Motherboards

[aznyron]

well I finally got my vista home basic upgrade to install in my pc now my M/B is 64 bit with AMD 754 cpu 3000 also 64 bit to my surprise via drivers are not updated to vista (asus m/:o and my sound is gone no sound no drivers for vista I spent 100 bucks for the program which is not registered yet I am on 30 trial peroid which i will not register it since my board seem to be out dated for vista and yes I did the microsoft vista advisa and my pc passed every thing except video card failed 1 out of 3 which the shade pix.is 1.4 and you need min. 2.0 and all it said it might not get the best photo pictures who knows what they mean LOL now the question is what M/B would be best to use I like amd processor so does any one have any suggestions thank you Ronnie

[penguin]

Drivers for many 64 bit Vista applications are lacking, one reason why many are sticking to the 32 bit versions for now.

The 32 bit versions also provide full support for punctuation, something apparently lacking in the 64 bit version.

[penguin]

To try and answer your question about upgrading your motherboard, you really need to update to AM2 if you want to stay with AMD, 754 is long obsolete, so to is 939.

To update to AM2 means a new cpu, new memory also. I always liked AMD but the Intel Core 2Duo range of processors are now the benchmark, at stock they out perform AMD processors in the same price range and there should be more price cuts and newer budget versions available in the next few months. Best value now is the C2D E4300 at less than 7000 baht but it depends on what you use your computer for. If it's just basic surfing and Word etc. then a AMD Athlon X2 3600 might be worth looking at, 5000 baht. There are lots of cheaper processors that may also do the job but if looking for something to last a few years then get the fastest processor you can afford, dual core if possible would be my advice.

You can take a look at AMD AM2 boards here You probably don't need onboard video as you usually require a fast add on graphics card to take advantage of all the features in Vista. A suitable card is probably going to cost at least 5000 baht if you wish to play most new release games, 7900 or 8800 l imagine but l'm not a gamer.

[Thaising]

Microsoft's List of Verified Vista Applications

Microsoft has verified 800 applications to run bug-free on Windows Vista.

Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday released a list of 800 applications it has officially verified so far to run bug-free on Windows Vista.

The list is notable for both its brevity and the absence of many applications popular on Windows XP, although Microsoft and analysts said that the majority of XP software can run, albeit with hiccups, on Vista.

Popular Windows software that is conspicuously missing from Microsoft's list includes Adobe Systems's entire line of graphics and multimedia software, Symantec Corp.'s security products, as well as the Mozilla Foundation's open-source Firefox Web browser, Skype's free voice-over-IP software, and the OpenOffice.org alternative to Microsoft Office.

Software that has been tested as part of Microsoft's Vista certification program to run on all 32- and 64-bit versions of Vista include CorelDraw and WordPerfect from Corel, PowerDVD from Cyberlink, Nero 7 Premium, Trend Micro AntiVirus and PC-Cillin, AutoCad 2008, QuickBooks 2007 from Intuit, Microsoft Office 2007 and many other Microsoft applications.

In addition, Google's Desktop Search and its Toolbar for Internet Explorer have earned Microsoft's approval.

Missing From the List

Windows' extensive software ecosystem has long been one of the operating system's chief attractions. But Vista's long beta program last year allowed users to start compiling their own lists of applications that they claimed were broken or problematic on Vista.

Many of those were graphics-intensive games, which was the result of a new rendering engine, DirectX 10, introduced for Vista. But there are also a number of business and utility applications that have not been updated to ensure Vista compatibility. For instance, the latest version of Skype doesn't work on Vista. Firefox does work, though Mozilla has documented known issues.

Most of Adobe's multimedia software won't be officially supported for Vista until the middle of this year, though many applications can run today with minor problems (download Adobe's explanatory PDF).

Adobe, which will face competition from Microsoft this year when Microsoft releases its suite of graphics and multimedia design tools, did not immediately return a request to comment.

Symantec is already facing similar competition from Microsoft, which released its OneCare security suite last year.

In statements on its Web site aimed at business and home users, Symantec said some of its software, such as Norton AntiVirus 2007, already works with Vista. Other Symantec software, such as Ghost 12, won't be ready until mid-April.

Microsoft's Vista testing program, which vendors must pay to be a part of, has two levels: software that is "certified for Windows Vista" and software that "works with Windows Vista." At the moment, 108 applications have been certified, while 683 have been awarded the "works with" distinction.

ArcSoft got six of its more-popular multimedia applications certified because of demand from its hardware partners, according to Michael Downs, vice president of marketing and business development at the Fremont, Calif.-based company. Most of ArcSoft's software is bundled with DVD-ROM drives and other accessories from third-party resellers.

They "were requesting certification from us" so they could "slap that sticker on the [retail] box," said Downs. Downs said the certification process was fairly rigorous and involved filling out a lengthy application that was double-checked by a third-party service, VeriTest, on behalf of Microsoft.

The cost for testing ArcSoft's six applications was less than $10,000 each, Downs said. ArcSoft plans to have most of its applications tested. For others, ArcSoft plans to wait until the next update of the software before releasing and testing a Vista version.

Benefits of Certification

Microsoft said that getting certified will bring marketing benefits to software, such as a listing on Microsoft's Windows Marketplace site and the ability to use the logo on packaging and publicity materials.

How much would that boost sales for a company like ArcSoft? "It's hard to tell," Downs said.

Michael Silver, a Gartner analyst, said that because of the cost and time involved, "a lot of vendors don't participate" in Microsoft's program.

For companies that tend to run both off-the-shelf software as well as custom applications written in-house, Silver said that the percentage of applications with problems on Vista runs as high as 50 percent in some companies but is less than 10 percent in others. While many of those problematic applications won't need to be replaced, he said, "there's a good chance for disappointment for people that aren't careful."

[aznyron]

To try and answer your question about upgrading your motherboard, you really need to update to AM2 if you want to stay with AMD, 754 is long obsolete, so to is 939.

To update to AM2 means a new cpu, new memory also. I always liked AMD but the Intel Core 2Duo range of processors are now the benchmark, at stock they out perform AMD processors in the same price range and there should be more price cuts and newer budget versions available in the next few months. Best value now is the C2D E4300 at less than 7000 baht but it depends on what you use your computer for. If it's just basic surfing and Word etc. then a AMD Athlon X2 3600 might be worth looking at, 5000 baht. There are lots of cheaper processors that may also do the job but if looking for something to last a few years then get the fastest processor you can afford, dual core if possible would be my advice.

You can take a look at AMD AM2 boards here You probably don't need onboard video as you usually require a fast add on graphics card to take advantage of all the features in Vista. A suitable card is probably going to cost at least 5000 baht if you wish to play most new release games, 7900 or 8800 l imagine but l'm not a gamer.

PENGUIN thank you for that info and web site you saved me some money and time I appreciate that info very much once again Thank you Ronnie