My son built a computer for me last year that had the most up-to-date (as of THAT DAY :) ) parts on it.  He said I could put either XP or Vista...32 Bit or 64 bit.  I just have not had time to install an operating system on it yet.  However, the XP Pro 32 bit computer I am using needs more ram...gets hot...etc....so I want to get this other computer going.

I have Vista Business 32 bit at work.  I was forced to get Vista because my boss wanted Vista on his machine.  If he has it, I have to learn it.  That is anything he has...applications, etc.  He wanted Office 2007, so I had to get it.  (I purchased the old Excel menu from a 3rd party, however.)

So, question is Poser 7 is my main reason for my computer.  Which OS would you have installed if you were setting up a new computer?

I appreciate any and all answers....Yes, I have read the other posts, however, I really wanted some December, 2007 answers since the Vista Beta program....just kidding, you Vista people....updates almost every night because it had no business being put on the market yet!!!!

Sorry to offend when I really need your help!!!!  

No way will I entertain the idea of running Vista in this office.

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?message_id=3090570&ebot_calc_page#message_3090570

I had NOT seen that forum before!!!

Wow, that kind of trouble, I do NOT need.  

Thank you, PhilC!!!

When I got my new computer I went with XP Pro 64 bit. I really like it. Poser 7 flys, and I expect the new Poser Pro will do even better.

The only "complaint" I have with it is that there is still alot of programs that aren't compatable ( for example Adobe Flash isn't 64 bit compatible). So I am just having to be patient until the rest of the world catches up.

Quote - When I got my new computer I went with XP Pro 64 bit. I really like it. Poser 7 flys, and I expect the new Poser Pro will do even better.

The only "complaint" I have with it is that there is still alot of programs that aren't compatable ( for example Adobe Flash isn't 64 bit compatible). So I am just having to be patient until the rest of the world catches up.

That's where I'm at, too. I'm very happy with XP Pro x64, despite the odd (not very many, thankfully) issue with specific software. Poser runs very well, as do almost all the graphic applications I use. (Flash being the exception.) A few audio plug-ins (32-bit DXi are not supported so I have been forced to go completely VSTi) have also posed some adjustments.  Overall, though, no regrets at sticking with XP Pro and going with the 64-bit flavour.

until there's a 32-bit version of Poser, you wouldn't gain all that much with a 64-bit OS. XP has been around the block, so most of the bugs are history.

"But we learned from our mistakes!"
"Great, now we can make all new ones!" - Jurassic Park...;)

Quote - until there's a 32-bit version of Poser, you wouldn't gain all that much with a 64-bit OS. XP has been around the block, so most of the bugs are history.

"But we learned from our mistakes!"
"Great, now we can make all new ones!" - Jurassic Park...;)

That is what I like...."....so most of the bugs are history."

I waited 2 years to get XP after it was released. 

I'm running Vista Ultimate 64 with Poser 6 and 7 and Vue6Inf. I went with 64 bit because Vue can use all the RAM, I have 8Gig.
I have found Vista to be very reliable and have no complaints! All programs run fine for me!
Most [not all] Vista problems are because peeps don't set it up right to begin with!

I once heard there was a way to get Poser to use more ram than the allocated 2 gigs.  I believe it was at Daz forums.  I might have to search and see how they did it.  If I don't understand, then I can get a guy I hire when something is over my head at work regarding computers and the network.

Poser 7? I'd say XP 64 bit - if you can get the drivers for your audio, graphics card, network card. 
I put my desktop systems together myself with XP64 in mind (run XP64 on all of them), which means

• nVidia or Intel chipset (not ATI or VIA)
• nVidia graphics card (not ATI)
  a GOOD brand of mainboard (MSI, not ASUS or - shudder - Asrock)

Everything works fine, and Poser 7 can use up to 4 GB of address space on XP 64 bit.

You can also get Poser 7 to use more than 2 GB of address space on XP 32 bit (Pro edition, doesn't work on Home). Just add the /3G switch to boot.ini and XP Pro will allow up to 3 GB of address space per process.

Poser 6 and older will not use more than 2 GB of address space, either with or without the /3G switch in boot.ini. For Poser 6 or older switching to a 64 bit OS is no use at all.

Quote - Poser 7? I'd say XP 64 bit - if you can get the drivers for your audio, graphics card, network card. 
I put my desktop systems together myself with XP64 in mind (run XP64 on all of them), which means

• nVidia or Intel chipset (not ATI or VIA)
• nVidia graphics card (not ATI)
  a GOOD brand of mainboard (MSI, not ASUS or - shudder - Asrock)

Everything works fine, and Poser 7 can use up to 4 GB of address space on XP 64 bit.

You can also get Poser 7 to use more than 2 GB of address space on XP 32 bit (Pro edition, doesn't work on Home). Just add the /3G switch to boot.ini and XP Pro will allow up to 3 GB of address space per process.

Poser 6 and older will not use more than 2 GB of address space, either with or without the /3G switch in boot.ini. For Poser 6 or older switching to a 64 bit OS is no use at all.

Oh, I like what I am hearing here!!!  Thank you for the info.   I probably won't get to focus on it until after the holidays, however.  If my other programs won't work, like PSP or my filters or whatever, I will just keep the two computers running.  

I thank everyone for their answers.  I think I am going with XP 64 bit!!!!

I've been using Poser 7 and Vue6 in Vista 64-bit for several months now.  I've really only encountered 2 problems to date.  The first issue I had was when I attempted to merge my Poser 6 and Poser 7 runtime directories into one structure,  At that point, Poser wouldn't launch - fortunately I backed up both directories before that little experiment.  (--- As an aside, I really need to find a good program to completely reorganize my Poser libraries, the darned thing has become painfully unmanageable and it can be difficult at times to find the figures and poses I want for a given scene any more.)

The second problem is that I can't run Virtual Fashion in Vista.  Period.  That isn't Vista's fault, it's something to do with the Nvidia driver versions 100+ (I have the same problem if I upgrade my video driver to the 100 series in XP as well).  So I've kept a dual boot configuration on hand with XP 32-bit and older 97.xx series Nvidia drivers so that I can run that and any other applications I find to be incompatible.

As far as I know XP 64 isn't really offered for sale any more, so you're going to have a hard time finding it. XP 64 also has driver issues. A lot of manufacturers skip XP 64 in creating drivers yet they have Vista 64 drivers.

I am running XP 64 with a P850D and 4gb of ram. Poser runs good, even Flash 8 works fine.
Z-brush 2 was the only app of note that did not make the 64bit grade. I think 3.0 does.

You did not mention your system specs - but as some as said - Vista is hungry for power and Ram...It was designed to make you upgrade to it - hate your machnine - and then buy a new one.
more..More...MOre...MORe...MORE!

I my world, a CAR, after nearly 100 years of development should get 200 miles per gallon, have 3 moving parts and last 50 years. Oh well...

Unless you have more than 3Gb RAM, do not consider anything other than Windows XP.

I have a dual-boot XP / Vista 64 with 4Gb RAM, and hardly ever use V64. However, having recently installed a huge wodge of updates and newer drivers and turned off most of the so-called interface enhancements, I am just starting to think that Poser 7 runs as well on V64 as XP. The extra RAM accessed under V64 makes rendering speeds marginally faster.

Watch out for the forthcoming XP SP3 release: this promises noticeable performance gains in addition to the usual security fixes.

*Poser 6 and older will not use more than 2 GB of address space, either with or without the /3G switch in boot.ini. For Poser 6 or older switching to a 64 bit OS is no use at all.

Thanks I needed that bit advice. I've got 2Gb Ram, so no need for me to go the 64bit OS route. I've got one more question on my mind..... it's about dual core, will XP Home take advantage of a dual core CPU? Is there any reason to use it? Would Poser 6 make any use of it?

jan_scrapper wrote;
*Oh, I like what I am hearing here!!!  Thank you for the info.   I probably won't get to focus on it until after the holidays, however.  If my other programs won't work, like PSP or my filters or whatever, I will just keep the two computers running.  

*Paint Shop Pro and your filters should do fine. I have PSP X2 and no problems :)

About 6 weeks ago I went from:
3ghz P4
3gb mem
256m nvidia
XP

To:

Q6700 quad core
8gb mem
640m nvidia
Vista Ultimate 64bit

I could not be happier. The 64 bit lets me use all 8gb of memory and I'm able to do bucket sizes of 1024 now. My rendering is much faster than the old machine. I felt no real need to do the latest/greatest for Windows, but really wanted the 64bit and MS had done a lot of updating for 64bit between XP and Vista. I've had no driver or software errors yet. Only drawback to date are all the security features in Vista I had to turn off to get anything done, and I cannot load my Dragon Naturally Speaking on it because it cannot run in 64bit (yet).

I heard the next version of poser will be 64bit capable too so would expect renering to improve then again...