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Can you run Vista?

Thursday, 21 December 2006

Microsoft has updated its Vista site with details on the sort of hardware you'll need to acquire for in order to run Windows Vista, or, more specifically, 'Vista Capable' installs of the new Operating System.

For both the 32- and 64-bit editions of the OS, a 'Capable' install demands, at a minimum:

an 800MHz CPU,
512MB of system memory,
a 20GB hard drive with 15GB of free space in which Vista can bulge-out,
an SVGA monitor capable of a lowly 800x600 resolution,
a CD-ROM drive (including external drives).

According to Microsoft, these are the minimum hardware specs you'll need in order to capably run Vista at a level where you have "a good experience."

We interpret this to mean it's above the threshold at which you push frustrated fists and foreheads, such as yours, through miscellaneous desktop items, such as 30-inch LCD monitors, while waiting for the start menu to open.

To compare this with the previous consumer edition of Windows, XP requires several folds less to Vista's hungry demands in many areas.

For the key minimum requirements, XP needs a 233MHz CPU, 64MB of system memory, 1.5GB of drive space for the install, and just like Vista, a display capable of spraying 800x600 pixels.

Quite a significant jump, but Vista features one hardware-hungry interface.

What Vista Capability means, however, is that you won't be able to run Vista with all its fading, glass-jelly-bean options set to 'stun'. Some folk may rejoice at the thought*.

You'll need a moderately-powered machine for Vista's fancy-pants side, feature-specific requirements aside.

The minimum 'Premium Ready' specs primarily consist of:

a 1GHz CPU (200MHz faster),
twice the amount of system memory at 1GB,
a 40GB hard drive (but still 15GB free),
a modern DirectX 9.0 or higher video card with at least 128MB of memory that supports Shader Model 2 instructions,
a DVD-ROM drive.

As an aside, if you are running an nForce2 chipset, be warned, because unfortunately nVIDIA won't support it with Vista drivers.

If you wish to hold on to that brilliant SoundStorm Dolby Digital 5.1 audio for a little longer (assuming an nForce2 Ultra) you'll have to forget about upgrading to Vista, at least if you want official drivers.

Sure, it's an aging chipset, but it's also a much loved one. Support for the old timer had to drop sooner than later, but considering the gear it supports can easily outperform a minimum-spec Vista Premium Ready machine, we can't help but feel this is a tad premature.

Tangents aside, if Vista is in your sights and you're a tad low on the capability level, dumpster-diving ought to sort that out.

* If you haven't seen Vista in action, watch out for the mind-zapping windows -- they all tend to tilt/fade in and out. Boring souls that can't appreciate such distractions, like myself, turn off that feature, as it tends also to bring on a raw and queasy feeling. Fetch my cane.

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