sohosources
n00b
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2006
- Messages
- 58
Hi, Gang:
I'm finally building a set of manly PCs to replace my now-long-in-the-tooth desktops.
My productivity PC, which runs multiple VMs and handles TV and video playback, printing and video editing, scanning, etc -- but no serious gaming, only casual -- will run an i7-930 with 6-12 GB of Mushkin DDR3, an ASUS Rampage II GENE MB, a Silverstone 850-W modular PS, an eVGA 8600GT, a small SSD for the boot drive and a pair of 500-GB drives (maybe in RAID 0) for storing VM images and local files (everything else in on a server).
I'm thinking about running Win 7 64-bit or Ubuntu 64-bit, but my geek buddies want me to run Win XP Pro X64. (They HATE Win7...while I'm merely neutral about it so far.)
What d'ya think about that? Is X64 nearing end-of-life? Is it too much of a hassle? Other issues I'm not considering?
I have an Action Pack X64 key that I can use...and I have Ubuntu...but I don't have a long-term Win 7 (other than the 90-day Corporate Eval).
I'm kinda anal...but my "Host OS" only goes online to visit Windows Update every now and again, so it stays VERY CLEAN. All other work is done in several Win XP VMs generally dedicated to one big task or another. One for web browsing...one for accounting software...one for flatbed and film scanners (so I don't have to kludge up my host OS with 50,000 TWAIN drivers and other junk, etc)...one for desktop publishing...and so on. If a VM gets corrupted or virused to death...I just roll in a recent snapshot or a backup and I don't have to reload my whole PC and tons of software.
All of my work files are stored on a server, so it's not difficult to use day to day.
My "gaming and fooling around PC" has removable boot drives so I can fart around with Linux, Hackintosh, eComstation and Windows XP (or Windows Whatever) for gaming. It will run an i5-750 with 4-8 GB RAM on an MSI GD45 (P55) MB, my old Antec Trio 650 PS, and a 5770 vid card (I game at 1680x1050 or 1920x1080 max), so no need for SLI, multiple gaming monitors, etc.
I have several XP Home COAs...and I may get a Win 7 COA just for DirectX 11 on the gaming box...but I'm really not DirectX crazed. Give me fast frame rates and DirectX 9.0C and I'm good to go.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance,
--KK in MN
I'm finally building a set of manly PCs to replace my now-long-in-the-tooth desktops.
My productivity PC, which runs multiple VMs and handles TV and video playback, printing and video editing, scanning, etc -- but no serious gaming, only casual -- will run an i7-930 with 6-12 GB of Mushkin DDR3, an ASUS Rampage II GENE MB, a Silverstone 850-W modular PS, an eVGA 8600GT, a small SSD for the boot drive and a pair of 500-GB drives (maybe in RAID 0) for storing VM images and local files (everything else in on a server).
I'm thinking about running Win 7 64-bit or Ubuntu 64-bit, but my geek buddies want me to run Win XP Pro X64. (They HATE Win7...while I'm merely neutral about it so far.)
What d'ya think about that? Is X64 nearing end-of-life? Is it too much of a hassle? Other issues I'm not considering?
I have an Action Pack X64 key that I can use...and I have Ubuntu...but I don't have a long-term Win 7 (other than the 90-day Corporate Eval).
I'm kinda anal...but my "Host OS" only goes online to visit Windows Update every now and again, so it stays VERY CLEAN. All other work is done in several Win XP VMs generally dedicated to one big task or another. One for web browsing...one for accounting software...one for flatbed and film scanners (so I don't have to kludge up my host OS with 50,000 TWAIN drivers and other junk, etc)...one for desktop publishing...and so on. If a VM gets corrupted or virused to death...I just roll in a recent snapshot or a backup and I don't have to reload my whole PC and tons of software.
All of my work files are stored on a server, so it's not difficult to use day to day.
My "gaming and fooling around PC" has removable boot drives so I can fart around with Linux, Hackintosh, eComstation and Windows XP (or Windows Whatever) for gaming. It will run an i5-750 with 4-8 GB RAM on an MSI GD45 (P55) MB, my old Antec Trio 650 PS, and a 5770 vid card (I game at 1680x1050 or 1920x1080 max), so no need for SLI, multiple gaming monitors, etc.
I have several XP Home COAs...and I may get a Win 7 COA just for DirectX 11 on the gaming box...but I'm really not DirectX crazed. Give me fast frame rates and DirectX 9.0C and I'm good to go.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance,
--KK in MN