Upgrade to VISTA?

[Ajmukon]

Okay....
I have a XPS 400
Pentium D 2.793 GHz processor
Radeon x1950 PCIe
ATI TV Wonder Pro PCI
DVD
CD-RW
Floppy
Printer-Epson R220
Dual HDD (80 gig and a 250 gig)
integrated 8.1 sound (i think)
1.500 GB RAM (I KNEW I FORGOT SOMETHING) 2x 256 2x 512

Should i upgrade to Vista in the next year or so or wait until i buy a new computer?
(i can get premium home for ~80.00 legally- student version)

[azzey]

How much RAM do you have?

[Ajmukon]

How much RAM do you have?

See above- Thanks for reminding me

[mjc]

First, run the Vista Upgrade Advisor (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradeadvisor.mspx)...then well, if you can live with all the new DRM and OS 'improvements' and you are willing to put up with substandard drivers, for a few months and...and...and...then yeah, go for it.

I would wait, though...but at that price (you do know that when you are no longer a student you are supposed to uninstall it...don't you?)...

PS: Funny how the student price is much more inline with what the actual value of it should be...

PPS: Saw nothing in the first post about amount of RAM...just drive space.

[Ajmukon]

First, run the Vista Upgrade Advisor (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradeadvisor.mspx)...then well, if you can live with all the new DRM and OS 'improvements' and you are willing to put up with substandard drivers, for a few months and...and...and...then yeah, go for it.

I would wait, though...but at that price (you do know that when you are no longer a student you are supposed to uninstall it...don't you?)...

PS: Funny how the student price is much more inline with what the actual value of it should be...

PPS: Saw nothing in the first post about amount of RAM...just drive space.

i added it after you asked
did not know that i was supposed to uninstall it
but your saying that that i should wait until i buy a new PC?
well then, i will wait, thanks

[mjc]

OK...;), RAM is now showing.

Yeah, I'd wait...but the price is very tempting.

Unless you absolutely have to, it is usually advisable to wait on installing a new MS OS until a few months have passed and several major fixes/patches/security updates have been issued or the first SP is out. This time also allows the hardware manufacturers to get decent drivers into circulation.

But the $80 price tag is VERY tempting...;)

[Ajmukon]

Yeah, but it (the price) will still be there in a few months..

[mjc]

I was just doing some looking on the MS Academic pricing programs...sheesh, that is a mess there are several levels of programs and then, depending on what level there are the restrictions. What a mess.

[pentachris]

Assuming you're talking about a literal upgrade (as in the Upgrade Edition), you should note that if you have XP Professional currently, you can not upgrade to Vista Home Premium.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2082982,00.asp

I read in the latest Maximum PC magazine that there's a work-around for this - probably against the EULA, but if you've got a previous legal copy... what you do is a fresh install with the Vista upgrade version, get to a certain point, stop the install process and start the installation over again - it will see the "previous" installation and continue on.

[pentachris]

Regarding the workaround I mentioned before:

http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2007/1/31/6828