Windows

Vista Window

Posted by on Oct 11, 2006 | 8 Comments

Jake suggested that we collect our favorite Windows Vista tips for a new eBook. I’ve been playing with Vista for a while now, so I’m pretty comfortable with that idea. However, I’m not sure I can find fifty interesting tips, tweaks, or hacks (which would be any different in Vista compared to XP or any other earlier Windows release). I guess I’ll have to go through the OS at a higher level and chicken scratch ideas first. A lot of the same old code is still in there – and that’s kinda what I’ve been complaining about. There’s very little that’s changed, and very little that most people would care to modify. I think the key will be in identifying the top 100 Vista annoyances – and then trying to figure out how to solve (or work around) those problems.

The window on Windows Vista’s first service pack should be relatively small; I wouldn’t be surprised to see Microsoft issue a major update within the first three months of its street release date. I guess the most appropriate question to ask is: are you using Windows Vista, and (if so) what are you having problems with? Are you trying to figure out how to do something in Vista that used to be “easy” in XP? Actually, I could base half of the tips on that scenario alone. It’s going to take me a good weekend to whip up, I’m sure – but I can type fast, and I shouldn’t have to reboot all that often.

[tags]windows vista, vista, microsoft, pc tips[/tags]

  • rovingcowboy / keith hall

    Simple workaround for the errors in Vista:
    Get Linux
    Simple tip for this comment feedback stuff? Make the fonts bigger, I can’t see them on this huge screen; as a matter of fact, all the fonts on this site are too small for my screen size. What you doing Chris, getting a kickback from the eye doctors’ union?

  • Bryan Seneviratne

    As soon as I opened this newsletter, I got a WARNING from PC-cillin 2007 Internet security that read:
    Address:http://www.awltovhc.com/image-471546-10314273
    Credibility: Dangerous
    Category: Spyware
    what does this mean? I did not get this msg when I opened your newsletter dated 11 Oct 06. Thanks for any and all your help… and yes, I also sent an email to PC-cillin

  • Cliff

    I have been using Vista, and my only problem is that after the time I have set for the screen saver to come on, noting happens, and that leads to the blank screen not happening 10 minutes later.

    I have no idea why this happens.

  • Brian Cifor

    One of the big annoyances in Vista is the UAC, there is an easy way to reduce the popups when doing administrative work while leaving UAC activated for normal use. Right click on Internet Explorer in the programs menu and select “Run as Administrator”, once IE opens up, type Control Panel in the address bar. From here you will be able to do almost everything without having to deal with continuous popups. You will get a popup confirming that you want to run IE as administrator. By the way, this also works in Win2k and WinXP allowing you to add printers or run programs without logging in as an administrator.

  • Michael McMaster

    Howdy Chris!

    You know, with all the hype about Vista, I have yet to see anything about how to best install it. I mean, do you do the “upgrade shuffle” with the OS you have installed right now? Or, do you do a backup and reformat the HD and install it form there? Also, can you do a backup from the current OS and then restore it to Vista, once that is installed?

    Just wondering. ;>

    Michael

  • Raymond Manign

    While I’ver never been a Chris Pirillo fan, I must admit, you finally got something right. Nice new-look on your newsletter.

  • Jason

    Whenever installing a new OS, it’s ALWAYS recommended that you do it clean. Format and Reinstall. No one in their right mind would ever recommend an upgrade, please don’t do it.

    All upgrades do is upgrade your old problems to newer problems.

  • http://AGA.bz Andrwe Garte

    Vista – We are using Business – is NOT Ready For Release – it is completely unstable, the fancy graphics interface does not work, and eats up tons of memory, the software is incompatible with itself, and just about everything else you try to run on it. I must reboot now about every hour or so to stay running, and we DO NOT use heavy applications – we are running web browsers for simple research and doing word processing and running spreadsheets – but still, its too much for Vista – and multitasking with a few windows open – don’t try it, you’re crashed. By the way, I had new machines built to run VIsta – 2-gig of RAM, 2-core duo chips, big hard drives – the works.

    Microsoft should be ashamed of themselves for putting such a piece of junk on the market and requiring computer users to suffer along with it. DO NOT Upgrade to it, it is a huge downgrade! We are ready to join the class action lawsuit for this monopoly (Microsoft) that is try9ing to destroy US businesses by forcing them to switch to a product that is clearly not even 80% ready for release.