From Old Mac to New Windows Setup

[Steve@ZooWest]

I've been on a old Mac (PowerPC, PT 7.4.2, OS 10.5.8). A friend is building me a Windows system as follows:

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3Ghz 6-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i 77.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
Motherboard: MSI Gaming X99S 7 LGA 2011-v3 Intel
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 64 GB (8x8GB) LPX 64 DDR4-2400
Video Card: Asus GeForce gtx 960 4gb video card
Case:Rosewill THOR v2-W ATX Full Tower Case
Power Supply: EVGA 750W 80+ gold certified fully modular
Optical Drive: LG Super Multi Blue Internal 14x Blu-ray
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Pre-OEM (64 Bit)

Although he's more than capable of building the system, he has no experience with Pro Tools, so I'm looking for input on any parts of the system he's building that might be problematic; I'm very non-tech, and less familiar with Windows than the Mac OS.

We'll probably go with Windows 10 and PT12.4. I know 10 isn't officially supported, but browsing the forum, it seems most are able to use it without issues.

I use Synthogy Ivory, and EWQLSO Platinum & Vienna orchestral samples often, as well as other a myriad of other virtual instruments.

The orch samples have been streaming from hard drives into a PC that has connected with PT via Gigabit Ethernet; I've been using Vienna Ensemble Pro, Kontakt, and Play for the host programs on the PC. The plan is to get a faster drive (or two) for the samples, and then run VEP on a better Windows laptop, unless it's becoming more common to have samples and PT on the same machine...

Also have to figure out if I can run Finale and PT without a hitch on the same machine.

All kibitzing welcome!

[LochNESS]

I've been using Sibelius for many years - since v.1.0 - and now it integrates with PT thanks to the Avid buyout. Why run Finale? are you doing typesetting?

I know a lot of publishers, especially in Nashville, still use Finale to typeset but for PT integration I'd think switching to Sibelius may save some headache.

[LochNESS]

Originally Posted by Steve@ZooWest

... OS: Microsoft Windows 39 Pre-OEM (64 Bit) ... We'll probably go with Windows 10 and PT12.4 ...

What is the relation between Win 39 Pre-OEM and Win 10? Are you doing both? Sorry I don't understand. Is Win 39 what comes on the motherboard when you boot up initially, and then Win 10 is the OS you install after booting up?

[Steve@ZooWest]

LochNESS, I own and understand Finale reasonably well, and I'm not a quick study! Also, I work free-lance for and exchange a lot of files with a large publishing company in Milwaukee that uses Finale exclusively, so I need to be hassle-free with that.

I imagine, though, that the integration between Sibelius and PT is pretty sweet, all things being equal.

[LochNESS]

Cool I'm one of those stalwarts I guess, hoping the world will eventually convert to Sibelius. Was not a fan of mid-late '90s Finale, got hooked on the former, and never gave it a second chance. Fortunate during college the staff was converting to Sibelius during my years there. Maybe someday publishers will start using it, too. My needs are freelance charts and internal band charts, and charts for students, so it works fine.

Please let us know if you are able to run both on the same drive(?) without issue.

[Steve@ZooWest]

The pic of the components I'll be using that my friend sent who will be building it was quite grainy. I wondered about Windows 39! It's actually Windows 10, though it looked astonishingly like 39 when I blew it up.