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learning vista/ new comp owners warning

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14 comments

  • gunnut505
    I didn't have any problems clearing the HDD and replacing Vista with XPsp2+. Works fine.
    Are you saying there's an OS hiding in the BIOS? System memory? On my graphics card?!
    I'm using a second 250GB HDD as backup, it's not an internal unit, so I just plug it in when I need to do a total backup.
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  • shoff14
    quote:Originally posted by gunnut505
    I didn't have any problems clearing the HDD and replacing Vista with XPsp2+. Works fine.
    Are you saying there's an OS hiding in the BIOS? System memory? On my graphics card?!
    I'm using a second 250GB HDD as backup, it's not an internal unit, so I just plug it in when I need to do a total backup.


    No. He is saying that manufacturers are putting Vista on a separate partition on the drive without giving you any ability to reformat because you don't actually get any Vista CD or recovery software with the computer. HP has done this for years and had part of the hard drive on their systems made to be able to recover the OS from, even if you formated the drive.



    I also think that Vista will be good. I just don't think that equipment and software manufacturers are ready for Vista yet. There also are not very many software programs out there currently that use 64 bit technology. Heck with all the dual and now quad core processors, most software still only uses one core.
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  • Rockatansky
    So, then, do you know why a regular Joe will want 64-bit OS?
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  • 1911a1-fan
    gunnut you obviously do not have anything to worry about,what cpu mobo you running?, and that does not mean the same for everyone else, if i was to attempt to put xp on this comp i would not get it to boot up after reformating, they have purposely changed driver requirements that xp does not have, not just sound etc. but crucial system drivers they have partitioned on the HARD DRIVE, ie: C drive and a D drive, it is not in dos, but in windows, you format it and it like erasing your xp disc, try putting your vista restore disc back in

    why does anyone want a 64 bit system?, much faster and efficient that 32 bit, just like 32 bit was to 16 bit, i have 2 64 bit systems, 1 with xp64, 1 vista, and 2 xp's, nether xp can hold a candle to it, like i said above they are making computers a dinosaur when they are not, within a few years everything will require it, right now allot of older software does not recognize vista or xp64
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  • buschmaster
    Micro$haft would like to go to a 64 bit system, and take advantage of faster hardware, so windows runs faster. programs are no longer a consideration except for gaming. I think the point has been reached where any software can be bloated as much as they want and your computer won't even notice. you could say that now it's all about the OS.

    Dell pioneered the OS-on-partition feature with a program called, believe it or not, ZZTOP.EXE. they did include the full Windows install disk also, but the point is that's not new.

    I think there are two reasons why nowadays all OEM's would want to put the reinstall on a partition with no Windows disk, as you said, because:

    1. you can't erase the hard drive and reinstall bone-stock Windows to get rid of all that trialware junk they put on it, so you're stuck with the product advertising they want to foist off on you.

    2. you can take an OEM Windows CD, copy it, and change a few simple things to make it whatever you want- OEM, Volume License, or Retail, then use it to install on whatever kind computer you want, their brand or not. therefore, when the OEM gives you an OEM Windows CD, they're inadvertently supplying you with "a" windows CD as long as you get a product key from somewhere. this setup would put a damper on people building their own computers.

    if you want to erase the hard drive before reinstalling windows, you can still do that with a retail CD.
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  • Locust Fork
    Before I had to get the internet on my laptop I had bought a new tower system for my home. My laptop is last yr's model so I have XP on it. The Vista that was running on my home PC had one MAJOR problem.....updates. It was set up to run updates in the middle of the nite and one update it ran would take my modem out. After three days of problems....fixing it....and re-fixing it.....it was finally figured out and set up in a way that I was notified of updates, but they weren't automatically installed.

    Just wait until that photo program COREL is on its last remaining days of the "trial" period....you will just LOOOOOOVVVEEEE the countdown days.
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  • iwannausername
    Coincidentally, the OS I use just had a new release last week.

    http://www.ubuntu.com
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  • pabooger
    My daughters laptop came with Vista, and getting it set up on the network with our other machines was a breeze and no problem as of yet with file and printer sharing.
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  • 1911a1-fan
    quote:Originally posted by pabooger
    My daughters laptop came with Vista, and getting it set up on the network with our other machines was a breeze and no problem as of yet with file and printer sharing.


    did you just get it "on" network, or can you control your entire network from that computer, including your gateway, all drives etc., getting it on the Internet is as simple as plugging it in


    lf those programs you are running out of free trial with can be removed from "programs and features" in control panel {previous add/remove}, i thought of your complaints in the past when i bought this, along with a few others, most are just settings, but they hide, and disguise where the settings are, like that damn pop up every time you load a program or even view a file took me a minute to find out what the heck uac was and take care of that

    like bushmaster said it is all about gaming, Microsoft office older than 03 will not run on vista correctly, you will not get xp {unless it is xp64} to run on a 965pe chipset or newer, the system requirements are really high, 16 bit cpu's are headed for the landfill
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  • pabooger
    When you said networking I assumed getting it on board with the existing network.

    I haven't tried using it to control the entire network.

    I did have an issue where it wouldn't recognize the wireless router because I had it encrypted. It took me awhile to find the switch in Vista, to correct that problem.

    As you said they have a unique way of hiding or disguising everything. So far she hasn't found any compatability issues. But I have heard of many from others.

    Microsoft Office 200o wouldn't install on the Vista machine, So I bought the Office home and student. The new Word 2007 has changed so much, my wife hates it, she is slowly figuring it out, but it's really different.

    She does like the OneNote,2007 software.
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  • 1911a1-fan
    look in your office 07 for a setting, you can change the setting to mimic older versions
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  • Hangfire
    You all should checkout M$ Virtual PC..it's just too cool..and now its free..M$ says it's not supported on Vista Home Premium or XP Home..But it works fine..

    It's a program that hosts "Guest" OS's..not a dual-boot..You install an OS within VPC with an OS disc..and you can switch with a click..On my Desktop I'm running Vista Home Premium..XP MCE..XP_PRO..XP_PRO Spanish..W2KPRO..98SE..WinME..NT4..95..Did all these just for kicks,since I had the install discs..

    For real practical use..On a Vista Ultimate laptop I've installed XP_PRO..On an XP_PRO laptop I've installed Vista Ultimate..On my Daughters Vista Home Premium laptop I also installed XP_PRO..She's in college and its a life-saver for compatibility...Google Virtual PC for lots of info..

    http://tinyurl.com/2jr7a7
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  • needmyguns
    I GOT VISTA ON MY LAPTOP I LOVE IT
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  • pabooger
    quote:look in your office 07 for a setting, you can change the setting to mimic older versions

    Ok will do!!! Thanks!!!
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