G
Guest
Below I share my story of vista upgrade, and some frustrations, and some
suggestions. Might help you with some problems. Read: I'm just bored.
I just upgraded from xp to vista business, both on my laptop and on my
desktop. My laptop is a Pentium M 1.7, 1.5 GB ram, 40GB HD, desktop P4 2.4 ->
2.7, 1 GB ram, combined 1TB HD.
Installation was faster on laptop then on desktop (7hours?).
After installing, downloaded trial of pccillin 2007 to desktop since i had
to uninstall mcafee virusscan 8.0i prior to installing vista.
1. laptop problems
2. desktop problems
3. general comments about vista
11111111111111111111
First, laptop problems. I have a HP tc4200 tablet.
After installing (upgrading to) vista the task bar doesn't work, clicking
anything (including start) just gives a windows sound alert. Fixed after
update and restart.
Tablet pen doesn't work. Fixed after reinstalling wacom pen drivers from hp.
Tablet Q-menu doesn't work. Fixed after uninstalling Q-launch and Q-menu,
then reinstalling, restart. This also fixed a function keys not working
problem, and a light sensor control problem, and a auto portrait mode problem
(screen flipped the wrong way when i converted it into a tablet).
Tablet Q-menu, the tablet pc settings, links actually to the pen settings (a
subcat under tablet pc settings). So if you want to calibrate your tablet pc,
this short cut doesn't work.
Flashing the bios- hangs! really scary. Managed to recover.
OCR is great, even chinese characters.
Haven't tried the speech command or recognition, but since people have just
gotten used to seeing me speaking into thin air, I don't want them to see me
talking to a slab (no, not car, storage, or memory), not yet.
222222222222
Second, desktop problems.
SLOW! Traced it to spybot and pccillin 2007 clashing, just undo the
immunization in spybot, delete usrwl.dat file in pccillin's dir, reboot, then
faster.
But still slow, much slower than my laptop, which is crazy. Ok maybe not,
since windows indexing might be trying to index my ~1TB HDs... But by default
it only indexes some file types, like emails and ON files? Nevermind, I
switched it off.
Still slow. Got a flash drive from say buy.com when GCO was still available?
Plug it in for readyboost, so I sticked a kingston U3 2GB in, and it was
faster. But still slow.
Ok, now I used 4 or 5 different spyware/virus/crap scanners, and deleted a
few tracking cookies, nothing else, big deal.
Oh, i forgot to mention, all this time i was having BSODs (bad pool header),
more than i ever had with 95 to xp combined, all in this week. Did I mention
I'm a computer scientist? Ok, not an engineer, but I don't suppose I'm worse
than the average person.
Speaking about bad pool header, ok, m-audio drivers don't work, so disabled
device. Ok, SPDT 1.38 and below clashes with logitech webcam, so uninstalled
old drivers and installed 1.39 beta with daemon tools. Ok, webcam sometimes
has problems with USB1.1 ports, so plugged into a USB2 port.
No use. And after a few restarts, a lot of programs now just won't start.
Outlook gives object not found when clicking send and receive, ok, just
ignore the warning (it does check for mail, but the new mail icon doesn't
work).
Then tried to share folder with laptop (both vista). Ok, let me check that
NetBIOS in/out allowed in the pccillin firewall, ok, enabled. After some
other small tweaks, works. Then suddenly doesn't work anymore. Both are on
the same network, can see both computers from networks. Sometimes gives
"differerent user name" error, othertimes "access denied", etc.
Finally got it to work (at least two times, that is) when changed to
\\ip\folder instead of \\comp name\folder.
Now with sharing, back to tweaking my desktop.
3333333333333
Third and last, general comments.
a. aero glass is cool, but quite useless (too small to see anything useful,
still need to open the window). Could be more useful say if control alt del
brings up the same screen as now, but with the previews of windows running?
b. so why doesn't CAD bring up the taskmgr directly? is anyone CADing to
switch users> ok nevermind, no i just click run, taskmgr or create a link on
my desktop.
c. windows update, microsoft update, the same thing right? why do i have
both icons?
d. windows update page. says windows is up to date, no new updates. But you
have to look at the most recent check to make sure... why not just check it
by default when user enters this page? why do i have to click check for
updates again?
e. perfmon. Cool, but useless. can't change the window sizes of different
panes. right clicking on the process does nothing.
f. taskmgr, ok, here you can see which processes are taking up your cpu...
but wait- the numbers don't add up! So click to the performance tab and open
perfmon, to see which ones are really taking up your resources. Oh wait,
can't end process/service from perfmon, so go back to taskmgr to do that...
but for services, can only stop, and not say choose other options like in
control panel. Also, go to process just brings you back to the other tab,
still no clue which processes correspond to the service. Yes i can figure
that out, but i give up here.
g. UAC is nice. Definitely adds security by making my computer less usable.
Akin to pulling off the power cord, really safe!
i. Where's h? Vista won't let me input it (ok, not funny). where's the good
old defrag? now there's only a button, defrag, which changes to cancel when
you press it. Also, other defrag products, don't work on my computer- they
finish analyzing, and claims its starting to defrag, but stays at one file!
Even tho other ppl have tried various products, like Diskkeeper, perfect
disk, and for them those worked fine in vista. Ok, using free Auslogics
Diskdefrag (freeware) now. But sometimes crashes too.
j. Windows experience index. Cool. On my laptop it's 1.0 because of the
graphics card. Too bad. On my desktop, it's... unrated. Or cannot be rated.
Sometimes rating it crashes it. Othertimes, completes, but same, unrated.
Guess Vista was surprised, since my computer was soooo slow, it was guessing
it's a 286 SX. I have to agree with vista. Ok, time for upgrade. Oops! Have
to think carefully otherwise might have to get another license from my lab.
k. VNC/remote control problems. When installing, do not register the
service! Need to run the server in user mode. Any animation will confuse the
VNC viewer, so turn off, well, aero. Even perfmon, you shouldn't try to open
from remote, otherwise server quits.
l. Sharing. Ok, never try to share anything under the c:\users folder,
because it will share Users and some files and folders in it as well! For me
the most disturbing one shared had my username in it, like name.profile or
something.
m. multiple monitors. remember to disable before installing, otherwise vista
gets confused as to which is the primary, and also the orientation as well,
so you might have to tilt your head 90 degrees right of where you find most
comfortable.
n. ok, let's begin work,...?!! move cursor, move!!! somehow the mouse
doesn't work now, so try pluggin it in another port.
o. program compatibility wizard is ok, but why not allow the user to see and
tweak the details? why do i have to go back to the file and right click,
properties, compatibility, etc?
p. fonts do look smoother and better now.
q. i have much more to say but better post now before it crashes.
suggestions. Might help you with some problems. Read: I'm just bored.
I just upgraded from xp to vista business, both on my laptop and on my
desktop. My laptop is a Pentium M 1.7, 1.5 GB ram, 40GB HD, desktop P4 2.4 ->
2.7, 1 GB ram, combined 1TB HD.
Installation was faster on laptop then on desktop (7hours?).
After installing, downloaded trial of pccillin 2007 to desktop since i had
to uninstall mcafee virusscan 8.0i prior to installing vista.
1. laptop problems
2. desktop problems
3. general comments about vista
11111111111111111111
First, laptop problems. I have a HP tc4200 tablet.
After installing (upgrading to) vista the task bar doesn't work, clicking
anything (including start) just gives a windows sound alert. Fixed after
update and restart.
Tablet pen doesn't work. Fixed after reinstalling wacom pen drivers from hp.
Tablet Q-menu doesn't work. Fixed after uninstalling Q-launch and Q-menu,
then reinstalling, restart. This also fixed a function keys not working
problem, and a light sensor control problem, and a auto portrait mode problem
(screen flipped the wrong way when i converted it into a tablet).
Tablet Q-menu, the tablet pc settings, links actually to the pen settings (a
subcat under tablet pc settings). So if you want to calibrate your tablet pc,
this short cut doesn't work.
Flashing the bios- hangs! really scary. Managed to recover.
OCR is great, even chinese characters.
Haven't tried the speech command or recognition, but since people have just
gotten used to seeing me speaking into thin air, I don't want them to see me
talking to a slab (no, not car, storage, or memory), not yet.
222222222222
Second, desktop problems.
SLOW! Traced it to spybot and pccillin 2007 clashing, just undo the
immunization in spybot, delete usrwl.dat file in pccillin's dir, reboot, then
faster.
But still slow, much slower than my laptop, which is crazy. Ok maybe not,
since windows indexing might be trying to index my ~1TB HDs... But by default
it only indexes some file types, like emails and ON files? Nevermind, I
switched it off.
Still slow. Got a flash drive from say buy.com when GCO was still available?
Plug it in for readyboost, so I sticked a kingston U3 2GB in, and it was
faster. But still slow.
Ok, now I used 4 or 5 different spyware/virus/crap scanners, and deleted a
few tracking cookies, nothing else, big deal.
Oh, i forgot to mention, all this time i was having BSODs (bad pool header),
more than i ever had with 95 to xp combined, all in this week. Did I mention
I'm a computer scientist? Ok, not an engineer, but I don't suppose I'm worse
than the average person.
Speaking about bad pool header, ok, m-audio drivers don't work, so disabled
device. Ok, SPDT 1.38 and below clashes with logitech webcam, so uninstalled
old drivers and installed 1.39 beta with daemon tools. Ok, webcam sometimes
has problems with USB1.1 ports, so plugged into a USB2 port.
No use. And after a few restarts, a lot of programs now just won't start.
Outlook gives object not found when clicking send and receive, ok, just
ignore the warning (it does check for mail, but the new mail icon doesn't
work).
Then tried to share folder with laptop (both vista). Ok, let me check that
NetBIOS in/out allowed in the pccillin firewall, ok, enabled. After some
other small tweaks, works. Then suddenly doesn't work anymore. Both are on
the same network, can see both computers from networks. Sometimes gives
"differerent user name" error, othertimes "access denied", etc.
Finally got it to work (at least two times, that is) when changed to
\\ip\folder instead of \\comp name\folder.
Now with sharing, back to tweaking my desktop.
3333333333333
Third and last, general comments.
a. aero glass is cool, but quite useless (too small to see anything useful,
still need to open the window). Could be more useful say if control alt del
brings up the same screen as now, but with the previews of windows running?
b. so why doesn't CAD bring up the taskmgr directly? is anyone CADing to
switch users> ok nevermind, no i just click run, taskmgr or create a link on
my desktop.
c. windows update, microsoft update, the same thing right? why do i have
both icons?
d. windows update page. says windows is up to date, no new updates. But you
have to look at the most recent check to make sure... why not just check it
by default when user enters this page? why do i have to click check for
updates again?
e. perfmon. Cool, but useless. can't change the window sizes of different
panes. right clicking on the process does nothing.
f. taskmgr, ok, here you can see which processes are taking up your cpu...
but wait- the numbers don't add up! So click to the performance tab and open
perfmon, to see which ones are really taking up your resources. Oh wait,
can't end process/service from perfmon, so go back to taskmgr to do that...
but for services, can only stop, and not say choose other options like in
control panel. Also, go to process just brings you back to the other tab,
still no clue which processes correspond to the service. Yes i can figure
that out, but i give up here.
g. UAC is nice. Definitely adds security by making my computer less usable.
Akin to pulling off the power cord, really safe!
i. Where's h? Vista won't let me input it (ok, not funny). where's the good
old defrag? now there's only a button, defrag, which changes to cancel when
you press it. Also, other defrag products, don't work on my computer- they
finish analyzing, and claims its starting to defrag, but stays at one file!
Even tho other ppl have tried various products, like Diskkeeper, perfect
disk, and for them those worked fine in vista. Ok, using free Auslogics
Diskdefrag (freeware) now. But sometimes crashes too.
j. Windows experience index. Cool. On my laptop it's 1.0 because of the
graphics card. Too bad. On my desktop, it's... unrated. Or cannot be rated.
Sometimes rating it crashes it. Othertimes, completes, but same, unrated.
Guess Vista was surprised, since my computer was soooo slow, it was guessing
it's a 286 SX. I have to agree with vista. Ok, time for upgrade. Oops! Have
to think carefully otherwise might have to get another license from my lab.
k. VNC/remote control problems. When installing, do not register the
service! Need to run the server in user mode. Any animation will confuse the
VNC viewer, so turn off, well, aero. Even perfmon, you shouldn't try to open
from remote, otherwise server quits.
l. Sharing. Ok, never try to share anything under the c:\users folder,
because it will share Users and some files and folders in it as well! For me
the most disturbing one shared had my username in it, like name.profile or
something.
m. multiple monitors. remember to disable before installing, otherwise vista
gets confused as to which is the primary, and also the orientation as well,
so you might have to tilt your head 90 degrees right of where you find most
comfortable.
n. ok, let's begin work,...?!! move cursor, move!!! somehow the mouse
doesn't work now, so try pluggin it in another port.
o. program compatibility wizard is ok, but why not allow the user to see and
tweak the details? why do i have to go back to the file and right click,
properties, compatibility, etc?
p. fonts do look smoother and better now.
q. i have much more to say but better post now before it crashes.
