Is Vista any good? Or should I try to find XP?

16 years ago

I am getting my son a laptop. He will be a sophomore and he currently runs a desktop with Windows 95 or some ancient program.

I want to purchase a laptop for him and am wondering if Vista is all that it is cracked up to be or if I should try and find XP.

TIA

Comments (14)

mikie_gw
16 years ago
Softmore Software is almost always the latest and greatest. Ask Him! But from the looks of things unless you're buying a used laptop, it's gonna have Vista.
shboom
16 years ago
Like any new operating system it's going to have it's ups and downs along with it's praisers and critics. I recently bought a new computer with Vista Home Premium installed on it and am having very few issues with it. My old computer was a 98se machine so I think the transition has been easier since I skipped XP and didn't have a lot to unlearn from it. It's more of a matter where everything is located and what it is called now. Switching to the classic view modes made it much easier. The ones seeming to have the most difficulty are those upgrading from XP to Vista. There is supposedly a Service Pack coming out in the fall for Vista just like all of the other operating systems have had.

Bob
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Okay. You guys are great. Clearly the collective wisdom is not to throw money at the problem - but figure the problem out. Owbist - in my thread on not connecting my husband's vista laptop to our network, I tried quietly, methodically to troubleshoot the issues - to no avail. I found lots of similar frustrations on google - but no solutions that worked - and I think I tried them all - at least to the best of my ability. thanks for those great, easy-to-follow instructions to transfer to an external hard drive. He'll want to do that anyway - even if he keeps this computer. This computer guy is pricey - but where I am in DC they seem to fall in the $125-140/hour range - and they can usually fix a problem. Others that charge $40-75 - that the uninformed think are good - but their know-how is less than what I find here. I tried a few of those locally recommended guys - and they accomplished the simple tasks but also made mistakes I had to hire the more expensive guy to fix. My main complaint with him is that he's wedded to his biases - he hates Vista - so his recommendation is usually to avoid or ditch it. Our struggles with Vista seem to often be how often we're blocked from things or performing simple tasks have all sort of obstacles - for "safety's" sake. Thanks to everyone for pointing out that Windows 7 is just a revamped Vista. I got my first issue of Smart Computing and they were tauting it and described some features I thought I'd love. DA - if W8 is in process, is there any indication of what it will be like? Probably worth waiting for - or at least waiting to hear more about how Windows 7 is panning out. So I'll keep plugging away on my other thread to get him connected. If I don't succeed by Tuesday, the computer guy will come and fix it. I guess we'll stop there. Thanks. Lynn.
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I just went thru this exact (almost) procedure, getting my new Vista desktop to network with our Win xp computer with printer. Not so easy, but here are the instructions which work: 1. To set up the house network, on the Vista computer: Start-Control Panel-System and Maintaint.- system-computer name,domain,workgroup settings area on the screen, hit the "change settings" button, then system properties-computer name tab-change computer name/domain changes-in Workgroup type your home network's name-OK. Then to set up the printer, a huge pain, but doable: On the Vista computer: Start-Control Panel-add printer-add Local Printer (I know it's on a network, but this is the way to do it)-create a new port-default is "local port",leave it-next you have to enter a port name, this is the tricky part, you have to type in the path to the printer manually, the path should look like: \\your exact host computer name\your exact printer's sharing name. That's it. To check for the exact host computer name, go to the host computer, my computer, and a screen will come up with it's official name, use it, case sensitive. For printer name, go to host computer, printers area thru the control panel, rt. click the printer and properties. A sharing tab will show, click it, the exact name for the shared printer will show, again use it case sensitive. The above took me all day when I got my new Vista, hope it helps.
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PM2 - I just want to clarify that the reason my husband may not be able to get XP drivers for his laptop is not because Microsoft is not supporting XP. They continue to support XP and constantly issue new updates. The issue is that there might not be XP drivers that are compatible with other things in his laptop. Now I don't know enough to know what those things are - is it hardware on the laptop, other software they've installed that doesn't have XP drivers. I don't fully comprehend the problem, but it's not that Microsoft isn't supporting XP. I hope somebody more knowledgeable will correct me if I'm wrong. I don't want to give prairiemoon2 incorrect information. I share your frustration that Microsoft would issue software that is so problematic that they even write documentation on ways to deal with the problems. I'm also frustrated when I have to get software fixes from other companies to deal with Microsoft problems. (I just had lots of trouble updating XP on an old computer of my daughters. The updates would not install - and nothing on Microsoft site - or from my computer tech guy's discussions with Microsoft turned up a solution. The solution came from third-party software - recommended to me here on this forum.) Lynn.
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abreeze
16 years ago
Bob, were you able to use the software from the 98se machine on the Vista? Did you have any audio problems? Thanks.

abreeze
shboom
16 years ago
Abreeze, I haven't had any audio problems with Vista. Actually I haven't had many problems with it at all. Most of the programs on my 98se machine were badly outdated but they worked well on the old computer. As such some of the programs wouldn't be able to run on Vista and others I just redownloaded after checking for Vista compatibility... programs like Irfanview and FoxIt reader. I haven't tried putting AdAware2007 on here yet and last I checked Spyware Blaster wasn't Vista compatible. I did put SpySweeper on here, I kind of like the program but it's also caused two bsod's. The 5.3 version was Vista compatible but I just upgraded to the 5.5 version. Hopefully that will take care of the problems it caused and if not... I'll take it back off.

Bob
cat_ky
16 years ago
If you decide to look for XP, Dell is still offering some models with XP. You might have to use the search function on Dell and type in XP computer, or XP notebook to locate them. Good Luck on whichever you decide.
johnkr
16 years ago
Most issues with Vista have involved software designed for older versions of Windows and hardware drivers not updated to Vista standards. If you are purchasing a new computer loaded with Vista, the software and hardware included should be Vista compatible.
owbist
16 years ago
If I were looking for a new computer I would definitely use Vista. It may have flaws but so do all the previous flavours of Windows. Why buy an outdated operating system because of fear of the unknown? Two year or less possibly and MS will stop supporting XP but Vista will be supported for many years to come.
DA_Mccoy
16 years ago
OK everyone, get up off the floor. Yes, it is really me. I have been waiting to return from sabbatical and this thread may be the best reason to return. Now hang on to your seats.

I finally entered the 21st century by replacing my old 400mhz HP Win98 OE with a new dual core HP with Vista Home Premium. My experince is almost identical to Bob's. Updated favorite applications and replaced some very outdated hardware. Didn't skimp on the memory as I went two gigs.

In two months I have only had two concerns. One was with the trial version of Symantec Internet Security System following a lengthy update. I ended up deleting the application, another saga for another time, and installing AVG. The other was when I broke my own rule, "never install more than two O/S updates at once" as I downloaded six at once. System restore came to the rescue and after following my rule all is well.

It amazes me how many diagnostic utilities that are available.

Having much experience with Win2000 and XP at work, I still find Vista an improvement and give it a thumbs up.

As far as any sound concern, there are many places to control sound in Vista, particularly if you have Real Tek Audio Manager. Perhaps some users have adjusted what they thought were independent settings when in reality they are not independent

Hello to everyone.

DA
grandms
16 years ago
DA, good to see you back! I've been wondering if you went with Vista, as you had indicated you were waiting for it to get a new computer. My HP laptop is ready for Vista Premium except it only has 1GB of RAM right now. I'll be upgrading the RAM eventually to 2GB. I've already upgraded my desktop to 3GB RAM, but I don't know if the processor is fast enough to support Vista. Basic, perhaps. I checked, and HP has drivers for my printer to work with Vista. Maybe I'll upgrade after the first service pack comes out.

I just finished helping a friend set up her new computer with Vista Home Basic. So far, I think it's doing okay for her.

Stay with us for a while. That sabbatical was much too long.
shboom
16 years ago
DA... good to see you again! It has been a long while.

I do miss my 98se as I used it for 8 years. It's set up in the other room and I fire it up every now and then... it just seems to fit like a good pair of slippers. Now having said that... the more I have used Vista and learned where things are located and still learning... the more I like it. Other than the 2 bsod related to SpySweeper I have had virtually no problems and surely none of the problems people were having upgrading to it. As with any new operating system in the past there will always be some hiccups and I surely remember all of the complaints when XP came out and then people loved it. I was torn between getting an XP machine or Vista. My thought process ran the same as Owbist... XP has been out a few years now and won't be long before it goes the way of the other operating systems whereas Vista will be around a good many years.

This computer came with 2gig of RAM... can hold up to 8 and while for my applications it runs smoothly I may add another 2gig.

As for SpySweeper... I had put version 5.3(Vista comaptible)on here and that seemed to cause the bsod after running 2 scans. Since then a newer version 5.5 came out and I upgraded to it and so far after running scans... no problems.

Bob
cat_ky
16 years ago
Hi there DA. Nice to see you around again. Many congratulations on the new computer. Hope you get a lot of years enjoyment from it. Hope you are getting to enjoy the grandkids this summer. :-)Cat
grandms
16 years ago
Bob, don't waste your money putting 2 more GB of RAM in your computer. I have read that even Vista can't make use of more than 3GB, in fact, not even all of that. Can't remember where I read it, but it was one of the respected publications.
shboom
16 years ago
Grandms thanks for that info... let me know either here or the other place if you remember where you read that. Those sticks are expensive.

Bob
grandms
16 years ago
Here is the information regarding memory usage and Vista. I'm not sure I interpreted it correctly, but it seems that UP TO 4GB RAM is okay, but any beyond that can't be used in the 32-bit systems.

Here is a link that might be useful: RAM utilization in Vista

Is Vista any good? Or should I try to find XP?

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