Vista Requires More Hardware Resources than Microsoft's Windows for Supercomputers
section: windows, for your questions: KezNews forum, 18.11.2007
A new level of the absurd... Windows Vista requires more hardware resources than Microsoft's Windows for Supercomputers.
Yet one operating system is designed to run on home computers while the other is aimed at the high-performance computing (HPC) market. And when it comes to the actual machines, there simply is no contest between the performance delivered by a commercially-available, off-the-shelf PC and a supercomputer.
Super-Windows
With Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 Microsoft made the first step into the high-performance computing market, the initial stage in a strategy set up to make HPC a mundane aspect of the commercial mainstream, in the company's vision. The availability of Windows HPC Server 2008 will be synonymous with the Redmond company gaining ground on parallel supercomputers and computer clusters. Parallel computing represents without a doubt the future direction of evolution for processor architectures, with even Microsoft anticipating the tailoring of the Windows client to multicore infrastructures.
At this point in time the technology is light years away from general consumer implementation, with the market still struggling to move from 32-bit to 64-bit architectures. In fact, Windows 7, the successor of Windows Vista, will continue to be offered in both 32-bit and 64-bit flavors in 2010. But perhaps the biggest challenge of a scenario involving the mainstream adoption of multicore CPUs is related to the creation of an ecosystem of software made up of parallel programs that would integrate with the new processors.
Windows HPC Server 2008 is the successor of Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003, based on the 64-bit Windows Server 2008 and currently planned for the second half of 2008. With Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 already on a couple of the world's top 500 supercomputers (according to the Linpack benchmark) the Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Cluster Achieves 6.5 TFLOPS and the Microsoft Rainier Cluster Achieves 9.0 TFLOPS, Windows HPC Server 2008 is not a newcomer to the market.
Surely a Windows for Supercomputers Cannot Run with Less Resources than Windows Vista...
"Windows HPC Server 2008 is a two DVD package. The first DVD contains the setup for a 64-bit version of Windows Server 2008 that is restricted to an HPC workload, and the second DVD contains the Microsoft HPC Pack, which provides the additional interfaces, tools, and management infrastructure. The minimum hardware requirements for Windows HPC Server 2008 are similar to the hardware requirements for the x64-based version of the Windows Server 2008 Standard operating system. Windows HPC Server 2008 supports up to 64 GB of RAM," Microsoft revealed in Windows HPC Server 2008 Overview whitepaper.
Windows HPC Server 2008 will integrate seamlessly with the following processors: AMD Opteron, AMD Athlon 64, Intel Xeon with Intel EM64T and Intel Pentium with Intel EM64T. But the limit of 64 GB of RAM is already an indication of the truly minimum system requirements of the operating system. The truth is that Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, more so after the availability of Vista SP1, share the same core and in this context the resources necessary for running the two operating systems are close.
Windows HPC Server 2008 Minimum Hardware Requirements (according to Microsoft emphasis added):
"- CPU - x64 architecture computer with Intel Pentium or Xeon family processors with Intel Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T) processor architecture; AMD Opteron family processors; AMD Athlon 64 family processors; compatible processor(s)
- RAM - 512 MB
- Multiprocessor support - Windows HPC Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition support up to four processors per server. Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition supports up to eight processors per server.
- Minimum Disk space for setup - 50 GB."
Now, Microsoft failed to give indications on the processors, but the system requirements for Windows Server 2008 will clarify this aspect. However, outside of the 50 GB hard disk space, Windows HPC Server 2008 runs with just 512 MB of RAM. Yes, try doing that with Windows Vista. Because of the multiple flavors of Microsoft's latest Windows client, there is one Vista that can run on 512 RAM the Home Basic SKU.
Give Me More RAM, Vista Is Still Hungry!
But even for Windows Vista Home Basic, 512 MB of RAM is equivalent with the recommended minimum hardware requirements that are guaranteed to offer just basic (!) functionality and nothing more. Now, in all fairness, Microsoft has traditionally upped the stakes in terms of hardware requirements with each new edition of Windows. Addend functionality, features and capabilities inherently demand increased resources. Vista is by no means an exception to this rule. Vista Home Basic will run with the same amount of system memory as Windows HPC Server 2008. But the same is not valid for the remaining editions of the operating system, which need double the RAM.
"Windows Vista Home Basic:
800-megahertz (MHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 800-MHz 64-bit (x64) processor
512 megabytes (MB) of system memory
DirectX 9-class graphics card
32 MB of graphics memory
20-gigabyte (GB) hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space."
"Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate:
1-gigahertz (GHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 1-GHz 64-bit (x64) processor
1 GB of system memory
Windows Aero-capable graphics card (Note: this includes a DirectX 9-class graphics card that supports the following: a WDDM driver, Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware, 32 bits per pixel)
128 MB of graphics memory (minimum)
40-GB hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space."source:
news.softpedia.com
Send link 2 friend | Permalink
MORE RELATED ARTICLES:
Windows Vista SP1 RTM Resources - the Whole Shebang || Vista SP1 Volume Activation 2.0 Resources Available || Dual Boot Windows and Linux on Supercomputers || The Latest Version of Windows for Supercomputers Goes Against Linux || Free Windows for Supercomputers Available for Download - Windows HPC Server 2008
Comments(26)
i would laugh if it wasn't so serious!!!
i have installed vista ultimate on my machine with 512mb or ram, 1.6ghz processor, and a
nvidia 5200 with 128mb of memory, and it ran aero and media center fine.
to soad112589
sure you run it, u must run games at same speed that u run on
xp too right? i bet u can have all a bunch of windows open and cicle through them nice and
easy with the specs of ur machine with vista ultimate...
wake up...
vista s-u-c-k-s real bad.
what can vista do better than xp?????
only vista's gui is better but we have window blinds so there's no real problem there.
when windows xp was released this is exactly what happened. very few people rolled over
only because things ran faster in windows 98. especially games. after a few years
people's machines were fast enough for the speed factor not to be an issue anymore. end
result? everyone switched to windows xp. ultimately, that's what'l happen to windows
vista as well. and faster than it happened to xp btw. so b***h about it all you want right
now, you'll be ultimately using vista for everything but the kitchen sink in a few years.
i toally agree with u vision++,
u cant expect a new os to run on the same
specs as the previous... look at what winodws 95 ran on compared to windows xp...its about
time for a hardware up haul. do poeple seriously expect their systems to last for more
than 5 years?
hi,
vista is currently way behind xp.
i am trying nfs prostreet with minimum
requirements and it lags down. i have 2g ram 3.4 g p4 and 512m on video and it still
misses some frames in 640x480. when i play it on xp the things are quite different. it
will be at least one year and a half since it is improved i think.
i agree vista needs more resources to run and still needs improvement on drivers and so
forth. but if you provide your system with the proper amount of resources and by that i
mean definately ram then your system will be much faster than xp, easier to use and more
reliable. it is the future and we have to embrace it at a certain point in time. i have
been using both vista business and ultimate for the past year and yes i had my share of
problems but definately a lot less problems than when i started with xp.
can tell everyone that vista will be much better with vista sp1. try to download it on
piratebay the new version. xp will not be better than vista after this update. try it
before you try to convince....
xp at its worse was no where near as bad as vista is. not even close.
btw,
http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/11/10/theres-nothing-wrong-with-windows-vista/
when was released xp had it's isseus, but were not even closed as bad as the ones vista
has... not even close! really!
a couple of months ago i installed vista on my 14 years old doughter's pc.
amd
athlon processor, 1 gb of memory, an acer t120 machine.
never heard anything
since then about vista.
one time i asked her a question : do you wanna go back to xp
? she said "never"
so what is the problem here ? ;)
i make my own music on my pc and i still use xp 'cos on vista i have not lot of drivers
and apps 4 make it. aero is a piece of s*** for me. i have 512 m ati express graphics card
0.5 tb sata hdd and 4gb ram -and i still waiting for win 7. how many people like me will b
waiting for drivers and apps? i try vista and i have no choice. sorry men.
nostalg, the problem here is your daughter will cry when you install sp1 and your crack
aint workin no more
serioussam , all four members of our family
uses genuine windows vista ;)
they may be genuine now, but all it takes is to update a driver and you'll be calling
india to get permission to continue using them as wpa deactivates them thinking that you
were naughty and changed one too many pieces of hardware when all you did was update the
driver instead... ;-)
true. i know 1 guy who was buy genuine vista and after update bios (!!!!) lost genuine
windows. they may be change it after sp1.
true. i know 1 guy who was buy genuine vista and after update bios (!!!!) lost genuine
windows. they may be change it after sp1.
the best thing to add to sp1 is to remove wpa. my legal copy of vista was deactivated
just be updating the drivers of my video card (even though there was no problems from two
previous updates under vista.)
about genuin software.. whats the problem??!! i have called microsoft 2 times about new
activation.. one time when i update a driver from microsoft..:) but what so different you
call a number and then reaktivates it. probably 2 minutes of job. last time when my
motherboard went down. because if a motherboard changes it counts like a new computer and
you need a new licens. i called microsoft and telled what happend no scary questions from
microsft they just activate my computer...
so tell me wheres the problem, if it
happe that you need to call microsoft for one time and it takes 2 minutes to reaktivates
the os. and the funny thing is that the most of you complaining have cracked vista, xp
etc... and probably never discoverd the activates thing..
you may have low selfesteem genuin, but we shouldn't have to call india and beg for
permission to continue to use something that we paid a lot of money for.
how
would you like it if every time you changed the tires on your car that you had to call the
manufacturer to beg them to start your car again? how about them constantly checking up on
you to make sure that you haven't stolen the car that you had paid for as well? i have
far more self worth than you apparently don't have.
your comment about the pirates not having this problem proves that in fact wpa is
worthless as is any and all anti-pirate measures.
answer to you sjc. no i dont have low selfesteem probably to good;))
i can tell
when you get a bit older you probably see things in another way. everything isnt black or
white. i use a lot of cracked software but things i like i pay for.
you say that you
have paid for an os thats right?! ok how about a virus program you pay for it and it
yours?? you probably can use it for a year but then what happens?? you dont get any
updates if you dont pay for them... then the program is useless! you have a car?? you buy
that car and after that everything is free. you can drive all the way and its cost
nothing...noo its taxes, fuel etc...
its the same with microsoft they make a produkt
and they probably have thousands of people working with updates and improvements. and if
everyone steals the software we probably dont have any updates imrovements etc. do you
think the work for a os is free?!!! i dont say that microsoft is doing right in sneaking
and have software calling home to check if you are a licens costumer. but why has it
become like this??? i think you have the answer...
you are just not getting it. we are not talking about updates or newer models at all,
we're talking about the product that you bought. so, you are saying that a manufacturer
has a right to continue owning their product even after you paid them for it? so, you
would like for them to put a kill switch in your car and when you buy something that they
don't make, or have a part in, they can disable your car?
as for the last bit
it has been proven over and over again that so-called anti-piracy methods just don't work
and really do nothing at all to stop it.
of course you'll deny that you have
low self esteem but you show yourself to be a liar because you don't mind being punished
for something you didn't do and are an apologist for the corporate. i feel sorry for
people like you.
btw, i'll give you a hint about my age. the year is in my
alias.... [rolleyes]
mr sjc!
hahaha you are amazing with your talk about low self esteem. because someone
not have the same opinion that you, you think it have something with low self esteem. im
sorry for you because you take this so hard. relax smile take it as a man... about self
esteem...i have won nationals competitions in karate and i am a top salesman for a world
big company, so mr sjc dont bother comment anything with self esteem its make me laugh.
dont bother to comment just let it be...;)
dude, read your vista eula. you agreed to have vista check home. if you don't like it
don't accept the terms. use a mac!
No new comments are allowed for this article.
For your questions use our KezNews Forum
Vista is an insult...
By Paula on 19.11.2007 - 01:11