So I've had a studio computer running (pretty well) for the last decade. I've kept it offline other than installing the occasional software/plugins, just to minimize junk on there.
It's come to a point where some plugins don't roll with Windows 7 anymore. I was thinking about making the jump, but I'm nervous some of my old software that I don't really want to change/update (Sony Vegas 9.0 don't ask!) isn't going to jive with a new Windows package.
Is this one of those times where I have to go all new, or stay all old?
Windows Updates
- losthighway
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- Nick Sevilla
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Re: Windows Updates
Personally, I'd go all new.
Example: My old Mac Pro tower, screaming fast in 2008, is now my backup server LOL.
It's Pro Tools Accel 3 is no match for my 2019 Macbook Pro 8 core Intel Death Machine. Really.
Happy hunting!!!
Tip: My son has a screaming gaming computer, Windows.
MSI is the brand.
Example: My old Mac Pro tower, screaming fast in 2008, is now my backup server LOL.
It's Pro Tools Accel 3 is no match for my 2019 Macbook Pro 8 core Intel Death Machine. Really.
Happy hunting!!!
Tip: My son has a screaming gaming computer, Windows.
MSI is the brand.
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.
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- suffering 'studio suck'
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Re: Windows Updates
It's definitely worth it to stay up to date with your operating system. If you're relying on old software, something's going to go wrong eventually (plus, Microsoft will stop officially supporting it at some point, if they haven't already). I understand waiting on patches and version updates until they're stable, but a whole new OS generation?
- digitaldrummer
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Re: Windows Updates
look up your old CPU and see where it stands, then compare to a new one...
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php
even if you bought an i7 10 years ago, an i3 might blow the doors off of it today. it's ridiculous really. And its not just CPU clock frequency. the memory speeds have changed, DDR has changed (DDR3 to DDR4) the core counts are higher, etc. So each generation gets faster and faster. Also SSDs rule. If you have ever replaced your old boot HDD with an SSD, the difference is amazing (on how much faster it boots). I could never go back. (note that HDD are fine for most recording - I once recorded 16 tracks of 24b/44.1 to a 5400rpm drive and it was fine - but I wouldn't try mixing/editing on that).
if you choose to upgrade, just make sure you make a GOOD backup first. That means test it too - make sure you can restore files (at a minimum) in case it doesn't work out. but a new desktop or laptop are not unreasonable and you don't have to get the top of the line to work just fine
(I run an i5-7400 from 2017 with 16GB RAM - hasn't let me down yet)
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php
even if you bought an i7 10 years ago, an i3 might blow the doors off of it today. it's ridiculous really. And its not just CPU clock frequency. the memory speeds have changed, DDR has changed (DDR3 to DDR4) the core counts are higher, etc. So each generation gets faster and faster. Also SSDs rule. If you have ever replaced your old boot HDD with an SSD, the difference is amazing (on how much faster it boots). I could never go back. (note that HDD are fine for most recording - I once recorded 16 tracks of 24b/44.1 to a 5400rpm drive and it was fine - but I wouldn't try mixing/editing on that).
if you choose to upgrade, just make sure you make a GOOD backup first. That means test it too - make sure you can restore files (at a minimum) in case it doesn't work out. but a new desktop or laptop are not unreasonable and you don't have to get the top of the line to work just fine
(I run an i5-7400 from 2017 with 16GB RAM - hasn't let me down yet)
Last edited by digitaldrummer on Fri Apr 02, 2021 4:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- winky dinglehoffer
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Re: Windows Updates
I have a 2008 i7 that I upgraded from Windows 7 not so long ago. I don't have a ton of audio software, but I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly the upgrade went--even the obsolete drivers for my audio interface made the transition with a minimum of fuss. I'm planning to upgrade with a later model motherboard--I'm much more concerned about the challenges of making that switch.
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- steve albini likes it
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Re: Windows Updates
I've been updating steadily since switching from Mac to Win 7 about 10 years ago, and I haven't felt it to be problematic. Once, I *think* a forced update undid some of my power management tweaks, but I'm not certain that's what happened. I have yet to run across any software that is too old for Win 10 to run.
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