Who is running MS Vista?

[exploder3211]

Oh what can i say about Vista

I bought a new laptop in Febuary after my Dell blew up. It was a Toshiba with 512 megs ram, Vista Basic and such. It was sooo slow and vista always crashed. Finaly the hard drive blew last week, so i returned it to Office Max and they Upgraded me to a Compaq (which i really didn't want, but hey) with 1 Gig ram and a AMD Turion 64 processor. It has Vista Premium. So far so good and works alot better than Basic. But it too crashed once. Ughhh. I am thinking of reformatting the hard drive and re installing XP Pro. Much better. Don't get Vista unless you are forced too. No if ands or Buts. I wanted an XP OS on my lap top and nobody had one at all in ALL of Raleigh NC.. No one! Thats why office max gave me a nicer compaq.. Which is a very nice computer but it has an odd feel for the key bored and my right arm has no place to rest thats comfie while typing. But i can live with these faults. Just so long as it lasts for a couple years. Damn Microsoft

 

[mistereric]

Panthera,

If it ran on System 7, download SheepShaver, install System 7.1, and run your program in an emulator. Let the app kill the emulated System 7 instead of your OS X. If your application is managing to panic an OS with protected memory like OS X, then it does not belong in OS X. If your app is panicing the OS then its probably nailing your installed OS, and thats just going to lead to progressively worse performance. Its rare to get panics more than once a year or so, if your machine stays on all the time. Other than that, bad processors and bad ram cause panics. Put some Stabilant-22 in your ram slots, reset the CUDA and replace the system battery.

I am often told how great such and such an OS is, so I ask...

Can I run ~real live, not open source equivalents of~ Office, FileMaker, AdobeCS2 and a fully functional Exchange client on it?

Can it be bound to a domain?

Does its Power Management software work with my laptop?

If it can do these things, I would love an install CD so i can get started.

I've never gotten an install disk from anyone. Like Pee-Wee Herman said in his movie- "Everybody's got a big BUT." There always seems to be some kinda gotcha with these OSes. The best thing a guy who wants to sell users on anything other than Mac OS or Windows can do is to put his money where his mouth is. The best way to get people to switch platforms, in my experience, is to configure the box for them, make sure they can do all the things they could do with their old box AND MORE, and more easily... and then its a no brainer for the user. Why would they stay with the Mac OS (or Windows, for that matter) if they could directly see how wonderful some other OS was?

As your experience with Mac users has been negative, so too has mine with Unix guys. The only really useful thing i've been able to do with any other OS was to get KnoppMyth running - an awesome setup, and simple too!

I'm babbling, but i'd better get back to work... the Ubuntu I was installing on this machine just failed again. ugh.

Good luck out there... and remember, in the end, computers suck.

 

[brisnat81]

I recently bought a new HP Laptop for a friend

and made sure it was Vista ready from the get go.

2GB Ram, 256mb Graphics card and a Centrino Core 2 Duo processor.

The friend in question is in her early 60's and when I offered to revert the interface back to Windows Classic, so refused as she feels it is good to learn about the new systems. I spent a day with it configuring it for her and migrating her old data, and have to say it took a lot of getting used to.

She's had the laptop with Vista Ultimate and Office 2007 for a month now, and she's managing to do everything she needs to with no fuss. Shes been able to download drivers, navigate the annoying security and is loving the newfangled Wireless setup she has, that means so no longer has to work in a dingy office.

The stuff about turning UAC off and Windows being susceptible to vulnerability is stupid. With UAC turned off, its no more vulnerable than Windows XP and like any XP power user one is responsible for what runs and what doesnt. Any good third party security package should be able to keep your XP PC or Vista (Without UAC) safe. Most low end users, like my friend, find it comforting that Windows keeps checking with them to make sure it is safe to proceed. As a power user I find it annoying, but I'm big and ugly enough to be responsible for what does and doesnt run.

After having said all that, I still have a W2K SP4 PC at home with Office XP running on a HP Vectra PIII 550 with 756mb Ram. It struggled with the database parts of University, but otherwise it still meets my daily needs of Web and Email.

 

[cadman]

Just a computer

Pros and cons to everything, I know, but have you ever noticed the strange fact that Mac people seemingly go out of their way to praise and recommend the Mac OS while the everyday PC user is consumed comparing notes about time spent last weekend killing spyware, installing service patches, peripheral installations gone awry and other strange OS quirks? I spend 40 hours a week in front of an HP workstation at work (maintained by a highly paid IT department)) and any free time I may have in front of the Powerbook at home. It's an intangible but complete difference to say the least.

I have yet to meet a Mac user who wasn't passionate about their computing experience. I can't say I've met a person with so much zeal for Windows XP Service Patch 2 that they'd give up a busy Saturday to show a prospective friend the latest Compaqs at the mall and sell them on the advantages as if they worked for the company themselves. There's something about that phenomenon that deserves a look.

 

[panthera]

Eric,

Thanks, that's pretty much exactly what all my friends who work with Macs and can change things themselves have suggested. Only we dasn't.
And, yes, that program was junk from the get-go.
I like Ubuntu, but have encountered some very frustrating moments when they were defaulting to protocols which were not yet applicable foe web browsing.
No more comments from me in this thread regarding Apple or MacOS or anything in that direction. We've been down this road twice before now and it is pointless. It is great to be passionate about something, the god's all know how I feel about our thumpers...but by the pricking of my thumbs I feel a "danger, Will Robinson, danger" moment approaching.

 

[retroguy]

Eric...

My computer runs Vista as fast as it ran XP. To quickly answer your question.

 

[exploder3211]

Ok, I am having issues with Vista Premium Crashing on this computer after running live updates. GRRR.. Does anyone know how to delete this OS with out reformatting the hard drive?? I have XP ready to go on here. Even if it voids my warranty, this crappy Vista OS system has gotta GO!

 

[panthera]

Chad,

I think it would be a very big mistake to even try going "back" to XP without formating the partition first.
Every installation paper I have read on the subject says this is the only safe way.
But - and I am NOT trying to defend Vista here - why not see if the forums for your laptop haven't found some answers, first?
I would not, at this point, put too much faith in the Vista migration tools to backup and restore your settings and files on a machine running XP...have heard quite a few scary stories.
Oh, Eric, I can't resist. Your comment about the Unix crowd reminded me of something. Remember what is at the core of Mac OS X?
(ducks and runs, runs, runs)

 

[cleanteamofny]

Chad I think you are set for life.
NO TURNING BACK unless you have partition Vista on another part of the C drive.
Otherwise you need replace the drive or completely reformat which I think it will not allow since it is the main drive.

If you running live update (Norton) it may have compatibility issues.
Try un-installing, then reinstalling, just make sure the (UAC) is on.
I've had a problem installing Adobe Reader 8 yesterday because the (UAC) was off.

 

[cleanteamofny]

Well this is one of my biggest thing I dislike about Vista.
Defragmention!
No bars or graphs to so see how bad the drive is frag-ed and when used, it takes FOREVER!

How it stores information on the drive (All Error Codes) taking up precious space if the drive is small 150 GB or less.

Older hardware issues, like Intel's web-cam drivers cannot be found but it still works using IM.

How they change the name of certain files that is found in XP like ADD and REMOVE in the control panel and relocated it where it can not be found quickly.
It's under MY Computer where the eye doesn't catch the word Unistall or Change Programs in the taskbar!

And the biggest pet peeve, right click on the desktop and properties changed to personalization and scrolling to find what you want. This one makes me roll my eyes!

Where's the Pine-sol lady when this crap is really stinking?

 

[panthera]

Larry,

If you boot from a CD or DVD installation (NT, Linux, etc.) it is no problem to repartition and reformat the drive. Vista can't and won't prevent that.
But you are right, I think, having made the move to Vista (nolens volens) it is best to live with it. It can only get better.
Oh, and after the last three emails, I guess I should apologize either to the Unix or the Apple community. Just because something is true does not mean one should say it. So, sorry.

 

[cleanteamofny]

Keven,

That is why I put Vista on a separate hard drive, to see what problems arises and can it be resolved quickly.

I've put Vista on my laptop and I could not find the proper drivers for the sound card and ended up replacing the HD.
For me to say this it bares fruit.
If you have a laptop that is vista compatible. Do Not Install! Too many issues with the drivers that cannot be solved quickly.

Anyway, later this summer I will give Red Hat a try, my roommate told me it runs very nicely and doesn't take up too much HD space,
so I'm looking forward to see how that works.

For the Apple/Mac fans. I'm clueless about the machine so I will have to buy one and learn what it does and doesn't do.
All I can say, both have there share of problems but windows will have flaws that will be talked about through the next generation!

 

[panthera]

I hear you...

I only installed Vista on the two machines I did because their users absolutely wanted it.
Anyone who installs the first version of any new OS is asking for trouble.
I remember the problems with Carbon very clearly. Oh, I forgot. It begin an Apple product, it ran perfectly right out of the box and the problems were only in the user's heads...

 

[jasonl]

Alot of specialized software for business, like Cisco's VPN, and stuff like that won't run in Vista. Get a copy of XP and reformat the computer. Citrix DOES run in vista and does it well. So does good ol' mstsc.exe (terminal services client).

Chad, do a system restore. That will roll it back to before the updates were installed.

 

[hydralique]

rp2813 . . .

If you want a laptop that comes with XP rather than Vista then you'll probably have to buy from one of the smaller manufacturers. You might check Sys Technology at sys.com. My latest desktop came from them because it is really difficult to find a pre-made computer of any sort with a high-end video card aside from those oriented toward gamers, and those don't suit my needs. Sys was able to custom build my computer with pretty much what I needed in the City of Industry, and when I picked it up I noticed to my surprise that they also build laptops. Since I bought mine last fall it came with XP Pro by default, but they may still be able to install it.

One of the reasons I bought last fall was to make sure I got XP, just because I don't like being an early adopter of anything on the computer that earns my living!

 

[exploder3211]

The second laptop whent back to office max. I have $800 credit with them to buy another computer.. Should i fix my partners old 6 year Gateway up and wait a year until microsoft fixes vista or should i buy another laptop with vista and make the backp disks, fix his gateway to use any and all of my old xp programs and use the pos vista laptop for web surfing and that kinda stuff?? What should i do? I will check out sys.com ad see what they say.. Right now i'd sell a bodily orgen for an XP OS laptop.. Thanks Guys

 

[cleanteamofny]

Is it worth fixing?

I would say no to fixing it.
6 years is too old and the only upgrade you can do to that machine is to replace the hard drive and maybe add more memory, that is about it.
Only do it if you just web surfing only and not playing hardcore games like Quake 4, Halo2 or any power games that requires a fast processor and an excellent graphic card like the XFX PVT71JUHE4 GeForce 7950GT or the BFG Tech BFGR88768GTXWCE GeForce 8800GTX.

 

[panthera]

My paws and whiskers, poor Chad!

Lot's of folks, including me, have several legal XP licenses lying around. Just buy one.
Not from me, unless you prefer German over English :-(((

Really, just get a laptop from a series that went on sale before Jan. 1, 2007. It will have been built to work with XP, regardless of the bullshit the sales in-duh-vi-dual tells you. Check online and you will see that lots of HP, Dell, Acer, etc. support XP perfectly well although they are no longer sold with that system.
Pull the dratted hard disk out of the thing, store it safely. Put a new one in, and run XP on it.
If the Laptop breaks, put the original HD back in and get it repaired or replaced. At least in Europe, you do not invalidate your warranty when you swap HDs.

Microsoft will support XP for at least the lifetime of the laptop...and it will be several years before any of the big software firms will stop supporting it...the commercial community is too heterogeneous to sell stuff only for one system. I can't think of a single important program which doesn't still support Windows 2000 (or ME, for the masochists of this world).

I am typing this on a laptop built in 2000. It is just fine for the IE and E-Mails, watching a DVD or office programms. If the damage to your partner's is nothing a new hard disk or a bit of memory can't fix, go ahead. But investing more than 50-60$ isn't worth it, IMHO.

In Europe, the XP license from an older computer may legally be transfered to a new machine. I don't know the legal situation in the US. Best case, you won't even have to spend the few bucks on Ebay.

 

[cleanteamofny]

Do you remember?

Years ago when XP came out with the powertoys?
There was one cool features that they had but yanked less than a month later.
Moving clouds on the XP desktop wallpaper. I had it and regret not saving that .exe on a disk.
But time has moved on and Vista has this wonderful moving desktop wallpaper add in called: Windows DreamScene.
This desktop wallpaper comes alive with a montage of built in photos or you can play a movie that is on your hard drive used as your desktop wallpaper.
This is very nice and well done!

 

[jasonl]

7950GT is a DX9 card
The Geforce 8800 series are DX10 cards. You can get the 8800GTS for about $400 and it will rock your world. Or get the XFX 8800GTX where you can play ALL games at max resolution and maximum quality.

I'm using a laptop with an ATI x700 card. It was a good bang-for-the-buck GPU two years ago when I bought it but it's getting real old real quick.