To Vista or Not to Vista

[Grommit]

We have a Vanilla Server 2003 / XP Network with Ranger for Networks

W have just purchased 80 new PC's to refresh the ICT suite
Pentium D, PD-945 Dual Core 3.4GHZ/800MHz, 2x2MB

Now... Do I go for XP SP3 or Vista Business..

I know that copying files is slow but there is a fix to this..

So what advice can you give me ?

[elsiegee40]

Personally I'd stick with XP SP2 - all your existing software and hardware will work with it.

[mattx]

I'd use XP Pro SP2

I won't be using Vista or Office 2007 until we move to Server 2008. Which won't be for a while yet.....

[Pete10141748]

Unless installing Vista is part of your own "move-the-school-over-to-vista" plan, then I'd stick to XP Pro SP2.

Pete

[Geoff]

Buy the Vista machines and downgrade them to XP. Then your covered for licensing. Wait for Server 2k8 if you have an overwhelming desire to move to Vista.

[localzuk]

What's the memory in the machines?

Also, I would be saying XP SP2. SP3 is not final yet, so rolling it out to a production environment would be premature, and Vista, well, that speaks for itself!

[torledo]

We have a Vanilla Server 2003 / XP Network with Ranger for Networks

W have just purchased 80 new PC's to refresh the ICT suite
Pentium D, PD-945 Dual Core 3.4GHZ/800MHz, 2x2MB

Now... Do I go for XP SP3 or Vista Business..

I know that copying files is slow but there is a fix to this..

So what advice can you give me ?

I'd personally go for XP SP3, but if you're already using WSUS or a similar package mgmt app then you'd already have applied the hotfixes and updates since sp2....so sp3 won't add as much value. But i think it's still a worthwhile update and definitely a better option at this time than vista sp1.

[Diello]

We have a Vanilla Server 2003 / XP Network with Ranger for Networks

W have just purchased 80 new PC's to refresh the ICT suite
Pentium D, PD-945 Dual Core 3.4GHZ/800MHz, 2x2MB

Now... Do I go for XP SP3 or Vista Business..

I know that copying files is slow but there is a fix to this..

So what advice can you give me ?

We installed Vista on our management stations - we'll be upgrading back to XP shortly.

There are fixes to the slow copying problem in SOME instances - we've applied just about every fix known to man - still have the problem.

Management tools don't work properly either.

Far too many problems...

[mrforgetful]

XP SP2.

SP3 is still in RC stage right?

Vista has SP1 also in RC stage.

XP SP2 is actually released.

Oh actually, with 2x2Mb RAM you're gonna struggle with any

[PeterW]

Oh actually, with 2x2Mb RAM you're gonna struggle with any

Err he doesnt say 2 x 2MB ram 2x 2MB is the cache on the Pentium D 945 CPU.

[EduTech]

Well my answer to that has already been said lol..

Stick with Win XP Sp2, SP3 is still in RC1 stage and aint released yet. and Vista well i wouldn't bother until your running Server 2k8

Regards

James

[CyberNerd]

i wouldn't bother until your running Server 2k8

and I wouldn't bother with that until its 'at least SP2'.

Windows 7 looks good - modular, more linux like.

[enjay]

Personally I like Vista; I have it in my office and at home and wouldn't want to go back to XP on either, but deploying it across the network is a different animal altogether. Unless you have a specific reason to go with Vista (which you clearly don't), then I would get the PCs with XP running on a Vista Business Downgrade licence.

That way, you have the PCs out there as quickly as possible, no user re-training issues and no hardware compatibility to worry about, but are a step closer to being licensed for it when you do make the step. A Vista rollout (or a rollout of anything else of magnitude) is not something to be rushed into.

If you are planning on going to Vista in the future, I would get one Vista PC into your office now, or on a test network if you have one, so you can familiarise yourself with it and check your applications and hardware at your leisure.

[torledo]

and I wouldn't bother with that until its 'at least SP2'.

Windows 7 looks good - modular, more linux like.

noises are that there isn't going to be a sp2. Microsoft would dearly like for sp1 to be the last of the service packs as we've come to expect them to be. They believe windows update and the use of update servers is going to be sufficient post SP1. SP1 is really designed to appease business and get them to migrate from xp, as the corporate mindset has always been to wait for the first service pack.

[Grommit]

Ok... Looks like it's XP Pro SP2 .. Office 2007 with Vista licenses :-)