Whats the best OS (Windows) for music production?

[Cycovision]

I am setting up my computer for recording at the moment. -P3 800, 384 Mb RAM, 80 GB Hard Disk and a Sound Blaster Live Platinum 5.1. Would it be best to dual boot and run a seperate OS just for music production? Which would OS be best? I plan to use Cubase VST and maybe Sonar?

Thanks in Advance..

[Lonely Raven]

IMHO Windows 2000 Pro

The Windows 9x series don't handle memory issues very well, aren't
stable, and don't handle large hard drives well.

Windows XP is basically Windows 2000 with lots of eye candy. It's OK, but
I find it's more for home use then anything else.

Where as Windows 2000 Pro can be as "home use" or "commercial use"
as you want it to be.

It's been out long enough that drivers are out there for whatever you
need to get running in it (assuming the company still exists).

It handles large capacity hard drives very well.

It has built in RAID features allowing you to use multiple hard drives
linked together as one large one.

It's networking is very solid and relitivly reliable. So if you have to connect
it to other PCs in the house (or studio) it's really easy and solid.

Overall Windows 2000 is fast, reliable, and handles memory and crashes
VERY well.

[Tsorovan]

I'm partial to Win2K over Win XP. When you've spent those 5-6 hours tweaking XP, turning off all the fluff you don't want, you're basically sitting there with Win2K Pro.

[AlexBHome]

If you're using Cubase, try using Cubase SX with Win2k or XP (both are about the same.. I use 2k at work and XP at home with different gear and they work pretty well once you get everything ironed out). Cubase uses an ASIO driver setup and its pretty good with a decent pro card... SB Live! won't get you far if you're recording MIDI though.

If you're using Sonar, it'll give you great low latency WDM speed with almost any card in 2k and XP.

Good luck!

-Alex
www.ionstorm.com

[Anonymous]

I like and use both XP and Win2KPro. But Raven's totally right; XP is just 2K with Mac-like eye candy.

I would also get a better sound card. A M Audio Audiophile or Echo Mia (what I have) can be had for under $200, and is far better than any SB stuff.

[Two hands31]

I have Win 98SE which I use for some recording, and some video editing. Everytime we edit a video, we create some multiple gig filesizes, which causes a fatal error and we have to re-install windows. My recommendation, ANYTHING BUT WIN 9x.

[Lonely Raven]

Like I said, Win9x doesn't support large files really well.

[RSVampire]

yeah but you can't use protools with windows 2000...or XP.

[Polaris20]

Originally Posted by RSVampire

yeah but you can't use protools with windows 2000...or XP.

You can use XP if you update to 5.3LE.

[Polaris20]

Originally Posted by Cycovision

I am setting up my computer for recording at the moment. -P3 800, 384 Mb RAM, 80 GB Hard Disk and a Sound Blaster Live Platinum 5.1. Would it be best to dual boot and run a seperate OS just for music production? Which would OS be best? I plan to use Cubase VST and maybe Sonar?

Thanks in Advance..

Instead of spending $300-$400 on Cubase or Sonar, and running it with a SB Live, why don't you get Cubasis VST 3.0 for $80, and buy a better sound card with better converters?

You'd still have 32 tracks, and the sound quality, which is the important part, would be much better.

Running Cubase SX or Sonar 2.0 on an SB Live is like running a Vette on 13" wheels with 75 Series tires.

[Cycovision]

Yeah see your point, what soundcard/s would you suggest?

[Polaris20]

Originally Posted by Cycovision

Yeah see your point, what soundcard/s would you suggest?

That depends on your price range, but if you're looking to spend $400-$500, I'd recommend the Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96, or the M Audio Delta Series Omni Studio.

[DLHelfand]

I would also like to add that I run XP. I also have Cubase SX and Sonar 2. Do not get a Sound Blaster Live for recording. I have one that I got for free and it can't be used with Cubase, very bad. Sonar is better, but still sucks. A new card is mandatory.

[LGMT]

I'm using Win98SE, with a Maxtor 40GB 7500 rpm, Delta 1010 Lt in a Athlon 1.3 with 512 am and works fine

[monkeyboy]

On an 800 meg machine XP might be a bit too heavy on your resources (although far more stable than W 9X platforms).

I've had a version of 98SE running for about 4 years which has been upgraded with various flavours of Cubase. Very stable as long as you don't add in tonnes of unneccesary programs (Word etc.).

If I was you and given your processor speed I'd:

Run Cubase 5 under 98SE (that should give you headroom to run effects which I'm not convinced you'd get with XP)

Buy one of the soundcards recommended earlier in the thread - low latency drivers are essential for mixing and running any virtual instruments that you're going to play live.

Dual booting ideal if you want say 98 for a stable system for running music and a 'office' partition for net etc.

If you do want to run under XP (which is excellent despite it being souped up 2000) have a look at http://www.musicxp.net/ which should give you some useful tweaks. Just watch your processor load!!