Why do You Hate Vista?

'Fraid I can't share any tales of woe, only sympathize .

I'd heard so much bad stuff about Vista, I paid extra to get a "downgrade" to XP when I bought my current laptop .

I hate vista because it's the modern day version of what Windows Millennium Edition aka "Mistake Edition" was, that is a post beta "shake down" version which is done not only for free but better yet we pay MS for the honor of doing the bulk of the R&D for windows 7.

I will run windows 64 bit XP pro until 7 has been out at least a couple of years.

Concur. XP64 is just fine. When Win7 SP1 comes out I'll consider migrating.

I don't like the little "menu" tabs. It gives me too much to think about, if I click the "X" on the menue tab, this page will go down. If I click the big "X" at the upper right, Firefox goes down." Sometimes.

Hey, waitaminnit, this might be just a characteristic of this blowdydammedtohell useless firefox piece of xxxx. Why, oh why do people LIKE this crxx? Nope...Vista seems to work just fine. Its just that mozzilla junk which is giving me conniptions....

I suspect if you can not access older restore points, you may have some malware that is giving you problems. Or this may be a characteristic of HP machines. I do not like HP machines. I would swear by HP back when they were an instrument company, but since that lady decided they were a computer importing company, they have turned out nothing but garbage (at least, the computer equipment that I have been exposed to with the HP name embossed somewhere seems to have a maximum life expectancy of about 6 months).

I can not offer my comments on Vista, because I have only had sufficient exposure to it on other people's machines to convince me that I am not interested in investing the time to relearn how my systems are supposed to work. So, I switched from XP to Linux...Less of a learning curve.

So, I switched from XP to Linux...Less of a learning curve.

Yep. I concur with that. I have two desktops I switch back and forth between. One uses XP the other uses Linux Ubuntu. It was an easy transition for the most part. I wouldnt give any later version of Windows a further consideration.

Importing? How? Please help I don't have any of these troubles help me to avoid, thanks.

There are a few free programs that will find duplicate files for you...How did you lose it? On the start menu does "Recent Items" not take you to it's location?

If search will not find then indexing isn't enabled or the location to which it went isn't indexed.

NO move function?? My Vista has move but it's spelled "Copy" or the fastest way is to use the preferred Vista system method "Drag'n Drop".

Unfortunate...Crashes occur due instability...5 minutes is plenty time to find error and correct.

This is typical of many problem folks have trying to use XP methods in Vista. It's not recommended because many functions operate differently. I experienced the same level of frustration with each edition of super Mario Bros game, something was different and it threw off my momentum until the new method was learned.

1. I don't like that it takes twelve seconds to boot and get online, this should require more than 4-5 seconds.

2. And the way it utilizes multiple cores wow what a let down.

3. The interface efficiency is horrific, I have to reduce the video intensity and turn-off many features to get that old XP visual feature.

4. What a tribulation when I'd don't need buy partition software because it's integral to Vista O/S.

5. The 64bit RAM usage is pitiful too it'll accomodate and utilize 30GB.

6. All my 98SE, XP programs work better than before too.

Most of the improvements you are describing are hardware!

I burned or transfered all the files off, either by emailing them to myself [I like cloud computing] or by burning to CD.

Then I did a full back to original settings, dump all files, restore, since I had no choice as the only restore points were corrupted!

Then I installed AVG, ran PCdecrapifier [thanks Bwire], updated all the way to SP2, installed IE8, [which if you don't like tabs can be set to open up new windows] & installed stuff like hotmail & a couple of other little programs my wife likes to keep around...

I like the menu bar, I don't like drag & drop only, yes you can cut & paste, but on a laptop it can be a little funky without a real mouse. The XP move function defaults back to your last location, instead of me having to remember where I left off. Vista also has a habit of making copies whether or not you want em...

I was importing pics & I moved the folder dropped it somewhere accidently & couldn't find it, OK fine I'll just run the CD again, which it wouldn't let me do, ended up forcing it & all is well in picture land....

Vista also makes sharing a pain across my network, I just want to share a few files not fuss around with public nonsense, nor do I want to confirm my intention to delete, download or what ever 37 times... Move stuff on a whim to who knows where with no warning.

Most of the improvements you are describing are hardware!

Yes an it is so that many hardwares need upgrade when using Vista even though Vista upgrade wizard says okay. The wizard will pass your system when marginal too; this misleads many because the system is marginal on the very extreme minimal requirement to utilize Vista.

Let's check; if had a 64bit machine and 64bit vista O/S, wizard says minimum 1GB RAM is okay. Look at it this way vista will commandeer 90% of the RAM; this will be a bad experience for you. The really from a user stand point an for mediocre computing an absolute minimum of 2GB RAM is required though I would recommend 4GB - 6GB. You'll also appreciate more graphic support and 3.0 GB/s HDD's and an improved PSU is also a good idea.

Free Duplicate file finder

Actually when it's not locking up, It's a pretty cool machine 4g & real fast...

I lost track of the conversation about partitioning. I like the concept of programs & data on different partitions. I only put pics on the vista machine, because the disc reader is shot on this machine. I moved em over here.

Vista machine is still a blank slate, I can't quite follow the dual boot stuff I've read so far, so the chance of me being able to do linux is remote

A different partition is only about 5% (or less!) better than having all your data & system on the same partition.

Best is a completely different hard disk.....a problem for cheap Laptop users......good Laptops can handle two drives internally.....or better said "safe" Laptops.....

Anyone using a Laptop where it almost never gets moves has wasted money, performance and safety over buying a good PC......they have only saved on space....

Laptops are for business people who are really on the move, few private persons need one.....no matter what they think!!!

But:-

"!You pays your money and you makes your choice!"

It is real nice to be able to sit out on the deck & use the laptop. Having the data on a separate partition seems like it would have helped avoid the recent dilemia. I plan to combine the bits from a couple of old xp desk tops which can hopefully be for back up. I thought I was going to be able to back up on a seagate usb hard drive & did for a while but it went crazy & won't let me reformat it & installing the software on the vista machine made it flake out [vista]...

I'm unemployed so I can't do things like buy a bigger hard drive for this machine or what ever other hardware to give me some breathing room...

I busy outside making brush piles to burn as soon as the fire danger drops [rain], stacking firewood...

Anyway back to the subject at hand Vista is a thorn in my side, Just had to install Open office on my wife's Vista machine as the "new & Improved Office suite" was driving her nuts, She doesn't want to learn new things just make a few flyers, signs, little things, nothing complicated... I used the MS word processor a bit, it is slick, but also different for no reason, also so convient things happen, that you didn't intend...

seagate usb hard drive & did for a while but it went crazy & won't let me reformat it

Have you got the patch from seagate to correct?

Now that the vista machine has settled down & I'm on a month plus with this xp machine aok I should take another run at it...

I wiped the data [off the seagate], but there is no file extension [forgive I don't remember the details at the moment].

I messed up initially and told it to back up the back up inadvertently & it's been all down hill since. I was using macafee at the time which offered to back up, on c drive which wasn't big enough to hold everything...

Macafee was most of the problem here on the xp machine, burning up lots of capacity & generally slowing things down... Much happier with AVG, even though it takes like 4 hours to do a scan.

Scanning speed isn't a priority anyway though because AVG has been compromised several times this past eighteen months I recommend Comodo.

It sounds as though the external disk has a hardware failure.....

But!! Did you try and format it NTFS? That is not allowed (God knows why?!?) on some cheaper USB drives.

If you have access to either good partitioning software or an older system, try formatting to FAT32....it might recover if its NOT a genuine hardware failure....

As I have already mentioned, having data on the same hard disk, even if a separate partition, still means if the disk dies, that the data is lost. Furthermore, Windows tends to snatch a whole disk when installing......it sometimes ignores partition information, or at least Windows did up until XP at least.

I have not been so stupid as to installed Vista.....nor do I want to......you have given me further reasons to ignore it (not that I needed any further help in that direction!!).

Vista formatting tool can perform FAT32...

When you have a virus (thats what it sounds like!) that shuts the PC down, you need to get hold of a Linux based boot CD that many of the antivirus companies offer for free on the web.

Download it and burn the CD.(Naturally using an uninfected PC!)

Boot the infected machine with it.

Save all your important data to an external hard disk or DVDs, whatever is easier....

Try to get rid of the virus once your data is safe.....or just reformat the hard disk (after making sure you have your Windows/software passwords....

Knoppix is also a CD that can do this for you......but there are many different ones.

Other than the Internet Explorer crashing all the time my 64 bit Vista runs OK. At least when the explorer crashes it does not take the system down with it.

My big problem with Visa is that I have thousands of dollars in software that will not run and upgrading is either none existent or too expensive. Some examples of this are Solid Works 2000 ($5000), TestPoint (no drivers available need to upgrade to Labview $5000.). These are just a few examples.

I either need to cough up the money or wait to see if Windows 7 will run these programs.

I guess I will wait.

I did learn from the past to store a back up of all my personal files on an external hard drive. I lost too much data a few years ago.

...or sell the programs!!

...by the way. It could still be a virus!!

Get Linux. You won't this problem. Vista reminds me of Windows ME or 95. Good luck. You didn't say which version of Vista you were trying to install. If you are installing a 64 bit version some or most 32 bit software has trouble running. Good luck

If you are installing a 64 bit version some or most 32 bit software has trouble running.

I've performed this installation many times an actually IMO not using 64bit is tantamount to shooting self in foot, I haven't experienced any trouble as you say except with the early XP 64bit; that is a nightmare.

I have been using Vista professionaly now for about a week. I do program development on a 64 bit dual core machine. I have had no problems with it other than the fact that the way things operate and the way you access them has changed significantly from XP that it takes some time to figure out how to do some things (i.e. configuring IIS). The Vista version I use is Vista Business.

I would not touch Vista with a 10 foot poll. I have heard from PC techs they do not like it. I recently bought a refurbished DELL (in very good shape) on eBay 2.8 GHz 80GB HD 1GB Ram and XP Home SP3 updated XP also. My old computer flew south for the winter. I paid only $165 bucks and it works great XP is great and proven. Hope you fix your problems and my advice is use XP best OS I have ever used.

I have been using Vista now for a month. So far it has been bulletproof. I discovered that a LOT of my old programs didn't work...MS Works for instance had been my business software for 14 years, and it won't work on my new 'puter. (This is that 64 bit thing) Not that it matters, all my backups are on three inch floppies that I can't run anyhow, and really, who needs old paperwork but the government and the bank? (And I think I can just rob the floppy drive from the old tower anyway. If that ever becomes an issue.)

A lot of games don't run any more...but hey...they are only games. So what! There are better and newer games out there if I want to waste my life playing video games.

So I am tentatively going to add myself to the list of people who are satisfied with Windows Vista. It seems to do what I want when I want. Microsoft has created many opportunities to bash them in the past, Vista seems to not be one of them.

(So far...)

I hate Vista because at least 2 computer experts said they hate it.

You want more kool aid

You are correct in following their advice. I have read the same from several sources (ones that I trust and know) ever since Vista hit the streets.....thats why I buy certain German Computer Magazines.....every month......to be fully and correctly informed, as well as upto date.

Hi Took the chance/leap to Linux two months ago.

Will NEVER go back.

Clean Smooth Fast and no ripoff copyright issues.

Open source,power to the people,true democracy,

LOVE IT!!!!

Do IT!!!!!

I'm on a old pentium III machine running unbuntu 8.04

trying to learn enough to at least dual boot the Vista *&%# machine.

I like it so far

Vista tries to be intuitive, but I keep ending up pissed off, it seems to just put the files wherever & pretends it don't know what I'm looking for even though its open in a different window.

Garth

The emulator programs under linux are even better/easier/faster.

Maybe you would need faster hardware to retain windows software collection

under emulator.

Do the switch, Earlier in life the better!

Just thinking out loud.I like computers when they're fun.

Good day.

Vista tries to be intuitive, but I keep ending up pissed off, it seems to just put the files wherever & pretends it don't know what I'm looking for

Have you configured indexing for faster file searching?

For basic indexing options go to start and enter " Indexing Options" in the start search field. You probably want "Start Menu" indexed, however there maybe selections under "Users" that you don't require being indexed.

This is the way to make changes, select the "User" entry and click modify, select or de-select users as you require. Once you've made your selections click okay.

Go to start / computer / right click the system drive / select Properties / and at the bottom of the pane on the General tab check in the tick box to enable indexing of the drive.

B thanks for all the good advice you keep giving me...

But

Huh?

I never actually use search...

I just want to go to document or music or pic & find files

But noo

over the river & through the woods

then there's the added confusion of the public folder for sharing, I just want to share the whole HDD,

But nooo

Are you sure you want to do that> do you have permission to do that> are you really sure you want to do that

I could probably keep track of it all, not my computer, my wife's

stuck her on the linux box & she could make it work after about 5 minutes of instruction.

If I didn't care where my files are I would buy an apple

don't have that many files maybe 100 documents, 5-6000 pics & music on an external hard drive

you may say it's my wife's fault but it happens to me too.

never had any of this with XP, the occasional put it in the wrong folder

Hate drag & drop on a laptop, bring back move, yeah cut & paste works, but not as good as ol reliable move

then there's all the bullshit when you try to burn a disc & get defaulted into the new improved format that only works on vista, I end up wasting way more cd's, than I ever did on XP or the linux machine

The help files are a bad joke, runs me around in circles & I end up going to a forum [no not this one] to get an understandable answer.

now we're supposed to pay again to upgrade to 7

The bloat is unbelivable all the proccessing power is sucked up, doing who knows what?

I have to go through & decrapify every couple of weeks or it starts to lock up [running AVG], this is after doing a full destructive as if it just came out of the box restore maybe 2 months ago.

she goes to to her hot mail, snopes, a couple of chatty forums [no not this one], maybe utube

I go to all the same places & do job hunting which takes me to spam & other nasties, on both the xp & linus machines, no problems & I load up different stuff to try from freeware sites.....

Don't get me wrong the hardware on the thing is great, especially for utube

Just when I think I have a handle on it & maybe I can live with it... frozen

I reguliarly have 10-15 tabs open on mr XP, the pentium III linux box starts to slow down if you have more than a few things running.. Mr vista is about the same even with a couple of gig of ram?

But hey that's why I started the thread, needed a place to blow off steam

Your fighting the system just like you when first using XP

I like vista, I got a 32bit O/S that I'll upgrade to 64bit so can use full processor capabilities but I don't have any reason to go to win7.

On the start menu right click on picture/music respectively then select Properties then Location and specify where you want the files; downloads etc. to be located, in effect which drive or partition

Set up the indexing and vista will function better.

Don't pay any mind to the Public folder, just highlight the file and a tool bar with "Share" will appear; click it, share the files, and let the system work it out.

You can disable the UAC but I strongly discourage it. It's a needed security function.

I don't have any trouble burning disc(s)?? explain??

The vista tutorial is quite helpful go there next time. I'll bet you just ignored the welcome center. I did too until frustration forced me to look into it and you should too. On the start menu select welcome center and then the icon for "what's new in vista". Stop trying to use it like XP and do your self a favor; Vista is far and away better than ubuntu when you use it.

You shouldn't need to re-run decrapifier often, I think I think AVG is a lost leader, take a steady look at the free A/V full version available at Comodo instead or better buy an ESET. Zone alarm Internet suite last week offered a 3-pkg for $25 total.

Checkout this from trend "RUBotted" download and run it.

Checkout this different type of anti-malware program "threat fire". And get "Advanced System care".

Actually went right from dos & proprietary plc software to xp barely a hitch. I never owned a computer that could hit the net until 05, the biggest hassle was the cable company having a trap on my line, they had to remove at the pole

tried to share as you describe & follow the vague help descriptions, all I get is nag screens telling me I'm not authorized asking for passwords it won't accept when I try to access from mr XP. Out of desperation I started using the public folder, which doesn't seem to sync as i would like.

UAC=user access control?

no one but the 2 of us use the computer, when we use it in public [been over a year] the wireless sets itself to the higher level of security [public]. I can't detect any of my neighbors wireless connections, so I would have to believe I'm somewhat safe. Use a modem/router & a wireless access port, keep the firewall & security turned on.

I was talking to my wife & haven't had the BSOD & only a couple of freezes [cursor stuck, keyboard locked], since the restore. Locked up yesterday but there was a program converting video to another format running & I tryed to download a program. black screen, but restarted to the same point, not the end of the world...

seems like everything I try to do with outside software, is a battle just to figure out how it interacts w/pinche vista. I don't seem to have that problem w/ XP or Unbuntu, I can concentrate on figuring out the software.

Vista hijacks the format & trys to [successfully] burn to the new format. I installed a different burner [infraburner I think] program, which gives me more control or at least more information about what is happening.

the desk top has a couple of good working cd/dvd units & helps me do a work around for the XP machine [cd/dvd bad] haven't quite figured out how to see the 8.04 machine from the 2 windows boxes yet. The 8.04 has no problem pulling files [public folder only] from pinche vista or mr XP

Neither windows box will run the 1200 hp printer anymore, tryed uninstall, update... 8.04 no problem plug n play

when you say better, it depends on what you mean.

I'm probably gonna leave it vista & an XP & this thing as 8.04

I am feeling better than a couple of months ago when I was down to just the pinche vista, that would barely run. Managed to back up restore the laptops, backup, get the external HDD replaced & set up 8.04 desktop. I even put in a partition & am gonna try to dual boot to XP once I get some of the other projects out of the way...

Vista may have some advantages, but dammed if I can tell you what they are & it's a memory hog

So's adobe, I found a decent replacement PDF program[foxit], replacement flash is on the list.

unbuntu does more with less, but there's a bunch of things stuck in the windows world. The user forum [unbuntu] is pretty responsive. The nonsense I got into with trying to reinstall xp on this desktop, left a bad taste in my mouth, [I think it may have been broken glass] I had no choice but install 8.04 just to clear out the crud & get the HDD back in working order..

Windows media player is not straight forward user friendly but I've been using it quite awhile and find it irksome when I try using another player though Nero is straight forward and user friendly.

When installing softwares or performing maintenance functions you need to do it in an admin account to avoid all the permissions crap. When I do a fresh install on my stuff I usually lock an disable the windows default background administrator acct. so that afterwards those pesky permissions flags stay home.

The security advantage of the UAC = user access c?, is to create an unshared admin function acct for maintenance etc. and to use a standard user acct when normally surfing online. The benefit is that any malware will not have permissions within the standard acct either and the standard user acct's needn't be password protected.

I don't use the Public folder at all.

Think your safe eh? try this Shields Up scroll down to "Hot Spots" and select shields up the program will let you know how safe you are, no worries its benign an with excellent reputation.

I don't save & watch much content, usually using flash or quick time on whatever site. My sister in law gave us a splindle of DVD's on the condition we would burn a couple music video's for her. So of course the blazingly fast machine with a bunch of memory is the best choice, did ok in the end & only burned a couple of coasters, but spent as much time trying to get the freeware to work with vista as learning how to use em

nero does bait & switch to try to suck you in to a full version or at least they did in 06

I don't get the bit about the administrator acct or how to share files, which is my biggest objection.

I don't want to actually use the damm thing I really don't enjoy the touch pad or keyboard on that machine. silver keyboards suck [not overly fond of black either] I need contrast, cause I can't type by touch. The screen has a very narrow viewing angle too.

I sure didn't see any straight forward explanation of how the accounts work unlike XP, which is intuitive. make myself the administrator share the c drive...

I don't have any info on any of these machine that needs securing, if someone wants to see where I go on the net I don't care. I guess someone could steal all my bookmarks

I do the research on the net & any transactions by phone, mail or in person. Probably not any safer as there are plenty of ears listening in on the phone, mail gets stolen, companies don't always do a good job of security, Welcome to the future

I lost most everything when my biz crashed

blood from a turnip, blood from a turnip...

I'll try the shields up if I get on the pinche vista later

You may be interested of AVG placed 14th out of 16 right behind Microsoft in current A/V trials.

google - g data

Thats what this particular desk top is for

testbed / learning device

being able to search the net is great but you figure out quickly the hardest part is to be able to ask the question using the right terms so as to get a meaningful answer.

I think one of the parameters in bios is set wrong, have to have a peek on the microstar[MOBO] site

The curious thing is that since I put the pci card in the noise on the line in of the built in stopped ?

now I just have to get some of the sound settings on the 8.04 os all on the same page as audacity...

I am one of the blessed who does not have Vista. I wait three months after any software release before considering an upgrade. Took only two weeks after Vista release for forums on the WWW to be flooded with complaints. So I stayed with XP. I have personally experienced through "fixing" friends computers with Vista, the restrictive and controlling nature of Vista which has more spyware than any program I know of. So much control and spying resulted commonly in slow and virtually non-functional PC's...especially when connected to the internet.

Sorry, no A-Z points as requested by the OP...