Vista users - beware of Windows updates

[snowdude 44]

I find that vista does instal unnessary updates, that depending on your luck can screw it up. Best to have the system constantly backed up using norton go back, ghost or save and restore, then easy to roll the computer back, this is good in any case.

 

Also I use opera and avant browser or firefox, never once open IE, and it is also a known problem with many vista machines.

I recommend downloading opera or firefox and make one of those two your default browser.

 

Having said that you may find some streaming videos will not work with opera, unless you install the plug-ins, but that is usually easy to do, and rarely a problem anyway.

 

My computer has vista in it, and is very very stable, never crashes never had problems, but sometimes older software is not backwards compatible with Vista, such as the microsoft office packages.

 

I would not recommend that anyone upgrade from XP to vista though as vista is a memory hog. Usually the newest comps that come with vista have the power to run vista without any problems, many xp machines haven't got the graphics or processor / memory to run it well.

 

And never buy a celeron comp, they are rubbish, way low down on power compared to other processors.

 

Security wise Vista is better than XP, but to what degree I am not sure.

 

JA has a good point, if your machine works fine and does all you want then why upgrade, no point.

It's when it stops doing what you want when it is time to consider changing it.

 

Also with all comps no matter how powerful they are, they require maintance, by that I mean you need to remove the old junk files, clean the registry, defragment the drive now and again, if you want to keep it running like the day you bought it.

 

A badly fragmented drive will slow your comp down a lot as the computer has to take longer to locate the files, think of an office that has a very disorganised filing system, it takes people longer to find things. A computers hard drive works the same.

 

Also you install and delete programs and files, etc bits get left behind, even if you think you have deleted eveything, you haven't because parts of the registry files are left behind. If these are not cleaned and removed on a regular basis then your computer will get slower, no matter how fast it is at the start.

 

The more you install on a hard drive the slower it will become. In general as a rule of thumb, never use more than 70% of the drive if you don't want to sacrifice speed.

 

 

Ok just sticking my bit in here, hope there might be something useful for anyone having computer/ vista/xp issues or is thinking about changing computers.

[Ezorisu 0]

The built-in roll-back in Vista works well most of the time. I've managed to revive a Vista test machine from death by uninstalling some "updates" that made it hang on shutdown (I did eventually have to do a full reinstall on that machine and rebuild it from scratch after something really went wrong though, but that was it's purpose as a test machine).

 

Knock on wood, but I haven't had any incompatibility issues with Vista and either programs or hardware drivers. I'm not sure about the backward-compatibility Snowdude mentioned, but I have MS Office 2000 with SP3 installed and running trouble-free on Vista. MSO 2007 bad.

[JA2340 16]

dude,

agree fully. Defrag and cleanup are very much under utilised by the majority of users.

 

Most of the maintenance calls I get with regard to "slow" computer have to do with unemptied recycle bin, a full cache, a temp directory that's chokka and badly fragmented drive. Spend a bit time clearing these things and the box works a lot better.

 

BTW, my recycle is set to not keep anything. deleted files go straight into the bit bucket, Having done a bit of work with unix where rm (for remove) has NO undo, I am wary about deleting, but when I do, I mean it!

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Doesn't Vista defrag automatically??

[JA2340 16]

TB, I tend not to trust "automatic" anything. OK, I'm a control freak, but I want to be able to work when I want and let the opyjer stuff work when I don't. So ... automatic virus scans, automatic updates, automatic cars are all &U(&*^*^%^&% if you follow me

 

So, I do what I have to do, then set the AV scan or the defrag or the update to do what it needs to do. I also do not just accept ALL Bill's updates. I choose the ones I want. Ferinstance, I do not EVER use (in factit ain't installed) Outlook Express - too many holes to plug and too many people looking for more - so I never install the fixes for it. Waste of time, you see?

 

FWIW, my browser of choice is FF (with ieTab plugin for those site that insist on working with the ie 'extensions' to html) and Thunderbird is the ONLY email client.

[scouser 4]

It is set to automatically at default I think, but you can turn it off.

[Ezorisu 0]

By default, it is set to automatically run on a schedule - I think it will automatically run on Monday at noon or midnight or something like that. There is no longer the ability to see the progress or how much time is remaining, since the Vista team assumed the end-user would be leaving the machine on 24/7 with this and other applications "running in the background".

[dale#1 1]

Not had a problem with any of the updates myself, I have them on manual but check every few weeks or so

[JA2340 16]

Yeah, they also assume that the average user has an unlimited amount of cash to continue to upgrade, they also have no concept of "the cost of electricity".

[pie-eater 207]

I don't suppose it is only Microsoft that do that!

[nzlegend 1]

 Originally Posted By: JA

dude,
agree fully. Defrag and cleanup are very much under utilised by the majority of users.

for thorough cleaning there is great free tool called crap cleaner. highly recommended.

For a superior defrag tool try Diskeeper. (10x quicker)

Anything that comes standard with Windows like the defrag tool is usually pretty crappy, its best to search around for a better tool.

[cal 6]

"I prefer IE."

 

Me too

[JA2340 16]

Interesting ... Just out of interest, would you mind telling me why? (PM if you like).

 

I install PCs for a major retailer, Have had some people ask for FF to be installed, some wanting to have IE removed (not really possible since it is tightly integrated into the OS) but not ever had anyone say they prefer IE.

 

Cost cannot be an issue - both are free - nor "security" as there are mountains of evidence to attest to the fact that IE is not the most secure product. (And the fact that it is so much the dominant browser in the marketplace makes it a more attractive target for those eejits who insist on writing malicious code).

[frannyo 2]

I use IE. I prefer it. I tried Firefox for a week or so, I still have it, but can't see a reason to move over as I prefered IE. I haven't written an in-depth paper on 'why', it's just what I prefer.

[JA2340 16]

OK, whatever floats yer boat. But, preference implies a conscious decision - rather than "use it because it's part of the OS" - was simply a question, is all!

 

Simply put, I prefer "non-MS" products when they are equal to (or especially when better than) the MS product. Don't use Open office because the "better than" bit doesn;t apply - otherwise I would.

 

I started with FF when they were the ONLY browser to use tabs while still complying with the W3 standard. That meant that some sites (which insist on using the 'extensions' to w3 that MS invented) did not render correctly. Thus my use of the ietab extension.

[rach 1]

I use IE because it is there. I tried Firefox on a friends machine and didn't really like it, perhaps I just wasn't used to it. Like someone else said, internet browsers aren't exactly something that excites me.

[JA2340 16]

OK, just asking - My point, I guess, is that the security issues, relating to exploits that use the well known flaws in IE are legion, while the same exploits do not work in FF.

 

OK, I'm a nerd, prefer something that is nicer, neater and more delicately engineered. My problem, not yours

[pie-eater 207]

 Quote:

the security issues

How many people have died or been severely injured through using a certain browser?

[JA2340 16]

Yeah, right!!

 

Not personal SAFETY, goose! Computer security, loss of data, becoming the source of spam, etc.

 

Sheesh! What planet have you been on recently?

[pie-eater 207]

I was being slightly sarcastic.

 

With the billions of computers using IE, how many are insecure/losing data etc because of IE?

[Yuki's Passion 1]

that would be interesting to know. I have never had my HD erased, etc and I use IE - have FF too and like it - I actually use FF at work and IE at home - my bookmarks are on like that. I know you can probably switch over your bookmarks or something but I just dont care.

[JA2340 16]

Point is not so much "never had it happen" (as I have never had that sort of disaster strike, either) but more that the potential is so much greater with IE because

 

- it is the dominant browser

- it is tightly integrated into the O/S

- it CANNOT be removed or O/S functionality disappears

- it is seen as a "legitimate" target by those clowns who write worms/viruses/trojans etc.

- it has well known (and a growing list of) vulnerabilities, many of which are fixed by MS patches and automatic updates, but some of which never get installed by users who turn off auto update and don't bother to check

 

Each to his/her own, I guess. Just I would NEVER willingly use IE. Some sites force it by using the MS extensions to html, others force it by embedding IE startup in the headers of the site. These places I avoid unless there is no alternative.

 

I always wear my seatbelt, not that I have had a crash, you understand, just the potential exists and I like to keep my body in one piece, breathing and beating. Same concept.

[grungy-gonads 54]

I just do not accept that there is such a risk. Perhaps I'm being naive, or perhaps you are just being over-cautious through a hatred of anything Microsoft. I take care of my computer and update all my security stuff often. I'm not unduly concerned about my online security.

[bobby12 0]

"I have never had my HD erased, etc "

 

People who write viruses have no interest in erasing your HD. They are businessmen who want to take control of your PC and use it to steal your identity, or to be part of a `denial of service` attack on a website. They blackmail big sites to pay them to not take them down with such an attack. By using IE, it is far easier for these guys to put a virus on your system. You dont have to open an .exe file or anything, you can get a virus simply by visiting a website. Having these viruses on your system can slow your pc down too. Security means preventing this kind of thing.

 

A second reason to use FF is all the extensions you can put on it. If you are a power surfer then these come in very handy and save you a lot of time and fiddling.

[69 5]

Understand what you are saying about the viruses bobby12, but if you have up to date security on your machine then this will surely not you. I know lots of people don't, but they should have.

 

I'd guess that a large % of people - the masses out there including me - would not class themselves as 'power surfers'.

 

People who use it do seem to like Firefox though. Like others have said though, browsers don't excite me in the least.