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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | My trusty old XP computer just locked-up and Died. I may get it fixed, but I needed a computer NOW! So I went shopping down at Office Despot and everything has Vista! :eek:
So now I have Vista. :mad:
Real purdy grafix... But I think that it is using alot of RAM to run that purdy stuff.
But I am just an old fart who thinks everything worked just fine in 1975, and they shouldn't have changed it.
Any pointers, tricks, warnings, or any of that stuff y'all might wanna share?
[Besides telling me that I shoulda got a MAC]
Yeah, this ain't about guitars... But the OFC is a computer website. :p |
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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Yeah, get Windows 7 when it's out! |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Sell it and get a Mac. |
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February 2007
Posts: 57
Location: North Oregon Coast | Quick, take it back and find a new computer with XP on it!
Vista really sucks and if you have the kind of issues with it that I did, it's gonna take awhile to fine tune it to your liking.
The first thing you probably noticed is that you can't do a damned thing without some nagging Windows pop-up giving you some kind of security warning. I finally disabled all this stuff so that I can actually do something.
The next thing is the applications and hardware support, be prepared to look for all the latest Vista-compliant drivers and updates, you're gonna need them, and fact of the matter is, some of your favorite applications simply aren't going to work.
Despite the Vista bling, I was much happier with XP and I still think about maybe going back to it.
A final note: head over to the Vista Forum and register yourself, I've received a lot of help there. http://thevistaforums.com/index.php?
Good Luck! |
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October 2007
Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | I have it to OMA. Have had it for about 1 yr and 8 month. When I first got it, I had a ton of problems with it shutting down, freezing up and so on. With Automatic updates that were sent to fix these problems, it's gotten much better. Other then the graphics it's not much different then what you had in my opinion. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Yeah, and the Hearts and Solitaire games Look real purdy and run real slowly...
If I wanted to take that much time, I'd use a real deck of cards.
Every time a window opens, it does it real slowly and gracefully.
Like I said... Very pretty. Some artsy-techsky folks thought that up.
I don't get too many pop-up warnings from Windows cuz I run Firefox...
But this thing does ask you Twice before it lets you do anything.
I have had it less than 12 hours and I promptly went and disabled or removed a bunch of gizmos that I will never use. (Quicken and Office trial crap, some other dumb kid chat room crap)
They have a PLAN... They are gonna pretend that Windows never happened.
That is why I bought my other computer, cuz everything had Vista on it back then... But there were still a few stray XP units running around.
This does not want to recognize the install disc for my web cam.
I ain't sniveling too much, yet... But my little piece of crap computer ran just fine!
It got mad and would hold-it's-breath every other week...
But it worked good, until it just stopped working. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Sorry to hear that, OMA. |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Get Windoze 7. If what I read and hear is true, it will lessen your regret that you didn't buy a Mac.
I've never used Vista so I can't help you directly. I know you can still buy XP, so I wonder if it's possible to just dump the Vista and reload good old XP? |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Technically it should be possible to boot from an XP install disk, erase the hard drive and install XP. I'd be surprised if they haven't tweaked the firmware to prevent you installing XP. "We will make you use Vista".
You'll always regret not buying a Mac, just try to live with the pain.
Uh, OMA, what was the computer you were using in 1975? Did you have access to a mainframe somewhere, running Fortran? |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I've been places like Best Buy where EVERYTHING is Vista. You can't even buy a computer with the old XP. |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Vista SP1 (and now SP2) corrected a lot of the horrendous incompatibility issues it had on first release, but it's still a resource hog and that User Account Control BS is more trouble than it's worth (turn it off if you keep Vista installed). Unless you can find drivers for your web cam direct from the manufacturer written for Vista then you're SOL.
My laptop has a quad core CPU and 4 GB of RAM running Vista 64-bit and it runs fine. When I got a rootkit on my work computer that I couldn't get rid of I wiped the HDD and installed Vista - big mistake on a duo core with 2 GB, it ran like a 3-legged tortoise with Parkinson's, so I quickly wiped it again and installed XP Pro SP3. That's probably the most stable OS Microsoft has issued and you can still buy it online in many places. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Get Windoze 7. If what I read and hear is true, it will lessen your regret that you didn't buy a Mac.
Of course its not out yet...
I had a horror story w/Vista...I would never use it again...lately however even my XP running machines have begun to slow and act weird. I will be using W7 as soon as I can....I did buy an iMac24 that I use for the Logic Studio 8 DAW...I use the PC for the ofice and work...but I would never use Vista again even if it were the only choice... |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Dump vista.
Install your old xp
Wait for W7 (and then give that a year to get out the bugs)
Buy a mac
I feel your pain. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Vista is the new Millenium. M$ was so excited about it they were already working on 7 when they released it. They should have called it "Windows for users who can't be trusted to wipe themselves without being asked 3 times if they're sure they want to".
Interesting how you can still get an "XP downgrade option from places like Dell - they charge you $100 for it. That alone speaks volumes about the level of confidence they have in the desirability of Vista.
You can still get OEM XP-SP3 for between $99 and $140.
The trick with installing XP on Vista-ready machines is to find the XP drivers for them. The other day I replaced the hard drive in my daughters 'Vista ready' HP notebook. After a year of Vista, she wanted XP on it. Luckily, I found a post where a guy had located all the necessary XP drivers and utilities for that exact machine, because HP had removed all the XP drivers from their site.
If you have hardware for which XP drivers have never been developed, you're SOL. |
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April 2008
Posts: 498
| Windows 7 RC1 is out and available for free download, and it's good for a year of evaluation..
you can get 32bit or 64bit editions, and it runs a hell of a lot better than Vista did out of the box.
I'm a beta tester for MS and several of the other OS manufacturers...
if anyone wants to give W7 a try, here is the link:
Windows 7 RC1
you may have to register with MS to get it, but maybe an open link by now..
I've even gotten it to run on a 700mhz machine with only 256mb of ram, I'm using it on some of the machines I'm building and giving away to our freecycle members.
definitely speedier and more resource conservative than Longhorn.
Glenn |
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April 2008
Posts: 498
| just make sure you run the compatibility and update utility and get all necessary new drivers onto a cd or dvd before you load the OS, some NICs and wireless cards have hard to find drivers...
CA is also giving away a 6 month virus scanner eval to go along with it.
Glenn |
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November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Agreed with Ray, run...don't walk back to the store and order one with XP. |
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April 2008
Posts: 498
| The new machines are hardware and firmware locked/proprietary for Vista or W-7 in most cases, and you cannot even install XP Pro or home edition on the new mobos.
Glenn |
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March 2009
Posts: 416
Location: On the Coast - Halfway between SF & OR | Everyone knows the problems with Vista and the lack of customer service from Microsoft - why do people keep buying these machines?
I don't understand.
Anyone with the good sense to step out of the mainstream and own Ovations should not be taken in by the herd mentality that they must have "Windows.'
Take it back, buy a Mac and enjoy. |
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November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Originally posted by Palm Bay Glenn:
The new machines are hardware and firmware locked/proprietary for Vista or W-7 in most cases, and you cannot even install XP Pro or home edition on the new mobos.
Glenn You can still get dell laptops with XP if you go tot the small business section. Latitudes are probably the cheapest bang for you buck there. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | I bought a new PC a couple of months ago. It came loaded with XP and I've got a Vista disc I've never installed.
As to Mac's, by daughter wants a laptop for college next year. I don't know. For half the money you can get a laptop pc with a bigger screen, more features, etc. Why spend $2k when you can get more for $900? |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by fletcher:
Everyone knows the problems with Vista and the lack of customer service from Microsoft - why do people keep buying these machines?
I don't understand. The cheapest Mac (w/monitor) is more than twice the cost of a PC.
Not saying they're not worth it, but not everyone has room in their budget for one.
Originally posted by fletcher:
Anyone with the good sense to step out of the mainstream and own Ovations should not be taken in by the herd mentality that they must have "Windows.' Apples and oranges, and just a bit snotty.
One of the things I love about Ovations is the quality I can get for less money.
There are many who use windows because it fits their needs best.
I like Macs, but I still enjoy the flexibility of building my own systems for reasonable prices and finding great free software available. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I still use my PC's even though I bought a like new iMac24 for $1400 on eBay earlier this year...I bought it strictly to use for my studio: my DAW is Logic Studio 8...although in a pinch I can use it for other stuff as well: it has MS Office for Mac as well as the Adobe suite so the possibilities are limitless...but I have a lot tied up in my Dell XPS 600...which I use for internet and office work...I have a Dell Inspiron Laptop which I used in Seminary and now use as part of my network here at the house and when I'm away...Being versitile is great and I did not spend any more than I would have for a comparable PC replacement...except I don't want to replace my PC...just get it running smoothly and as fast as it should with it's 4Gigs memory/3.6 Gig Dual Processor/350 and 80 gig Raptor hard drives...this thing can and will fly again... |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | My home PC is running Vista and I purposely don't add any Programs besides Turbo Tax, iTunes and the One Care support stuff.
My next one will be a Mac. |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | I don't know why the PC-Mac discussion gets so heated. Different tools for people with different perspectives on how to get things done.
No different than a guitar discussion. There is certainly an economic factor. Not everyone can pony up for a Mac, and not everyone can pony up for a Taylor. Nor should they. Value is often portrayed as the holy grail of consumerdom, but it's also just another word for "compromise".
You look at the job that needs to be done, you look in your wallet, and you make the best compromise you can. Maybe it's a $500. e-machine. Maybe it's a $3500. iMac.
Unfortunately none of this banter helps OMA with his Vista issues. Sorry I can't help you. |
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Totally OT - Vista? Just got it. Any advice for the Old Guy?
