Quote - > Quote - Yep I used to use windows XP and Vista, now on  windows 7 and it ranges from .9 -1.4 gig for me I have not cleared the startup files I do not need yet.

If that's the case then W7 isn't really interesting on pc's with 4Gb or less. XP takes around 0.5Gb (with firewall, virus and some other non windows background extra's) and that's fine when one has 4GB. Loosing 0.5-1Gb more when you only have 4Gb doesn't really sound enticing at all.

If you are an artist, no matter what OS you have the more ram you have the better. its just that simple. A digital artist should have at least a duo core processor,64 bit OS, as mush ram as you can afford. And a quality Video Card,dual if you can affored it. It will make your life as a digital artist so much easyer and less time consuming.
 
And ram is mush cheaper today,so sticking with XP with the much better windows 7 is just silly,plus support for XP almost over. One example is using zbrush where you will notice your low ram right away when trying to make your model much more detailed and painted. 5million pollygons are no problem on a 64 bit system because you can add as much ram as you need. XP is limited and 64 bit XP just stinks.

PS: You are not loosing any ram, insted of unused ram your most used programs will load very fast because they are in memory already. unused ram is wasted ram,perioud end of storie.

Jack Of All Trades Master Of None