Time for Vista?

[Paolo]

Recently, a friend of mine in the PC business was hired to put Vista on the computers at an office here. All of them passed the Vista test - via the program you download from MS to check out the systems. It installed fine on all of them. Then when they tried to fire up the network, all hell broke loose. Half the machines couldn't see the others, and those that did only did when there were "in the mood". By the end of the week, the office was back on XP and had spent several hundred dollars on nothing.

[stewie69 (imported)]

I wouldn't even attempt putting Vista on this thing. I don't really feel like buying an new PC, but one more system crash, and it's gonna happen. Oh, I'll probably keep this thing around, but at least I won't have to rush into throwing away an entire weekend reloading everything when I need to use the damn thing. If for no other reason, it'd be worth trying to keep this thing limping along just to have MS Word. Pisses me off that there are Vista machines out there at seemingly reasonable prices, but you have to shell out another $150 just to get what used to come standard with other versions of Windows.

[CollegeGuy2006 (imported)]

Hey Guys,

I've been a computer tech and programmer for 9 years now. I'm a Microsoft Certified partner. I just received this in my partner kit yesterday and I thought I would post it for all to read.

If any of the admins ever needs help with hardware stuff or any php/mysql stuff i've been working with it for years now and have a degreee in computer engineering.

Subject: Important activation changes to Windows Vista

Date: April 27, 2007

As a valued partner and trusted advisor to our customers, I wanted to re-iterate Microsoft’s commitment to helping protect consumers and software resellers from the risks associated with pirated software. Millions of PCs that ship each year end up with non-genuine Windows® software, which puts you at a competitive disadvantage, and your customers at risk of a sub-optimal experience.

The significant anti-piracy technologies built into Windows Vista™ software are designed to make the widespread pirating of Windows Vista more difficult. Now, all customers who deploy Windows Vista must successfully activate their product using a genuine product key. If a non-genuine product key is used in activation, customers will experience reduced functionality and lose certain features, such as Microsoft Aero and ReadyBoost.

To avoid potential business disruptions and maintain the highest level of satisfaction with Windows Vista deployments, the most important activation changes for you to be aware of and to inform your customers about are:

1. Activation: In the first 30 days of use, all new installations of Windows Vista must be activated by the OEM, through Windows Vista volume licensing technologies, or by the end customer. If Windows Vista is not activated in the first 30 days, the system will operate in a reduced functionality mode.

2. Validation: In order to protect users from being victimized by counterfeit software, and to protect Microsoft’s intellectual property, Windows Vista includes ongoing validation. Through validation, if non-genuine Windows Vista is detected (including non-genuine product keys, cracked or tampered code) the system enters a 30-day grace period. During this time Windows Aero and ReadyBoost features are disabled, and Windows Defender and Windows Update will have limited capabilities (optional updates will not be available through Windows Update, and Windows Defender will only remove critical and severe threats). In addition, during this grace period, a message will appear repeatedly, encouraging the user to take the steps necessary to activate with a genuine product key in order to regain the full value of Windows Vista and to prevent the system from going into a reduced functionality mode.

3. Reduced Functionality: After the repeated prompts above, and if Windows Vista is not activated in the 30-day grace period, the system will operate in a reduced functionality state until a genuine product key is used for activation. In this reduced state, the user will have access to their files and applications, and access to the Internet. However, the desktop will be simplified with only a browser (no Start Menu or Task Bar) and Windows Vista usage will be limited to one hour sessions, at which time the user is forced to log off. Additionally, users may boot the system in Safe Mode in order to access or back-up personal data and applications.

I encourage you to communicate early with customers about the activation changes. For customers that experience reduced functionality, you can help them resolve this by providing them information about how to activate their Windows Vista properly or enable them to purchase a genuine copy.

Learn more to help you discuss this with your customers.

If you serve customers in multiple ways, you may receive a similar communication from the Microsoft OEM team about these new anti-piracy changes. Together, we are working to deliver a great Windows Vista experience for you and for our customers.

Thank you for your business,

[stewie69 (imported)]

Thanks for the info, gator. I just hope the MS Mafia doesn't come out and break your knees for sharing the inside scoop

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

This doesn't sound much like an operating system. It sounds more like a MicroSoft internal security system. I can't have any faith in a product whose primary function is to protect itself from its customers. This would seem to take the choice out of the user's hands and leave it all with MicroSoft's "superior intelect". Also, why should I believe it when I'm told that the O S is not genuine? I think that at this stage of the procedings I can't trust what MicroSoft says at all since they have a deep financial interest in selling "fixes" to me. They have already demonstrated their willingness to interfere with my hardware and software. In short, whatever confidence I may once have had in that orginization is gone. --FLO--

[CollegeGuy2006 (imported)]

Still alive...no MS Mafia yet.

[Slammr (imported)]

I just rebuilt my computer, new motherboard, CPU, memory, and hard drive. When I was buying all the parts -- at Fry's -- I asked the salesman whether I should upgrade to Vista. I actually had no intentions of doing it, but wanted to see what he would say.

He said not to, that half the people that bought it tried to bring it back. I'll be keeping XP I guess. It's working OK for me.

[BossTamsin (imported)]

I actually like Vista, or at least Aero Glass. That, I suppose puts me in a minority. However, I in no way recommend anyone use Vista for another year, or until SP1 is released, whichever occurs last. It seems more stable than XP in some ways, and much less stable in others.

Case in point, at least a week back I lost sound. Vista would suddenly only direct sounds to the spdif port, not to the speakers. To date I've tried everything I can think of, and still no sound.

[stewie69 (imported)]

I actually like Vista, or at least Aero Glass. That, I suppose puts me in a minority. However, I in no way recommend anyone use Vista for another year, or until SP1 is released, whichever occurs last. It seems more stable than XP in some ways, and much less stable in others.

Case in point, at least a week back I lost sound. Vista would suddenly only direct sounds to the spdif port, not to the speakers. To date I've tried everything I can think of, and still no sound.

Well, that gives me something to consider. Still, I'll be buying a Vista machine the next time this thing crashes, whether that's tomorrow or years from now. It just isn't worth the time and hassle to keep resurrecting it. Given all the delays there were releasing Vista, I'm trying to delude myself into believing they worked all the major bugs out. Of course, about 5 years ago, that's what they promised us with XP. And then, there's your sound issue - are you sure it's not a hardware glitch?

[Slammr (imported)]

I actually like Vista, or at least Aero Glass. That, I suppose puts me in a minority. However, I in no way recommend anyone use Vista for another year, or until SP1 is released, whichever occurs last. It seems more stable than XP in some ways, and much less stable in others.

Case in point, at least a week back I lost sound. Vista would suddenly only direct sounds to the spdif port, not to the speakers. To date I've tried everything I can think of, and still no sound.

Do you have a comp that came with Vista or one you installed Vista on? I'm getting the impression that most people who try to upgrade a comp to Vista are the ones having all the trouble, but that is only an impression. I don't know for sure. I'm glad I didn't try switching. I kept my old hard drive as the boot drive -- it's a fast SATA drive -- and had no problems what-so-ever.