ncmark wrote:

I need some advice... […]
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I need some advice...

I have been stalling for at least six months on getting a copy of Windows XP. It can still be had, but it is getting scarce.

I am still running windows98 on most computers, and PCLinux on an internet computer.

My primary concern is running Canon Digital Photo Studio - which requires XP. I am currently running it at work. I will soon be forced to upgrade computers (again) which will come with windows 7 I am sure. The software may or may not work with windows 7.

The computer I would be running it on is an Athlon XP2400+ - the board will support up to 3 gigs of ram - so I think hardware is okay.

I kinda hate to spend the money right now, but something is telling me to grab XP while I still can.............

Usually Socket A boards will work with 3GB of RAM, but will underclock the memory if theres more then 4 banks used (for instance, 2 bars of 1GB double sided memory will be 4 banks).

It shouldn't be too hard to get XP second hand though.

Have you checked google if your software will work in Windows 7? If it does, then you might as well skip XP altogether (though XP imo is a must-have if you're into older computers)

Tetrium wrote:

Usually Socket A boards will work with 3GB of RAM, but will underclock the memory if theres more then 4 banks used (for instance […]
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ncmark wrote:

I need some advice... […]
Show full quote

I need some advice...

I have been stalling for at least six months on getting a copy of Windows XP. It can still be had, but it is getting scarce.

I am still running windows98 on most computers, and PCLinux on an internet computer.

My primary concern is running Canon Digital Photo Studio - which requires XP. I am currently running it at work. I will soon be forced to upgrade computers (again) which will come with windows 7 I am sure. The software may or may not work with windows 7.

The computer I would be running it on is an Athlon XP2400+ - the board will support up to 3 gigs of ram - so I think hardware is okay.

I kinda hate to spend the money right now, but something is telling me to grab XP while I still can.............

Usually Socket A boards will work with 3GB of RAM, but will underclock the memory if theres more then 4 banks used (for instance, 2 bars of 1GB double sided memory will be 4 banks).

It shouldn't be too hard to get XP second hand though.

Have you checked google if your software will work in Windows 7? If it does, then you might as well skip XP altogether (though XP imo is a must-have if you're into older computers)

What would be the reason for that? Does the RAM draw so much power at full speed when you fill all the banks that it has to be slowed down to reduce the power draw? Or is it some flaw in the memory controller that it can't regulate that much RAM without generating errors unless it is slowed down?

sliderider wrote:

Tetrium wrote:

Usually Socket A boards will work with 3GB of RAM, but will underclock the memory if theres more then 4 banks used (for instance […]
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ncmark wrote:

I need some advice... […]
Show full quote

I need some advice...

I have been stalling for at least six months on getting a copy of Windows XP. It can still be had, but it is getting scarce.

I am still running windows98 on most computers, and PCLinux on an internet computer.

My primary concern is running Canon Digital Photo Studio - which requires XP. I am currently running it at work. I will soon be forced to upgrade computers (again) which will come with windows 7 I am sure. The software may or may not work with windows 7.

The computer I would be running it on is an Athlon XP2400+ - the board will support up to 3 gigs of ram - so I think hardware is okay.

I kinda hate to spend the money right now, but something is telling me to grab XP while I still can.............

Usually Socket A boards will work with 3GB of RAM, but will underclock the memory if theres more then 4 banks used (for instance, 2 bars of 1GB double sided memory will be 4 banks).

It shouldn't be too hard to get XP second hand though.

Have you checked google if your software will work in Windows 7? If it does, then you might as well skip XP altogether (though XP imo is a must-have if you're into older computers)

What would be the reason for that? Does the RAM draw so much power at full speed when you fill all the banks that it has to be slowed down to reduce the power draw? Or is it some flaw in the memory controller that it can't regulate that much RAM without generating errors unless it is slowed down?

The second. Though I forgot to mention this was about VIA chipsets. Sorry for that, it's late and I need to go to bed 😜

I don't know exactly what chipsets are affected by this.

Thanks for the suggestions....maybe more than advice I needed someone to say "just get it" 😉

I have to board - Asus a7v333 an A6v600 - both via chipsets. If I use 4 1-gig chips does that count as one bank?

I know that program is a memory hog. It also installs the microsoft NET framework - which seems to have a LOT of overhard.

I am still mot sure about windows 7. My brief experience with Windows 7 elft a VERY bad impression..

ncmark wrote:

Thanks for the suggestions....maybe more than advice I needed someone to say "just get it" ;) […]
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Thanks for the suggestions....maybe more than advice I needed someone to say "just get it" 😉

I have to board - Asus a7v333 an A6v600 - both via chipsets. If I use 4 1-gig chips does that count as one bank?

I know that program is a memory hog. It also installs the microsoft NET framework - which seems to have a LOT of overhard.

I am still mot sure about windows 7. My brief experience with Windows 7 elft a VERY bad impression..

You mean 4 sticks of 1GB DDR memory in 2 computers? Usually 1GB sticks are double sided so should count as 2 banks.
Iirc the A7V600 uses the KT600 chipset, which supports 4 banks of DDR-400 memory, so you should be fine 😀
I don't remember from top of my head what the A7V333 (Loved that board!) supports, it should be either 2 or 4 banks of DDR-333.

I'll go see and read the manual and report back here...

Edit:This is what I found in the manual:
Basically, as long as you only use 2 DIMMs, the memory will run @ 333Mhz. If you use more then 2 DIMMs, the memory will be run @ 266Mhz, slowing down the system somewhat.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

I was thinking of getting another board off ebay... if I do I think I will go for another a7v600 - that also as the advantage of supporting serial ATA 😉

ncmark wrote:

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

I was thinking of getting another board off ebay... if I do I think I will go for another a7v600 - that also as the advantage of supporting serial ATA 😉

Iirc the early VIA SATA controllers had this bug that prevented SATA2 drives from being recognized. I'm pretty sure the A7V600 is also affected, as are some of their A64 chipsets.
Theres a nice short article about it here

I also have a A7V600, nice board otherwise 😀

ncmark wrote:

I need some advice...
My primary concern is running Canon Digital Photo Studio - which requires XP.

You can run Canon Digital Photo Studio in Microsoft Virtual PC.

Windows 7 Ultimate comes with a virtual PC with XP.
You have to download it separately but it's free:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

My old Canon Ixus V2 camera requires drivers to work but because there aren't any drivers for Vista/7/8 for it, I had to keep a virtual PC just to transfer my photos!
Besides, a virtual PC running XP can be copied ad infinitum and 'sacrificed' for various purposes, very handy if you need to run some dodgy software from a source that you don't trust.

Windows 7 Pro also comes with virtual PC XP mode. So thats any version of windows that supports joining a domain supports XP mode, so unless your work locks down the PC's you should be fine.
I was surprised how well it actually works as well, including attaching USB devices so if the canon is your only reason for XP…and I can’t believe I’m about to say this, I wouldn’t worry about XP.

If you want to run up a XP PC so you can keep using the pinnacle of the Windows OS (IMHO) that’s also completely understandable, I know I do!

I was a hardcore XP guy and only made the switch to Win7 this September. I like W7 - not as much as XP, but it runs new games/apps faster and cleaner, and drivers are optimized for it. I'd consider taking the W7 plunge.

Just check online if Canon Digital Studio runs in W7 32 or 64-bit. I bet it, or another Canon release does.

I would be very surprised if Canon Digital Photo Studio does something that cannot be accomplished with any number of other programs less picky about the operating system they run under (some of which might even be available for free). Why exactly do you need it so badly? You won't be able to use it forever.

If all you want to do is run a particular piece of software, you may have luck with Windows 98 by using third-party updates to the OS like KernelEX. I was able to get Oblivion running on my Windows 98 system thanks to this thing. ;)

What I need it for is doing RAW conversion. IMHO the in-camera processing leaves a LOT to be desired...when I started shooting RAW he quality improved dramatically.

Can't run it forever? Why not?!! I still have a computer dedicated to DOS! 😀=

If you've got linux on a computer, you could give alternatives like darktable, rawstudio, etc. a shot.

The workflow would obviously be different than you're used to (whether it's better or worse is probably a matter of preference), but it's an alternative, free, and wouldn't require you to change any operating systems.

The only issues you might run into versus using manufacturer's software or something with big money behind it (like Adobe CameraRaw/Lightroom) is that support for new hardware is likely to be a little slower to arrive.

I had to manually add an entry for my Olympus E-PL5 to the camera colour correction database in darktable, and will likely have to work out barrel distortion coefficients for my Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8 prime lens when it arrives, because they're all fairly new.