Ok,

Every time there is a Windows update for XP, it is crashing my machine, which usually results in a fresh HD format.  For some reason, my HP rescue discs wipe the whole HD, and not the windows partition.  After having to re-install everything several times, I've decided to do the following:

1. Add a 1TB SATA HD as a secondary HD and storage for my music Poser, Carrara, and DS stuff.
2. Bump my existing 2GB ram to 4GB.
3. Upgrade to Vista Home Premium 64 bit. 

Here are my Machine stats for my HP a1540n:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200 (supports both 32 and 64 bit  platforms)
2 GB PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM
250 GB SATA HD

Here are my questions:

1. Will Poser Pro(P7.5 as some refer to it), Carrara 6, and DS work with Vista Home Premium 64 bit, or should I stick with 32 bit?
2. If I have a second HD already installed, will Vista automatically recognize it, or will I need to re-format it?
3. Is this a wise upgrade, or should I save my pennies for a "shiny new machine"?

Thanks,
Starkdog

Now you've done it!! Cue the Anti Vista onslaught!!  Joking people!!

I'm using Vista Ultimate 64, I'm running Poser6 and 7, Vue6Infinite, Hexagon 2.5, Photoshop CS3.
I don't see any problems that I attribute to Vista but of course they could be but I don't think they are!!
Vue crashes occasionally but Vue is buggy anyway!

As for drives, I couldn't say, I had mine set up in the shop, 2 HD's in Raid 1 array [mirrored] to save loss of data if one dies!
If it was me, I'd wait for a shiny new one!!

DS, Carrarra and Poser Pro all work under 64 bit systems (with Poser Pro advertising a 64 bit Firefly engine, it sort of has to).

You might want to consider upgrading to XP Pro instead of Vista. It ought to be an inexpensive upgrade since it's being discontinued (it was a $20 difference when I bought a new computer a couple months ago). At least it sounds as if you'll be installing Vista on a fresh hard drive instead of trying to upgrade a system that already has XP. It's less trouble with a fresh install than an install over the existing OS.

I don't think XP upgrades will be a problem any more. I think MS stopped XP support (at least on normal XP) at the end of last month.

erm nope. XP Support is, I quote,

"Windows XP will remain in what Microsoft calls "mainstream support" to April 14, 2009, and continue in "extended support" though April 8, 2014'

lifecycle chart here -

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/search/?sort=PN&alpha=windows+xp

XP is still supported, but 32 and 64 - and getting XPx64 is one of the best ideas I've ever had. Drive all, including my 11 years old Agfa Horizon scanner.

Poser7 Pro (it's not 7.5, it's 7.2, means, we will have three more updates at 198 USD each until we reach 7.5 ;-}}  -  runs flawlessly under XPx64 with exciting speed (compared to P7 under 32bit).
I'm running 4 machines with (almost) identical data at this point: XPx64, 8GB Ram, a WesternDigital Raptor as system disk (with P7P  & the runtime on it, speeds things up a little, too) and between two and six 500 GB cheap HDDs, all on MSI boards with ATI Radeon 3850/1GB. What differs is the CPU frequency - two of the machine run at 3,2something GHz, one at 3,06 and one onyl at 2,9something - overclocking capabilities change form CPU to CPU.
One machine has P7.2 installed, the others just the render engine (which doesn't seem to use all cores, but the 8GB ramm accessible under x64 do help.

And it is such fun watching firefly rendering in background and actually USING 4 cores...

One could feel like a professional....

OK,

Here is an update.  I found a killer deal at Frye's on a 1TB HD.  I bought it, as well as 2 GB of additional ram and Vista Home Premium 64 bit.  I've got all installed, and waiting for Vista to finish partitioning my 750GB Poser drive.  Next will be the fun/painful part; Re-installing P7P, Carrara6, DS, Hex2.5... etc.  Does anyone have a recommendation on a firewall?  Zone Alarm does not support 64-bit Vista, only 32 bit Vista.

Thanks, -Starkdog