System upgrade?

[brettt777]

I have a 2 year old Dell XPS710 that has a 2.1ghz duo core CPU, 2gb of DDR2(?), an nVidia 8600GTS and running 32 bit XP. I know I need to upgrade the video card and I need more RAM (remember when we thought 64mb of RAM was alot?). I would love to just get a whole new system but not sure when or if I will be able to do that so I need to look at some upgrades.
My questions are:
Can I upgrade to a 64 bit OS just by installing say, Windows 7 64 bit (which I have heard good things about) or do I need a whole different MB/CPU?
I have heard that it is best to run at least 6GB of RAM with Windows 7. Can my exisiting MB go that high on RAM and will it do DDR3?
I know my existing video card is PCI express; are the newer ones something else and will my MB do that?

[757200ba]

Ok you want to update for...........?
You want a 64 bit OS for........?
If you just worried about Windows 7, leave it the way it is, it will be ok.
If you have something else in mind, please explain.

[brettt777]

I am wanting to upgrade to run FSX better. My system was at best a mid level machine when it was new. Now that it's got a couple years on it, it's down right archaic. But I have heard a number of differing opinions about what OS is better and how many CPUs FSX will actualy use, etc. What I have heard is that FSX won't use any more than 2 CPUs so a quad core is a waste of money, and that it was designed to run in XP so Vista is a waste also, but that Windows 7 might be worth waiting for. Also, regardless of which OS used, it should be 64 bit so maximum RAM can be used. I want to know if I can upgrade or should just look at a new machine. I know my MB is Dell proprietary so I am very limited on CPU options and it won't do DDR3. I am also wondering about video cards. I have always prefered ATI in the past. I just think they have better graphics. The Dell I have now has an nVidia card in it and I have never been happy with it. It has this weird glitch that unless I use the factory default video drivers, I can't use the DVD RAM at all. It crashes to the blue screen every time. Then without the latest nVidia drivers, my graphics aren't good at all and I have very few options for adjusting them. So I am wanting to go back to ATI, but then I have heard that ATI doesn't do FSX all that well.

[757200ba]

Well i guess after you last poste you gave it yourself the answer.Its funny you mesnion the ATI thing, most of my video cards where always ATi ithe last one was the famous 9700 pro, and it was an amazing card, but now i have read many times "as long you dont use ATI for FS....".I need to know more about it. Even if when they make the Flight Simulators they use Nvidia Hradware, i guess ATI or AMD still has very good material.

[Mazza]

Well i guess after you last poste you gave it yourself the answer.Its funny you mesnion the ATI thing, most of my video cards where always ATi ithe last one was the famous 9700 pro, and it was an amazing card, but now i have read many times "as long you dont use ATI for FS....".I need to know more about it. Even if when they make the Flight Simulators they use Nvidia Hradware, i guess ATI or AMD still has very good material.

Yes ATi cards are bad for FSX, Nvidia cards rock with it, because FSXs game engine doesn't support the shader based card very well yes?