So...Which One?

[Xomphos]

Hey,

Recently, I built this computer:
-AMD X2 4200+
-2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 RAM
-MSI OC 8600GT (Twin Turbo)
-400GB SATA HDD
I bought Vista Home Basic OEM for $50 and have been running it for around a couple months and while it is nice, it seems slightly clunkier compared to XP. I haven't really had any big problems with it except sometimes when I would put it into sleep mode-it would turn off the monitor, but not the computer. Another problem would be that I would be doing simple tasks such as listening to music and browsing the web with Firefox and then I would get a BSOD. I've probably gotten around seven BSODs.
One of my friends who got Vista on his laptop just went back to XP and loves it, and I am considering doing the same. I know SP1 is coming out really soon, but from the early reviews of it, it just doesn't seem that great.
I just wiped my computer's HDD after backing it up-which OS should I install? Vista? Or XP SP2?

Thanks!

 

[A True Folder]

Without more detail on the BSOD's it could be hardware in which case the choice of OS would have little bearing.

Have you tested your hardware components to eliminate them from the equation?

Personally, I'm sticking with XP for a while, Vista 64bit is slowly maturing as an OS but I'm still dubious because of the price (Vista Ultimate). XP SP3 will be out soon though it is basically just a roll up of all the post SP2 hotfixes so nothing major to be had there.

It's only a couple of years (if Microsoft release on time - 2010) until we will see Windows 7 and i think I may stay with XP until then, to mind Vista just reeks too much of Windows ME (affectionately known as Microsofts Error) for me to change.

To qualify my above position, I have run (dual booted with XP) legit copies of Vista Beta2, RC1 RC2 and RTM so I have had hands on experience with Vista.

My $0.02

 

[Xomphos]

Without more detail on the BSOD's it could be hardware in which case the choice of OS would have little bearing.

Have you tested your hardware components to eliminate them from the equation?

Personally, I'm sticking with XP for a while, Vista 64bit is slowly maturing as an OS but I'm still dubious because of the price (Vista Ultimate). XP SP3 will be out soon though it is basically just a roll up of all the post SP2 hotfixes so nothing major to be had there.

It's only a couple of years (if Microsoft release on time - 2010) until we will see Windows 7 and i think I may stay with XP until then, to mind Vista just reeks too much of Windows ME (affectionately known as Microsofts Error) for me to change.

To qualify my above position, I have run (dual booted with XP) legit copies of Vista Beta2, RC1 RC2 and RTM so I have had hands on experience with Vista.

My $0.02

No, I have not tested my hardware. I have sent in the error report though-which apparently got no solution back from Microsoft. My motherboard does come with Vista drivers that I have been using and on top of that, it's a 32-bit version. I'm probably just a bit lazy to figure it out.

I think I agree about the ME analogy, although I don't recall using that operating system. Vista just seems clunky. I mean, it's good and all, but really, it just doesn't seem all that great.

Thanks for your answer-I think I will now go ahead and install Windows XP SP2. It's just going to be a bit weird for me using the "older" operating system rather than the latest for someone who likes to stay up-to-date with technology.

 

[lhuser]

The BSODs doesn't mean it's a Vista Problem. It is a problem within the system and the hardware at most times. If you can tell us what kind of message you get....the string that looks like this:

SAMPLE_OF_ERROR_CODE_LOOKS_LIKE_THIS