Some loading Ideas
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I am just a user like anyone else. Here are some ideas from some issues I
have seen. Use this as you see fit, because I guarante nothing.
1. Upgrade Vs. Clean install:
Many have been able to upgrade from CP to Vista, from RC1 to RC2,
Some have had nothing but issues. It has become my experience that if you
have the space to back up your files, it seems much easier and much less
painful to just fresh load and let it do it's thing. Sometimes, upgrades can
be a pain. But that is your choice.
For dual boots, you may want to see another post for the specifics
on it, because I don't dual boot, and wouldn't have the foggiest on that,
however, the rest of this should help you past the dual boot stage.
2. Hardware compatibility:
First things girst, to to "Get Ready" and make sure your computer
meets the minimum requirements. If you don't, you would be better off beating
your head against the wall. If your computer can't handle the program, don't
be foolish. The requirements are there for a reason.
Before you load Vista, check with your hardware manufactiurers.
Make sure they have drivers for your equipment. Go to their site and type in
"Vista" see what comes up.
Some things we know aren't supported yet, many manufacturers are
really dragging their feet on getting drivers out (HP, NETGear, and Linksys
to name a few). If you know that you have gear that is not supported, and if
it is gear that you really need, you may want to re-think the load until
those drivers are released. One of the requirements for Vista is an internet
connection, and if your wireless card isn't supported, that could cause an
issue.
If you aren't sure what hardware you have, in XP, go to:
Start > Control Panel > System > Hardware (tab) > Device Manager
Most on-board items arent really an issue, with the exception of some audio
devices.
You will be looking at your Display adapter, wireless adapter (as
applicable), Modem (if Needed), and Sound Video And Game Controllers. You
will also want to look at any external (USB, Serial, or Firewire) devices you
have to make sure you can get drivers for them. the major issue I have seen
in Externals, is Printers.
Most other internal devices like Lan cards, USB/Firewire controllers, CD/DVD
rom (R and RW) are already covered.
If you have some minor devices that aren't covered, like
Lightscribe, as with my computer, understand that you will not be able to use
it in Vista, and accept it, or stay with XP until the Vista Drivers are
released.
3. Installing Vista.
Cut the fat first. If you don't need it connected to your
computer, don't have it connected. When I loaded, the only things I had
attached to my USB and Firewire ports were my mouse, keyboard, external hard
drives and printer. This may help in keeping from having hardware conflicts
in the load process. If you have a lot of un-needed items connected,
especiallty if the usually require drivers, like a PVR, Webcam, or something
like that, it may render you unable to load it later. In a perfect world the
OS would have all your drivers, but it isn't a perfect world and there is
just too much gear to load every driver with the OS.
A pound of preparedness is worth more than a ounce of regret. Take
the steps to get ready. If you are like me, and Lightscribed your Key onto
your Vista DVD, you may want to start by getting out a pen and pad and
marking that key down beofore you start the load. You will need it within the
first 5 minutes of install, at a time, when the disk is supposed to be in
your drive.
Formatting is good. Whether you are installing Vista on a
partition, or using your whole hard drive, if you are doing the fresh
install, go ahead, go into drive options and format the drive or partition.
Not that it makes that much difference, but hey, if it's going to be the only
thing on the drive, or partition, why not? At least you know you don't have
to do a defrag right after install.
Sit back and let it do it's thing. After you have gotten to the
point where the installation say "What's all we need for now," go get
yourself a cup of coffee, maybe a soda, or a beer. Hey, you can play geek for
a while, get a jolt Cola and bag of skittles. Me, personally, I take about
15-20 minutes and watch some TV. Little point of order, Staring at the screen
isn't going to make it load faster. There is nothing to see. Copying,
expanding, setting up, etc... It will need to re-boot a couple times, but
guess what? It does it on it's own, You don't even have to be there until it
starts asking for a username and pasword you will use, and asks you what
avatar you want or what background. but at that point you are in the home
stretch. give it what it needs and let it do it's thing again. When it is
ready, it will ask you how you want your network set up, then you are ready
to rock.
4. Post install:
Now that vista is installed, you need to look at a couple things.
If you are lucky, Vista already had the drivers for your video and
sound. If you are running an NVidia GeForce card, even though the driver
comes pre-loaded with Vista, you may still want to go to the NVidia site and
get the updated driver. It just helps. And you will want to follow the
instruction and set-up tips for those drivers.
Activation and Windows Update can help. First of all, Windows will
ask at the end of set-up if you want to download critical updates or
reccomended updates automatically. Click on the reccomended updates. They
usually have updated drivers for devices. It never hurts. And at first load
windows update will most likely run on it's own. Let it do it's thing. If you
need to re-boot, let it reboot. Why are you in that much if a hurry anyway?
What's a couple minutes.
After you re-boot, if needed, go a head, to start > Computer. At
the top of the window, you will see a couple things, Organize, Views, System
Properties, Uninstall or Change a Program, Map network Drive, and Open
Control Panel. For the moment, we are going to click on System Properties.
Here you will see your basic info, including that number in the blue box
(your windows Experience Index). I may get into that later. What you are
looking for is on the left hand, in the bluish-green area, top thing under
tasks, the device Manager. Click it, and notice your screen goes dark, and
you have a box that comes up asking you if you are sure you want to go
there..
Now, if you see anything with the yellow mark beside it,
it means you need that driver. If it has a name, find the driver, hopefully,
you have a Vista driver, or your XP driver will work and install it. Your
Computer may ask you to re-boot.
USB and Firewire devices. If you are going to install any of these
devices, now is the time. Load your driver first! Then wait till it asks you
to plug it in. Then it will ask you to let it search for the driver. Let it
find it and install it. (It took me about 10 times before I figured out how
to get my PVR working. And all I had to do was install the driver first.)
Learn from my mistake.
5. Rock on, you have everything set up, everyting installed.
Good information for new Vista Users:
If you are a DivX or XviD movie fan, Media Center and Media Player will
not play them. You will need a codec pack. Now, I have tried KLite, Allin1,
and a few others. the only back I have seen that plays well with both is
FFDShow, you can get it at sourceforge.net And it will allow you to play
nearly any media, and you don't have to get that funky "classic media palyer"
most other packs come with. Besides, the classic player doesn't like Aero
Graphics that much, so your screen will flash and to back to standard
graphics while using Classic player.
There are some toys, like powerstrip that may aid your, already fast
Vista Computer, in running even faster. If you don't mind spending the money
on toys, it has helped me out a bit.
Some software will be compatible, some will not. Before you buy new
software, or try loading your old software, look around this group. See what
others have loaded nad have working and more importantly, see what doesn't
work, so you don't drive yourself batty trying to make an incompatible
program work.
Understand that this isn't the market release. You may find a bug or
two, you may have some minor issues. If you are running RC2, you shouldn't
have that many, but they do still exist. So be patient. This should be
exciting. But don't lose your temper if you get an error message, don't go
running to Microsoft headquarters with an assault riffle to take everyone
out. Expect to have some bugs. But the beauty of having issues, is when you
learn how to get past, or fix them.
I hope this helps, Good Luck, and most of all, Have fun :-)
Hybrid Mode
