[ShadowAce]

Vista 64 bit is smooth as silk.

I have to disagree here.

I ran Vista 64-bit on a new Dell Core2Duo with 4G of RAM and it was never stable, nor did it run some programs I need to run for work--VMware Server, Sonicwall NetExtender--and it did not run the Google Chrome installer. At all.

It wouldn't hibernate at all.

Vista 64-bit is crap.

[smith288]

I run Vista 64 and its smooth, fast and very capable. Chrome works fine and Visual Studio runs nicely. Dell Precision 390 x64 with Intel CoreDuo 1.8 ghz and 4gb ram.

[Mr. Jazzy]

Don’t know what to tell you about your situation, but I have installed Vista 64 on five home built systems using the Business and Premium and had nothing but success. Used AMD and Intel multi core and the only problem I’ve had were with some board drivers from MSI and ASUS. Updated them from the manufacturers web site and all better!

Hibernate has NEVER been a good thing for computers, not surprised you had problems with it.

[Justa]

Eh, from what you listed I'd say the Dell mobo wasn't Vista compatible or the RAM was under-spec-d. I recently bought some pricey OCZ 1150Mhz RAM which was holding my new system's overclocking back. A check of the the RAM's SPD shows it as 800Mhz RAM. With the board I bought I should have been able to get over 5Ghz out of my 45nm Wolfdale E0 but due to the sub-spec RAM I was held at 4.9Ghz so it's not unheard of for manufacturers to swap-in sub-spec parts.

For what you're running I'm surprised you don't build your own system. There's always better performance for advanced apps with those than the pre-fabs. A call to your local computer club and a 'project' to build the best system for what you can afford should work.