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Windows Vista Test Machine Specs

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ErikD

Member
Joined
May 6, 2004
Location
NYC
I am thinking of putting together a system with the sole purpose of testing Windows Vista, whenever I can get my hands on it legally. Which means probably after it is relased, or whenever MS is shipping it as a part of the Partner Program software packs. My goal is to be able to play around with it a bit and make a decision on whether it is ready for use as my main OS, and so I can support people who are using it.

Basically I want to make the whole system as cheap as possible. Right now I am thinking of something along the lines of a MicroATX AMD socket 754 system. I remember seeing an Abit KV-85 at a local shop for like $25 because it was missing all of the cables. If they still have it I will probably pick it up and use that as the base for the system. I am thinking like 1GB of RAM, 20GB HD, and whatever CPU I can pick up cheaply will do. All I am looking to do is get it installed and running decntly, no extra applications or real work will be done.

For those who have been playing with the beta, will these specs be usable? Or should I be looking to something more up to date to even test this OS? I am starting this now so that I can just pick up the various parts I need as I find a good deal, and have a system ready when I get the OS.
 
I would wait until vista is released before choosing the hardware. Things are going to change quite a bit by then. Prices are going to be alot different, technology will change too.
 
AM2 from AMD will be out & DDR2 support will be on a massive scale for motherboards probably will become a standard thing by the end of year like PCI-E has. AMD will probably have a new kind of the current CPU with an upgraded onboard memory controller to utilise DDR2 memory more efficently.
 
my 3200 @ 2.6 has some probs itself handeling the load....

and you will not be able to run vista w/ areoe glass with a mediocre gfx card eaiter.
 
^^ then your 3200 has issues.

i ran build 5308 on an intel duo core 1.66ghz / 1gh of ram / integrated intel 32mb graphics / 100g 5400 RPM tosiba m100 - all settings default and it ran smooth for me.on a 14" screen....

Aero glass will make use of your video card that is for sure, but to say 754 wont run it is dead wrong.

this is why they are making some 16 versions of Vista - for high end system to lower end ones, obvioulsy you will be able to turn off various features.

I dont think though you should be building ANYTHING right now for Vista - wait until it is in stores.......
 
My next build will be at end of year I waited for sk939 but now I might as well wait for AM2. I'm after a decent AM2 motherboard with PCI-E (maybe SLi) good DDR2 support upto 4gb. A Raptor drive or whatever is better for my main drive where VISTA will be going and a slave with say 250gb for games, music, Photos etc.
 
While I fully understand waiting until official release until I start building, and normally would agree, in this instance I really want to get a jump on it. I mean I already have two great systems for full time use. This one I am thinking of building will be JUST to experiment with different OSs on. I mean I won't be installing many, if any applications on it. I won't be running it most of the time. I just want somehting I can install Vista on and use as a reference point for the OS. If it is a bit slow, or I can't enable the whole Aero theme I would be fine with it.

My main goals here are to have something that it will run on, and be as cheap as possible. That is why I looked to socket 754. Maybe a LGA 775 Celeron would be better?
 
that system should be fine if your just trying to dabble and get a feel for it before you jump ship when its released.

I'm still waiting for final confirmation on whether its going to be 64 bit only or not, which is something you might care about when selecting a CPU.


~ Gos
 
Trombe said:
Care to explain? Socket 754 may not be popular, but it is not worthless, or even that far behind it's 939 friends.

Agreed. I'd like to think my 754 3400+, 1GB RAM + Radeon x800 XTPE would *EASILY* run Vista. I mean.. I can play widescreen Doom 3 at 1280x900 absolutely fine, so Vista should fly.

Binny.
 
Last edited:
Mr.Guvernment said:
^^ then your 3200 has issues.
i ran build 5308 on an intel duo core 1.66ghz / 1gh of ram / integrated intel 32mb graphics / 100g 5400 RPM tosiba m100 - all settings default and it ran smooth for me.on a 14" screen.


Interesting.. that's a similar spec laptop to what I've just bought (although hasn't arrived yey). I got a Dell Inspiron 9400 with Core Duo 1.66, 1GB RAM, Integrated Intel Graphics, 60GB HDD, but with a 17" WXGA+ (1440x900) screen. I'm kinda hoping that the full aero thing will work on it, but perhaps that's a bit unrealistic.

Binny.
 
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