Can Vista be ditched?

[Scutch]

My new laptop has Vista Home pre-installed, but my mates have been saying XP is easier to live with and actually fares better in benchmark tests. My mum's laptop has Vista on, and to be honest I'm not a fan at all. Took me long enough finding Windows Explorer. Saying that, it was a free gift from Carphone Warehouse so perhaps isnt spec'd highly enough to run Vista. The one I've just bought is Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (866Mhz) processor with 4GB Ram.

I've read a few Vista vs XP threads, and there doesnt appear to be a clear winner or loser, just personal preference. So I'm wondering firstly if it's possible to remove all traces of Vista and install XP over it, and secondly if its more viable to actually keep Vista and work with it because it becomes a lot easier after continued use?

Cheers

 

[Aluco]

Just keep it, normally the majority of people saying its crap have only tried it briefly.

Sure it operates slightly slower than XP and is more resource heavy but thats just progression - ie buy a better computer.

 

[Adam]

IMO I would just stick with Vista as I prefer the look and general use of the OS over XP. It is possible to format the HDD and install XP but as you have a new laptap that may not be wise if you ever had to claim anything under waranty.

The choice soon will be Windows 7 over Vista ...

 

[Ronnie R]

As above people who say they dont like it becuase there "used" to xp... Vista is good ull get used to it.

As for XP i think you need to buy the CD OS and boot from CD if im thinking correctly

 

[Scutch]

Cheers guys.

Hopefully soon I'll have a new laptop and a new ISP in Sky Broadband.

Am I also right in thinking that the problems with certain applications and games not running correctly in Vista have been ironed out? I think that Football Manager 2007 or 08 wouldnt install and run properly.

 

[Adam]

Indeed

 

[Mark One]

Absolutely ditch vista. I wouldnt think twice about it. Straight out the box and format the fcuker.
I will confess that some ways of installing XP are cheaper than others....
So you need to think about how your going to go about getting an XP install (not re-install) disk and key and then there is hardware drivers and all your software on top....

 

[Munson]

Explorer = Start key + E. Done. N00b

TBH I'd stick with what it comes with. If you wipe the new machine and install XP, you're then going to be reinstalling applications, chipset/VGA drivers etc. that may or may not even work properly under XP.

 

[Scutch]

Absolutely ditch vista. I wouldnt think twice about it. Straight out the box and format the fcuker.
I will confess that some ways of installing XP are cheaper than others....
So you need to think about how your going to go about getting an XP install (not re-install) disk and key and then there is hardware drivers and all your software on top....

Not a fan then?
Any particular reasons for this, mate?

Explorer = Start key + E. Done. N00b

TBH I'd stick with what it comes with. If you wipe the new machine and install XP, you're then going to be reinstalling applications, chipset/VGA drivers etc. that may or may not even work properly under XP.

LOL @ shortcut commands. Alt + F4 FTW?

Good point about the drivers, too, I guess. I phoned Dell and enquired about XP and they told me that they dont send out any of their built systems with anything less than Vista on now. So that's that idea scrapped anyway.

 

[Adam]

There are obviously going to be Vista haters and XP haters but for what you are going to be using the laptop for, Vista will be fine.

I have been using Vista for years now and since the first few "problems" with certain programmes not working properly etc everything has been spot on.

Installing all the drivers is one thing but say if you had a faulty HDD and it went back Dell they wouldnt even entertain you because you have wiped their factory installation and put another OS on.

 

[KDF]

Can Vista be ditched?

Always.

 

[biojo]

had vista on me mates 1.7gig laptop and i hated it, litrally detested it. Slow kept pausing just completely inusable. Typing on screen was delayed when just switching between msn windows.

Got it on this laptop 2gigx2 and its fine. Odd time it goes delayed but only under allot of hammer. So i`d stick with it

 

[KDF]

Sure it operates slightly slower than XP and is more resource heavy but thats just progression - ie buy a better computer.

Ye, real progress

 

[Galzzly]

Having used both quite a bit, I still prefer XP over Vista -- purely because I don't like the way Vista works, or its stylings.

But in the end, I'd wait to install another OS, at least until the warranty runs out anyway.

 

[KDF]

I phoned Dell and enquired about XP and they told me that they dont send out any of their built systems with anything less than Vista on now. So that's that idea scrapped anyway.

You're obviously speaking to the wrong person then.

 

[KDF]

But in the end, I'd wait to install another OS, at least until the warranty runs out anyway.

You think installing XP is going to void the warranty ?

 

[Galzzly]

You think installing XP is going to void the warranty ?

Shouldn't do, but was just going on what some people were saying, and I CBA to do any research.

Although I thought I did read that Dell were still dishing out systems with XP on them? Or has that stopped now?

 

[KDF]

Read my earlier post.

If you speak to the right person you can still get stuff shipped with a Vista downgrade (more commonly known as a vista upgrade) to XP

 

[Aluco]

Ye, real progress

As things progress they get more complex, hence why it runs slower on the hardware people ran xp on.

Then they complain, if they were to upgrade there hardware when they updated there OS there would be no problems.

But instead they expect it to be basically a reskin of XP which in the end would be pointless, then they b**ch because they have to spend more money.

Progression costs, people gotta deal wid it yo.

 

[Munson]

As things progress they get more complex, hence why it runs slower on the hardware people ran xp on.

Then they complain, if they were to upgrade there hardware when they updated there OS there would be no problems.

But instead they expect it to be basically a reskin of XP which in the end would be pointless, then they b**ch because they have to spend more money.

Progression costs, people gotta deal wid it yo.

No no no. You're wrong. Utterly wrong. Everyone knows that Vista was written by Satan and should be torn apart at every opportunity despite the fact that it works just fine for 99% of all PC users who can't be arsed wanking off over the latest Ubunto release or whatever it's called. Linux just kicked in y0!

 

[Aluco]

Flol!










I love you

 

[Munson]

x

 

[Struggler]

ive just put vista on my home computer, absolutley hate it,

it seems to power down my hard drives after about 2 seconds, so when opening windows explorer it takes about 5 seconds to open,

far too many background processes, and constantly trying to update itself with useless update thats completely juice your computer out,

doesnt support much of my hardware, much more resourse heavy and as far as im aware, no improvement over XP, appart from looking abit fancier, an a coupla more basic drivers,

XP was a big step from 98, but vista seems to be a step back!!
bring on windows 7 (the finnished vista)

 

[Scutch]

^ Bah.

Also just found out the processor on my new laptop will be an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.4 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2.4 Cache)

So not the 866Mhz I originally thought. Bonus.

 

[Aluco]

Scutch it will be fine dude.

 

[Mark One]

Do a quick google on making vista lighter.

Easiest way to start is disable themes
Windows+R > services.msc > 'Themes' right click >properties > disabled + stop process.
Also think about ligher security (like trend micro, or one of the lighter free ones - AVG)

Vista is not a progression. XP isnt perfect but it's not bad.

Scutch - I wouldnt run vista because it's slower and doesent give any advantages. Don't see why I should have to put up with that? That's all really.
As for your processor, I think you'll find the 866 is the FSB (front side bus)......don't ask.

 

[Scutch]

Well I dont want to end up smashing my laptop because it's too slow or frustrating me. I realise its a decent spec machine I'm buying but I want to see the benefits.

I've had 2 new computers through home insurance due to "accidents" and dont want another at the moment...

 

[KDF]

As things progress they get more complex, hence why it runs slower on the hardware people ran xp on.

Then they complain, if they were to upgrade there hardware when they updated there OS there would be no problems.

But instead they expect it to be basically a reskin of XP which in the end would be pointless, then they b**ch because they have to spend more money.

Progression costs, people gotta deal wid it yo.

I'm not going to get into a whole debate about it.. but I will leave you something to think about.

Read your 'theory' again and then answer this question. Why is Windows 7 significantly faster ?

 

[Aluco]

cba wid dis shiz man dem.

Linux is better than them all but I don't often hear many people bigging that up over xp

 

[Struggler]

surely progression would be more efficient,
and if it was going to juice the computer, at least youd have something worth while to show for it,

widows vista offers no noticable perks over XP,
except widgets and a semi see through start bar,
not forgetting some keyboard shortcuts and the new switch between windows,

i think xp with a reskin would be far better.

 

[thecremeegg]

Vista is much better than XP, its just the majority of people dont understand this and therefore hate it. Imo it looks better, runs superbly and never crashes, something that XP could never manage. That said however, on a crappy netbook, vista is not really what you want seeing as its designed for slightly beefier computers.

I'm currently running the Windows 7 beta and thats even better

Edit:

surely progression would be more efficient,
and if it was going to juice the computer, at least youd have something worth while to show for it,

widows vista offers no noticable perks over XP,
except widgets and a semi see through start bar,
not forgetting some keyboard shortcuts and the new switch between windows,

i think xp with a reskin would be far better.

Lol dont post things that you clearly have no idea about, its very different to XP under the skin

 

[KDF]

cba wid dis shiz man dem.

Linux is better than them all but I don't often hear many people bigging that up over xp

Ye that's what I thought.

 

[Munson]

Scutch, if you get that Dell laptop and put XP on it, I can pretty much assure you that you'll have issues putting drivers and apps back on it. Laptops are not quite like desktops. Often the hardware is locked to the vendors drivers. You could potentially have sound card issues, graphics card issues and you may not be able to properly install generic drivers. That's worst case obviously - you may not have any issues at all but I think you will. IMO it's not worth the bother unless you really decide you hate Vista.

 

[Struggler]

Vista is much better than XP, its just the majority of people dont understand this and therefore hate it. Imo it looks better, runs superbly and never crashes, something that XP could never manage. That said however, on a crappy netbook, vista is not really what you want seeing as its designed for slightly beefier computers.

I'm currently running the Windows 7 beta and thats even better

Edit:

Lol dont post things that you clearly have no idea about, its very different to XP under the skin

well i am the general consumer arnt i??
and by the looks of thing windows are designing more and more the less computer knowing people.

so why do i need to know all about computer to like it??
xp is faster, never crashed for me, supports basically everything and much more efficient, isnt that what the general public want??

i never said it was xp with a reskin, i said that would be better.

tell me then, what does vista do that wipes the floor with xp??
and remember i clearly have no idea what im talking about.

 

[Scutch]

Yeah, cheers for the advice, innit.

Am I right in thinking the main hit points from Vista will be the following : Processor, Memory, Hard drive and Graphics Card?
So this spec should run Vista with little to no problems?

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.4 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2.4 Cache)
4GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM
320GB Hard Drive
256MB ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3450

Most graphics cards on the desktops seem to be 512MB+ now. It wont be a gaming machine (being a laptop), so I dont think that's an issue as such.

The thing I cant understand is the 50/50 XP vs Vista. You get a number of people claiming it's brilliant, then suddenly a few saying it's awful, and it then seems to average out between the two systems. Crazy.

I'm now expecting most of my memory to be hogged by applications and things happening in the background.

 

[KDF]

Scutch, if you get that Dell laptop and put XP on it, I can pretty much assure you that you'll have issues putting drivers and apps back on it. Laptops are not quite like desktops. Often the hardware is locked to the vendors drivers. You could potentially have sound card issues, graphics card issues and you may not be able to properly install generic drivers. That's worst case obviously - you may not have any issues at all but I think you will. IMO it's not worth the bother unless you really decide you hate Vista.

Or he could just punch the service tag into dell's site and check that there are XP drivers for it all first, which I can pretty much guarantee there will be.

 

[Aluco]

Ye that's what I thought.

Lol you said yourself you didn't want to get into a debate.

 

[KDF]

Lol you said yourself you didn't want to get into a debate.

I didn't, I blew your entire 'theory' away with one sentance.

 

[Munson]

Or he could just punch the service tag into dell's site and check that there are XP drivers for it all first, which I can pretty much guarantee there will be.

I didn't think Dell were supporting XP at all anymore. You seem to know different though so fair play TBH. Either way, I really don't see why he will need to use XP unless he just wants to feel part of the Vista hating clan. There's nothing wron with it for most users. Nothing at all.

 

[KDF]

Hey, he can use what he wants its not going to affect me in anyway..