Your Computer Questions Answered... - Page 240

pparks1 · 08-03-2007, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmy_Bish

And there's not much to Vista right now. Hey, I can tell you how to turn that theme off so it looks like Windows 2000 and runs about the same as Windows 2000! Other than that, nothing. Like Parksie, I'm not excited about it. In fact, I rolled my work PC back to XP the other day since Vista was driving me nuts.
Get this, I work for a Microsoft Gold Partner and my main OS on my work PC is Ubuntu! HAHAHA! Screw 'em!

It's funny, because I work for a software development company and quite a few developers started whining that they wanted Vista and they had to use Vista to see how the software was working for customers, yadda, yadda, yadda. So, we gave them new machines (faster), we put Vista on it for them and set them loose. Wasn't long before we started to get requests to get them back onto Windows XP because Vista just wasn't working out well for them. They were having trouble being productive and getting their jobs done.

I'm a technology nut, and I WANT to get excited about this release....but there is NOTHING exciting there. Seriously, it doesn't do a single thing for me. After 5-6+ years in development, it's just a huge let down for me. And considering that it was released for business in Nov of 2006 and has almost no penetration into the business market in almost a year should tell you something.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikewill57

^Oh, so I can run XP, it will just still have Vista on there? Is that an ok/worthwhile thing to do. Seems like having 2 OS', and the possibilty of dual booting Linux at some point, could be overkill.

NO, if you use an XP cd and you install it, it WILL wipe out the master boot record on your hard drive which contains the special tools that the recovery systems require to function. Once you have installed XP, you will NOT be able to hit the special keyboard sequence and get Windows Vista back on the machine the day it was when you bought it.

Mike · 08-03-2007, 10:24 AM

So, then I should just stick it out with Vista then? It sucks. I was so excited to see it. It's totally weak. Maybe it will get better in the long run but, for now I'm not big on it.

pparks1 · 08-03-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmy_Bish

Why, oh, why do those bloody clown manufacturers go with the rescue partitions now??? Bloody ripoff if you ask me. I want to be able to install my base OS on the laptop, since I paid for the license! AND I want to use the full size of the hard disk I bought!
Recovery CD that auto-installed all the extra crap were bad enough.

Yes, I think NOT including the OS cd is one of the worst things that these mfg's are doing these days. For the average joe, they will never reload their computer from this disc and it will just be a waste. However, for the techie crowd having the reinstall discs is almost as important as the computer having a cpu.

My wife's new Acer laptop did not come with a recovery cd...just the recovery partition. That really sucks....but "if" I get to the point where I absolutely feel that it's necessary to reload an OS from scratch...I'll either be forced to buy a copy of Windows X to install or will use any number of free operating systems instead.

Mike · 08-03-2007, 10:30 AM

It doesn't make sense. If I pay for Vista, I should get a copy of it.

jimmy_Bish · 08-03-2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikewill57

So, then I should just stick it out with Vista then? It sucks. I was so excited to see it. It's totally weak. Maybe it will get better in the long run but, for now I'm not big on it.

There are ways to get around it, but they aren't recommended for beginners, since you may accidentally wipe the recovery partition. Not good!
I wouldn't recommend you go ahead with changing the OS unless you contact the manufacturer and get the CDs. you can get them, but they'll charge you for it.

EDIT: you do get a copy of it. It's loaded in your recovery partition. In there is an image of the Windows Vista CD, prepped up and ready to load onto your PC in case you ever decided to reinstall. It's supposed to be "easier" for the user. For the most part, I guess it is. But not for those who like to tinker.

NHLspl09 · 08-05-2007, 01:18 PM

My family is going on vacation in the Adirondack Mountains in upper New York.My dad wants a laptop to do his paperwork and such and receive work orders so he wont have to go through 50+ when he gets home.Now,I have no experience with laptops.For the internet,do we need one of those cards that I've seen on tv made by phone companies such as Verizon,Sprint, and Nextel?

jimmy_Bish · 08-05-2007, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NHLspl09

My family is going on vacation in the Adirondack Mountains in upper New York.My dad wants a laptop to do his paperwork and such and receive work orders so he wont have to go through 50+ when he gets home.Now,I have no experience with laptops.For the internet,do we need one of those cards that I've seen on tv made by phone companies such as Verizon,Sprint, and Nextel?

Yeah, you have some choices. By far the cheapest is to use Wifi hotspots. You pay a small amount and get to use their wireless network for an hour. Download all you need to the laptop, edit your reports and create the e-mails when you're not online, then go back to the hotspot and send them off again.
In Australia, we have a Wifi Hotspot in every McDonald's restaurant. So you can much on your Big Mac and surf the net on your laptop at the same time.

The cards you can buy often require you to sign up for a contract, and they vary in speed, depending on the mobile phone signal in that area. I have no idea what's available in the USA, as 3G isn't so popular there yet (from what I hear). But I know in Europe, UK, and Australia, it's widely available and very fast.

benniemc · 08-05-2007, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikewill57

It doesn't make sense. If I pay for Vista, I should get a copy of it.

There is a tool with the HPs to burn the System Partition to DVD, for recovery, so you can wipe the disk completly.

I'll find it for ya.

EDIT: Order Page: https://warp2.external.hp.com/driver...&lang=en&cc=us

There should also be a tool on the machine to burn them yourself, I just can't remember what it's called.

Found it! http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...8&lang=en#N428

Mike · 08-06-2007, 12:08 AM

Ok, my computer keeps changing time. Almost everytime I turn it on it's an hour off. Time zone is set to GMT-5. WTF!!! Anyone have ideas?

jimmy_Bish · 08-06-2007, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikewill57

Ok, my computer keeps changing time. Almost everytime I turn it on it's an hour off. Time zone is set to GMT-5. WTF!!! Anyone have ideas?

Do you have daylight savings up there? If so, go to your tie settings and put the tick in the box. If the tick is there and you don't have daylight savings, then take the tick out. See if that solves the issue.