Are you successful with Windows Updates? I keep getting a page back saying there is an error, and the MS web site won't let me even see if there are updates. I would really benefit!

I just installed Win 64 on my new system and the O.S. is a little buggy. To top it off, the CD that came with the motherboard (MSI K8N) with all the drivers doesn't recognize the O.S. and refuses to run.

Also, Norton System Works Professional 2003 refuses to stay on. It stays disabled the entire time.

And some odd ball Windows anti-virus feature keeps me from installing Nero correctly.

 

For future reference, this forum is helping me a bit:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...l/support.mspx

 

Cool - I can't afford a 64 Bit processor

 

They go for less than $200. It's not that bad. Just takes the whole day to make the system work.

 

Hmm. I forget what the build is called. But I thought it wasn't out yet, just the beta "Longhorn" and it's possible to get a copy, but you'll get busted if it's found registered.

 

You were so helpful there.

 

1. Blazing FAST!!
2. MS Word 2003 takes less than 1 sec to open! Before, it took 4-6 secs.
3. Windows XP Professional 64-bit lacks drivers needed for a lot of hardware. Companies are way behind in providing important drivers. My D-Link wireless USB base, for example, doesn’t work; so I had to move my PC next to the router in my brother’s room.
4. Norton System Works 2003 complains of errors when loading, and refuses to stay enabled in the background. It will run okay, but the constant virus checking feature is disabled. Symantec’s web site doesn’t even mention Windows 64 in their support pages (that I could find).
5. Windows has its own anti-virus utility called Data Execution Prevention (DEP). It kept me from loading a number of programs the first try. That is, it locked out the software, than asked me if it was okay to run. After that, I had to try again.
6. Nero 5.x InCD does not work (drag and drop to a CD-RW).
7. Windows Media Player 10 and other nice utilities from Microsoft refuse to install because they claim to operate only in Windows XP, or earlier versions.
8. Windows operates two browsers: a 32 and a 64-bit version. Some web sites require the 32-bit to load properly. The default is 64 bit, and requires the user to start the 32-bit in order to access the content.
9. Microsoft does not provide updates like for other Windows systems.
10. I have not installed the sound card yet. I was thinking in using only the on-board sound, since it is 7.1; however, the speakers play the RPM of the HDD and CD-RW at every turn, so I’m definitely trying the M-Audio later tonight, even though it does not have 64-bit drivers yet.
11. Most of the video and system drivers (i.e. nForce3) are still in their beta versions for the 64-bit operating system. Hence, there are still many bugs to resolve.

Specs:

New:
Thermaltake Tsunami Dream Case
Antec TruPower 550-watt P.S.
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum socket 939 nForce3 Ultra
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ 2.2GHz
Corsair 2x512MB DDR PC3200
XFX 6600GT 128MB DDR3 dual DVI video card
Samsung SP0812C SATA 7,200 RPM 80GB HDD
M-Audio Revolution 7.1 sound card (pending)

Legacy:
WD Raptor SATA 10,000 RPM 73GB HDD (Windows XP Professional 64-bit)
Sony 16” LCD DVI Monitor
Sony Floppy (considering removal)
NEC 8x DVD-R dual layer
LiteOn 40x12x40 CD-RW
MS Explorer optical mouse
MS Office keyboard
HP Photo xxx printer
HP xxx scanner

Obsolete:
MS Force Feedback joystick (requires midi port)

 

Things should get better once this version is finalized - spring 05. Of course by that time people will eb playing with Longorh Beta.

BTW, I think that faster loading Word is due the overall hardware upgrade not XP64 bit.

 

I just love how everything is so much faster. But Win 64 is quite buggy and I took it out.

 

I have an .iso image of longhorn. I just couldn't activate it. I go to play around with it for a while though.

 

I have it in my MSDN subscription. I installed it in a Virtual PC session and it was crap.

 

Can you get some benchmarks? I'd love to see how it handles compared to the G5

 

Why such a big power supply? Anything 350W and over would have been fine.

 

You're right that 550 is overkill but I'd still recommend 400w minimum these days. Good quality PSUs do wonders for system stability.

The video card in his system is draws 75w by itself. The CPU is either 150w or 180w depending if he has the 90nm or 130nm core. Add hd's, optical media, fans, lights, and other goodies and the total system draw adds up in a hurry.

You want to have a little extra headroom for power consumption spikes and upgrades down the road. For his system, 450w would be plenty but it won't be uncommon for cpu's to be >200w and video cards to be >100w in a year or two.

 

I've been running 350W's in all the systems I built for friends. But then again they all consist of one HDD, and no OCing. So I'm assuming with technology these days and all the extras people are throwing in 400W would be playing it safe.

Anyone run a watercooled rig?

 

 

Back to your original post slo, XP 64 is still very much in the development stages. Most of your instability problems are a result of immature drivers. It'll be another year before things are sorted out.

 

I removed Win 64. It didn't have enough drivers. You want a benchmark of the Athlon 64 with Win XP?

 

I had a 350w in my last system and it could not handle the 3 HDDs, CD-RW, DVD-R, etc. I had to pull a HDD out.

Since I'm driving beefier components: Athlon 64 2.2GHz, 1 GB ram, 2 SATA HDDs, 2 EIDE HDDs, a 6600GT video card with its own power input, CD/DVD drives (2), and many goodies on the 8 USB ports... it made sense to get a bigger P.S. I don't want to deal with not enough juice when running video editing applications.

The video card alone suggests a 400w PS for the system. So 350w would not cut it.