[billcantrell]

I tried all of the "12 Vista Features..." in the November PCWorld that
were on my PC and they really helped, just like the author said.
Biggest surprise was that SP1 finished installing after I took his
advice. I have been trying to install SP1 for several months, have
been through many emails and diagnostics with MS support, all to no
avail. Probably wasted a total of 12-18 hours, counting waiting for it
to install, then fail at the very end.
The final MS support email said it was HP's fault (I have an
inexpensive Compaq laptop from an Office Depot promotion) and that HP
needed to fix something they had done. WRONG! Making these changes
allowed SP1 to install. Don't know which one fixed the SP1 installation problem, but it worked after doing what was in the article. I was sure to let MS know they didn't know what they were talking about.
Thanks for the tricks and thanks for whatever happened to let
SP1 install.

[wired4action]

Sounds like too much crying about Vista to me. Some people love it and others hate it. Personally, I'm probably not even going to consider it since Win7 is right around the corner. And I probably won't even get around to that until it's been out for several years and everyone else deals with whatever bugs it's bound to have.
I'm running XpProSP2 (still waiting to be sure the complaints on SP3 have died down before I install it--I have the download already). So I guess you could call me overly conservative, but I'm also overly cash-strapped. When I see the hardware some of the major complainers are running (not that they shouldn't complain about problems with expensive, much-hyped software) it makes me laugh (or maybe cry from jealously). The dinosaur I'm running is a real antique--genre:"Early-Curb"-- built straight from the local streets around my city. An SE440BX motherbaord maxed out with a Pentium III 700Mhz processor and a whopping 384Mb of RAM; a TNT Riva2 (nVidia based) AGP 32Mb grapiics card; a PCI 128 Creative sound card; an old Mitsumi 4x2x8x CD-RW; all piled around a 40Gb WD hard drive (and a 13 Gig slave with Win98SE for storage (and booting for the occassional older game). So don't tell me you can't run XP with less than 512Mb of RAM, I've been doing it with anywhere from 30% to 50% to spare, even with !Avast AV and other protections running.
Obviously, I'm not heavy into multimedia and I have to watch what resource-sucking programs (like image-editing) I run but this system runs pretty good (maybe I just don't know what "good" is?). Besides, where am I going with my 56k dial-up Peoplepc $10.95/month connection.
Even though I refer to them as "M$" or "Micro-Money" (they do have more $$ than God) I still think they make a fine product, and I'm not a paid shill or "fanboy". Credit where credit is due. I guess that's my whole point here (besides wanting to spout off a little along with the guys running the "Big Rigs" and latest systems) and, like Forest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that".

[rgreen4]

Hey Wired - as has been said before, if your machine suits your needs, there is not need to upgrade either the hardware or OS.

[GOED]

Hello Sandra,

It is difficult to say what is going on with your pc specially since you say you have everything checked.

However, I am running a Single core CPU, 2 Gh, 2 G or Ram and Vista Home Premium runs perfect, I did buy the retail version but that should not matter. I run Vista even without a Page file system. At load time my memory usage is only 47 percent forcing all of Windows components to stay in memory.

It could be fluctuations on the electrical signals that are being sent trough your motherboard to a particular component like the Video Card.

You may have a defective machine on your hands, if you are still under Waranty, why don't you have Dell replace the machine.

Or it could be your Master File Table, it may be corrupted, I have seen this before, Windows tries to process the MFT and as it encounters an error it reboots or gives an error message.

Did you created your PC RESTORE DVD'S, Did Dell Send you a DVD with the Operating System, I ask, because it you did not mentioned trying a PC RESTORE ( NOT THE SAME AS A SYSTEM RESTORE ).

If you know how and you try it out, make sure that when you get to which partion on the Drive you want to install you do a complete Formatting of that partion, so that windows Rebuilds the MFT and the Sector and Cluster information on your drive.

If you do try it, install the OS, and necessary drivers you need for Internet Connection and Video card and then just start downloading all the OS patches first, try not to install any application yet until you finish all the OS updates including SP1.

I know it may seem as a lot of work, but something is corrupted on your pc, I am personally leaning towards the MFT.

Good luck and I am kind of sorry you are having this problems, because, believe it or not on a 3 year old laptop from Dell XPS GEN 2, I am really enjoying vista.

3 years ago Dell had a better Hardware reliability score then they do now, because they trying to sell cheaper pc's and laptops to make money.

Geo

[Webster]

Isn't Intel largely responsible for Vista's bad reputation? (or at least, Microsoft's agreement with Intel, to lower the graphics "minimum requirements" for Vista?). I’m mostly fine with Vista, having learned with earlier Windows, to get more RAM than Windows "requires" so it doesn't run like sludge. I don't object to the security prompt that so many people say they hate ("did you mean to take this action?" or whatever). Get over it! I want to try to stop malware from installing on my PC. That said, I did have a recurring problem with Vista not logging off -- it would just give the "logging off" screen seemingly forever – one time, for more than an hour while I fixed lunch, did some errands, etc. - finally had to hard shut down. Same problem, several times. And Service Pack 1 has tried to install several times – only to fail each time, at the very end. The last time it tried, Vista said it failed and was reverting. But then it wouldn’t even run. When I booted up, Vista kept asking for its product activation number -- but then said it wasn't valid (It’s an OEM version, direct from the manufacturer). Then it sent me to a screen which didn’t allow any software to run, but allowed an Internet connection to “buy Vista.” I was pretty much ready to do a system restore, but first called Dell technical support and got right through to India. They tried to connect to my laptop to diagnose the problem, but my now-crippled Vista wouldn’t let me allow the connection. So had to fall back on “system restore.” At least I had my stuff backed up (actually, my wife’s stuff, as it’s her laptop). And I haven’t since had the problem with the infinity log-out. But now I refuse to allow Service Pack 1 to try to install. -Thanks “billcantrell” for letting us know about your experience with SP1 (you probably won’t see this so long after the fact). Seeing as how you were ultimately successful, maybe I will try this when I get home. Bottom line, though: Vista’s not as horrible as so many people make it out to be (unless you have the “minimum requirement” PC apparently, as many of my daughter’s friends found out). BUT some of its bugs still do suck, no matter what the Win fanboys say.

[GOED]

Webster,

I know for a fact that HP's have drivers for the Audio Card - Realtek, at the beginning these were causing many errors in the installation of Vista SP1, Now HP machines ship with an utility to check for driver updates. For my sister's pc, I had to wate 2 months before the updated Realtek drivers came down on their own. I could have done it manually, but I was not able to go to my sister's house from the last time I was there and the time I return to do the SP1 install.

About a week before I went there, the utility downloaded the driver's on its own.

So as you can see even if computers get shipped with utilities to update drivers, sometimes it takes a while.

Other programs that can keep the installation from completing are full antivirus applications including McFee, and Norton, because they try to restrict any changes to the OS files but don't differinciate between a MS install. I know about people with these packages who had problems too.

I would recomend if you like, one more suggestion which has also work for how I have install SP1 on other computers (friends/family)

Get REVO UNINSTALLER FROM CNET.COM - DOWNLOADS, version should be 1.75.

Install it, but don't install any toolbars for IE if it offers to do so.

Run it, the first screen will show you all your installed programs on your computer.

Click on TOOLS,

The left pane actions changes, one of the options would be Autoruns.

Click on that.

See how many items are running at start up of Vista, this is for you to get use to it.

Go to Microsoft.com, go to downloads, pick vista downloads and find Vista SP1 - Five lenguages.

Download the complete package to your computer which should be around 384MB.

Run Revo again, these time when you are in the Autoruns, UNSELECT EVERY SINGLE APPLICATION THAT LOADS AT STARUP.

You are not deleting them, just keeping them from loading at starup.

Reboot your pc, upon logon, turn off your internet connection.

Now try to install SP1, if everything goes well great, I hope it works for you.

After you can run Revo again, and select all your start up applications and you should be back in business.

GOOD LUCK.

[Parhelion]

Useful article... Thanks, Lincoln! Regarding the second step of turning off the Tablet PC Input Services, I found it necessary to logon as the System Administrator in order to 'Disable' this feature (otherwise the Startup Type drop down menu shows 'Automatic' and is greyed-out). Additionally, in order to turn off a number of the other features, I found that the UAC dialog appeared and I had to type in my Administrator password in order to proceed, plus some of the turn offs required a Reboot in order for the configuration change to take effect.

[gverble]

It amazes me how people criticize Windows Vista. It is the best operating system so far. As for those who think Vista has alot of programs that aren't really needed, someone else might be thrilled they are in the OS. Get geared up so you can start dog-ing Windows 7 after we find all the un-needed programs with that system. It doesn't matter what is - or is not included in an Operating System, people will find fault. Something you don't like might be a plus for other users. You cant please everyone.

Just follow the tips in this article, and disable the programs you don't use, and quit your whining. I did, and my computer runs so much faster.

And if I may add, My computer crashed more often with XP.

So all you people who like to complain and whine, get ready. Windows 7 comes out Oct. 22. So now you will have something new to whine about!!