Vista - XP? dual boot? Question for G4

[LonnieO]

I did a search here {dual boot} but didn’t get much from it. I have noticed some discussion of Vista vs XP and frame rates. And that you have to turn lots of stuff off in vista to get G4 to work online?? I just bought a new gaming computer and it came with Vista. I haven’t installed G4 on it yet probably this weekend. I am considering switching to XP not sure what to do. I would like to hear some opinions on this.

Also considering setting up dual boot setup, but I have never done it with XP or Vista. My last dual boot was win3.1 and NT. I know dating myself. Any help in this area would also be appreciated. Has anyone done a dual boot with Vista already installed on a system?

new sys specs
intel core 2 Quad Q6600
2.4GHz 2x4mb L2 cache,1066 Mhz FSB
4 gb DDR2 Daul Channel Mem
Nvidia 8800 512mb
500gig sataII 7200rpm with 16meg cache
windows vista home premium

Thanks LonnieO

[pilot07]

xp will run games much faster and more reliably.... but before you do anything make sure the computer does not have any special components that only have drivers in vista

[Zelatio]

xp will run games much faster and more reliably....

That's not entirely true. Vista will run Guitar Hero III better than XP can. Not sure why, but PC Gamer says it does, and I usually trust them.

[rccardude04]

Pretty much, with that hardware, if it has trouble running G4, with any operating system, something is terribly wrong with your system LOL.
Depending on your computer, Alienware has its own special video additive that somehow is a framerate booster that they don't let anyone else see (according to them anyway). In this case, I would just leave it be and run with it.
It seems like everyone almost has Vista figured out. If it was me, I'd leave it with Vista and tough it out for a couple months while everything gets taken care of.
-Eric

[LonnieO]

I apreciate the info

If I leave vista installed and try it for awhile can I get a list of things I need to turn off/on, add/subtract. I finaly have it running fine on my older XP media comp and If my 2nd vid card for the new system shows friday I would like to install it there. any help with vista setup would be great.
And If anyone has done a dual boot with Vista installed first I would still like to know how to do it.

Thanks LonnieO

[RCHeliAce]

I have my Vista x64 drive out right now but I will be putting it back in this weekend. I can let you know better then. I do know without a doubt that G3.5 didn't work for crap on Vista x64 (not sure about 32 I don't run 32bit that much) I got 300+ fps in G3.5 on XP X 64 and 32 and only 59fps in Vista x64. This (http://rcheliace.com/Computer.htm) is my system. if you check it out and read the specs you will see I should have got a bit more than 59fps. I also get more than double the fps at a higher setting in Crysis with XP than Vista.

[RCHeliAce]

It would be as easy as buying another HD and installing Xp on it to run a dual boot. I run XP x64 and 32 and Vista x64. You can go to Microsoft.com and request a 180 day trial of XP to check it out. The download version is free and the CD version is just $5 for the shipping. That way you are only spending money for the HD to find out if that is the way you want to go. Unless you have a spare laying around. Then you are set. I bet it runs much better in XP though. Vista is still to much of a system hog.