So it seems that most people here have been using Vista for some time now, although I have been sticking with my tried and true copy of XP. I know most of Vista's problems have been solved since its launch, but I never really had a need to buy a copy, since I would just have to go through the hassle of backing up my data, reformating, installing a new OS, reinstalling drivers, service packs, etc. Now that I bought a new hard drive, however, I'm gonna have to do all that stuff anyway, so I thought I might as well install Vista Ultimate 64 bit on it (I'm getting it from a friend). I'm mostly concerned about the kind of performance drop in games and how fast/responsive the OS is compared to XP. I have a q6600, 8800gt, and 3 gigs of ram, so I don't anticipate anything too drastic. What should I expect? Is it worth using over XP?

u can't uninstall internet explorer which is totally gay

If you have XP handy and have no problems with it, don't bother switching.  Vista came with my laptop, and I've sort of warmed up to it, but it's not worth switching to if you can help it.  If you really want to try Vista, go ahead, there's really nothing wrong with it.

I still have XP, I should make the switch to Windows 7 >.>

I like it, it does what I want it too and hasn't given me much trouble. It's not a huge upgrade from XP but I still prefer it to the apple OS.

i like it, have no issues

I used it, it is fine.

You should honestly hold-out for Windows 7, if you can.

People are saying that the Windows 7 Beta benchmarks much closer to XP than Vista, plus it's supposed to have even better compatibility than Vista.

There's very gewd chance that Windows 7 will release this year.  Release Canidate 1 is being released to OEM's/TechNet/MSDN Subscribers next month.

It works.

I tried it and didn't like it that much. I felt more comfortable with XP. I'm playing around with the Windows 7 beta now and then, though, and I like it a lot.

After the release of SP1, Vista performance matched or exceeded XPs in many benchmarks. I like Vista and have had no real isses with the OS; apps and games work fine as well as all my hardware. As mentioned though, if you can wait I'd get Windows 7 instead (which is rumored to have a public build to try at Release Canidate, and finally to be released this fall).

If you're going 64-bit though and don't want to wait, go Vista.

I have had zero problems with it.

I really like Vista.  There are a few things I don't look but other than that, love it.

Internet Explorer 8 can be removed from at least Windows 7 build 7048.

http://www.aeroxp.org/2009/03/ie8-functionally-removable

I've got it on my computer, it's great, but it has some issues, especially with compatibility with older games. But yea it is good.
However, I wouldn't recommend switching it's not really worth it, wait till the next one comes out (windows 7) and see what happens.

I don't see that much of an advance since Windows XP. Other than the aesthetics not much in the way Vista works makes it better.

Vista is ok, but I think XP is way better.

"Vista is ok, but I think XP is way better."

"I don't see that much of an advance since Windows XP. Other than the aesthetics not much in the way Vista works makes it better."

Vista is good, but I'm pretty sure, Windows 7 is just a fixed up version of Vista with a re-release because of the bad name Vista has.

Been using it for a year, no problems really...just couldn't install my 5 year old printer on it.

For a professional standpoint, its not viable. Not all drivers are vista ready and that really is what hurts it.

Windows 7 if done properly should be fine.  As Vista just literally has a bad name from word of mouth due to it being intolerable by most prior to SP1 (I didn't use it back then, built my machine in May 08).

"Vista is good, but I'm pretty sure, Windows 7 is just a fixed up version of Vista with a re-release because of the bad name Vista has."

It works fine, my laptop cam with it ad it runs games as good as a pc with Vista. I f you have it on hand and have to back up everything and shit anyway you should install it.

I am using XP64 but I will give Vista a try.  How bad can it be?

I went back to XP. Vista has its advantages but is overall rated at a 'meh'.

The Windows 7 Beta is amazing. :D

I am using 4 gigs, it only reads 3.5 though, it works well for me, faster than XP that way. It has a nice folder to put all your games and I get to play games in directX10 mode.

I'm currently running build 7077 of the Win 7 beta as the primary OS on my gaming PC. I figured I'd give it a shot instead of spending $100 on an OEM copy of Vista Home Premium.

Win 7 is stupidly rock solid. I've had next to no issues with anything... with any issues stemming from my lack of familiarity with anything post-XP. There is the issue of certain downloaded drivers not installing properly, but that's a non-issue as the OS picked up 100% of my hardware. Nvidia already has solid beta drivers out for Win 7... unlike before Vista.

The only real issue I can see with Windows 7 as a primary gaming OS right now is the fact that PunkBuster won't support it. If you have any games that use it, such as CoD4/5, BF2, etc., you won't be able to play online on PB enabled servers. Beyond that, I've had no issues at all. Gaming performance is amazing.

I'm currently running...

Shuttle sp35p2v2
Intel E8500 C2D
8GB DDR2 OCZ RAM
Evga GTX 260
1TB WD Caviar Black

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not actually paying for it, so I'll give Vista a shot and upgrade when Windows 7 comes out.

I run it on my laptop and I really like it.  With enough tinkering in its settings, I can get damn near any older game working (still have to run DOSBox for a few).  I still have occasional trouble trying to search my computer for files (which, by the way, is something I'd love to BS with someone about if they know the system pretty well and aren't going to make fun of my lack of knowledge).  Beyond that, though, it's fairly intuitive and has some great possibilities.

It's okay. I'd rather XP, but I had to recently switch to Vista in order for my MP3 player and Digital Camera to work properly, since they're both MTP devices.

It's decent. XP is superior in many ways, but vista does have its advantages, especially if you want to get the most out of newer PC games and high end graphics cards. 

I have been using Windows Vista for about 4 months now (and for the first time, I may add), and I do enjoy it a bit more over XP. Aside from the windows that come up that make me confirm various actions, which is painstakingly annoying after a while. And considering I wasn't willing to get off XP, I'm enjoying Vista alot. I have yet to try the Windows 7 BETA, however.

I bought my pc with vista but got screwed and got XP I say that I am glad it is a system hog

I have a feeling that when Windows 7 is released and we've been using it for a couple of years we'll look back at Vista the same way we look back at Windows ME

Ive had Vista since it was released, and I love it.
It has alot of little cool features that makes things alot faster.

But i have to admit, I dont game on Vista.
This is due to my laptop having SLi and when vista first came out nVidia hadnt sorted there SLi drivers out for it, so I run a dual boot system, one nice small clean instalation of XP with only my games, and Vista for everyday use. It actualy works out great, I can install loadsa stuff on vista without worrying about it interfearing with game performance.

Apparently Vista game problems are over now and all the drivers get very similar results than XP, but becase Ive come to like my dual boot system with a clean XP Ive decided to continue to use it, I like it so much that i think i will always do it from now on.

So Vista is good in my opinion, I actually dislike using XP for general stuff now as I have become reliant on the little features of vista.

Been using Vista for a month. It's fine, people bitch about it way too much.

It's fine, nothin more, nothin less.

I'm using Vista and now I have no desktop Icons so yeah.

Vista is fine, I like it.
For some bizarre reason though, they decided to remove the Up Folder ( ) icon from windows explorer.

I used to defend it, but I've had it completely stop working for absolutely no reason twice in the last 6 months. I'm not an idiot either, I fix computers all the time for people. It's just all of a sudden one day I boot it up and I can't do anything.

Probably gunna Dual Boot Linux and Windows 7 Beta (until it comes out or August whatever's first).

At this point I'd say wait for Windows 7. It's, for the most part, completely compatible with Vista programs and loses alot of the bugs.

When Vista's working I like it alot more then XP, and find it more stable. It just seems to fail alot. It's not just me, alot of the repairs I've done are Vista just not working, same problem I'm having. Programs just won't open; the computer basically goes into lock down- permanantly.

i have vista 64 bit and love it i see no problems with it  most problems have been fixed with the os in general  my only problems is with the 64 bit version being that i need to do crazy stuff to get things like leisure suit larry 7 to work and useing the exe for KOTOR 1 in order to get KOTOR 2 to work

i have vista 64 bit and love it i see no problems with it  most problems have been fixed with the os in general  my only problems is with the 64 bit version being that i need to do crazy stuff to get things like leisure suit larry 7 to work and useing the exe for KOTOR 1 in order to get KOTOR 2 to work

I haven't had any problems with it.