Dear Microsoft, Vista doesn't work properly
An open letter to the Vole
EVERYONE HATES VISTA except me and I'm starting to have my doubts. I've been running it for almost a year and there are a number of issues on which I would appreciate a bit of clarification from Microsoft. I could Google for answers to my questions, but to be honest, I can't face the prospect of wading through a morass of spittle-flecked conspiracy theories to find the answers.
So, Microsoft, here's some of the things I'd like you to explain. Maybe I'm just doing something wrong, but I'd really appreciate your help.
The search indexer is, I'm sure, a really cool idea. But I don't do many searches and I'm getting increasingly peed off with my hard disk constantly thrashing so I'd like to turn it off. I really would.
It appears that the indexer, despite claims to the contrary, reindexes everything each time it runs rather than just new or modified files. With an archive of emails going back 20 years or so, that's quite a lot of files and quite a lot of annoying disk activity.
I've stopped the service, unchecked the indexer box in control panel and removed every folder from indexer's list. Why then, does the indexing service start itself a few seconds after I kill the process in Task Manager? It shouldn't be running at all, because I've marked it as disabled. And then I discover that a bunch of folders have mysteriously added themselves to the list of things to index.
This cannot be right. I would like Microsoft to explain what I'm doing wrong.
Being a clever sort of chap, I thought I'd try renaming the executables that run indexing. They live in the System32 folder. And here's my second question for the folks at Redmond: Why am I forbidden to rename files in any folder beneath the Windows root? It's my machine, I paid for it and I don't like being told my administrator account is denied access to it.
What I dislike even more is finding that I can't even rename these files from the copy of XP I have in another partition on the same machine. Something appears to have changed in XP that I didn't ask to be changed. This cannot be right, I must be doing something wrong. Could Microsoft explain what it is? I'm sure it's very simple and I'm just being a silly old Hector.
And here's another odd thing. Every couple of days, Word 2003 decides that I'd really like curly quotes and turns them back on for me. Now, call me old-fashioned, but my personal choice for my software on my machine is that I want ordinary quotes. Again, I'm obviously doing something daft and I'd really appreciate some help from Seattle.
There are a couple of other things that don't appear to behave as they should - setting individual folder layouts in Explorer, or asking each folder to open in its own window, are blissfully ignored, for example. But it's the idea that the machine knows what's best for me that I really hate and I'd like to hear what MS' take on the situation is.
What's really worrying is that if I don't receive a satisfactory reply from Redmond, I'll have no option than to agree with Charlie on the awfulness of Vista - and we couldn't have that, could we?
Over to you, Mr Ballmer. µ
Comments
hard disk writes
The hard disk writes are coming from superfetch i would guess, and you can disable it.I have my issues with superfetch as well, but havent disabled it yet.
Superfetch wants to cache every "most used program" it can find till you dont have any more memory to catch..
I dont understand how the 3 programs I mostly use requires 2 gig of memory cache (i have 3gigs = 1 to boot normal operation and 2 to cache.)
go figure, it needs tweaking
SFC
What prevents you from doing all that stuff in windows xp is a service called windows system file checker. To disable it you need to do some "regsvr32 /u"-ing of a few system files. Might also be the way to disable the indexing service. And it has always been in winxp, not a recent service.Personally, the symptoms you mention are indeed the single biggest gripe I have with windows operating systems. You configure it the way you want it and for some reason, without your consent, it starts to change its configuration, does not remember your settings, etc.
File Lock
Yes, about file lock, Microsoft is very tight on Vista. Try to create simple html file, open it in browser. In XP the file just the file, you can delete, rename, ect. In Vista, you can't the file hasn't been lock. EVEN FOR COPY THAT FILE TO ANOTHER FOLDER is DISABLE. It is the oposite with Vista Performace Monitor. You can spy any program that access any file (exp YouTUBE cache file in IE), but can't copy them :(. Strange Vista. In my PC it's unable to Reboot on TFOrce 6100 AM2 with Sempron 2800+ 1,5 GB. And every 3.00 AM in the morning, it reboot without my knowledge. I am living in Indonesia with 5 KBPS Internet, so I need a PC that can download 24 / 7, so that I can get about 10GB in a month. Can't use Vista here :((.The Last thing is I can't activation my Windows 2008 RC 0 Enterprise X64, but I can browsing, Yahoo Messenger, Windows Update FINE. Windows version 6 is not quite mature yet. If Microsoft fix them all (not catch them all --> pokemon), may be someday we will use it after all.
Thank You.
"Thought I'd try renaming the executables"
I have to agree that this situation is just plain stupid! Having run Vista Business for six months I finally reverted to XP because I could not readily take control of my own home computer which is neither connected to the internet nor used by anyone else. Microsoft appears to be assuming that we are all technically illiterate!Me too, and...
...something I'd like to know is this:We all know that if I agree to the license and then install Windows, I can not return the disk and receive my money back. I can only exchange it for another copy of the same title. Ok, I can understand the reasoning, sort of. Now consider this - I buy a television or some other product and that product is defective (buggy, some might say). Am I not permitted to return it for a refund? Sure I am. So why am I not permitted to return a "defective" (buggy) computer program? Also, why is a company allowed to continually sell/license such a defective product?
THAT is the question I put to Microsoft.
backup folder mania(winsxs)
one thing that also bothered me about windows vista is the big sized winsxs folder inside the system32 folder.After a fresh installation combined with only photoshop and 3dsmax i found that folder to be 9 gig.
Sure most people have huge harddrives these days,but that should not be an excuse for filling it up with backups of everything i install.especially without the option of deleting any of it.
i eventually went back to XP because of this security paranoia.
this should fix it...
get a macAdmin
Here is the thing, you think you are an Admin, but you are not the Built in Administrator. I bog about it here: http://zenfar.blogspot.com/ But basically you can enable the real admin acount and shut stuff off a little bit better. I still had random stuff happening or not happening, like folders left behind when doing a cut and paste.Cheers!
Yeah
Nicely put, Ted. Agree with you on every word.Ubuntu
Come on over to the other side, the grass is greener, and it's free. Ubuntu 7.10 arrives in just a few weeks, and it'll arrive ready, not like some other beta-quality wallet destroying useless OS.You can do everything that you want to do with Windows OS's with Ubuntu, everything. It may take 1-2 weeks of adjusting, but the first time you load it up it'll be like freeing your computer up for the first time.
Another couple of annoyances
Windows Fax and ScanMy scanner is detected as working correctly in Device Manager, it works perfectly in other imaging apps., Fax and Scan is unaware of it's presence.
I have more than 2 dial-up accounts. When I try and access any other than the first in line, the connections fail, Vista is dialling the first in line phone number for all the connections.
These issues were reported to Microsoft somewhere between Beta and RC1 using MS's reporting system along with all the supporting evidence. Apparently they don't appear to have been considered for fixes. That's service for you!
Aha!
In Charlie we trust.O RLY?
"You can do everything that you want to do with Windows OS's with Ubuntu, everything."I love these guys. I don't know what you use computers for, but pretty much everything *I* use a computer for, and you know most other people who use computers in the real world, doesn't work on Ubuntu.
So less of your retarded ill-informed evangelism and more reality please. Otherwise just stick to slashdot where you belong.
Evidence?
Care to provide any screenshots showing the disabled service running....Or are you just joining in with the I don't understand it but I'll make a few wild guesses club?
Riiiight.
"EVERYONE HATES VISTA" ...Well that's news to me, i sell quite a few PC's each week with Vista on and have had no complaints so far. Sometimes people want XP installed, but after a little educating they go for Vista and are happy with it.Nearly every couple of days theres some article on here about Vista being crap, basically, and it's getting SO old. Sick of it. Dont you have anything else to report about?
About Vista...
Well the thing is... i tried Vista... really gave it a shot and after a week of annoyance got back to WinXP... so my decision? I'm gonna wait for SP3 for Vista :D lolOr hopefully Vista2...
As for guys who say "get a mac": well i actually like to build my computer myself and not pay 50% more for the same parts i could do at home...(got any new game for the mac? oh... yeah i heard solitare 2 was out)
As for Linux: i really use my computer for WORK... not configuring, reconfiguring, and compiling... so get me a Linux which supports CAD/CAM/CAE and maybe i'll give it a shot...
And what about video overlay?
Why the hell did they disable the video overlay function. I know I'm not the only one pissed about it. I mean can't I use my computer to watch movies on TV? Thats a reason I'm going back to XP.Agreed
After six months of fighting with everyone else who seemed to want to hate Vista even before it was launched, I finally quit defending it. I'd reached a point where I was sick of fighting with the OS just to use it. Others would tell me "But you can fix this or that if you just follow this simple 26 step, two-hour manual tweak." My point is that I shouldn't have to. This stuff is supposed to work properly from the beginning. If I have to manually fix a bunch of things, it isn't worth having. Imagine if the next microwave, air conditioner, or fridge you bought was that way. You'd surely send it back and probably punch the salesman in the face. Why should your operating system be any different? You probably spend more time using it than you do your kitchen appliances.windows
3.1 i liked.... 95 was cool, altho for someone who likes small confined spaces, 3.1 just seemed more cozy. 98 was the first pretty upgrade to 95 and i liked it...after that...2000 was kinda nice, like 98 only more stable...what good has come out of it since then? i think it's about time u admit that it's all bloated bull that controls every aspect of everything about ur computer.... i dunno bout vista, but i was able to use linux to edit the contents of my hard drive when xp didn't like me doing it.
Free Yourself!
Ubuntu, Red Hat, Knopix, etc .... They have several advantages over ALL M$ products.1) FREE!!!!!! This is << any M$ product in cost and value.
2) Support from a friendly community. Just remember, they are volunteering to answer your questions. :)
3) Almost anything M$ can do, these guys can do. Why almost? Direct X has really cornered the gaming market and WINE is just not quite there ... YET! Give it time. Office jobs, presentations, text editing, graphics, etc ... these guys are as good and sometimes better.
4) No annoying checks for authenticity, pirating, controlling of how you use your system. You control what you want to do. Just takes a small investment of time.
5) Viruses. There are << fewer viruses for Linux than there is for M$. Why, not just because M$ has more customers, but also because Linux is build better. Better build, better security.
6) I don't have anymore time, take it for a spin and free yourself and your system.
Sticking with XP...for no
Just another few items to add to the list about why I am sticking with XP. Mac, isnt an option in my mind, at least for me. I'd love to switch to linux and the command line does not scare me one bit, though I'd have to learn it, I learned DOS at the age of 2 lol. The problem with Linux (though something like Xandros which I am seriously contemplating) is the lack of ease with which you install applications, there all sorts of dependency issues and such, that boggle my mind. Sure having every program share libraries and such is a great concept but the OS needs to handle this in the background for the user, especially on the desktop. Yes this prevents most, if not all, malware from installing itself, but having the proper security set up for protection along with Firefox/SeaMonkey/Opera (not just because they better than IE, and SeaMonkey in my case) for avoidance of malware. When Linux has proper distro agnostic application installers like Windows (Autopackage looks promising) for desktop/user friendliness then I will be switching. Untill then XP all the way for my OS (maybe Vista SP1 in classic mode eventually)Vista is inferior to XP
I bought a laptop with Vista on it and hesitated because of that and now I really wish I hadn't. Is it Vista's fault? Maybe not. It's just that when anything with XP goes wrong, I know exactly how to fix it (gpedit, msedit, management consoles) and Vista works completely differently. Plus all the permission boxes that pop up are very inconvenient on a laptop. I'm going to contact HP to see if I can get an XP install CD.It isn't the machine that know best ...
Dear Andrew,I'm afraid that you are almost correct in your fearful observation about the performance of you "personal" computer. When you write "it's the idea that the machine knows what's best for me that I really hate" is so close; in fact it is Microsoft that knows what is best for you, otherwise the operating system and applications for your "personal computer" would respect you as a person, and allow you to set YOUR PC up the way YOU like it, and to keep those settings when you upgrade the OS or applications.
But I do have good news for you; this isn't a VISTA problem; it has existed since WINDOWS started - you just didn't realize. So congratulations, you have reached enlightenment.
Give & take
Yes there some problems.But its a give & take thing.
Those who are not willing to sacrifice their conveniens for security deserve no beauty (or something like that ;)
http://chalain.livejournal.com/43015.html
Can Linux play my favourite PC games?
I will be glad to convert to Linux if I can play my favorite windows games. Do not point at Cedega or other similar stuff! It takes years after the game's release before you can get that game to work with minimal performance.
PC gaming is the only real reason why I am not in Linux camp yet. Microsoft knows this and they are playing this game well. And that is exactly why they will not port DX10 to XP.
For everyone who does not care about gaming, go check Linux!
selection
Another one: why am I not able to select multiple files in Exploder? Each time I have to go through the registry, delete things called 'bags' (it must be 'bugs', surely...) and multiple selection is enabled again. A week later, it forgot I fixed it and selction is crippled again. Alzheimer? Jawoul!10 Things I Hate About Vista
Ok, I swear you stole this story from me, fair and square. I wrote a top 10 things I hate about vista article and emailed it. Anyhow, here's the linque to it.http://icedoutcat.blogspot.com/2007/09/10-things-i-hate-about-vista.html
Here's an excerpt
7. Networking completely and utterly is the one thing that makes you rather rip nose hairs out to force your self to tears than sit there and wait for file transfers to happen. OH HOW SLOW COULD IT BE, I'd rather watch dirt age, than be stuck staring at a file transfer. While I'm talking about networking, how about not sharing everything on my system, how about NOT HAVING TO GO TO 4, I'm serious 4 Pages before I can get to my network connections where I can set my IP Address, THIS MAKES ME MAD. This is a family web site, so I'm not typing verbatim the sentances that are coming to mind
There's nothing wrong with Vista...
that a visit to http://goodbye-microsoft.com will not cure.I have been relatively free from M$ for 8 years now and I do not miss anything. My updatedb/locate, swishe-e and beagled searches all work and have worked for years. Get off the treadmill of M$ and walk about on the soft and fragrant floor of the forest of Free Software. Explore IT. Do not be burdened by it.
How Wrong You Are....
Regarding Ted's comment:"We all know that if I agree to the license and then install Windows, I can not return the disk and receive my money back. I can only exchange it for another copy of the same title."
Wow. Ted, That's just wrong. You can get a refund if you uninstall the software and return it to your retailer. Check it out:
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/productrefund/refund.mspx
But I suppose the truth isn't all that important as long as you can kick the Vole.
Disable Auto update
Hok, may be you should disable auto update in order to avoid auto restart, and/or use a download manager that auto dial on start up and resume those downloadLinux
"I can't even rename these files from the copy of XP I have in another partition on the same machine."I bet you can using Linux! Try Knoppix, which boots and runs from CD without permanently changing anything on the hard disk.
File view
XP never seemed to get this right either. I just want to see date created in all my folders damnit!Network settings
I switch back to XP because of the crappy networking. I don't want to use uPNP, I don't want device discovery, I don't want the machine to be seen by others on the network. I don't want to use DHCP.. But all that overhead is pretty much needed if you want to use your NIC. I _WANT_ just to enter my IP/DNS/Gateway and go..not wait for windows to analyse my network to see if it's ok..ubuntu users quit bugging me
i'm a proud vista and ubuntu user; please keep the "switch to the other side" remark to yourselves - ubuntu is great, but if you want to get work done as quick and less painful as possible, windows is the way - give me good alternatives for photoshop (NOT gimp), dreamweaver and flash and perhaps i'll change my statement. furthermore, even though i'm not a hardcore gamer, i still like to be able to try ut3 and crysis when they come out - let me see you do that in wine! until then, please back off.It's easy to understand ...
Dear Andrew,All your questions have a very simple answer: Notice that icon named "My Computer"? When we named it that, whose point of view do you think we were working from? (Hint: Not your point of view!)
B Gates
Damn it...
Aw shut the fsck up you damn linux evangelists!Grass is greener on the other side?!?
Then that must be the reason why Windows side looked greener to me while I was using Linux.
Before you even think about going into an argument with me you must first prove that Linux is good enough. Here is how you do it -- set me up a Linux box which has the same fonts, font sizes and font appearance as the Windows box for desktop and for all other commonly used applications.
Then I will take a look at it, and once I can't notice a difference in font rendering anymore, I will start using Linux again. Until then STFU.
L2P
Use Takeown to get ownership of windows system files and then you can do whatever you want with them. L2P - Learn 2 Permission.
Ubuntu
To the person that said ubuntu does everything:Not quite. There is no support for DX10 graphics so gaming is a distinct no-no.
Ubuntu will only be a viable alternative to Vista for me when there is a passable DX10 solution So I can run games like Bioshock and Crysis (yes I know its not out yet) in their full DX10 glory.
Trust me I'm really hoping this will happen at some point as I can't wait to finally make my PC Microsoft-free.
Drivers?
Perhaps Microsoft would have a more stable baby if they persuaded more manufacturers to write decent drivers. I've been using Vista Home Premium x64 for six months now, and I still can't find a USB wireless dongle which supports the flaming thing, leaving me with a fat ugly cable lying around the house.About Ubuntu
To the guy who said Ubuntu can do everything:I've long been interested in Linux, but am a fanatical gamer, and have never had the resources to run a second pc just for linux.
So is it really true or an exaggeration? Can I run pc games under Linux? And if so any idea what the success rate is?
And if not, then Ubuntu can't really do everything ... :-)
Does anyone know if this is really possible on linux yet?
Ubuntu would be cool but...
It can't do everything I can do in windows. It is now a windows compatable operatring system in that I can't run all the software I do now. If I buy a game I want it to run. I can't do that with Ubuntu or I..like many others...would try it out. Untill 85% of the software is written for Ubuntu I guess we have to stick with windows.Mac? Linux? Everything?
Mac? You mean go from someone trying to put shackles on me to someone putting shackles AND blinders?Ubuntu is really nice that much I can agree, but everything? Honestly? May I have some of those special herbs you smoke please? Specially if I want to sit down and play some of the newer games...
Why do apples & penguin advocates feel the need to chime in their religion every time (but can't take it if it happens to them) is beyond me.
Vista Disk Thrashing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC9HUVSjaVsDude, for the Nth time...
I can't to move to Linux because basic apps I run on Windows, like Photoshop along with my host of digital converters and other graphics software can't be run native on Linux.I can tolerate Open Office, or Gimp, but I prefer to run Office 2003 or Photoshop because it's *my* preference and *my* workflow*. I also don't feel like spending long hours reading through Wine troubleshooting tips that make the above issues with Vista seem petty in comparison.
The irony here is while Vista defies many rational explanations for OS design, Microsoft seems more apethetic towards the applications that you run on their OS than the Open Source community.
Editors here have chided Apple for not being able to make a serious market move on MS given the problems with Vista. I feel the same critique should apply towards the Linux segment.
Junk
Vista is junk.....Playing games on Vista aint worth crap.....I have it only because I repair computers and build them and I had to learn all its ins and outs so I could repair customers machines who have Vista on them...but I did a dula boot system Installing XP and Vista.....Use XP for games because it dont hog memory or the CPU..........Microsoft may have had a good idea at first...but it got lost somewhere between Comming up with it and releasing it.....I think Microsoft should just start on the next OS and put Vista up for a free down load for those who just want all the glitter......Vista Sux.....well, I sorta like Vista...
..Not to be disrespectful to anyone but it seems Vistas' main pitfall is older hardware, more the lack of good drivers. I personally am running a pretty beefed up gaming rig - q6600, 2x8800gtx, 680i EVGA board, 2gig of ram. So I read all this and being the adventurous type, bought Vista HP retail on Thursday just past - and it has worked perfectly, albeit with NO updates, just as is, straight out of the box. Now I admit, my 3rd party s/ware is pretty limited - BF2, Bioshock, X-fi drivers, which have worked perfectly. Maybe as I add what I have in XP, things will deteriorate, but ATM I like Vista - it is smooth, Aero/flip3d look...nice I suppose is the word but not earth shattering...the sidebar is rubbish as it's a feature available pre-Vista, I have it in my XP install, though I don't use it. What I do find excellent is the media centre, I have used it extensively, will use it from now on.All in all, I see Vista as nothing more than a better XP, when it works it is great but judging by all the nego press and comments, not so well for some others. I for 1 am giving it a 'thumbs up' as it does what it says, though MS would do well to drop its price if it wants peeps to adopt. Pricing Vista @ say US$50 would ensure a much larger and speedier take-up, and possibly force vendors to support Vista due to sheer demand and return more revenue - MSs ultimate mission - than the non-sales they are getting currently...
BTW - disabling all UAC helps immensely with the Wista experience ;)
Besides that it doesn't work
By the way, did you notice that the search function in XP is unreliable?Searching for a keyword in text files with a particular extension often returns no results, even when there are matches.
Just wondering if the same bug is in Vista. Anybody know?
Dragging folders into Command Prompt
Why cant I drag folders into command prompt anymore?! this was a very usefull feature in XP, I used it all the time. Why disable this?!Have it your way
Apparently Microsoft is not too much in to customers having a choice with Vista, For me it's not being able to move the tool, button, or menu bars, but this was an issue even with the Beta versions, Microsoft just ignored it.So get use to it, this is Microsoft's world they will tell you how to use your system and you'll like it after all they know best.
Djaga-djaga Windows-shnyaga!
I have a question for Apple computer company: Why dont you sell a Jaguar OS for our PC? We are jus hope and wait for it. I know - You can.Ted
Very much the same situation if I buy other commodities with a high degree of IP: books, music, movies, games. Can't return them except for an exchange in most cases.