OT Anybody else using windows VISTA?

[Rembrant]

Hey Wayne,

You must be talking about XP Powertoys? I have it installed on both my home PC and laptop. I use the resizer option ALL the time, it's great. It's just a simple add on. If it won't work with Vista, then I'll stick with XP...lol.

[yodta]

Originally Posted by WayneM

Vista is pretty sensitive to most programs, lol.

Here's a message I get often....any idea?

'ATI External Event Utility EXE Module stopped working and was closed.'

if you have an ATI video card, I'd say driver related and to try to get an update from ATI.

is this a new machine or vista installed on an older one?

[Gnarly4X]

I've heard that Vista has bugs, but don't have hands-on experience. I think I will wait for awhile to see if it's really worth the upgrade and demanding resources. I am curious to get some real feedback.

gNARLS

[mudrunner88]

Originally Posted by yodta

if you have an ATI video card, I'd say driver related and to try to get an update from ATI.

is this a new machine or vista installed on an older one?

Yup, Video Drivers probably, this is a new machine as I believe his older one cooked when he went to boot it up a week or so ago (begining of the thread). Could be something in the ATI catlyst control panel as well (you really don't need all that stuff) if possible run it with just the video drivers, I think ATI gives you the option during install of the catlyst control panel / drivers download.

Originally Posted by Gnarly4X

I've heard that Vista has bugs, but don't have hands-on experience. I think I will wait for awhile to see if it's really worth the upgrade and demanding resources. I am curious to get some real feedback. gNARLS

Yes, and No to that comment. It's not really Vista has bugs, it more like the software manufacturers haven't got up to microsofts new OS requirements yet. Lots of software out for sale on the shelf wasn't vista compatible even when vista was released (i.e. spyware, anti-virus software etc). Since then most major software companies have released new versions of drivers or software ready for free download if you already own the old versions in most cases.

If you don't d/l other programs from online that are meant for XP you got pretty much a 50/50 shot at getting them to work, sometimes you can right click the application and click run-as and put XP, ME, 2k, 98 etc that may help with compatibility modes but doesn't mean it will still work.

These are normal issues when a company releases a new OS, it may not look too different besides the fancy graphics (aero), and the layout change...BUT they structure of the Registry has new hives added to it and the Vista Kernel is very different than XP's.

A very cool feature of Vista has to do with the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)...It used to be that during boot-up XP would check the HAL file and verify hardware and drivers to get the OS up and running. If this HAL file got damaged and if you throw a new motherboard at a current OS with all new hardware then the HAL doesn't recognize the OS and it won't boot and you get an error similar to C:\windows\system32\hal.dll is corrupt or missing and XP doesn't boot up.

This might not mean much to you guys but in Vista this is not the case, it doesn't use HAL to boot the OS anymore...This is great for people that need to make "images" of the OS for either mass installation on multiple PC's or just backing up your personal OS and put it on a new PC.
With Vista you can take a new PC load any version of Vista onto it and then install all your programs you want on it, then you can take a snap shot of the OS with programs called an image and you can now install this image on alternate PC's EVEN if the hardware is different! You still need a new Vista License Key, BUT you can clone your PC with no major driver issues or anything. If anything you may have to d/l a view drivers from windows updates or the hardwares manufacturer.

Personally I like the way vista is managing the photos now, they made a good step forward with that...Another cool thing is you can use videos as your wallpaper on your desktop (if you have a REALLY good video card).

I like running MS Office '07...They changed the way the layout is for all the menus and stuff...Much easier now, and you can d/l an addon where you can save any of your MS word Docs as PDF!

If you have the hardware or are in the market for a new PC go for it! If you have tons of XP programs you rely on and MUST use them everyday then wait a few more months until you know they will work with Vista, check with software company websites frequently to see if they release pages for vista.

Just my .02 but I love it!

[missouriman]

is there support for cd or dvd system back up for it.
been fighting xp most of today before I found a little blurb that cd backup is not supported.

I need to back up my systems.

[mudrunner88]

I will get back to you on that, I know it's built in but not sure if it supports DVD's I imagine it does but don't hold me to it until I try...I will let ya know.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by WayneM

Anybody else using windows VISTA?

I'm running the original, OSX!

[yodta]

yeah Benny, I'm eyein' one myself!

Vista schmista -- anyone remember Millenium? ha
good write-up though, Muddy

I'm by no means a Microsoft basher, but there is a ton of stuff MS has swiped lately. take the new IE7. anyone who uses Firefox realized straight away that IE7 was a poor implementation of Firefox functionality. and now Vista... stolen Apple ideas. again.

Microsoft, you can keep Vista; I'm messing more and more with Linux, and my next personal computer will be a Mac. as for the office, XP's been pretty solid after SP1 came out (we milked 2kpro until XP was stable). we won't be rolling out Vista for a couple of years yet, probably, especially considering the fact I prefer a homogeneous operation, and that Vista can't run in any practical fashion with less than 2GB of RAM.

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by Benjamin

I'm running the original, OSX!

Hey, I'm a recent convert. Have a new 17" MBP 2.33 Core 2 Duo 2GB DDR2-667 160GB HD. I still use my desktop a couple times a week, it's a 2.2Ghz AMD w/ XP Pro.

As for Vista, I'll wait until Halo 2 comes out, then I'll consider it.

[mudrunner88]

No need to wait, just buy it now and dual boot until your ready to go full time...
I wasn't gonna play the let's brag about our spec's game but since you started here are mine.

P4 Extreme Edition 3.4ghz FSB 800mhz
2gb Kinston DDR2 @ 800mhz
GForce 6600 Overclocked Core-533mhz DDR2-633mhz stable
SATA Plextor 18x DVD-R R/W DL burner
IDE Lite-On 52x CD-R/W
SATA 300gb HDD
IDE 120 gb hdd
5.1 surround sound via optical feed into dolby digital receiver
20" Monitor
HP Laserjet 4 to print pubs
HP PSC all in one to print photos
Wireless keybaord and mouse
ATI TV Wonder 650 to take care of media center, and recording shows
Wireless G w/Speedbooster all over the house (soon to be wireless N)
And a Antec 650w to throw power to all this garbage

Just got new setup for 2nd unit and will be very similar w/exception of
Core 2 Duo @ 1.6 and will be overclocked for sure
DDR2 @ 1033mhz definately 2gb min could throw 4gb at it
onboard 8.1 surround
Board supports ATI Crossfire (but i'm an nvidia fan so might look for SLI)
Will probably get all SATA drives for fast through-put and look at putting this one inside a media case in the livingroom to replace my DVD player and VCR.

Also got an HP Laptop and a Toshiba laptop for the wife.

Damn, maybe if I sell some stuff I can build that 7M?!