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#96290 - 04/23/08 10:10 AM
Windows Vista
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ponyup
Member
Registered: 08/17/04
Posts: 129
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I am looking into getting a new computer and since XP is going out in June I thought I might consider Windows Vista. Does anyone have this? If so, did your foot pedal hook up okay? Is your spell checker working with Vista? I really don't want to buy a new foot pedal and spell checker. If you know of any other info on Vista, please share!
Thanks!
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#96300 - 04/23/08 11:12 AM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: ponyup]
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shipaddict
Member
Registered: 10/15/07
Posts: 141
Loc: Katy TX
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I have had Vista for a little over a year now and have worked out most of the kinks.
You will need to disable User Account Control to bypass a lot of the problems people have. I had no problems with my foot pedal working. I used a dss wavplayer for a while and now i use expresscribe. Stedman's spellchecker didn't work for a long time, but if you get the new 2008 version you won't have a problem. Another big problem a lot of people have is printer compatibility. If you buy a new one, make sure it is Vista certified. If you want to use your old one, keep your fingers crossed! 
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#96302 - 04/23/08 11:36 AM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: shipaddict]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2166
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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Windows Vista is still, largely, a joke. The OP states that XP is going 'out' in June, but it certainly is not going away. shipaddict's workaround for disabling the User Account Control to get Vista to work effectively is analagous to bying a hybrid care and disabling the hybrid part of it.
Get the XP and avoid all of this.
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tropsicle
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#96303 - 04/23/08 11:44 AM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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ponyup
Member
Registered: 08/17/04
Posts: 129
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Thanks, it does sound like a headache. I never thought of my pretty pringer! Oh boy. This will save me some grief. I am so glad I posted.
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#96358 - 04/24/08 07:20 AM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: ponyup]
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BlankKeys
Member
Registered: 04/09/08
Posts: 518
Loc: New York
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I'm going shopping for a new laptop today and hope I can find one with XP because I don't want the Vista headaches. I'll buy used if I have to just to avoid it. The company I transcribe for says their program doesn't work that great with Vista anyway. I didn't know about the printer or spell check difficulties.
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#96423 - 04/24/08 04:09 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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BlankKeys
Member
Registered: 04/09/08
Posts: 518
Loc: New York
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Just returned from shopping. Guess I'll have to buy used because no one is selling laptops without Vista around here even though most salespeople I spoke with don't like it. I did find a web site that is circulating a petition to keep XP on the market and according to the news today, Microsoft is actually considering it.
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#96424 - 04/24/08 04:24 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: BlankKeys]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2166
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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BK, do your shopping online. Most major manufacturers still sell XP, especially in the Small Business sections. Try Dell, at least.
The second option is to buy either preloaded Vista or without an OS installed, then either reformat or load XP from scratch.
Buying used is, IMO, like playing Russian Roulette.
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tropsicle
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#96425 - 04/24/08 04:36 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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14tonks
Member
Registered: 10/25/01
Posts: 5978
Loc: Only 3rd world country in US
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Dell is still selling laptops with XP installed; just enter "laptop XP" in the search box at the site to see the selection.
Toshiba is still selling laptops with XP installed. Lenovo is still selling laptops with XP installed. Visit their corporate sites if your local store can't oblige you.
In addition, almost any white box shop out there will be happy to custom configure a laptop with XP for you. If you want to really make your life easy in future, pay someone to install Linux on a laptop and then install Windows XP in a virtual machine on that--if you want to move to a new computer sometime in the future, you can just copy your virtual machine file with your XP operating system and all your apps over to that computer--no muss, no fuss, no headache.
Edited by 14tonks (04/24/08 04:38 PM)
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#96427 - 04/24/08 04:44 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: 14tonks]
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BlankKeys
Member
Registered: 04/09/08
Posts: 518
Loc: New York
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Thanks for the advice. I contacted a small local computer dealer and she has a new laptop available with XP, wireless, DVD burner, 1 gig, 14.1 screen for $669. Sounds good to me. I didn't want to go with used if I didn't have to. I will ask about Linux - appreciate the heads up.
Salesperson e-mailed me a description: Acer Extensa 4620-4431 - Pentium dual core T2310 1.6 GHz - 1 GB RAM, Windows XP Pro 14.1 widescreen TFT, 1 year warranty, multimedia card, memory stick,xD picture card and a whole lot of other stuff I don't understand.  Sound like a winner?
Edited by BlankKeys (04/24/08 06:04 PM)
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#96482 - 04/25/08 12:45 AM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: BlankKeys]
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Rad_MT
Member
Registered: 07/28/04
Posts: 754
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I'd say get the most RAM you can afford. I have 2 GB on my laptop and would like to have more.
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Member #413
Registered 1997
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#96667 - 04/26/08 05:25 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: Rad_MT]
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Mike
Administrator
Registered: 07/11/98
Posts: 2668
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I'd say get the most RAM you can afford. I have 2 GB on my laptop and would like to have more.
Be careful not to get too much RAM. The 32-bit version of Vista will only see 3 GB. You'll need the 64-bit version to use 4 gigs of RAM or more. But then you're more likely to have compatibility problems with the 64-bit version.
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#96712 - 04/27/08 12:45 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: Mike]
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hmts
New Member
Registered: 03/04/08
Posts: 20
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Be careful. If you buy a Dell with vista and install XP over it, it invalidates the warranty according to the Dell rep I spoke with. Of course, this could be just something they tell people so they'll buy the pricier systems with XP already loaded.
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#96714 - 04/27/08 01:11 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: hmts]
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14tonks
Member
Registered: 10/25/01
Posts: 5978
Loc: Only 3rd world country in US
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No manufacturer supports an operating system or configuration under warranty that is other than the one they installed. If you want hardware support from Dell, simply partition the computer so that you retain the original OS install and then add the additional OS of your choice to the computer in a second primary partition. You can then boot into and troubleshoot hardware problems under the original OS if you need phone support. If it's necessary to return the computer to Dell for service, just image off the current hard drive and then use the restore CDs to put back the original, untouched factory configuration. When the computer is returned, image back your own OS configuration and data. If you have operating system problems with your replacement OS, you can get support from Microsoft if you bought the full, licensed retail version of XP for yourself. (The reason you can't get that for operating systems that come preinstalled is that Microsoft sells the licenses to the manufacturers at a reduced price in exchange for the manufacturer assuming the support obligation.)
If that image switching sounds like just too much work, either buy a computer with XP installed from Dell (they still sell them) or buy a computer from a local white box shop configured the way you need it to be configured and with support for that configuration. Good local tech support will be way better than anything offered by Dell or Microsoft these days; that's another reason many people prefer to buy a custom-built white box locally.
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#96802 - 04/28/08 02:48 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: 14tonks]
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BlankKeys
Member
Registered: 04/09/08
Posts: 518
Loc: New York
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Tonks, you sound like you really know your way around a computer - I'm jealous. Thanks for the excellent advice - I've learned a lot. 
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#96804 - 04/28/08 03:07 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: BlankKeys]
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14tonks
Member
Registered: 10/25/01
Posts: 5978
Loc: Only 3rd world country in US
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Tonks, you sound like you really know your way around a computer
Not nearly as well as I would like to, but well enough to manage things for my business, which is to say well enough that I can generally Google up the answers to my problems.
However, there's no need to be jealous; just sign yourself up for a couple of computer courses and/or read some books. That's what I did when I returned to MT in the age of the computer not knowing which side was up on a floppy disk or even which slot to put one in.
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#96807 - 04/28/08 04:02 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: 14tonks]
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BlankKeys
Member
Registered: 04/09/08
Posts: 518
Loc: New York
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I can relate. I am actually among the elite minority who can say they learned to type on a manual typewriter in school! My kids don't even know what one is. Guess I've come a long way, but I've still got quite a way to go.
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#96809 - 04/28/08 04:08 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: BlankKeys]
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14tonks
Member
Registered: 10/25/01
Posts: 5978
Loc: Only 3rd world country in US
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That's the same minority I'm in. I even typed on a manual at my very first job.
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#96811 - 04/28/08 04:39 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: 14tonks]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2166
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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I don't know that the minority is that small.
Ditto and ditto for me.
I would point out that tonks and I have more in common than it would seem at first glance, but, truth be told, I'm sorta scared of her.
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tropsicle
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#96812 - 04/28/08 05:03 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: tropsicleAfter]
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14tonks
Member
Registered: 10/25/01
Posts: 5978
Loc: Only 3rd world country in US
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truth be told, I'm sorta scared of her.
The mighty tropsicle intimidated by anything? I refuse to believe that.
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#96813 - 04/28/08 06:58 PM
Re: Windows Vista
[Re: 14tonks]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2166
Loc: MS Gulf Coast
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Oh, it's true. And you are not the only one.
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tropsicle
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