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Old HP computer...Will Vista install/run?

PaulieG

PaulieG

Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
12,453 (1.87/day)
Location
Yankee lost in the Mountains of East TN
System Specs
Processor 5800x(2)/5700g/5600x/5600g/2700x/1700x/1700
Motherboard MSI B550 Carbon (2)/ MSI z490 Unify/Asus Strix B550-F/MSI B450 Tomahawk (3)
Cooling EK AIO 360 (2)/EK AIO 240, Arctic Cooling Freezer II 280/EVGA CLC 280/Noctua D15/Cryorig M9(2)
Memory 32 GB Ballistix Elite/32 GB TridentZ/16GB Mushkin Redline Black/16 GB Dominator
Video Card(s) Asus Strix RTX3060/EVGA 970(2)/Asus 750 ti/Old Quadros
Storage Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe 500GB/WD Black M.2 NVMe 500GB/Adata 500gb NVMe
Display(s) Acer 1080p 22"/ (3) Samsung 22" 1080p
Case (2) Lian Li Lancool II Mesh/Corsair 4000D /Phanteks Eclipse 500a/Be Quiet Pure Base 500/Bones of HAF
Power Supply EVGA Supernova 850G(2)/EVGA Supernova GT 650w/Phantek Amps 750w/Seasonic Focus 750w
Mouse Generic Black wireless (5)
Keyboard Generic Black wireless (5)
Software Win 10/Ubuntu
I've got a rather odd request from a customer. He wants me to try and install Vista on a VERY old system. The rig in question is a HP Pavillion XT933. I just upgraded the SDRAM to 512. Now, I realize with only 512, it may not run well. My question is, will Vista be able to identify and install chipset drivers that old? I need to figure that out before I do it, since there is no actual driver disk. All I've got is the 3 cd set of recovery disks. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
sounds like a baaaad idea to me. it's one thing if you were trying it out for yourself but for a customer...

Win7 not an option?
 
Duffman said:
sounds like a baaaad idea to me. it's one thing if you were trying it out for yourself but for a customer...

Win7 not an option?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm apprehensive to say the least. Win 7 is an option, but I'm thinking I'll run into the same kind of issues.
 
on a compy that old, probably.
 
Pull his hard drive and install another and try it. If it is epic fail, put back in his HD and tell him it is not viable. Then charge him accordingly.
 
it will "run", but get ready for 20 minute boot up times and 20 minute notepad opens and so on and so on.....:toast:
 
Kreij said:
Pull his hard drive and install another and try it. If it is epic fail, put back in his HD and tell him it is not viable. Then charge him accordingly.
Click to expand...

That's what I was getting ready to do. :)
 
Just checked the specs on the HP site, and even with the memory upgrade that computer is worse than a laptop I used to own. And Vista certainly worked on that... but my god it was counterproductive how slow the OS operates.
 
Should I try XP SP2? My biggest concern is the chipset drivers. The original operating system on this thing is Millenium. I'm kind of worried that the chipset drivers won't work on anything else. Thoughts?
 
Paulieg said:
Should I try XP SP2? My biggest concern is the chipset drivers. The original operating system on this thing is Millenium. I'm kind of worried that the chipset drivers won't work on anything else. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

according to hp, it supports XP, even has the drivers on the site for it :toast:
 
I would put XP on it. I've run Win7 on PIII class systems and it ain't pretty. Plus, XP will have driver compatibility for everything, especially the display adapter/IGP.
 
Paulieg said:
That's what I was getting ready to do. :)
Click to expand...

Paul put XP on that computer and use Tuneup 2008s memory manager it helps big time and they released a free code , plus it will keep his rig in top shape.
 
XP would probably be as far as i'd push it. I put XP on our OLD laptop which came with Millenium and it has trouble even with that
 
Pmed you with a free legit license from tuneup. Helped my moms old ass HP run XP and the start up manager makes it nice to block all that bloat ware.
 
Paulieg said:
That's what I was getting ready to do. :)
Click to expand...

If it's not your own business here is my suggestion.

1) Tell him it's not viable and charge him $200
2) Move up here to WI
3) Start a business with me doing network installations
4) We make enough money to take vacations to the Caribbean when we want.
5) We send the people with computer problems to Geek Squad and still charge them for our "assessment" time.
6) We have regular Board of Director meeting that involve copious amounts of beer and Prime Rib.
7) Repeat steps 4 through 6 until we only have to do steps 4 and 6

Sound good? ;)
 
Kreij said:
If it's not your own business here is my suggestion.

1) Tell him it's not viable and charge him $200
2) Move up here to WI
3) Start a business with me doing network installations
4) We make enough money to take vacations to the Caribbean when we want.
5) We send the people with computer problems to Geek Squad and still charge them for our "assessment" time.
6) We have regular Board of Director meeting that involve copious amounts of beer and Prime Rib.
7) Repeat steps 4 through 6 until we only have to do steps 4 and 6

Sound good? ;)
Click to expand...

:toast::laugh:

Pretty good plan if you ask me. It's my side business. I just take a handful of jobs a week right now. I just don't have much time b/t my state job, kids and my Masters thesis. That being said, a VERY similar plan is my long term goal...except for the WI thing. No offense, but it's too damn cold, and I'm NOT a Packers fan. :laugh:
 
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