Later, when things stabilize, reformat and reinstall. OTOH someone has to be the early trailblazer, it won't be me ...* Orest

Vista Starter does not allow more than 256mb of ram nor incoming network connections, it also is limited to the following cpus:

I am trying to avoid paying for win XP now, then paying for the Vista again... and then rebuying it when I upgrade the Mother board to keep up with the hardware technology.Manny

Thanks for that Viz. So Vista Starter is out...So now the Q is.. Would the Vista basic be enough? I wish there was a way to uninstall an OS from 1 MB to port to another.MB's are are about $100. Changing them should be as easy as changing a diaper in this technology overloaded world. :)Manny

>I would suggest staying with XP Pro for the next year or so.>>There will be all kinds of issues with device drivers that>have to be rewritten for 64bit (remember FSX is a 32 bit app,>doesn't need a 64bit OS), and then all the other 1.0 release>issues of any major project.>Vista comes in both x86 and x64 versions so that shouldn't be an issue. So far Vista RC1 x86 recognizes all my hardware, though the beta ATI catalyst driver is a little buggy. Note that Vista x64 upgrade will only work on Win XP x64.I don't have the FSX beta, only the demo, and I am still doing a few things but I hope to do a comparison of frames in Win XP vs Vista RC1 for the demo. Right now with the default sliders I am getting about 30 frames in midday with no weather and the Baron or ultralight.scott s..