is my machine good enough?

ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few questions
about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a HP
NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:

AMD Turionâ?¢ 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
80GB Hard Drive
ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid memory
Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
64-bit

Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista Business and i
think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM to 2Gb
pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my machine
cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and mainly the
Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software), Photoshop
and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest of these
and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full potential and
get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it runs
slowly when using anything.

i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im going to
do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and start
from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take the
plunge. please help! :-)

Charlie
Tue Feb 20 09:23:33 CST 2007

The machine has enough horsepower, certainly. The RAM upgrade will be a good
thing, and you may also want to add in a ReadyBoost USB key drive, though at
2GB it won't be critical.

Whether you'll see a difference between 32bit Vista and 64bit Vista is
doubtful. You'd need to get up above 2GB in RAM before you'd likely notice.
Though Matlab has a 64bit version, I believe, so you might well get better
performance on that by running the native 64bit version.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/blogs/xperts64

"Bufger" <Bufger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:87B857D0-0C58-4E9C-B3CE-9DACAF771B4F@microsoft.com...
> ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few questions
> about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a HP
> NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:
>
> AMD Turionâ?¢ 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
> 1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
> 80GB Hard Drive
> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid memory
> Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
> 64-bit
>
> Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista Business and
> i
> think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM to 2Gb
> pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my machine
> cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and mainly
> the
> Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software), Photoshop
> and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest of
> these
> and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full potential
> and
> get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it runs
> slowly when using anything.
>
> i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im going to
> do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and start
> from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take the
> plunge. please help! :-)

Bufger
Tue Feb 20 09:37:35 CST 2007

Ahh brill, thanks Charlie.

Ive decided on going with the dual boot option with XP pro 32bit and Vista
business as some of my hardware wont support the Vista in 64bit. That way i
can use some of the older drivers that havent been updated but have Vista as
the main one, after my 2Gb upgrade i can go up to 4Gb RAM so in a year or so
i will see the benefit anyway (its cheap enough to upgrade so why not).

And yes i know i will lose the Vista restore but i backup onto an external
PikaOne anyway on a regular basis so i wont worry too much.

Thanks alot for your advice, its helped me make my decision.

John
Tue Feb 20 10:18:14 CST 2007

For me, a 3500+ is maxed out most of the time on Vista64 just trying to do
my daily tasks. I also have 2gig memory. Good luck. I have no such
problems in XP X-64 with a larger volume of programs running, that won't
install on Vista. Rarely get above 75% there. The slowdown on Vista is
sufficiently annoying I have to use X64 most of the time for work, but love
it for after work.

"Bufger" <Bufger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:87B857D0-0C58-4E9C-B3CE-9DACAF771B4F@microsoft.com...
> ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few questions
> about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a HP
> NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:
>
> AMD Turionâ?¢ 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
> 1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
> 80GB Hard Drive
> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid memory
> Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
> 64-bit
>
> Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista Business and
> i
> think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM to 2Gb
> pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my machine
> cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and mainly
> the
> Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software), Photoshop
> and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest of
> these
> and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full potential
> and
> get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it runs
> slowly when using anything.
>
> i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im going to
> do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and start
> from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take the
> plunge. please help! :-)

Bufger
Tue Feb 20 10:31:08 CST 2007

Thanks.

Im thinking about having vista for play and XP pro for work for the moment
too just for the ease of having recent drivers. I will let you know how it
goes anyway, ive learnt alot from the posts in this forum and think i will be
around more in the future :-)

Theo
Tue Feb 20 13:16:58 CST 2007

Try switching to a dual-core cpu. My 4400+ doesn't even=20
breath hard with Vista x64 running!

John Barnes wrote:
> For me, a 3500+ is maxed out most of the time on Vista64 just trying to=
=20
> do my daily tasks. I also have 2gig memory. Good luck. I have no suc=
h=20
> problems in XP X-64 with a larger volume of programs running, that won'=
t=20
> install on Vista. Rarely get above 75% there. The slowdown on Vista i=
s=20
> sufficiently annoying I have to use X64 most of the time for work, but =

> love it for after work.
>=20
> "Bufger" <Bufger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message=20
> news:87B857D0-0C58-4E9C-B3CE-9DACAF771B4F@microsoft.com...
>> ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few questio=
ns
>> about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a H=
P
>> NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:
>>
>> AMD Turion=E2=84=A2 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz F=
SB
>> 1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
>> 80GB Hard Drive
>> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid=20
>> memory
>> Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
>> 64-bit
>>
>> Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista Business =

>> and i
>> think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM to=
=20
>> 2Gb
>> pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my=20
>> machine
>> cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and=20
>> mainly the
>> Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software),=20
>> Photoshop
>> and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest of=
=20
>> these
>> and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full=20
>> potential and
>> get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it ru=
ns
>> slowly when using anything.
>>
>> i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im=20
>> going to
>> do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and st=
art
>> from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take t=
he
>> plunge. please help! :-)=20
>=20

John
Tue Feb 20 13:28:35 CST 2007

Haven't had a chance to put my new machine together yet, but have a 5200+ X2
and hope you are right. It is annoying having to turn off half the things
in would like to have running just so I can work. Therefore at the moment I
need the XP X64. Next weekend, I hope.


"Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:e3tUzOSVHHA.528@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
Try switching to a dual-core cpu. My 4400+ doesn't even
breath hard with Vista x64 running!

John Barnes wrote:
> For me, a 3500+ is maxed out most of the time on Vista64 just trying to do
> my daily tasks. I also have 2gig memory. Good luck. I have no such
> problems in XP X-64 with a larger volume of programs running, that won't
> install on Vista. Rarely get above 75% there. The slowdown on Vista is
> sufficiently annoying I have to use X64 most of the time for work, but
> love it for after work.
>
> "Bufger" <Bufger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:87B857D0-0C58-4E9C-B3CE-9DACAF771B4F@microsoft.com...
>> ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few questions
>> about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a HP
>> NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:
>>
>> AMD Turionâ?¢ 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
>> 1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
>> 80GB Hard Drive
>> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid
>> memory
>> Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
>> 64-bit
>>
>> Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista Business and
>> i
>> think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM to
>> 2Gb
>> pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my
>> machine
>> cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and mainly
>> the
>> Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software),
>> Photoshop
>> and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest of
>> these
>> and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full potential
>> and
>> get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it runs
>> slowly when using anything.
>>
>> i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im going
>> to
>> do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and start
>> from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take the
>> plunge. please help! :-)
>

Theo
Tue Feb 20 14:51:00 CST 2007

I Think you'll be quite pleased with the 5200+ x2.

John Barnes wrote:
> Haven't had a chance to put my new machine together yet, but have a=20
> 5200+ X2 and hope you are right. It is annoying having to turn off hal=
f=20
> the things in would like to have running just so I can work. Therefore=
=20
> at the moment I need the XP X64. Next weekend, I hope.
>=20
>=20
> "Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message=20
> news:e3tUzOSVHHA.528@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Try switching to a dual-core cpu. My 4400+ doesn't even
> breath hard with Vista x64 running!
>=20
> John Barnes wrote:
>> For me, a 3500+ is maxed out most of the time on Vista64 just trying=20
>> to do my daily tasks. I also have 2gig memory. Good luck. I have no=
=20
>> such problems in XP X-64 with a larger volume of programs running,=20
>> that won't install on Vista. Rarely get above 75% there. The=20
>> slowdown on Vista is sufficiently annoying I have to use X64 most of=20
>> the time for work, but love it for after work.
>>
>> "Bufger" <Bufger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message=20
>> news:87B857D0-0C58-4E9C-B3CE-9DACAF771B4F@microsoft.com...
>>> ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few questi=
ons
>>> about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a =
HP
>>> NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:
>>>
>>> AMD Turion=E2=84=A2 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz =
FSB
>>> 1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
>>> 80GB Hard Drive
>>> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid=20
>>> memory
>>> Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
>>> 64-bit
>>>
>>> Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista Business=
=20
>>> and i
>>> think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM=20
>>> to 2Gb
>>> pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my=20
>>> machine
>>> cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and=20
>>> mainly the
>>> Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software),=20
>>> Photoshop
>>> and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest=20
>>> of these
>>> and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full=20
>>> potential and
>>> get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it r=
uns
>>> slowly when using anything.
>>>
>>> i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im=20
>>> going to
>>> do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and=20
>>> start
>>> from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take =
the
>>> plunge. please help! :-)
>>
>=20

John
Mon Mar 05 11:36:17 CST 2007

Got it installed and you are right, works great. While I was maxed out much
of the time with many applications hanging with the 3500+ I am having no
problems with the new rig. Usually runs under 50% with an occasional pop
into the 60's. Now I can work on Vista64. Hope I can get all the little
annoyances with the RTM that I didn't have with RC1, cleaned up.


"Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:eYCLWDTVHHA.4632@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
I Think you'll be quite pleased with the 5200+ x2.

John Barnes wrote:
> Haven't had a chance to put my new machine together yet, but have a 5200+
> X2 and hope you are right. It is annoying having to turn off half the
> things in would like to have running just so I can work. Therefore at the
> moment I need the XP X64. Next weekend, I hope.
>
>
> "Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:e3tUzOSVHHA.528@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Try switching to a dual-core cpu. My 4400+ doesn't even
> breath hard with Vista x64 running!
>
> John Barnes wrote:
>> For me, a 3500+ is maxed out most of the time on Vista64 just trying to
>> do my daily tasks. I also have 2gig memory. Good luck. I have no such
>> problems in XP X-64 with a larger volume of programs running, that won't
>> install on Vista. Rarely get above 75% there. The slowdown on Vista is
>> sufficiently annoying I have to use X64 most of the time for work, but
>> love it for after work.
>>
>> "Bufger" <Bufger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:87B857D0-0C58-4E9C-B3CE-9DACAF771B4F@microsoft.com...
>>> ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few questions
>>> about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a HP
>>> NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:
>>>
>>> AMD Turionâ?¢ 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
>>> 1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
>>> 80GB Hard Drive
>>> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid
>>> memory
>>> Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
>>> 64-bit
>>>
>>> Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista Business
>>> and i
>>> think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM to
>>> 2Gb
>>> pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my
>>> machine
>>> cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and mainly
>>> the
>>> Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software),
>>> Photoshop
>>> and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest of
>>> these
>>> and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full potential
>>> and
>>> get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it runs
>>> slowly when using anything.
>>>
>>> i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im going
>>> to
>>> do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and
>>> start
>>> from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take the
>>> plunge. please help! :-)
>>
>

Theo
Mon Mar 05 13:19:50 CST 2007

Thanks for the update.

Happy computing!

John Barnes wrote:
> Got it installed and you are right, works great. While I was maxed out=
=20
> much of the time with many applications hanging with the 3500+ I am=20
> having no problems with the new rig. Usually runs under 50% with an=20
> occasional pop into the 60's. Now I can work on Vista64. Hope I can=20
> get all the little annoyances with the RTM that I didn't have with RC1,=
=20
> cleaned up.
>=20
>=20
> "Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message=20
> news:eYCLWDTVHHA.4632@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> I Think you'll be quite pleased with the 5200+ x2.
>=20
> John Barnes wrote:
>> Haven't had a chance to put my new machine together yet, but have a=20
>> 5200+ X2 and hope you are right. It is annoying having to turn off=20
>> half the things in would like to have running just so I can work. =20
>> Therefore at the moment I need the XP X64. Next weekend, I hope.
>>
>>
>> "Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message=20
>> news:e3tUzOSVHHA.528@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Try switching to a dual-core cpu. My 4400+ doesn't even
>> breath hard with Vista x64 running!
>>
>> John Barnes wrote:
>>> For me, a 3500+ is maxed out most of the time on Vista64 just trying =

>>> to do my daily tasks. I also have 2gig memory. Good luck. I have=20
>>> no such problems in XP X-64 with a larger volume of programs running,=
=20
>>> that won't install on Vista. Rarely get above 75% there. The=20
>>> slowdown on Vista is sufficiently annoying I have to use X64 most of =

>>> the time for work, but love it for after work.
>>>
>>> "Bufger" <Bufger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message=20
>>> news:87B857D0-0C58-4E9C-B3CE-9DACAF771B4F@microsoft.com...
>>>> ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few=20
>>>> questions
>>>> about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a=
HP
>>>> NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:
>>>>
>>>> AMD Turion=E2=84=A2 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz=
FSB
>>>> 1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
>>>> 80GB Hard Drive
>>>> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid =

>>>> memory
>>>> Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
>>>> 64-bit
>>>>
>>>> Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista=20
>>>> Business and i
>>>> think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM =

>>>> to 2Gb
>>>> pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my=20
>>>> machine
>>>> cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and=20
>>>> mainly the
>>>> Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software),=20
>>>> Photoshop
>>>> and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest =

>>>> of these
>>>> and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full=20
>>>> potential and
>>>> get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it =

>>>> runs
>>>> slowly when using anything.
>>>>
>>>> i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im=20
>>>> going to
>>>> do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and =

>>>> start
>>>> from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take=
=20
>>>> the
>>>> plunge. please help! :-)
>>>
>>
>=20

Tony
Mon Mar 05 17:18:03 CST 2007

I had such a one on order for more than five weeks! I wouldn't compromize,
so had to settle with a FX62, that one came the next day! All in all, I am
very happy (un-necessarily so), but I really think I would have been quite
sufficiently happy with the 5200+. Happy Computing, John!


Tony. . .


"Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:%23UMlCt1XHHA.4232@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
Thanks for the update.

Happy computing!

John Barnes wrote:
> Got it installed and you are right, works great. While I was maxed out
> much of the time with many applications hanging with the 3500+ I am
> having no problems with the new rig. Usually runs under 50% with an
> occasional pop into the 60's. Now I can work on Vista64. Hope I can
> get all the little annoyances with the RTM that I didn't have with RC1,
> cleaned up.
>
>
> "Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:eYCLWDTVHHA.4632@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> I Think you'll be quite pleased with the 5200+ x2.
>
> John Barnes wrote:
>> Haven't had a chance to put my new machine together yet, but have a
>> 5200+ X2 and hope you are right. It is annoying having to turn off
>> half the things in would like to have running just so I can work.
>> Therefore at the moment I need the XP X64. Next weekend, I hope.
>>
>>
>> "Theo" <theo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:e3tUzOSVHHA.528@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Try switching to a dual-core cpu. My 4400+ doesn't even
>> breath hard with Vista x64 running!
>>
>> John Barnes wrote:
>>> For me, a 3500+ is maxed out most of the time on Vista64 just trying
>>> to do my daily tasks. I also have 2gig memory. Good luck. I have
>>> no such problems in XP X-64 with a larger volume of programs running,
>>> that won't install on Vista. Rarely get above 75% there. The
>>> slowdown on Vista is sufficiently annoying I have to use X64 most of
>>> the time for work, but love it for after work.
>>>
>>> "Bufger" <Bufger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:87B857D0-0C58-4E9C-B3CE-9DACAF771B4F@microsoft.com...
>>>> ok i apologise in advance for the long post, i just have a few
>>>> questions
>>>> about my system and its performance with Vista. I have just bought a HP
>>>> NX6325 Sempron 3500+ notebook with the following relevant spec:
>>>>
>>>> AMD TurionT 64 X2 TL-52 : 1.60 GHz, 512 KB L2 cache, 667 MHz FSB
>>>> 1 x 1024MB DDR2-533MHz
>>>> 80GB Hard Drive
>>>> ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 graphics which gives 256MB shared system vid
>>>> memory
>>>> Windows XP Professional Edition - Free upgrade to Vista Business
>>>> 64-bit
>>>>
>>>> Now the questions. Im going to use the free upgrade to Vista
>>>> Business and i
>>>> think the machine will cope enough, i will hopefully upgrade my RAM
>>>> to 2Gb
>>>> pretty soon but do you suggest i go for the 64bit version? will my
>>>> machine
>>>> cope with that? Im only using the machine for a few programs and
>>>> mainly the
>>>> Internet, programs include MATLAB (mathmatical coding software),
>>>> Photoshop
>>>> and some other adobe programs but i would say Matlab is the biggest
>>>> of these
>>>> and demands the most power. I do want to use vista to its full
>>>> potential and
>>>> get the most out of it but i dont want to overload my machine so it
>>>> runs
>>>> slowly when using anything.
>>>>
>>>> i also wanted to know is the free vista business upgrade easy? im
>>>> going to
>>>> do it as soon as i get the machine so it can fully wipe the HDD and
>>>> start
>>>> from scratch. I think these are just nervous questions before i take
>>>> the
>>>> plunge. please help! :-)
>>>
>>
>