Have you tried any of the Windows Vista betas?

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Re: Have you tried any of the Vista Betas

by pdickey043 · 15 years ago In reply to Have you tried any of the ...

Hi there,
I've been in the managed beta for Vista since November 2005. In the beginning, I would install it play with it for a few hours, then go back to my XP drive. But ever since about build 5308 or 5342, I've been running Vista as my day-to-day Operating System.
Aside from the usual Program incompatibilities that you should expect, and some of the hardware incompatibilities, it's a decent OS. If you use Virtual CD/DVD Drives (Daemon Tools, Alcohol 120%, etc) then right now it's not for you. They don't work properly (if at all) in Vista. And your older hardware may or may not work on Vista.
Ultimately, I'll end up back on XP for a while after Vista RTM's. But at the earliest that I can, I'll be buying a copy (or getting it through a MSDN subscription).
Patrick.

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Yes I am

by Michael L Hereid Sr · 15 years ago In reply to Re: Have you tried any of ...

Having been on the beta team since July of 2005-it has only been since about May that the os has installed all my hardware and since that time Vista has been my main operating system.
With RC1 Vista shows me that by the time it goes RTM will be a fantastic os.
Michael L Hereid Sr

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Tried it !

by j.g.camp · 15 years ago In reply to Re: Have you tried any of ...

Doesn't support Riser Card 56K modem on a SiS735 ECS K7S5A motherboard. Doesn't support a D-Link DWL-520+ wireless card. I have no use for Vista, I don't see any reason why I would pay $ 399 suggested retail price for Vista Ultimate. It was a waste of time to install for me. Thanks God another downloaded the dvd, otherwise I wouldn't have known firsthand how it's marginally an alternative to XP. Eye Candy, XP can be themed with Style XP for a majority of what Vista is about and use far less resources.

I have a question though, you say program and hardware incompatibilities should be expected and that it's decent as an OS. Vista should be at least an XP equivalent in the beta stages in my opinion. 5 years to develop, come on now ? I switched to Ubuntu Linux as my day to day and am happier with it.

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I have used several versions

by w2ktechman · 15 years ago In reply to Re: Have you tried any of ...

and I still think that I am fine with XP, and have no plans to switch. I may change my mind in a few years, but after playing with Vista, I have been moving to SUSE Linux. Gotten good at usage, still learning administration

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Windows Vista

by techsajan · 15 years ago In reply to Have you tried any of the ...

I have installed RC1 built 5600 - its quite impressive and i am very much intrested to use it in future as well - i have to test more but i feel built 5600 is remarkbly improved compared to various other beta release of Vista

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Vista needs major improvements

by angela.weber · 15 years ago In reply to Have you tried any of the ...

I received the Windows Vista Beta 2 cd and installed it after completely reimaging my pc so I could start with a clean slate. I have since wiped my pc clean again and put Windows XP back on. The newest RC version just arrived in the mail but the packaging has not been touched. I have not determined if my dislike for the new Windows is a result of it still being in beta form or if I just personally dislike the environment all together. All I know is as of right now, I cannot stand Windows Vista.

The requirements alone are unbelievable. All properties and services seem to open in browser-like windows, which open within eachother so you find yourself constantly using the back and forward buttons. New system restore points cannot be created using the System Restore service, rather, one must go to System Properties and use the System Restore tab. All windows dim to allow any newly prompted operation to be accepted by you (which can ultimately be disabled but not as easily as one would think). Internet Explorer 7 does not enable you to right-click on a tab to save it as a favorite (may be small but still annoying). All user folders are renamed to exclude the "My" prefix one has come to expect. The only security software publicly available for the Vista beta is PC-cillin. Hardly any drivers are available or compatible with the Vista environment. If more than a handful of Internet windows and/or tabs are open at one time, the pc goes so slow that ending processes seems to resolve nothing...

I could probably keep going but did not have the beta on my pc long enough to fully experience it all. There are some nice features as well but not enough to make me leave XP anytime soon.

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As for driver support

by w2ktechman · 15 years ago In reply to Vista needs major improve ...

Yes, there are a lot of HW that do not work. But some that dont from a clean install, will on an upgrade.
Vista can use many of XP drivers, but in a clean install, they cannot install. In an upgrade, the system installs them fine. I found this out on an HP tc4200 tablet edition, and on a HP/Compaq NC6000.
But I agree, Vista is not worth my time still. And it isnt as much of the things that you mention, it is that everything that MS said is better in Vista, does not seem to be, just harder to find, and more pages in wizards

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Ok, but...

by angela.weber · 15 years ago In reply to As for driver support

I agree completely. However, I was so determined to get Vista working properly (assuming all flaws were my fault) that I switched from XP to Vista multiple times. I generally wipe my pc clean every six months or so, backing up all important data and files, so it wasn't as if I did it all for the Vista upgrade. Anyway... First, I wiped my pc clean and installed the original XP operating system via the restore disks. After all was done, I installed a clean version of Vista (which took two attempts since the graphics card was not reading/installing properly and everything looked as if I was in a Windows 98 safe mode environment). Since I still felt the upgrade was not right, I eventually wiped my pc clean again and this time performed an upgrade from XP to Vista, but only after installing updates and rebooting numerous times. Once all seemed to be as it should, I found myself barely satisfied. I gave it about a week and then decided to go back to XP, which I never thought I'd be so happy to see again. So, there's nothing wrong with Vista, (especially since it is still in the development stage) but there is very little attracting me to it that XP is lacking.

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I agree

by CaP/ · 15 years ago In reply to Vista needs major improve ...

I tested Vista RC1 aswell as some of the Betas.
RC1 is more stable and works fine, but for me, This OS isn't worth the time and money yet.
The problems with incompatibility will eventually be fixed, but to get full advantage of the new features, you have to have a fearly new pc with a lot of ram (1G is the minimum to be able to run without to much problems).
Also, i like to have full control over what the OS system does and i miss that in Vista.
I will wait untill the retail version of Vista, some hotfixes and/or service packs are out, and then, i'll give it another try.
The only thing i liked about Vista was the Aero Glass effect, and that was not what i was waiting for, considering the hardware requirements.
For now, i'll stay with my XP and Suse for as long as i can.

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No

by yobtaf · 15 years ago In reply to Have you tried any of the ...

I have nothing against it and I will probably adopt it a year after it
comes out.

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