[sisterdear]

I have not seen a positive post about Windows Vista operating system. I am looking at buying a new computer and most of them come with Vista. Is there any drawbacks if I were to just use Windows XP Pro? It's still being supported is it not??
Is there anything better in Vista? Does anyone out there like Vista?????
Sharon

[GbeTech]

Nope... The only way of using Vista that I can think of is Dual Booting with XP, working with XP only and when necessary - for example if you bought a game that works on Vista exclusively - then use Vista.

Otherwise, it offers nothing more than XP. You should wait to SP1, at least.
Just google a bit. almost every Vista customer complain about stability problems, ranging from annoying error messages and features that slow your work down, to BSODS, NTLDR is missing, BOOTMGR is missing, computer won't load up etc.
(besides for generally lower performance, but that's the way it's always been: 98 offered inferior performance on 95, XP on 2000 etc.)

btw, if you'll indeed Dual Boot your system, make sure to install Vista on a completely different partition, with about 15GB (I did it with Acronis Disk Directur Suit).
Before you install, ready your Vista 32/64 Graphics, Motherboard and Audio drivers, download the latest DX9 (or 10 if you got a suitable card), put them in an accessible folder (or even burn them).
Then install Vista (on the seperate partition).
Right after it finishes, make a connection to the internet, and download Windows Update (throught the Start menu). Only then install the drivers above, and finally DX.

Good luck...

[alwrmc]

You will not see many posts about things that people "like". The reason being there are no problems that they are looking for solutions to. I have Vista HP and love it. I Have not had any problems with it. I did a clean install, it picked up all my hardware. I later downloaded a couple of specific driver updates. It has recognized and runs all my software and games. I can provide a list of my hardware and software if desired. I have experienced no slowdowns and in some cases I believe they even run with better frame rates (Oblivion, FarCry and Flight Simulator X). Gothic III had severe graphic problems under XP Pro for me. It is running as it should under Vista (same video card and drivers).

[kama64]

I like vista, never had a problem. Fresh install on my laptop back in February, never had a problem. Then did a fresh install on our home computer back in April, had to wait for HP to release vista compatible printer drivers, never had a issue.

[sisterdear]

Suppose it's all in what you get used to. I suppose Vista has the remote assistance feature as well. I work on my computer from other places all the time.
SW

[Rich-M]

I think it is partially attitude. if you go to it and look for trouble, you will find it if you have old hardware to link such as an ancient ink jet printer or scanner. But if you have new up to date hardware and no really old weird software programs, you should be fine.
I have had issues with pc's that are older hardware but on current units, while it took a little effort to install an older laser printer and there are some utility programs like Partition Magic and older versions of Ghost that will not run, and graphic viewers can be a problem, but when you get it set up the graphics are great and I love the junk mail filter in Windows Mail, it is the best I have seen. The burning software for dvd's and cd's is also stellar.
So listen to the "seekers of trouble" if you like, but the "silent majority" has few issues.
And if your old hardware should have been thrown out years ago, then realize for this OS to run right, you need to keep up with technology.

[DaveA]

We have Vista on 2 laptops (Sony) and they are running great. All of our hardware is working. Had to wait to get drivers for our scanners but the "Twain" driver works great.

You will find that some software including the software that comes with your scanner will not work and some of the OEM's are NOT going to provide Vista support. I use PaintShop Pro 10 and do my scanning from there. I also have use Adobe Elements 4 to do some scanning.

My Family Research programs all work, but some had minor errors and needed to be run "As Administrator". The new versions are running just fine and some REQUIRE that UAC be turned on in order to be installed.

I am NOT into games but there is a lot of them that have issues as we did when XP was released.

I have been running Vista since Beta 2 and it is a very GOOD OS and Microsoft did right.

[Gerchan]

Well before I bought my new MSI notebook with Vista Home Premium pre-installed on it I received a lot of negative feedback about it however once I started using it I liked it a lot. The new aero interface makes it more professional and business-like. I still use xp since I like it as well. The only drawback I see with vista is that it requires a lot of memory and 2gb of RAM are optimum if you are going to use Vista. One feature in Visa which I really love is the instant search feature. With regards to drivers I recko that any hardware camponies have released all the hardware drivers compatibe with Vista so that should't be a problem.

Hope this helps

Gerchan

[vicks]

I have heard that MS will support XP until 2012. and also that they plan to support vista for 5 years (+/-).
vicks

[cuttlefish]

If you do a clean install of Vista on a new hard drive and not slam it over the top of the older Windows version, run the Windows compatability wizard from the CD first to check if all the hardware and software is compatible and then appreciate that like any new OS, you have to learn your way around it, then you will be pleased with it!

It has a few annoying quirks the same as 3.1 - 95 - 98 - ME - 2000 - XP Pro all had - no better nor worse!

The main reason you see lots of moans and groans about it is because this is a forum where these types of problems are aired - and usually fixed!

I don't think there is a forum on "how great Vista is!" - like why would you go there?

[Bushy]

I like Vista, Its good to me, but i'm the kind of guy who will pay for new hardware and new printers, cameras, etc that will all work with Vista or the new O/S i buy. I have had no problems. I consider my computering a hobby and with all the hobbys i do i take no remorse about the money i have to pay.....

[prose072]

I have been using computers since boot drive from 5 1/4 floppies before windows and since windows began thereafter and Vista is the best OS by far of any OS I have had the pleasure to use. The simple fact that some people are having trouble finding their way around a new OS is some issue with the user and the OS is set up so that you are more secure and easy problem solving. I also was part of the Beta test team in Vista and Office products and IE 7 and have used the program since May, 2006 and have had the enjoyent of using the ease of the new OS and the design of Vista to be more user freindly. The complainers usually of nature in the concern that a change in OS and they just havn't looked in the OS enough to enjoy the ease of it and choose not to accept the OS and rather complain. The same thing happend when XP came out and they just don't know what they are missing. You can do more with Vista than XP and the excuse that Vista doesn't allow something is an excuse that has led them to restrcit their own knowledge in learning more and rather complain thatn take the time to find the revealing powers of Vista. On a scale of 1 to 10 and 10 being the highest I would rate Vista a 100 and also reccomend that if you get Vista to get the Home premium Version or higher to experience the full capicity of the OS and have a Video card (GeForce either built in with the unit with 256 MB Ram or buy one to enjoy the Vista Capabillities). Vista gets a Thumbs Up all the way and th ones who complain just have not taken the time to learn the Vista OS to exceed its ability to maximize the enjoyment and use. Out with the old and in with the New and enjoy the benifits of Vista.

Also, Vista has a properties tab to select to run your programs in XP mode if needed and many other feature that will runyou programs in the needed mode to work. patients is the key to learning vista nad what it can do, not short attention spans that knock the OS since they don't know it and choose to revert back in time because they haven't chossen to experience the OS at ability. Furthermore, updates and a larghe potion of SP 1 has already been released and continued updates are coming out daily to weekly and Vista is on track.

[cuttlefish]

Well said Bushy and Prose - on the money!

I put up a post here a little while back that the IT Department of Berkley Institute of California did on the whole Vista issue.

Without going through all the stats again, it was something like 93% of new users had little or no difficulty in this OS.

Without exception, the problems arose from old hardware, old software, old drivers, not enough memory or CPU grunt, installing over the top of previous (often multi) versions of Windows and not checking that Vista was compatible with everything.

Sure, I have a few things that annoy me and I put regular posts up here for help - most are very minor and more annoying than a drama!

My brother is an Apple fan and tears his hair out just as much with their "new" OS as many do with Windows.

Thing is that Vista is a quite sophisiticated system and for "newbies" exposed to it first time up, it is going to cause a bit of heartache - think it is called a learning curve! My first step with any new Windows OS is going through the entire Control Panel - feature by feature - and trying to find out what makes it tick. I have done some pretty horrible things "in there" - usually recovered it OK - and still have lots to learn - heaps actually!

Point is, everybody wants the latest, greatest, bestest, fastest IT stuff around and some of it is very knowledge intensive - not easy.

Oh well, back to the TSG Vista forum to find out why my external hard drive has gone walkabout this morning!

[crjdriver]

I have been running vista since Dec of last year with no problems at all. As posted above if you have current hardware, you should not have problems. If you are trying to run vista on a via 133 chipset with a thunderbird cpu, then you might find some issues.

I have to say vista [like snap-on tools or Gillette razor blades] just works. I really know pretty little about vista since I never have to "mess" with anything; everything just works.

IMO a much better os than xp ever was. It even made me give up win2k which I used for years and years.

[MowermanEd]

I've been running it since the day it came out without any problems and love it. I was amazed that my Canon i960 and Canon ip5000 were automatically installed by Vista. Had to play around with the driver for my HP Laserjet 1000 but it works fine now too.