View Full Version : Vista
jimbo
01-05-2008, 08:24 AM
Came home from a couple of days visiting new granddaugher born 1/3/08, to find computer ^#$^%$^#@%.
Had the geek squad at Best Buy check it out, ruled out power supply and hard drive. Motherboard issue, so give it up! Bought a new HP Pavillion, and of course it has Vista. I am not loving it, but what is a person to do. I may regret not getting a MAC!
I am pretty much 'left handed' about all this stuff, but I am up and running. I had the geek squad transfer my data from the old hard drive, so I did not lose pictures, etc. The darn thing tries to stuff AOL down your throat, and I don't wan't that. I use ATT Yahoo DSL, which I can get to , but it doesn't really act like it used to!
Went to HP website to get a driver for my printer. Answer was : "too bad, so sad; you get to buy a new printer!"
Oh well, I did get to my forums, which was the real panic! Do any of you other guys go into "internet withdrawl syndrome" if you can't get to the internet for a couple of days? Fortunately, while I was away, the hotel has a public computer in the lobby for guest use.
Cookie
01-05-2008, 09:15 AM
Congratulations on the new grandaughter Jim, you almost had a New Year baby!
maddog
01-05-2008, 02:45 PM
Someone told me that DELL will still load XP on a new system, if requested. I can't confirm that from personal experience, but it wouldn't harm asking .... Otherwise, you'll get Vista (yuk!) by default.
brownizs
01-05-2008, 08:59 PM
Which HP Printer? You can usually find a different driver that will work for it.
jimbo
01-05-2008, 10:10 PM
It's a photosmart 1215, which is apparently a little older than I remembered it . I went to HP website and they said "no vista for you, pal!". Not being too savvy, I gave up on that and bought a new Kodak 5300, the one that the ink is cheaper, because you don't have to replace the print head with each cartridge.
I was talking with someone at Micro Center and this is only 1 of the problems with VISTA, but a costly one.
Very few of the company's are making drivers so their accessories are compatible with vista causing people to have to spend more $$$ on new equipment. I believe it was planned that way so it would increase their revenue.
Heck, if Micro S*ft comes out with a new OS every few years and no one make drivers for the older equipment used with it people will have to spend lots of $$$ updating.
jimbo, keep us up on what you think of VISTA with regular updates.
Thanks.
jimbo
01-06-2008, 07:22 AM
I am not loving, but I don't respond well to change!
My Yahoo DSL has a different look and feel than before, can't find a switch user button, so have to log out one user and log in a new one. Favorites lists are "misbehaving". I'm sure most of this is that I just am a slow learner on tekkie stuff like this!
At least I have a working printer and email. I can keep in touch, and pay my bills!
My next adventure will be to reload turbotax. It seems that I have all my old data, but applications did not xfer over. I hope turbotax does not give me a hard time about a new computer!
Overall, Vista isn't so bad. You might as well switch now as later. There's a tendency to want everything to last forever, but the world of computers moves faster than the real world.
Some of the things you need to get used to are the lack of menu items (just tap the alt key to get them back) and finding your way around the filesystem. Since I'm a bit of a techie, I have used keystrokes for years to get places, and those still work. For example, Windows key + E key brings up an explorer window. Windows key + Pause key brings up System Properties.
There's no longer a "run" choice in the menu, so type your choice in the box at the top of the explorer window. (e.g. msinfo32)
I think the worst thing about Vista is that networking has become worse than ever. You'd think that with people networking computers in their homes, making it simple would have been a priority, but nope.
I'm typing this on a Linux system, the OS is only about a year old, but the computer is more like seven. It's too old and slow to run my business on, but fine for this browsing and email stuff. No antivirus - no firewall - no need.
My main computer still sports XP - it should have a few more years in it. We do have an in-house laptop with Vista on it, and it's been working fine for my sweetie, very stable and pretty. The computer's stable and pretty, too.
patrick88
01-06-2008, 11:19 AM
My kid has a vista system. He needs Wintrash to run games.
Debian Gnu/Linux runs great on Pentium I, II, III, IV etc... No need to mess with Geek squad or any other crazy tech people that do nothing but try and sell you upgrades. I have looked at there cd and riped it apart looking for what great tools they have. It was filled with help files that answer questions for the geeks that don't know *&^%. Most of the guys that come on here know more about computers than most of the geeks squad.
Download a live cd and toss it into your old pc and breath new life into it. Install one of the many distros and have a new computer that doesn't have the same problems that wintrash has.
jimbo
01-06-2008, 02:30 PM
Patrick, I have no idea what you just said! But you are right that Vista was invevitable for me sooner or later. I would have preferred later!! But the old computer apparently ate the motherboard, so here we are!
cwhyu2
01-06-2008, 03:01 PM
I tried to install linux tried on two different computers,didnt work
patrick88
01-06-2008, 05:17 PM
I tried to install linux tried on two different computers,didnt work
Ubuntu works great for most new people to Linux.
I would have preferred later!! But the old computer apparently ate the motherboard, so here we are!
I have a few computers running that Geek squad says the mother board doesn't work.
If Geek Squad were plumbers we all would be calling them "Hacks". They can't fix something so they tell you to replace your computer.
jimbo
01-06-2008, 05:53 PM
I can tell that those guys are not rocket scientists, necessarily. But I did watch them plug in a new power supply, to rule that out, and verify my hard drive was not crashed. It was an E-machine that probably only cost $350 4 years ago, so I wasn't going to put any serious money in it. It is very true that I am not well versed in technology any more ( I used to be , 20 years ago! But I didn't keep up!).......so therefor I am at their mercy!
speedbump
01-07-2008, 08:25 AM
I'm like Cass, I don't want to switch until all the kinks have been ironed out. I like XP just fine and fought it until W2000 got outdated.
Keep us informed Jimbo. Who knows, you may be our Guru with Vista. You will have more experience than the rest of us.
bob...
Mikey
01-07-2008, 09:51 AM
I was given a Lenovo laptop for a going-away present when I retired, and it had Vista on it. I gave up after a few months and upgraded to XP Pro so I could get my work done; same with Office 2007 and Office Pro 2003.
Having said that, I advise all my clients (that's a strong word for "people who ask me about computers") to get Vista on their new computers. They're going to have to switch someday, so they may as well start now. I make sure they're getting enough oomph (sorry for the techy term) in their new hardware so that Vista will perform halfway decently (halfway is about all you can expect), and generally they're happy. The Vista for Dummies book is pretty good, and now there's a "Vista for Seniors" that is OK too.
Having said THAT, I've got 3 machines running XP, and just got an old laptop with Fedora on it so's I can learn Linux. I actually took a Linux certification course a few years ago, but all those bits have run out of my head, so it's back to square 2 or so. I'm running Open Office, Thunderbird, and Firefox on my main XP machine, and see no reason to buy Office any more, which is a darn good thing, what with living on a fixed income now.
I tried to install linux tried on two different computers,didnt work
The Linux systems get better all the time. I'd try a live CD before I installed anything, to make sure it works. The latest version of Knoppix usually starts on just about anything for me. I use Kubuntu, but Ubuntu would be a good place to start. (I just prefer the KDE desktop.) Burn a live CD and if it works, you can choose to install it.
I actually took a Linux certification course a few years ago, but all those bits have run out of my head, so it's back to square 2 or so.
It's hard to keep it in your head, partly because they keep changing it. If you don't stay current you lose things. Many old commands no longer work, have been replaced. And there are more distros than ever now.
I've taken to using Open Office for all new things, and just use Word Perfect and Word for things I've already got done. Thunderbird and Firefox, all my machines. I had an HTML bomb open one time on the Windows machine and decided I didn't want to stay with Outlook Express.
patrick88
01-07-2008, 07:23 PM
I will take an old pc like a Pentium I with Linux on it. Long before a new pc running Vista or any of the windtrash systems.
cwhyu2
01-07-2008, 07:49 PM
I have 5 computers 2 xp 1 me 1 98 &1 95 I play with them all.:eek:
leejosepho
01-07-2008, 09:06 PM
I have 5 computers ... 98 ... I play with them all.:eek:
(Still have a few Commodores, too!)
hj has a few computers running, what do you run on yours hj?
speedbump
01-08-2008, 05:55 AM
I hear people talking about Linux all the time and have never gotten into it. Can you tell us a bit more about the operating system and how it compares/differs with a Windows operating system. Can you use it in conjunction with Windows on the same machine?
bob...
patrick88
01-08-2008, 09:10 PM
I hear people talking about Linux all the time and have never gotten into it. Can you tell us a bit more about the operating system and how it compares/differs with a Windows operating system. Can you use it in conjunction with Windows on the same machine?
bob...
Linux is a close relative to Apple's OS10.
Linux in nothing like Windows.
I run a dual boot computer i.e. the computer starts and a boot loader gives me choice of what OS i would like to run. You can install as many OS's you want to run.
Linux doesn't force you to buy AntiVirus or firewalls or pop-up blockers etc...
You can with a properly configured system run wintrash inside Linux and Linux inside wintrash.
Check out the three link below. The first two talk about why Linux is better and the third list applications that are comparable to winstuff.
http://www.reichel.net/opensource/linuxtop10.html
http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/Linux.vs.Windows.html
http://www.linuxappfinder.com/alternatives?page=7
I switched to Linux because I was sick and tired of win blue screen, freezes, and crashes. I also said why should I pay money for an Operating system that has all these problems when I can get one for free. Oh by the Linux is stable it is tested by programmers around the world. When a flaw is found it tends to get fixed right away. unlike win security fix's that take months or never to come out.
Good luck to all and I would do what I was not able to do and try a live cd before taking the plunge. I would all suggest keeping an open mind because it is not windows. Ubuntu Linux has a look and feel to Apple OS 10. Knoppix has a look to win.
speedbump
01-09-2008, 09:03 AM
Well I read about it until my eyes hurt. I'm more confused than before.
How do I get a copy to download to a stick drive so I can try it out. I downloaded something that turned out to be an ISO file. Windows needless to say didn't like that.
I would like to try the 50 or 75 meg version of Linux on my stick drive to see what it's all about. If I think it's something I would like, I can try it on a computer I am not so dependent on in case I make any drastic "Fubar" with it.
bob...
patrick88
01-09-2008, 03:27 PM
first link is the home page. the second link is the directions to help you run a version of Linux called pen drive Linux.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2007/11/04/usb-pendrive-linux-install-from-windows/
To burn an iso you need a cd burner that will make iso disks. When I was real new I went to the book store and bought a book called Debian Gnu/Linux Bible any of the Linux bible books are very helpful. They come with the boot dvd or cd.
An ISO file is what is used to burn a CD, so that you can use the CD to either run the live version of the OS or install it to the computer. You need software that will burn an ISO (disk image file) such as CDburnerXP Pro. Some versions of Nero, for example, will not burn an ISO.
Another version of LInux that's kind of fun is Puppy Linux. It's a bit different from other versions, but as a live Linux that you run right from the CD, you can save a bit of information to your hard drive and always run Puppy without installing it. What amazed me was how fast it was - not like most live CDs.
When I get a computer that's dead and I need to copy things from the hard drive, I often use Knoppix as a live CD, and a thumb drive to get the information.
One of the differences you'll immediately see is that Linux has a different naming convention for drives - your hard drive might be HDA1 instead of C:.
I like the KDE desktop, so I use Kubuntu - or Ubuntu with KDE. I've played with a great number of distros and this one has been quite nice. KDE is windows-like in that you have a button where the Windows start button would be that you click for the menu.
Linux comes with a great number of programs already installed, or easy to get, for such things as web browsers, email clients, games, and so on. These differ from distro to distro.
Ubuntu is very stable and easy, but even Linus Torvalds, who invented Linux, doesn't like its starkness. It has a lot of powerful stuff under the hood, but it could take you years to figure out how to get under the hood. It uses the Gnome desktop, and when you first install it, it appears very simple.
Most Linux distros install with four desktops - you click on buttons to move from one to the next. With that feature, you can put an email program on one desktop, a browser on another desktop, and have a couple more desktops for word processors or games or whatever, and if you remember which desktop it was on, you don't have to fumble through a stack of windows.
The number of desktops depends on the amount of memory and resources you have, and you can have more or fewer desktops.
Linux is getting better at recognizing hardware during the installation. That's always been a problem. Linux development is primarily voluntary. It would be nice if more companies would provide drivers for Linux.
Mikey
01-10-2008, 06:49 AM
I have 5 computers 2 xp 1 me 1 98 &1 95 I play with them all.:eek:
What, no MS-DOS or Windows 3.1?
speedbump
01-10-2008, 06:59 AM
You guys are really sparking my interest. I'm going to get started today. I'll let you know what happens if I don't put myself off the air.:mad:
bob...
Mikey
01-10-2008, 07:00 AM
Can you use it in conjunction with Windows on the same machine?
bob...
The fanciest way to run 2 operating systems on the same hardware is to "virtualize" the OSes on top of a "hypervisor" - a piece of software - that presents multiple virtual hardware images to them. Both Windows and Linux can host this hypervisor software -- I use VMware on Windows, and there are several Linux-based systems (VMware also runs on Windows, and there are (of course) some free ones as well). Two advantages of this approach are that you don't have to reboot to switch OSes, and they can talk to each other over an internal virtual network. There's a small performance hit, you need lots of real memory, and VMware isn't free. It's a very cool way to release your inner geek.
speedbump
01-10-2008, 07:39 AM
I was hoping you would say it WAS free. I hate spending money before I know if it's something I really want to play with or not.
Kind of like buying a new car when in fact you wanted a Four Wheel Drive Truck.
bob...
speedbump
01-10-2008, 08:47 AM
Well guess what? My machine will not boot from the Pen Drive. I tried every device in the list HD 0, 1, 2, 3, and some things I didn't even know existed. I ran the .bat file on the Stick and all went well.
Back to the drawing board.
bob...
What, no MS-DOS or Windows 3.1?
I skipped right over 3.1, because I liked DOS much better than Windoze at that point. But I still have my first, fully-functional DOS machine. I also have the remains of a laptop that's functional, sans monitor, that ran DR DOS.
I also have machines that run Win 95, 98, ME.
I no longer have my Timex/Sinclair w/16k RAMpack. I guess I must have thrown it away. :confused:
My office server runs Novel 3.12 over DOS 6.2.....stable. All my accounting, customer and database software resides there and meets my needs. Workstations attached are all XP Pro and they about 96% (or better) stable. Don't use the home computer much these days. 1981 IBM (genuine) PC with a whopping 640k ram and a massive 40mb HDD running DOS 6.2.
Bought a notebook PC for my granddaugher for Xmas that came with Vista. Seems pretty zippy once I uninstalled all the "free" and "trial" garbage.
Mort
patrick88
01-10-2008, 01:02 PM
Well guess what? My machine will not boot from the Pen Drive. I tried every device in the list HD 0, 1, 2, 3, and some things I didn't even know existed. I ran the .bat file on the Stick and all went well.
Back to the drawing board.
bob...
check this out http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu you can order a free cd takes about 6-10 weeks to come in
brownizs
01-11-2008, 06:01 AM
Try using the XP driver for it http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=228&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=57595&lang=en
cwhyu2
01-11-2008, 07:05 AM
Still cant download linux cant even order the cd.Stupid machine wont let me
ready to get a big hammer or just live with what I got.:(
Mikey
01-11-2008, 10:07 AM
I hate spending money before I know if it's something I really want to play with or not.
I think they offer a 30-day free trial. I just got the following link to a free VMware overview document; haven't looked at it yet, it may be targeted more toward the server user than the desktop, but should explain the principles:
http://rapidrequest.emediausa.com/2/2.aspx?186673.JPKBYEKY.8993
cwhyu2
01-11-2008, 03:58 PM
Tried 300 different times :mad:
patrick88
01-11-2008, 04:19 PM
VMware is a bit to complex for most people. I prefer to recommend a live cd.
If you can't get a disk to down load or order one I would goto a book store and get one of the many Linux books that come with a disk. The book is helpful to any body that wants to learn a new system.
speedbump
01-12-2008, 06:53 AM
VMware is a bit to complex for most people. I prefer to recommend a live cd.
Since I don't even know what VMware is, I might take your suggestion.
bob...
Bill Arden
01-17-2008, 02:00 PM
Microsoft has a history where each OS is not stable until they "stop messing with it" This means that "Vista" won't be stable until "Vista2" (Whatever it's called) comes out.
I have lots of PC's since I have to have a PC for each OS that we support.
1. A Windows 98 PC that runs dos, 95, 98
2. A Windows 2000 PC that used to also boot ME (We don't support ME anymore)
3. Three XP Pro computers. (Two can boot Vista)
I also have a Linux file server with a raid hard drive.
But the boss is saying that we are going to have to support Vista and our device driver won't load on Vista without a re-write.
Some drivers will work on Vista and I've managed to keep using my HP LaserJet 6L and the JetDirect 170X even though they are not meant to be used together.
PS: And Yes you can still get XP from DELL since that is where we are getting PC's with both XP and Parallel ports from.