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There's a general discussion about these OS's and what Micro Soft think they're doing, Perhaps this can clarify it a bit:http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=759&tag=nl.e622

I saw this the other day...as a consumer who's ordered new computers in the last few months (both with XP) I can offer my experience...

First, I'd change the title of the article from, "Is Windows XP too good for Microsoft’s own good?" to something like "Is Windows Vista proving too idiosyncratic for Microsoft's own good?" because it's keeping customers away in droves and this was acknowledged by representatives at Dell and Gateway (I have bought from both, one laptop and one desktop...still waiting on the desktop).

A few months ago, I had to go through the "small business" dept. at Dell for an XP equipped version, after wrangling with a home laptop dweeb that didn't want to sell one so equipped. The business unit dude, however completely understood and it was no problem...said about 45-50% of the units were going out with XP per customer insistance (I had said, "it's XP or no sale.")

In August, I called Gateway about a new desktop and suddenly it was WAY easier to get a unit with XP, no hassle. There they said "The market has spoken and it wants XP.....about 75% of the upscale units are going out so equipped, at customer insistance" (of which I was a recent example).

You can argue the merits of Vista all you want, but the market is voting it's pocketbook based on reports and reputation and software they have in hand and the vote is clear.

Much the same can be said about a certain flight simulation experience, but it's just not reflected in current purchases....it'll change eventually, but the change will be SLOW, just like with Vista.

JG300-Ascout: Thanks for your very good imput, indeed. I am no computer expert, nor do I know anything about sales. All I know is that I went and bought a new computer a Fujitsu Siemens
IntelCor Dup 2 CPU 4300 @ 1.80Ghz 1.79Ghz; memory 1022MB RAM; 32 bit operating system and it came with Vista. As Vista and FSX where supposed to be meant for each other I Naively thought...NOw I can run it!

To my surprise, well, you know I stumbbled across all kind of issues, first to update everything in it. With the help of MS& Fujitsus' helpline.
Now finally after nearly 5 months since I installed and have been to all the forums I know I finally got it to run excellently Got my FSX.cfg tweaked and locked at 30FPS and get 28.9 on average real smooth

My only issues left are SOUND The CC Connie for example has very bad sound, when I give it full throttle the sound saounds like there are two sound conflicting with each other, when I decrease throttle it comes aback to normal, but then if I change views and return to cockpit view I can start all over again to fix it back to normal, until I push my throttles to max again, a real pain I have an on board Realtek HIgh Definition Audio which is updated. this only happens with the Connie, The Grumman Goose whick I got fixed to run in FSX std with a very good panel (original) and Tom Gibsons ( Libar Guzmans') C46. and JBK Douglas DC4-100& DC4 v2; Seafire XVII this multi engined airctafts and other addons have poor sound. single engined like the Woozas P51 sound perfect.

Might be better off getting a cheap Audigy 2 sound card.
That's a lot of game to put through 1Gb of RAM (do you know the timings of your RAM, I suspect it's not very fast from the sound of it).
If you have your own sound card rather than onboard it will use it's own resources and may work better.

Shades: Thanks for responding, and no I don't know the timing of my RAM? How can I check this??

I put in my old machine an Audigy 2 and that helped a lot when I had Fs9 running on it. My, the thing is this machine is still under warranty, and has a plastic band attached to it and I would have to cut it open to access the computer inside to change the card,, making the warranty useless, I think.

Hi berlopez,

If it's a new system, I don't think it would be worth invalidating your warranty for this.
It's only guess work anyway and it still might not work.
Unless your supplier allows you to do it (IN WRITING) first.
It's not worth it.

However, if it's still under warranty, you may be able to put pressure on the seller to fix the problem for you; They are obliged under law to provide you with goods which are "fit for purpose".
If your machine isn't working as you would like/expect it to, and you had explained to them what you wanted it for when you bought it, you could argue this.

You should be able to see your memory timings when your machine boots up. There's a BIOS splash screen that displays the amount of RAM you have, its timings, your hard drive details, etc.

If it's too quick you can use the [Pause] key (next to [PrtScn] and [ScrLk]..., usually) to pause the boot process at any stage without harming the system.
Pressing it again will continue the process again.

I sorry you are dealing with an amateur, Did a reboot and stopped the process, saw a splash screen, but couldn't see none of the above; I am running Vista. Perhaps if you like I could send you a screeny of this splash screen tomorrow

- JG300-Ascout

You can argue the merits of Vista all you want, but the market is voting it's pocketbook based on reports and reputation and software they have in hand and the vote is clear.

I'm still waiting for the (real world) merits that justify the cost and headaches.

Also Ascout! with my new system the bad lag and low FPS at Phu Bai looking towards Camp eagle............GONE, for the most part. There is still an occasional drop in FPS but nothing close to what it was on the old system. Mucho mas suave!

No worries berlopez.
We're all amateurs here.

Does your boot screen run through a short memory test when it first fires up?

Professional amateur!!! Just tried again, it's no big operation I know, I get the same screen. I can't see a short memory test running!
I only I knew how to post images here in the forum I could send you a screeny, but I only know how to send it via e-mail

No worries m8.
Please send it to ["cuffie @ ntlworld . com"], without the gaps.
This is a spam-mail address I set up for forums so that the spam spiders can't get me.
I'll turn it off for the moment and then accept your address when I get the mail so I can check it for you.

Can't print that page it's right at the beggining of the load. perhaps in DOS. I can pause it, then press Prt Scr; Then open a word doc to Ctrl+V but nothing copies???
As I said I am an Amateur. I did notice though that at the bottom it says "Verifying Pool Data"; And a small line running like?...? then I couldn't see anymore...

Ctrl+C to copy and Ctrl+V to paste

Nope! I tried Ctrl+C to try to copy it for the milisecond it's there and then Ctrl+V to paste it to a word doc. to send it via e-mail but nothing copies?
While the machine is in DOS mode loading, does it follow windows commands? I am not sure?

Is there another way of doing this?

Good point.
There is a way of doing it (I've seen other screenies of it).
I'll try and find out and post tomorrow for you.