WINDOWS VISTA FINAL RELEASE JAN 30, 2007.

Getting started with Windows Vista

Microsoft's Getting Started Page.

  Intro

Posted on April 29th, 2007 by TRComputing

    These notes are from my experimenting/playing with Windows Vista,
inside:
     VMware (VMware Workstation, 5.5.4 build-44386 5.5.9 build-126128 7.1.0 build-261024 7.1.1 build-282343.i386
     7.1.4 build-385536, Version 8),
inside:
     SuSE Linux (openSUSE 10.2 & 10.3 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 12.2 12.3).

I recently purchased an HP PC, within a time range, that HP was allowing for a free update to Windows Vista for new/recent purchases. My new PC, described elsewhere, came with Windows XP Media Center. This was/is one powerful PC. I actually wanted to upgrade my PC opeations before I was forced into Windows Vista. I was lucky and made it. My purchase was on January 25th, 2007 and Vista was released on January 30th. Talk about close.
Added December 14th, 2011 TRComputing
We just recently acquired a Toshiba Laptop that also has Windows Vista on it. For more info visit the page by selecting Tosh Vista on the Left.

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An Advisory Note on Vista(copied from HP):
Certain Windows Vista product features require advanced or additional hardware. See www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/hardwarereqs.mspx and www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx for details. Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor can help you determine which features of Windows Vista will run on your computer. To download the tool, visit www.windowsvista.com/upgradeadvisor.

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    I don't believe that I am getting the full use of Vista in this manner but I am at least getting to try it out before messing up ... or enhancing ... my new PC. Since it, my new PC, does have the Windows Vista Capable tag, I shouldn't have to many problems.
This is gona change real soon. I got my Christmas present early. Now have VMware 7!! It claims to handle more of the New Vista type operations... such as the new aero.

1. Decided to install Windows Vista -via- VMware.
2. Tried to create a clone but not enough disk space... in the clone.
3. Created from scratch - 16GB HD with 640MB Mem
4. It claims to be an Upgrade but it let me install.
   Later Note: I activated this installation. IF I decide to change my main system, I will worry about another activation then. I really should be able to use this Vista as my main(replace my XP in the dual boot) and here inside VMware, inside Linux. It is the same machine and I can't use them both at the same time.
    
5. The Install was simple, all I had to do was enter the Prodcut Key.
6. After it loaded files, and installed itself, it started.
7. Got a Set Up Windows dialog. Wanted a username and password:
       Chucktr --- nope will be ctaylor
8. Computer name -- Dusty4
9. Next, we get the Help protect Windows automatically. Got three choices.
   I am going to pick Ask me later.
10. Next we get time and date settings...it's reading my hardware and is correct... except for the time zone and daylight savings.
11. Lastly ... we get a Thank you with a button that says Start.
12. Clicked on Start and it checked out my 'puter.
13. Guess it liked it ... cause it came back with a logon screen.
14. I logged on and it started up.
15. Well, it came up with a beautiful destop and then a Window that said
    << System and Maintence >> Welcome Center.
    This contained a desription of my PC and a bunch of selections.
       Windows Vista Home Premium
       Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.2GHz
       640 MB RAM
       Standard VGA Graphics Adapter
       Computer Name: Dusty4
    1. Get started with Windows (14)

    View computer details	Transfer files and settings	Add new users
    Windows Anytime Upgrade	Connect to the Internet	What's new in Windows Vista

    2. Offers from Microsoft (7)
    

    Go online to learn about Windows Live	Go online to find it fast with Windows Live	Go online to help protect your PC with Windows Live
    Go online to Windows Marketplace	Go online to connect and share with Windows Live	Go online to find more ways to help protect your PC

16. I installed VMware tools and at the beginning it asked me if I trusted this program. Naturally I said yes.
17. VMware Tools finished and then wanted to re-boot. I said no. That Window is still up and I'm not sure what to do with it.!! However, some of the VMware tools are working cause I am able to move my mouse around without having to use CTL-ALT.
18. Well I got my questions answered by      Paul Thurrott's SuperSite
19. Hmmmm, it didn't install my sound BUT I went into the Control Panel and let it search for a driver. It found one and installed it. Now we have sound.
20. Have to double click!! Not happy and I can't find a way to make it single click. Found it!! It's a folders option inside the Control Pannel(Classic View). (Thanks Paul)
21. Wellll now. Just experienced something new. It went to sleep inside VMware. Never had that before. It shrinks down to a little window in the bottom right of VMware. I must click on VMware resume to get it back. Cool.
22. Interesting... I clicked on View Computer Details and got a new screen. One of the items at the bottom of this screen said 3 days until automatic activation. Activate Windows now It has a Product ID: with a Change product key entry. Now then, if I activate this now here in VMware, will I be able to reactivate it if and when I use it as my main system??? Hmmmm..
23. I can connect to the Net and it is using IE ver 7.
24. Had unusual HD activity ... and the DVD's. Went on the Net for answeres and I got one.
    Constant hard drive activity
    I installed vista on my machine and at boot when you first reach the desktop, the hard drive just goes on and on. And then through out, its constantly access it not a solid just here and there. Is there something its doing that i could just turn off?
    Oh dear...are people allergic to the Search button?
    This is perfectly normal for a new install of Vista. It's indexing your drive and optimizing it, and should go away in a week or so.
    I think someone should make a guide about Vista things.
    The problems:
    #1- Would be HUGE explaining all the things Vista does.
    #2- Even if brief (still would be large), you would have someone complaining that you are technically wrong because you didn't explain it enough.
    #3- Being it is so big, people wouldn't want to look at it.
    
    It could be like:
    
    "My hdd is constantly doing something"
       - It's normal and a good thing. Live with it.
    
    "My memory is constantly being used to the fullest"
       - It's normal and a good thing. Live with it.
    
    "My computer asks me all the time if i want to allow something"
       - It's normal and a good thing. Live with it.
    
    "My nVidia card doesn't work well"
       - It's normal and a bad thing. Live with it or buy ATI.
    
    "My creative soundcard is not working well"
       - It's normal and a bad thing. Live with it or buy xyz.
    
    "My printer is not supported"
       - It's ok. Vista also doesn't support your 256MB P3 rig from 1999. Don't live with it.
    
    "My desktop is so different, i can't find anything"
       - Ever tried Linux with IceWM, WindowMaker or FVWM? Beat THAT!
    
    
25. The fasted way is to simply disable the Windows Search service. (which theoretically will stop all that constant disk activity) Run Services (just type "Services" at the Start Search bar), right click on the Windows Search service and select "Properties". Then choose "Disabled" for the start type. Afterwards, you have to stop this service by right clicking on it and selecting Stop. From 4sysops http://4sysops.com/?p=457
26. Networking works. Once I found out how to change my workgroup. In tech-recipes http://www.tech-recipes.com/windows_tips1494.html I found that I have to right click on Computer, then on properties, then on Change settings.
27. To get Homesite 5.0 working I had to do:
    Originally posted by: Jes E.
    Finally got Homesite running on Vista and there's another thread with helpful suggestions. It recommended finding the Homesite.exe file, right clicking on it, click on Properties, click on the Compatibility tab. Select Windows XP or Windows 2000 and be sure to check "Run this program as an administrator" under Privilege Level. That's what finally got it working for me. http://sdc.shockwave.com/cfusion/webforums/forum/rss.cfm?forumid=4
28. Graphics are more subtle and soft. Desktop not so harsh.
29. In using Homesite I always have to say that it is ok to run it. And I get asked about almost everything that I do!! Think that they maybe went a little to far in this security thing. I'll have to investigate to see if they have a way of saying Yes permanently for your progrms that you trust.

  Comments

    I am trying to use Vista a little more. Since my main use for Win2K inside Linux was primarily for executing Homesite annndd... I have Homesite working inside Vista I think that I will use it as my primary Windows Operation inside Linux. I will not loose my XP Media Center. I'm not ready to drop XP and switch completely to Vista ... yet.

    And now we have Windows 7. Haven't got everything setup in it yet -but- it is installed ... via VMware ... on my system.

Top

Homesite

Now then, as stated above, I am an avid user of Homesite. They have stopped selling and supporting it. Somewhere in these pages I have listed its progression from Nick Bradbury through Adobe (Tools Page). This was, and still is for me, the finest HTML editor available. I seriously plan to use it forever. Well, till the Lord comes anyway.

Since it is on the demise, as far as the "New Owners" are concerned, I am capturing all the info I can on it, and its various installation points, and putting it here on my Site. I was gona put more in here -but- as usual I have it somewhere else -and- forgot. Please visit This Page to see the info.

  UAC for mapped drives

1. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. Locate and then right-click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System
3. Point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
4. Type EnableLinkedConnections, and then press ENTER.
5. Right-click EnableLinkedConnections, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box (hexadecimal), type 1, and then click OK.
7. Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.

  User Account Control (UAC)

    There is a better Way... Keep your UAC -but- do NOT get Nagged all the time. How??? Go to: http://www.replaceuac.com/ Replace the MS one with this Smart One and live better.

    You may need to Enable the Admin rights to perform these operations. Depending on how your System is set up. In order to get into the private Administrator account you will have to enable it as follows:

    There are scripts and/or programs to do this -but- I prefer the Manual method. Procede with caution -and- at your own risk.

Top

Vista SP1 and SP2 Updates

 Vista SP1 -- Windows6.0-KB936330-X86-wave0.exe   Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is an update to Windows Vista that addresses key feedback from our customers. SP1 addresses specific reliability and performance issues, supports new types of hardware, and adds support for several emerging standards.
Download SP1    Date Published: 3/18/2008
To clean up, in other words remove the backups and make your update permanent, and get back some disk space:
. Execute the command "vsp1cln.exe". The path is "c:\Windows\System32 \vsp1cln.exe".
Use Windows Explorer to move to the Windows directory, then to the System32 directory, then right click on vsp1cln.exe and then left click on Run as administrator. The rest should be obvious.

 Vista SP2 -- Windows6.0-KB948465-X86.exe  
ENSURE YOU HAVE RUN VSP1CLN.EXE FIRST -IF- YOU DESIRE TO GET BACK SPACE AND MAKE THAT UPDATE PERMANENT.
Service Pack 2, the latest service pack for both Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista, supports new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards, includes all of the updates that have been delivered since SP1, and simplifies deployment, for consumers, developers, and IT professionals.
Download SP2    Date Published: 5/25/2009
To clean up, in other words remove the backups and make your update permanent, and get back some disk space:
. Execute the command "Compcln.exe". The path is "c:\Windows\System32 \compcln.exe".
Use Windows Explorer to move to the Windows directory, then to the System32 directory, then right click on compcln.exe and then left click on Run as administrator. The rest should be obvious.

Windows Vista recommended system requirements