Windows Vista Problems-Need Help

[mikey]

I had Windows XP and upgraded to Windows Vista Home Basic. I did not back up anything so basically every pic and video were lost along with a few saved documents. If anyone knows if I can retrieve them please tell me how. Also, I am unable to play a DVD now clearly and full screen because it told me there were compatblilty issues with Nero Showtime player. I was not able to play a dvd on Windows Media Player because I need to download something for $14.99. Is there a free player that will be compatible with Windows Vista Basic that will play the dvd clearly and without overheating the laptop and running the battery down fast? I had no problems playing dvds fullscreen with realtime speed on Windows XP. Can someone help me?

[lorsban]

I suggest you move back to XP so all your old programs will work and you won't have any more compatibility issues. I'm not quite sure how you can retrieve your old data. As far as I know, formatting the hard drive is part of the OS changing process. Once you format the hard drive, you lose the contents of that drive.

This is also a good opportunity for you to check out linux and enjoy the world of open source. Ubuntu would be a good place to start.

[Terry Newton]

If you did an upgrade only then your hard drive was not formatted. It goes over the top of your old operating system. Look for Windows Explorer and go to your root drive and see what you can find of your old files. I upgraded mine some time ago and never lost an ounce of material. Good luck.

Terry Newton

[vh_bu98]

When you "upgraded" to Vista, did you choose the upgrade option or clean install? If you did upgrade, your data is still on the hard drive. If you chose clean install, the chances of you getting anything back is slim since the data is over-written. Data recovery is a expensive and time consuming process with no guarantees.

As an IT professional, my recommendation is always back-up anything important at least once on either external hard drives or optical media.

Now for Vista, I dislike it quite a bit. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone and cringe when a client buys a PC that has it on it. Stick with XP Pro SP2 and you will be much happier in terms of functionality. Vista may look pretty, but it's a resource hog that doesn't add much functionality for the troubles that will occur.

[mikey]

Not sure what I chose. I was excited at the time. I have only had my laptop since November and still did important work on the dell home computer. I got Vista Home Basic cuz I just liked it and the way it looks. I also purchase Microsoft Office/Student 2007 and have no problems. MY problems are playing a dvd without it being choppy and the fan getting loud on the side. How do I check the hard drive to see if my dvd player program is still there to restore it?

[vh_bu98]

Originally Posted by mikey

Not sure what I chose. I was excited at the time. I have only had my laptop since November and still did important work on the dell home computer. I got Vista Home Basic cuz I just liked it and the way it looks. I also purchase Microsoft Office/Student 2007 and have no problems. MY problems are playing a dvd without it being choppy and the fan getting loud on the side. How do I check the hard drive to see if my dvd player program is still there to restore it?

I've been using Office 2007 for a few months now. It takes getting used to and it runs slower than Office 2003, but it's okay.

I would check programs under the control panel to see if that DVD player application is still listed. If not, just reinstall it from a CD.

Hopefully your laptop isn't an HP. I just put Vista Business on a client's laptop and HP's website didn't have 5 vital drivers for it, one being the ethernet driver. I called their support and they were no help. They fed me a line saying the drivers got corrupt and I would have to do a system restore to the original OS. Talk about BS. I felt bad for all the average people who call in and believing the so call tech support. By the way, a coworker pulled the drivers from a different laptop and we installed all the device drivers without issue.

[mikey]

I have Window XP drivers from the dell home computer. I only installed vista basic and office 07 on my compaq evo n800c laptop. I had not lost but a few albums and documents, but I lost the media player that was playing everything smooth on the dvds. Win media player never worked always asking me to get a program to be able to play for 14.99. I have not had a problem with vista other than the dvd playback player bein incompatible and it told me that it had known problems.

[mikey]

I don't have the driver on cd. Basically, I need the proper media player download or driver that is compatible with Vista. If its a download verson, I need to know if its a safe place to download at whatever site that has a compatible media player for vista. The worst alternative is to spend $250 for Vista Premium that has been said to solve my problem. I am trying not to spend that kinda money just to watch a dvd. I am very happy with vista otherwise.

[Terry Newton]

Originally Posted by vh_bu98

I've been using Office 2007 for a few months now. It takes getting used to and it runs slower than Office 2003, but it's okay.

I absolutely hate Office 2007. I am hoping I can take my old discs and write over the top and get rid of the program. I can't find anything in it. Hardly anyone is using it which means I have to save everything in th old version so I can send it out by e-mail and have everyone open it up. It is a horrible upgrade. I had not thought about the clean install on Vista. I do not like Vista either. XP is much nicer but I have Vista on my home computer as an upgrade and I am not going backwards now.

Terry Newton

[SLRdude]

hmmm....

And that's why I use OS X.

[mikey]

Terry, I checked the harddrive and I did do a clean install there is nothing there. I installed this stuff on my laptop ONLY. After I saw it wiped out everything I decided to leave the home computer alone. Its cool, I do most internet stuff on my laptop but deep thought stuff on the home unit. XP will be obsolete soon so Vista is whats happeneing and I am sure it will be sorted out like everything else.

[vh_bu98]

Originally Posted by mikey

Terry, I checked the harddrive and I did do a clean install there is nothing there. I installed this stuff on my laptop ONLY. After I saw it wiped out everything I decided to leave the home computer alone. Its cool, I do most internet stuff on my laptop but deep thought stuff on the home unit. XP will be obsolete soon so Vista is whats happeneing and I am sure it will be sorted out like everything else.

It's going to be several years before XP will be obsolete. I still have clients who have 98 and 2000 machines. No matter how hard Microsoft tries to shove Vista, it will be years before the majority of businesses switch over. I see Vista as ME. A bleep on the radar before a better version follows it.

The only reason I installed Office 2007 is because Office 2003 is no longer an option from Dell. This means I need to know it to support my clients. Thank goodness Dell is still shipping XP as an option. Out of the hundreds of users that I support, I only know one person who has Vista.

I will get a Mac before I put Vista on my home PC.

[unclesallie]

have two machines installed with Vista at my office. work fine?? i must be the exception. sorry you guys are having trouble, and the weird part is i know very very little about computers and programs...but of course, my usage is limited.
best,dan

[GrandDaddy]

I have Vista Premium on a desktop and Dell Laptop, and my daughter has it on two Dell Laptops both with ZERO problems (maybe we're just lucky). I guess you can never avoid computers having people problem, huh?

XP will not be "obsolete" but Microsoft will cease supporting it (read: no more updates) after a certain date. I think they stopped supporting 98 three years ago? That's when I upgraded to XP.

Bottom line, Windows tweakers are the most likely to have problems. Vista is fine just the way it is, if people will just leave it alone.

[oneillba]

Sorry, can't help. I'm a happy Mac user.