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Vista compatible?

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by tjbackstage

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I have a Dell Optiplex GX240 that I have recently replaced with a new aluminum MacBook (2.4GHZ model). I am planning to buy a full copy of Vista Ultimate to use with Boot Camp and VMWare Fusion on the MacBook sometime soon so I can continue to use the Windows programs I need. Since I'm still keeping the Dell, I'm considering putting Vista on it as well since I'll have the disks. I'm wondering how it'll run though and if it's worth the upgrade from XP Pro. The Dell has (2) 37.5GB hard drives, a 2.0GHZ Pentium 4 processor with 256KB cache, 768MB RAM (133MHZ), about 20GB left on the main hard drive, and about 30GB left on the second hard drive. I know that Microsoft says that with these specs, my computer is Vista compatible, but I want to know how it will run with it. Would an upgrade work with the full installation discs? Am I able to do multiple installations from the same 32-bit Vista disc? Would my computer be fine and go at a decent speed if all I'm doing is using internet, Publisher, and an old version of Photoshop? I don't plan on using the computer much, but I just wanted to know. Thanks!

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by oh smeg

Easy answer like a complete dog. It will be slow horrendously slow most of the features of Vista [b]Will Not[/b] work and you will be very unhappy with the result.

Vista Compatible means that it will run the Core Kernel of the OS in some form it doesn't mean that it will work well or even be fast enough to actually use.

[i]Would an upgrade work with the full installation discs?[/i]

Yes it will depending on what the Install Disc's actually are.

[i]Am I able to do multiple installations from the same 32-bit Vista disc?[/i]

Depends on what the Disc actually is and also if you want to remain Legal.

If it is a Retail copy this is Licensed to be installed on 2 computers. If it is a OEM Copy this is only Licensed for 1 computer and even then to only the Hardware that it is first loaded on. There is no Legit way to decommission one computer and use the OS on a new one.

[i]Would my computer be fine and go at a decent speed if all I'm doing is using internet,[/i]

No it wouldn't with these Specifications if you are happy with 15 minutes to load and 3 minutes to open an application it would be OK but most people would find this unacceptable.

[i]Publisher, and an old version of Photoshop?[/i]

Publisher may be OK depending on which version it is but anything but the newest version of Photoshop will not work on Vista.

You also may have issues with any external devices like Printers, Scanners that you need to plug into your computer Vista doesn't have much backward compatibility built in.

Instead of looking at Minimum Requirements to run Vista you should test with the Vistas Compatibility Test Utility from M$ available here.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=42B5AC83-C24F-4863-A389-3FFC194924F8&displaylang=en

Col

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