Author Topic: Running Windows Vista and 7 on a Shite PC (Read 2922 times)

Mag-X · « **on:** September 13, 2009, 06:46:54 AM »

I have a bunch of old memory of varying capacities, and I was bored today, so I figured I see just how low I could go with Vista and 7. There's no real point to this post.

TL;DR version: Windows 7 runs on a really really shitty computer.

The beast:
An HP Vectra VL400.
Pentium III @ 996MHz
up to 512MB PC133 (limited by BIOS)
GeForce FX5200 128MB

First I installed (the much hated and buggy) Windows Vista Beta 2. At the time this was released, I had it installed as my only OS for months and never had a problem with it. I was even using the 64-bit version.

This is it running on 512MB with Aero turned on. Despite the Vista index rating of 1, it ran just fine. Notice that it doesn't base the score on the lowest sub-score, but just sort of makes it up.

Here is what Vista was going to look like with Aero turned off before they made the fake glass skin. I really liked this skin, but I guess they thought it looked too Mac-ish or something. I saved the themes directory for this old version. I can upload it if anyone wants to try getting it to work with the final version of Vista.

Who says Vista is a memory hog? Here is Beta 2 running on 256MB and doing just fine. You can see here that Beta 2 still had the old XP style task manager that showed page file instead of RAM usage.

After this I tried running it on 128MB and booted up to a BSOD.

---

Next I installed Vista Release Candidate 1. Unlike the weird graphical installer of B2, this one is exactly like the one in Windows 7.

Here it is again, running just fine on 512MB of RAM with Aero and then without. The score has gone up from 1 in the beta to a 1.7

Here is it barely crawling along with 256MB of RAM. It was definitely slower than the beta, but still usable if you had to.

Trying it with 128MB resulted in booting to another BSOD.

---

Finally I tried it with Windows 7 Ultimate RTM.

Here it is running on 512MB with Aero. I had to manually install the drivers for the video card before Aero would work. The Vista installs worked right out of the box. Ignore the incorrect date. I had to set the BIOS back to install the Vista betas.

...on 256 and still working just fine.

Trying to boot it on 128MB resulted in the same BSOD as Vista.

I didn't think to try it with the Vista installs, unfortunately, but I put in a 64MB stick to make 192, and...

It works!

bloody000 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 13, 2009, 06:59:32 AM »

I installed Arch onto a 9.99 USB drive and use it everyday for no obvious reasons. That's more pointless than yours!

Rebs · « **Reply #2 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:05:08 AM »

Those are some "Fun Facts". I can only wonder how old some of those parts are after you said you had a "64MB RAM Stick"

And it actually is in working order

Arveene · « **Reply #3 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:26:38 AM »

It's quite amazing that Microsoft has made an OS that has LOWER minimum system requirements than the previous. I actually remember reading an article in CPU magazine a couple months back (Edit: Actually September's XD) talking about this same exact topic.

Lupin · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2009, 08:06:00 AM »

This is old news.

Tatsujin · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2009, 02:56:47 PM »

My little cousin was able to run Vista 32-bit on a PSP. I played around with it. It had a lot of features, but was missing other features. I booted up IE8 and other smaller programs. I hope they'd crack and add Windows 7 on the PSP. Lol, fun to see it running on a small screen.

Xtras · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2009, 04:00:55 PM »

Hahaha. Interesting post. Makes me wonder then why my Q6600 with Radeon 2600 XT and 2 GB ram freezes on W7 RC1. I blame torrents compounded with a poor hard drive.

Mag-X · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2009, 05:36:09 PM »

Quote from: Tatsujin on September 13, 2009, 02:56:47 PM

My little cousin was able to run Vista 32-bit on a PSP. I played around with it. It had a lot of features, but was missing other features. I booted up IE8 and other smaller programs. I hope they'd crack and add Windows 7 on the PSP. Lol, fun to see it running on a small screen.

I call shenanigans on that. The PSP uses a non-X86 CPU, only has 2MB of video memory, and 32MB of system memory. Either your cousin was using VNC, or is super ultimate 1337 hacker.

Tatsujin · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2009, 06:24:33 PM »

Quote from: Mag-X on September 13, 2009, 05:36:09 PM

Quote from: Tatsujin on September 13, 2009, 02:56:47 PM
My little cousin was able to run Vista 32-bit on a PSP. I played around with it. It had a lot of features, but was missing other features. I booted up IE8 and other smaller programs. I hope they'd crack and add Windows 7 on the PSP. Lol, fun to see it running on a small screen.
I call shenanigans on that. The PSP uses a non-X86 CPU, only has 2MB of video memory, and 32MB of system memory. Either your cousin was using VNC, or is super ultimate 1337 hacker.

I also have no idea. But I confirm with my eyes, fingers and hands that I did touch it and played around with the menu. The background, start button, menus were all like Vista. Hell, when you even open up the computer properties too. Tho' I did mention there were some programs that weren't on there mostly because it wouldn't run on the PSP. The mouse was the analog stick you have. It was amazing but at the same time weird. The response time was a bit slower than a modern PC, like running Penitum 4 with 1GB Ram and a low-level video card (if anyone experienced that).

Mag-X · « **Reply #9 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:09:10 PM »

Quote from: Tatsujin on September 13, 2009, 06:24:33 PM

Quote from: Mag-X on September 13, 2009, 05:36:09 PM
Quote from: Tatsujin on September 13, 2009, 02:56:47 PM
My little cousin was able to run Vista 32-bit on a PSP. I played around with it. It had a lot of features, but was missing other features. I booted up IE8 and other smaller programs. I hope they'd crack and add Windows 7 on the PSP. Lol, fun to see it running on a small screen.
I call shenanigans on that. The PSP uses a non-X86 CPU, only has 2MB of video memory, and 32MB of system memory. Either your cousin was using VNC, or is super ultimate 1337 hacker.
I also have no idea. But I confirm with my eyes, fingers and hands that I did touch it and played around with the menu. The background, start button, menus were all like Vista. Hell, when you even open up the computer properties too. Tho' I did mention there were some programs that weren't on there mostly because it wouldn't run on the PSP. The mouse was the analog stick you have. It was amazing but at the same time weird. The response time was a bit slower than a modern PC, like running Penitum 4 with 1GB Ram and a low-level video card (if anyone experienced that).

He was probably VNCing to a PC that was running 7. The PSP doesn't even use the same type of CPU as a PC. It's closer to that of old Macs. In order to run Windows 7 on the PSP, you would have to have access to the source code, and recompile it to run on the PSPs type of processor. I'd believe you if you said that he had Linux, an old version of Mac OS, or Windows CE running, but not Windows 7.

Sosseres · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:11:14 PM »

He said windows vista, not 7.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/751153/windows_vista_to_psp_tutorial/

Tatsujin · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2009, 07:46:20 PM »

Quote from: Sosseres on September 13, 2009, 07:11:14 PM

He said windows vista, not 7.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/751153/windows_vista_to_psp_tutorial/

Yup, that's it. I don't need people to believe me when I've touched and seen it with my eyes.

Mag-X · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2009, 09:41:40 PM »

I'd really like to know how they got that to work. It goes against everything I know about computers. There is no way that is a standard Windows install.

fohfoh · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2009, 10:00:59 PM »

Quote from: Mag-X on September 13, 2009, 09:41:40 PM

I'd really like to know how they got that to work. It goes against everything I know about computers. There is no way that is a standard Windows install.

Probably isn't. But still... I'm suprised it's Vista and not Windows Mobile.

dankles · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2009, 11:19:30 PM »

Run linux. Save ur self some trouble

bloody000 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 14, 2009, 03:07:21 AM »

http://download.cnet.com/PspWxp/3000-18508_4-10531428.html
http://winpsportal.com/index.php

Read the description. It's not a real OS.

Actually don't even read the description. Use your brain for half a second and you know it's fucking bullshit.

fohfoh · « **Reply #16 on:** September 14, 2009, 03:40:23 AM »

Quote from: dankles on September 13, 2009, 11:19:30 PM

Run linux. Save ur self some trouble

This is about e-penor. No one cares what e-method you use...

kureshii · « **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2009, 03:51:33 AM »

Quote

Well, really it is just a set of Webpages that look similar to Windows XP, but they are offline.

... lol?

Also, CNET even classifies it under Wireless Networking Software... but hey, don't mind me, I'm just a random passerby. If it looks and feels like Vista, it must be Vista.

I just had a great idea: someone should AJAX and JSify a Vista-like environment and host it. "Hay gais, my kompewtor totally runs Veestah, and I don't even need to install it!"

Klocknov · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2009, 05:40:08 AM »

Quote from: kureshii on September 14, 2009, 03:51:33 AM

Quote
Well, really it is just a set of Webpages that look similar to Windows XP, but they are offline.
... lol?

Also, CNET even classifies it under Wireless Networking Software... but hey, don't mind me, I'm just a random passerby. If it looks and feels like Vista, it must be Vista.

I just had a great idea: someone should AJAX and JSify a Vista-like environment and host it. "Hay gais, my kompewtor totally runs Veestah, and I don't even need to install it!"

Sad that reminds me of the time my friend did that so he could run a Mac like environment on a Windows computer...

Mag-X · « **Reply #19 on:** September 14, 2009, 11:58:29 AM »

Ha! I knew I wasn't crazy.

Now lets get back to discussing how awesome real Windows 7 is, and how Vista really isn't too bad either.