Re: Which XP to use

Rock,
Thanks for the input. I agree that there is a lot of "extra" software that is unnecessary. The first thing I do is take off all junk software installed on a computer when I purchase it. All the internet services, games, and other stuff are just clutter. I go online and research the startup programs that are running and find out if they are necessary and disable anything that doesn't have to be there. This is my 5th HP computer (PC and laptop) and it just seems odd that it is the only one I have had any issues with. I guess since Vista is the only thing that is new, it gets the blame. However, I do know that it is having a lot of compatibality issues. I have read this other places than the Vista newsgroups as well. It isn't perfect nor is any other OS, but at least XP works for me.

I would have taken the thing back to the store, but they changed their policy to 14 days instead of 30 days. I live 90 miles from the store in a very rural area and it was past the 14 days before I was able to get back. They told me to have HP give me an RA # and they would trade me out for a different computer but HP wouldn't do that. So, this is what I have to work with.

I might think differently if when I got on the Vista newsgroup looking for answers I would have actually been helped instead of getting caught in a word war of name calling, sacarcasm, and finger pointing all mixed with vulgarity. It is a mess over there. Not much real help. Not many real answers to actual problems either, just a lot of defending and blaming going on. If a product is what it should be, no one would have to defend it, its quality would speak for itself. The pat answer is to blame the user. Not very good for PR.

I will wait and see if I have the same problems before I wipe Vista off and install XP. I will also wait to install anything else. Tech support already had me restore to original settings twice, which took off everything I had installed and I had to go through the same awful mess with the UAC and not recognizing updates, etc.....a nightmare.
If I have the same problems, I will call them and make sure everything will work before I do it.

Thanks oodles!

"Rock" <Rock@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:O5f23hfhHHA.4064@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If I had purchased a new computer with the OS preinstalled I would expect it to work. If it didn't work and had problems right away, I would return it for a different brand. The issue here is with the setup that HP has for the computer, including the hardware, the drivers, and the junk software they include. For many people on the right hardware and with the right drivers and software Vista runs fine (it does here). Sorry you have had problems with it and had a bad experience with some of the posters in the Vista newsgroups. There are some jerks posting in there, including some anti-MS zealots who come out when a new OS is released. It was the same way when XP came out.

SP1 for Vista is scheduled to be released at the same time as the RTM version of Longhorn. Longhorn will release at the SP1 level; Vista will keep pace with it. What he "techies" told you is incorrect as to the release date. It is currently scheduled for the 4thQ of 2007.

In any event, before going back to XP, make sure you check on the HP website for XP compatible drivers for the hardware. Since it's a laptop the hardware is proprietary. I have heard in some instances the computer manufacturer's are not supplying XP drivers. I don't know about HP or the model laptop you purchased, so double check to be sure.

Whatever you do, good luck.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

"cnic" <fcnicolai@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote
I just purchased a new laptop. It came with Vista on it and I have had so many problems with the display drivers that HP has decided I have a faulty card and is now sending me a brand new laptop to the exact same specs. My thought on it is that since I am still going to be getting the Vista OS and the same Nvidia video card, that the problems will still be there. I have researched and seen in several places that even though they (MS and Nvidia) say the two are compatible, they are having a LOT of problems. The screen randomly goes black for various amounts of time and sometimes comes back up in safe mode while other times coming back with all the icons on the desktop scrambled. Yet at other times, the whole system locks down and I have to do a hard re-boot to turn the thing off. My screen saver (simple default slideshow) locks the computer everytime it comes up so I had to disable it. In the middle of a power point slide show, it randomly locks up and while I can move the mouse, the slides will not advance. It is also so slow that the blue circle of death just hangs in the screen for as long as 40 seconds just to bring up a new message window in the mail. To reply takes even longer. It takes at least 1-2 minutes to boot. Just a lot of irritating stuff like that.

What I plan to do is purchase a new full install of XP and wipe out the Vista when I get the new computer. I have had XP Home on 3 computer and have had absolutely no problems in 3 years. What are the differences in Home and Pro and is it worth the extra $$ to go with Pro over Home.

Those on the Vista newsgroup are very critical of anyone wanting to go "back in time" and re-install XP over Vista. They say people like me are just stupid and don't know how to run a system so therefore cannot handle a powerful hack-proof program like Vista. In fact, they are very rude a lot of times. I just want an OS that will actually run and not waste my time with unnecessary messages that pop up all the time telling me what I already know I am doing. I also have had too many programs not function properly and I cannot afford to purchase thousands of dollars of new programs to accommodate Mr. Gates.

The "certified" techies on the Vista site have said that a Vista SP is not scheduled until the 4thQ of '08. That is too long for me to mess with their "bugs" and problems. Even if it were the 4th Q of this year, that is still too long. My time and sanity is worth more than that.

I do graphic design out of my home and run high end graphic programs (Adobe, Corel).

Any advice is welcome.


.

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