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Friday, February 2, 2007
Enjoy the pretty Vista, but don’t step off the cliff
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When I installed Microsoft Vista Tuesday afternoon, I knew Bill Gates was right. This version of Windows really is the most secure yet.
That’s because, after the installation, I could no longer go online. Now that is a computer safe from hackers.
With a little work I straightened the problem out but it illustrates the heartaches involved in installing any new operating system. You are almost guaranteed to discover that some of your old programs and devices no longer work.
The solution to my problem was fairly simple - my network interface card (the device that connects the computer to the home network) needed new software. Once that was installed I was back online.
You may not get off that easy so my earlier suggestion still holds - don’t install Vista now. Wait for a few months, then wait one more month.
But many of you will upgrade to Vista within the next few days, so I’ll take you along on my highly educational adventure of installing Vista.
Let’s start at the store. You’ll find four versions of Vista. For most of you, the only sensible choice is the one I bought: Vista Home Premium. The bottom-of-the-line Vista Basic doesn’t include some features that make the upgrade worthwhile. The two most expensive versions of Vista - Business and Ultimate - don’t add enough value to make them worthwhile for most home users.
If you have a computer that’s already running Windows XP, you can and should buy the upgrade version of Vista, not the full version. You’ll get the same product and - in the case of Home Premium - save about $80. With tax included I paid $171 for Home Premium Upgrade.
Back home from the store and ready to install Vista, I ran into my first problem. I couldn’t figure out how to open its fancy plastic case. A confusing mess of arrows indicate you are supposed to pull on one tab at the top while depressing two plastic tabs on the side of the package. I ran out of fingers. Finally, after I broke one plastic tab, my stepdaughter opened the case for me and I was ready to install.
I popped the installation DVD into my machine (keep in mind that Vista doesn’t come on a CD so your PC needs a DVD player). Once I did that, the installation program immediately offered a link to Microsoft’s Upgrade Advisor. That program will audit your PC in advance and let you know about any potential problems before you install.
Vista allows you to skip that step if you wish. Don’t. That’s how I discovered I needed to download the software for my network card. Had I not downloaded the software while still running XP I would have been caught in a giant Catch 22. When Vista was installed I couldn’t go online to download the driver software needed to get online.
There’s one other decision to make before you get started. You need to select one of two installation methods.
One is a clean installation - if you choose this option you must back up all your data and then plan on reinstalling it, along with all your programs, after Vista is up and running. In truth, this is the best way to go - Vista gets a clean start and is most likely to be trouble-free. But a clean install also involves the most hassle.
You may not have a choice, by the way. Some computers have versions of XP that make a clean installation mandatory. The back of the Vista package offers complete details on installations that require a clean installation.
I took the second route, an over-install that leaves your data and programs intact after you are done. (A sensible person should back up all data before the installation anyway. Please don’t ask if I’m a sensible person, I’d rather not say.)
Once all the decisions were made, I started the installation process around noon. Within minutes I ran into a problem. An onscreen message told me I needed to remove some Symantec programs and Vista aborted the installation. I used the Windows uninstall feature in the control panel to get rid of the programs.
Then I started the installation again. The first onscreen message was: “Your upgrade may take several hours to complete.” That was cheery news, especially since I planned to sit at the machine so I could report on the installation.
The installation itself was fairly boring - there’s no need for you to sit at the machine and watch the completion meter slowly turn from zero, to 1 percent done, to 21 percent, and finally completion. Had I not been writing about all this I would have taken Lucy the beagle for a walk. Unlike earlier versions of Windows, there were no decisions to make once the installation started.
Finally, at 1:45 p.m. the installation was done. Given the noon start time and the aborted first attempt, it didn’t take several hours. Your own installation time may vary wildly depending on your computer, its speed, the size of the hard disk and other factors. My machine has a 3-gigahertz Intel processor, a 200-gigabyte hard drive and 1 gigabyte of RAM.
Once Vista was up and running I started exploring its new features. While I have used beta copies, some of these features weren’t fully operational then.
First, I checked out the look of the program - after all, the new Aero 3-D graphics have attracted the most attention. Many reviewers say Windows has finally caught up with Macintosh’s pretty desktop graphics and features. Me? I could live decades longer and never feel the need for the new look. That’s just me. It is sort of pretty but the thrill passed quickly.
I would say Aero does no harm but that would be a lie. The fancy graphics use up some of your computer’s horsepower.
Next, I wanted to check out a report in PC World that programs actually run slower with Vista than Windows XP. Before installing Vista, I timed a complex task in PhotoShop. That task took about 6 seconds with XP, about 7 with Vista. My very unscientific finding is this: Vista may be a bit slower but I doubt you’ll care or notice.
Then I tried some of my old programs. Most of them worked just fine with Vista. Your own mileage may vary. Ironically, the only programs that gave me any trouble were those created by Microsoft. Before I could open and use Microsoft Word, I had to insert the installation CD for that program to let it update. Once I did that, Word worked fine.
Another new feature is the ability to dock small novelty programs on the right side of the screen - one offers news headlines, another is a clock. The techie term for these things is gadgets. Macintoshes have had this feature for a while. I didn’t find it usefu. But - other than the ones that came with Vista - there are many available for free download. Maybe there’s one I’ll like.
One major improvement is not glamorous but very handy. There’s a great back-up program built into Vista and it worked fine - no tweaking necessary - with my external hard disk. It’s the only back-up program you are likely to ever need and a major improvement from what XP offers.
Finally, I decided to turn off my computer. Windows now puts your PC into a powered-down sleep mode instead of turning it off.
That means your PC will start quickly and - if you have programs open when you power down - all your work will be where you left it when you start working again.
You have the option of changing that feature so Windows turns the PC off. But I like the way sleep mode works and will use it.
Finally, my overall impression of Vista: It’s a worthwhile upgrade, worth waiting for. And that’s what I want you to do - wait for it.
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