Since most new computers now-a-days do not come with startup or restore disks, one has to download them to a CD or DVD.

Does anyone out there know how to go about this in Vista?

We recently set my neighbor up with a new box, and it unfortunately is loaded with the latest from MicroShaft. I have no familiarity with it, beyond what one might extend to it from XP - and I seem unable to find anything....

Try to get a refund, and start using linux?

that should be suitable.

eh. I don't know if Linux is quite what Krister needs. I'm writing this from a Linux desktop, but hey... people should use what works for them.

As far as DVDs go. Whenever I got my Sony Vaio it had a sony welcome type program on it. One of the options in that program was to burn DVDs of the configuration. The images for those DVDs were stored in a hidden partition on the drive.

Over the years the amount of documentation and such that comes with a new PC/Laptop was shrunk. My first PC back in 1995 ended up taking a good chuck of book shelf space. That sony Vaio, it had a pamplet.

install xp. simple solution

http://www.autopatcher.com/

http://www.bootdisk.info/articles.php?action=cat&id=5

wolfpuck (imported) wrote: Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:43 pm install xp. simple solution

If there are drivers for the hardware... I have heard, that for some newer laptops there are no drivers for win XP, only for Vista.

Krister,

Your friend's computer should have come with a Vista restore disk which will allow the operating system to be restored to it's original state should something bad ever happen. This same disk serves as a start up disk to repair the Vista installation.

To use it make certain that the computer's BIOS is set to boot from a CD/DVD. Then simply place the disk in the computer's DVD drive and restart the computer. Vista will come up and give you an option to either reinstall the operating system or repair an existing installation.

Hope this was helpful.

EricaAnn (imported) wrote: Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:07 am Krister,

Your friend's computer should have come with a Vista restore disk which will allow the operating system to be restored to it's original state should something bad ever happen. This same disk serves as a start up disk to repair the Vista installation.

To use it make certain that the computer's BIOS is set to boot from a CD/DVD. Then simply place the disk in the computer's DVD drive and restart the computer. Vista will come up and give you an option to either reinstall the operating system or repair an existing installation.

Hope this was helpful.

Unfortunately, many manufacturers no longer supply a disk. They load the stuff on the computer, and you have to make your own disks. That is the case here. The only problem is that Gladys told it not to make any, and now I don't know where to find that command in Vista. What we did do was order a disk from Microshaft, and she has it now. I feel safer with an exploratory and curious 75 YO newbie, and the fact that I am the one who is her "techie" (what a disastrous idea).

My cousin asked me to look at his laptop the other day. I thought it looked odd at first, then he said it's got Vista Home Basic on it.

I pulled up the task manager - took 3 minutes to do that...

It's got 512 MB RAM and Vista was eating about 300 of that to just sit there and idle!

Allegedly, the machine had a GIG in it when they bought it. I told them to take it back, or put XP on it.

MOST OF THE TIME, given any old machine, the version of Windows you get off of a CD ROM will have enough drivers built into Windows to get the poor thing up and limping, if not running. Then you can take it from there with manually finding drivers online. It always helps to have another PC nearby, though, that's already set up "right"; or as right as it can be with Windows on it!

For instance, we just put together a new machine here with dual core 2.4 GHZ processors and 2 Gig of RAM, USB2, all that good stuff, SATA hard drives, whatever...I just looked at the picture and plugged it all in and had the fire extinguisher at hand. Windows 2000 SP2 off the CD ROM had enough to get it running, although not well. It did find the modem and get itself onto the DSL, and from there it was all DEVICE MANAGER to see what wasn't working. The nice thing about 2000 is that you can also shove XP drivers down its throat and it might cough once or twice, but it will take them. It's also quite and not annoying, not constantly crying about something being wrong.

Vista machines would have to be built very tough to survive me. For the record, I only threw the desktop across the office twice this week - and I worked 3 days. It's been months since I batted my PC at home off of the desk. It's also been about 6 months, I think, I had to buy a new monitor. Those are such a BITCH to clean up when they explode. And no, contrary to popular belief, I cannot put my fist through the glass. Well at least, not NEC monitor glass. It's too thick.

The mouse casualty rate has been rather high lately, though, and only 2 keyboards this week. It's been a good week.

Paolo wrote: Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:07 am My cousin asked me to look at his laptop the other day. I thought it looked odd at first, then he said it's got Vista Home Basic on it.

I pulled up the task manager - took 3 minutes to do that...

It's got 512 MB RAM and Vista was eating about 300 of that to just sit there and idle!

Allegedly, the machine had a GIG in it when they bought it. I told them to take it back, or put XP on it.

Hi, Paolo,

Sorry to hear about the problems you've been having with your cousin's laptop computer.

As you undoubtedly know by now, WinVista will just barely run with 512 MB of RAM. If the machine truly does have modules that add up to 1 GB, but insists it has only 512 MB, the problem may lie with improper seating of one of the sticks. I've found that problem time and time again, probably due to hurried employees in the factory. The solution is to try re-seating the modules, or even switching them in the sockets. Usually works for me.

As far as loading WinXP on the machine, that may not help all that much. As with WinVista, XP needs at least 1 GB to perform well.

The quickest way to load Task Manager, as you may already know, is to right-click a clear spot in the Taskbar, then select Task Manager from the popup. May save you some time.

Good luck.

Shortie