Ultimate: clean re-install, need some advice..

hi,

I'm on Vista Ultimate, I need to do a clean re-install of Vista.. (don't
ask.... am a bit exhausted w/these Vista problems...)
I've had the machine -- and Vista for about -- 8 months now..

I'm backing up all my data manually (I read about how Vista backup works
-- apparently it gives you choice of TYPES of files to back up but not
folders.. I don't know what I would do if a type of file I want to back
up (.jsp, .java, .xsl, xslt, xml..) is not listed..

I just want to back up everything myself, but it's proving to be a
challenge b/c it's a lot of data, and the machine has gotten slow and it
takes a long time and I've been having some problems with the external
drive (WD) since I changed a setting in it so it moves data faster..
(before it wasn't copying everything I was copying..)
also, what is differece betw. folders that appear green and folders that
appear yellow, in c:\users\<myname>???

I managed to backup (i.e., copy to WD external HD) the Documents folder
and some other data that I had elsewhere, but when it came to AppData
folder it only copied about 6 GB out of about 35GB.. I don't know why
this is... (are all settings for all programs here? I know that
Thunderbird (email and news client I use) for some odd reason also puts
a folder in C:\ (it does this in XP and W2000 also..) which contains
just the contacts, everything else is in Thunderbird folder in AppData...)

I also would like some advice about how to manage Vista in the future..
most accounts I've read say most important thing is not to get updates
automatically, and I do have a feeling these updates they bombard you
with constantly mess things up... but then how would I get the security
updates? would an anti-virus program like AVG take care of this? (I
mean also of the firewall and anti-spyware updates?? I just want the
security updates, nothing else.. do some of these HAVE to come from
Microsoft???) I have AVG (the free version), and I do always get the
updates, but I don't know if this is just for anti-virus or other
necessary security updates also..

so if I re-install Vista now, and I don't get updates from MS, my Vista
will be lacking all security updates that have come out from MS since I
first purchased it about 8 months ago, yes???? (whew.... is this a
problem????

would appreciate advice and suggestions...

thank you...

Regarding the security updates, go to:
*control panel>security>windows update>change settings*
choose download updates but let me choose whether to install them, this
way you control want you want, when you want.
I'm not to familiar with Thunderbird, but you may have to do some
reading up on that 6GB issue.
AVG free anti-virus is good only to detect potential viruses from
coming in however way it tries to get in, it has nothing to do with
Windows security updates.
Windows security updates are important, and should not be overlooked.
As for backing up data, remember that a blank DVD-R or DVD+R has a
storage capacity of 4.7GB per disc.
I personally use Nero's (latest version 8 Ultra) BackItUp Version 3,
and it backs up everything, and I never have a problem with this
program.
This is the best answer I can give you
Hope this helps.


--
grimreaper

*AMD64X2 6000+ Black EditionIASUS CrosshairICorsair 620 watt PSUIScythe
Infinity 5 heat Pipes CPU CoolerIOCZ 8GB nVidia SLi 800 Mhz DDR2Ievga
8800 GTS 640MB SSC SLiICreative** *X-Fi*** Xtreme Music
7.1I500GBX2I80GB@10K
*

"maya" <> wrote in message news:fpiuu9$e5i$...

> I also would like some advice about how to manage Vista in the future..
> most accounts I've read say most important thing is not to get updates
> automatically, and I do have a feeling these updates they bombard you with
> constantly mess things up... but then how would I get the security
> updates? would an anti-virus program like AVG take care of this? (I mean
> also of the firewall and anti-spyware updates?? I just want the security
> updates, nothing else.. do some of these HAVE to come from Microsoft???)
> I have AVG (the free version), and I do always get the updates, but I
> don't know if this is just for anti-virus or other necessary security
> updates also..

This thing about Vista bombing becuase of updates I don't think thats's
valid at all.

I use Vista Ultimate and I have applied all updates. Only one update has
cause me problems, which I broke my on rules to not allow a driver update of
any kind from MS. I did it and it took out my sound drive, which I was able
to roll back the update. But, I don't allow auto updates either. I let
Windows Update notify about updates, and then I go look form myself as to
what I need. But I did the same with Win 2k and XP is go look at the updates
and then applied them.

>
> so if I re-install Vista now, and I don't get updates from MS, my Vista
> will be lacking all security updates that have come out from MS since I
> first purchased it about 8 months ago, yes???? (whew.... is this a
> problem????

Yes it's a problem, and if you're getting some kind of security update
that's not coming from MS about MS software, then I would find it suspect to
say the least about it.

Keeping the O/S ansd software patched with updates is part of safe hex
computing practices.

http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html

The one thing with MS is not to allow driver updates, unless you know what's
going on.

The second thing with Vista is to not install non Vista compliant software
on the machine. That causes a whole lot of problems when you start doing
that.

http://www.bestvistadownloads.com/
http://kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=5175

maya;620292 Wrote:
> hi,
>
> I'm on Vista Ultimate, I need to do a clean re-install of Vista..
> (don't ask.... am a bit exhausted w/these Vista problems...)
> I've had the machine -- and Vista for about -- 8 months now..

OK, I won't ask, but if we don't know what your problem/s are, we can't
help...

maya;620292 Wrote:
> I'm backing up all my data manually (I read about how Vista backup works
> -- apparently it gives you choice of TYPES of files to back up but not
> folders.. I don't know what I would do if a type of file I want to back
> up (.jsp, .java, .xsl, xslt, xml..) is not listed..
>
> I just want to back up everything myself, but it's proving to be a
> challenge b/c it's a lot of data, and the machine has gotten slow and it
> takes a long time and I've been having some problems with the external
> drive (WD) since I changed a setting in it so it moves data faster..
> (before it wasn't copying everything I was copying..) also, what is
> differece betw. folders that appear green and folders that appear
> yellow, in c:\users\<myname>???

Are you talking about the folder icons, or the actual text of the
folder name?

I'm guessing you mean the folder icons, and in this case, I'm also
guessing that you have two "Documents" folders - a green one and a
yellow one? The green folder is a "virtual" folder pointer, while the
yellow icon is an actual folder.

This perceived "duplication" happens when you didn't follow the proper
procedures to move the location of the "Documents" folder (or "Picture",
"Music", etc.), or the move operation was interupted.

The correct procedure to "move" one of these virtual folders is as
follows:

- Right-click the folder icon of "Documents", "Pictures", "Music",
etc.
- Click "Properties"
- Click the "Location" Tab
- Click the "Move..." button
- Browse for the appropriate desination folder, or create a new one.
This destination should NOT be anywhere under "C:\Users".
- Click "Select Folder"
- Click "Apply"
- Allow the move operation to continue. Click "Yes" on any messages
that appear
- Click OK
maya;620292 Wrote:
> I managed to backup (i.e., copy to WD external HD) the Documents folder
> and some other data that I had elsewhere, but when it came to AppData
> folder it only copied about 6 GB out of about 35GB.. I don't know why
> this is... (are all settings for all programs here? I know that
> Thunderbird (email and news client I use) for some odd reason also puts
> a folder in C:\ (it does this in XP and W2000 also..) which contains
> just the contacts, everything else is in Thunderbird folder in
> AppData...)

The only folders in "C:\Users\<USERNAME>" that are worth backing up are
"Contacts", "Desktop", "Documents", "Downloads", "Favourites", "Links",
"Music", "Pictures", "Saved Games" (Optional), "Searches" (Optional) and
"Videos", in addition to any folders to you personally created.
Generally speaking, if you have correctly relocated any of the
aformentioned default folders, you'll never need to access anything
under "C:\Users".

Any other folders in "AppData" store data that will be reacreated when
you re-install an application. If there IS some user data there, such as
the Thunderbird mailbox, then you should use that programs own
backup/restore facilities. If an application stores anything in
"AppData", and does not provide it's own backup/restore facility, then
there is nothing in that "AppData" storage that is worth backing up.

maya;620292 Wrote:
> I also would like some advice about how to manage Vista in the future..
> most accounts I've read say most important thing is not to get updates
> automatically, and I do have a feeling these updates they bombard you
> with constantly mess things up... but then how would I get the security
> updates? would an anti-virus program like AVG take care of this? (I mean
> also of the firewall and anti-spyware updates?? I just want the security
> updates, nothing else.. do some of these HAVE to come from Microsoft???)
> I have AVG (the free version), and I do always get the updates, but I
> don't know if this is just for anti-virus or other
> necessary security updates also..
>
> so if I re-install Vista now, and I don't get updates from MS, my Vista
> will be lacking all security updates that have come out from MS since I
> first purchased it about 8 months ago, yes???? (whew.... is this a
> problem????

I have my Windows Update to check for updates, and to download them for
me, but to install them only when I tell it to. And even then, I still
manually initiate a Windows update session at least 1 a week, to be sure
that I am aware of any optional update that may have been made
available.

Keeping up-to-date on your security updates is important.

maya;620292 Wrote:
> would appreciate advice and suggestions...
>
> thank you...

One solution that will make it far easier to re-install Windows by
minimizing the amount of data on your "C:" that needs to be backed up is
to permanently install a second hard disk, and then to relocate the
folders to appropriately named folders on that hard disk:

- Contacts
- Desktop
- Documents
- Downloads
- Favourites
- Links
- Music
- Pictures
- Saved Games
- Searches
- VideosThe "Desktop", "Links" and "Saved Games" folder are optional. This is
what my user folder looks like:

* Volume in drive C is Vista x64
Volume Serial Number is 18A6-E51B*
* Directory of C:\Users\Peter Dzomlija*
*11/02/2008 15:33 <DIR> .
11/02/2008 15:33 <DIR> ..
07/11/2007 10:28 <DIR> Contacts
20/02/2008 09:42 <DIR> Desktop
23/11/2007 16:19 <DIR> Links
14/07/2007 18:24 <DIR> Saved Games
0 File(s) 0 bytes
6 Dir(s) 11,842,682,880 bytes free*

Everything else has been moved to my E:

* Volume in drive E is Files
Volume Serial Number is C2D8-BE65*
* Directory of E:\*
*18/02/2008 12:06 <DIR> Downloads
21/02/2008 09:45 <DIR> Favourites
24/01/2008 17:44 <DIR> Searches
21/02/2008 09:16 <DIR> Pictures
19/02/2008 14:50 <DIR> Programming
21/02/2008 09:44 <DIR> Documents
14/12/2007 08:56 166,609,920 outlook backup.pst
1 File(s) 166,609,920 bytes
6 Dir(s) 15,240,187,904 bytes free*

My "Music" and "Videos" folders are on F:.

As you can see from the directory listing of my E:, there is a file
called "outlook backup.pst".

I use the "Export" function of Outlook 2007 once a week to update that
file. This way I never need to manually access anything in the
"C:\Users" folder.

As a matter of fact, I've applied the Hidden attribute to my "C:\Users"
folder. There is nothing of any consequence in there that cannot be
backed-up using the built in tools of my applications, so the less I see
of it, the better.

In keeping all relevant data on separate drives, and maintaining a
regular weekly backup routine, if anything goes wrong with my system
that requires a full re-format and install, I don't have to worry about
data loss.

In the year that I've been using Vista Ultimate x64, I've had to
re-install once to fix that nasty "you have an illegal copy of windows"
bug" that many of us experienced when Microsoft's WGA servers crashed.

Was it in June or July of 2007? I don't recall...

And that re-install was done on the advice of Microsoft itself after
several failed attempts by their support team to fix the problem.


--
dzomlija

_____________________
Peter Alexander Dzomlija
-Do you hear, huh? The Alpha and The Omega? Death and Rebirth? And as
you die, so shall I be Reborn...-

-Download MP3 Media Properties Explorer: --http://www.phx.co.za-

- ASUS A8N32-SLI-Deluxe
- AMD Athlon 64 Dual-Core 4800+
- 4GB DDR400
- 128MB ASUS nVidia 6600
- Thermaltake Tai-Chi Chassis
- 1207GB Formatted Storage
- Vista Ultimate x64
- CodeGear Delphi 2007See my rig at: http://s229.photobucket.com/albums/e...zomlija/Venus/

dzomlija wrote:
> maya;620292 Wrote:
>> hi,
>>
>> I'm on Vista Ultimate, I need to do a clean re-install of Vista..
>> (don't ask.... am a bit exhausted w/these Vista problems...)
>> I've had the machine -- and Vista for about -- 8 months now..
>
> OK, I won't ask, but if we don't know what your problem/s are, we can't
> help...

ok, didn't want to make post longer than it needed to be, but reason I
need to do a clean re-install of Vista is:

I can't activate the cable-tv feature in Media Center b/c Vista is not
accepting the product key supplied (it's in a sticker on the machine..)
folks where I bought my machine said it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted
and I need to re-install it.. (an entire OS that gets corrupted, whoever
heard of such a thing... M$ really had dumbed-down standards here
big-time...)

so security updates are important, but they mess everything up.. if I
choose what updates to get, how will I know which ones are the security
ones I need? )

thank you..


>
> maya;620292 Wrote:
>> I'm backing up all my data manually (I read about how Vista backup works
>> -- apparently it gives you choice of TYPES of files to back up but not
>> folders.. I don't know what I would do if a type of file I want to back
>> up (.jsp, .java, .xsl, xslt, xml..) is not listed..
>>
>> I just want to back up everything myself, but it's proving to be a
>> challenge b/c it's a lot of data, and the machine has gotten slow and it
>> takes a long time and I've been having some problems with the external
>> drive (WD) since I changed a setting in it so it moves data faster..
>> (before it wasn't copying everything I was copying..) also, what is
>> differece betw. folders that appear green and folders that appear
>> yellow, in c:\users\<myname>???
>
> Are you talking about the folder icons, or the actual text of the
> folder name?
>
> I'm guessing you mean the folder icons, and in this case, I'm also
> guessing that you have two "Documents" folders - a green one and a
> yellow one? The green folder is a "virtual" folder pointer, while the
> yellow icon is an actual folder.
>
> This perceived "duplication" happens when you didn't follow the proper
> procedures to move the location of the "Documents" folder (or "Picture",
> "Music", etc.), or the move operation was interupted.
>
> The correct procedure to "move" one of these virtual folders is as
> follows:
>
> - Right-click the folder icon of "Documents", "Pictures", "Music",
> etc.
> - Click "Properties"
> - Click the "Location" Tab
> - Click the "Move..." button
> - Browse for the appropriate desination folder, or create a new one.
> This destination should NOT be anywhere under "C:\Users".
> - Click "Select Folder"
> - Click "Apply"
> - Allow the move operation to continue. Click "Yes" on any messages
> that appear
> - Click OK
> maya;620292 Wrote:
>> I managed to backup (i.e., copy to WD external HD) the Documents folder
>> and some other data that I had elsewhere, but when it came to AppData
>> folder it only copied about 6 GB out of about 35GB.. I don't know why
>> this is... (are all settings for all programs here? I know that
>> Thunderbird (email and news client I use) for some odd reason also puts
>> a folder in C:\ (it does this in XP and W2000 also..) which contains
>> just the contacts, everything else is in Thunderbird folder in
>> AppData...)
>
> The only folders in "C:\Users\<USERNAME>" that are worth backing up are
> "Contacts", "Desktop", "Documents", "Downloads", "Favourites", "Links",
> "Music", "Pictures", "Saved Games" (Optional), "Searches" (Optional) and
> "Videos", in addition to any folders to you personally created.
> Generally speaking, if you have correctly relocated any of the
> aformentioned default folders, you'll never need to access anything
> under "C:\Users".
>
> Any other folders in "AppData" store data that will be reacreated when
> you re-install an application. If there IS some user data there, such as
> the Thunderbird mailbox, then you should use that programs own
> backup/restore facilities. If an application stores anything in
> "AppData", and does not provide it's own backup/restore facility, then
> there is nothing in that "AppData" storage that is worth backing up.
>
> maya;620292 Wrote:
>> I also would like some advice about how to manage Vista in the future..
>> most accounts I've read say most important thing is not to get updates
>> automatically, and I do have a feeling these updates they bombard you
>> with constantly mess things up... but then how would I get the security
>> updates? would an anti-virus program like AVG take care of this? (I mean
>> also of the firewall and anti-spyware updates?? I just want the security
>> updates, nothing else.. do some of these HAVE to come from Microsoft???)
>> I have AVG (the free version), and I do always get the updates, but I
>> don't know if this is just for anti-virus or other
>> necessary security updates also..
>>
>> so if I re-install Vista now, and I don't get updates from MS, my Vista
>> will be lacking all security updates that have come out from MS since I
>> first purchased it about 8 months ago, yes???? (whew.... is this a
>> problem????
>
> I have my Windows Update to check for updates, and to download them for
> me, but to install them only when I tell it to. And even then, I still
> manually initiate a Windows update session at least 1 a week, to be sure
> that I am aware of any optional update that may have been made
> available.
>
> Keeping up-to-date on your security updates is important.
>
> maya;620292 Wrote:
>> would appreciate advice and suggestions...
>>
>> thank you...
>
> One solution that will make it far easier to re-install Windows by
> minimizing the amount of data on your "C:" that needs to be backed up is
> to permanently install a second hard disk, and then to relocate the
> folders to appropriately named folders on that hard disk:
>
> - Contacts
> - Desktop
> - Documents
> - Downloads
> - Favourites
> - Links
> - Music
> - Pictures
> - Saved Games
> - Searches
> - VideosThe "Desktop", "Links" and "Saved Games" folder are optional. This is
> what my user folder looks like:
>
> * Volume in drive C is Vista x64
> Volume Serial Number is 18A6-E51B*
> * Directory of C:\Users\Peter Dzomlija*
> *11/02/2008 15:33 <DIR> .
> 11/02/2008 15:33 <DIR> ..
> 07/11/2007 10:28 <DIR> Contacts
> 20/02/2008 09:42 <DIR> Desktop
> 23/11/2007 16:19 <DIR> Links
> 14/07/2007 18:24 <DIR> Saved Games
> 0 File(s) 0 bytes
> 6 Dir(s) 11,842,682,880 bytes free*
>
> Everything else has been moved to my E:
>
> * Volume in drive E is Files
> Volume Serial Number is C2D8-BE65*
> * Directory of E:\*
> *18/02/2008 12:06 <DIR> Downloads
> 21/02/2008 09:45 <DIR> Favourites
> 24/01/2008 17:44 <DIR> Searches
> 21/02/2008 09:16 <DIR> Pictures
> 19/02/2008 14:50 <DIR> Programming
> 21/02/2008 09:44 <DIR> Documents
> 14/12/2007 08:56 166,609,920 outlook backup.pst
> 1 File(s) 166,609,920 bytes
> 6 Dir(s) 15,240,187,904 bytes free*
>
> My "Music" and "Videos" folders are on F:.
>
> As you can see from the directory listing of my E:, there is a file
> called "outlook backup.pst".
>
> I use the "Export" function of Outlook 2007 once a week to update that
> file. This way I never need to manually access anything in the
> "C:\Users" folder.
>
> As a matter of fact, I've applied the Hidden attribute to my "C:\Users"
> folder. There is nothing of any consequence in there that cannot be
> backed-up using the built in tools of my applications, so the less I see
> of it, the better.
>
> In keeping all relevant data on separate drives, and maintaining a
> regular weekly backup routine, if anything goes wrong with my system
> that requires a full re-format and install, I don't have to worry about
> data loss.
>
> In the year that I've been using Vista Ultimate x64, I've had to
> re-install once to fix that nasty "you have an illegal copy of windows"
> bug" that many of us experienced when Microsoft's WGA servers crashed.
>
> Was it in June or July of 2007? I don't recall...
>
> And that re-install was done on the advice of Microsoft itself after
> several failed attempts by their support team to fix the problem.
>
>

maya;620652 Wrote:
> ok, didn't want to make post longer than it needed to be, but reason I
> need to do a clean re-install of Vista is:
>
> I can't activate the cable-tv feature in Media Center b/c Vista is not
> accepting the product key supplied (it's in a sticker on the machine..)
> folks where I bought my machine said it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted
> and I need to re-install it.. (an entire OS that gets corrupted, whoever
> heard of such a thing... M$ really had dumbed-down standards here
> big-time...)
>
> so security updates are important, but they mess everything up.. if I
> choose what updates to get, how will I know which ones are the security
> ones I need? )
>
> thank you..

Security Updates do not mess up your system. I've been running Vista
for a year now, and have yet to encounter a security that has done this.
As far as deciding which ones to install, that's a no-brainer. Security
updates are usually labelled critical. These should not be ignored.

Some people will warn you not to rely on Windows Update for driver
updates, but again, this is a problem I have not encountered. In fact,
there are two driver updates waiting for me right now, but they require
a restart that is going to interupt with a series of downloads I'm busy
with.

Question - What has Cable-TV got to do with your Windows Product Key?
If your product key is invalid, then you would not have been able to use
the computer for 8 months, as your original post suggests you have done.
Is Vista telling you need to activate? Can you provide a screenshot of
the message that you are receiving?

But regardless, your scenario does indeed remind me of a situation I
myself experienced several months ago, when Microsofts WGA Servers died.
Despite some damn near heroic efforts by support trying to fix the
issue, the problem was eventually resolved by formatting the hard disk
and re-installing Windows.

Microsoft has since fixed the problem with their WGA servers, so I do
not believe that is the fault.


--
dzomlija

_____________________
Peter Alexander Dzomlija
-Do you hear, huh? The Alpha and The Omega? Death and Rebirth? And as
you die, so shall I be Reborn...-

-Download MP3 Media Properties Explorer: --http://www.phx.co.za-

- ASUS A8N32-SLI-Deluxe
- AMD Athlon 64 Dual-Core 4800+
- 4GB DDR400
- 128MB ASUS nVidia 6600
- Thermaltake Tai-Chi Chassis
- 1207GB Formatted Storage
- Vista Ultimate x64
- CodeGear Delphi 2007See my rig at: http://s229.photobucket.com/albums/e...zomlija/Venus/

"maya" <> wrote in message news:fpk67j$75m$...

>
> so security updates are important, but they mess everything up.. if I
> choose what updates to get, how will I know which ones are the security
> ones I need? )
>

If the say required or recommended then you apply them. If they say
optional, then it's at your own risks. If you install a driver, and that
should optional, then it's at your own risks.

I have been burnt by MS supplied driver updates over the years. If you see
one, you're best be is go to the Web site for the device's driver and apply
it from there. But that's no guarantee either that it won't hose things.

The old saying I apply to a driver is this. If it's not broke, then you
don't fix it by updating a driver, unless you know what it's about and you
determine you need something that the drive is supplying with a new version.

dzomlija wrote:
> maya;620652 Wrote:
>> ok, didn't want to make post longer than it needed to be, but reason I
>> need to do a clean re-install of Vista is:
>>
>> I can't activate the cable-tv feature in Media Center b/c Vista is not
>> accepting the product key supplied (it's in a sticker on the machine..)
>> folks where I bought my machine said it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted
>> and I need to re-install it.. (an entire OS that gets corrupted, whoever
>> heard of such a thing... M$ really had dumbed-down standards here
>> big-time...)
>>
>> so security updates are important, but they mess everything up.. if I
>> choose what updates to get, how will I know which ones are the security
>> ones I need? )
>>
>> thank you..
>
> Security Updates do not mess up your system.

thank you... I did not mean to imply that security updates mess up your
system, but they also send updates that are not security and that I'm
sure are not absolutely necessary.. and sometimes updates -- of
whatever kind, I don't know -- conflict w/other stuff installed, etc..
hence I would like to get ONLY the updates I really need, which are the
security updates.. I want to be able to FILTER updates, and install
only the ones necessary for security..


I've been running Vista
> for a year now, and have yet to encounter a security that has done this.
> As far as deciding which ones to install, that's a no-brainer. Security
> updates are usually labelled critical. These should not be ignored.
>
> Some people will warn you not to rely on Windows Update for driver
> updates, but again, this is a problem I have not encountered. In fact,
> there are two driver updates waiting for me right now, but they require
> a restart that is going to interupt with a series of downloads I'm busy
> with.
>
> Question - What has Cable-TV got to do with your Windows Product Key?

there are TWO product keys on a sticker on my machine, one is the
Windows product key and the other one is a digital cable tv activation
key.. I purchased my machine with two digital cable tuners, hence, I
suppose, the digital cable tv product key.. when you're setting up
cable tv in Media Ctr, it asks for this product key... my Vista is not
accepting it...

folks at my computer place said other users have also experienced this
and it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted and you need to do a clean
re-install...

thank you..

Mr. Arnold wrote:
>
> "maya" <> wrote in message
> news:fpk67j$75m$...
>
>>
>> so security updates are important, but they mess everything up.. if I
>> choose what updates to get, how will I know which ones are the
>> security ones I need? )
>>
>
> If the say required or recommended then you apply them. If they say
> optional, then it's at your own risks. If you install a driver, and that
> should optional, then it's at your own risks.

I don't know what you mean by "driver update"... they update drivers
for stuff you have already running ok on your machine? I think some
folks at M$ don't have enough to do...

(and, again: how do I choose to not update drivers??)

thank you....

My settings are:

Control Panel>Windows Update>Change Settings

Highlight "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and
install them"

I also have Recommended Updates and Use Microsoft Update checked.

This way you can choose which to install (and read what they are for). I
follow the general advice here and not download updates to hardware.

HTH


"maya" <> wrote in message news:fplfmj$t0d$...
> dzomlija wrote:
>> maya;620652 Wrote:
>>> ok, didn't want to make post longer than it needed to be, but reason I
>>> need to do a clean re-install of Vista is:
>>>
>>> I can't activate the cable-tv feature in Media Center b/c Vista is not
>>> accepting the product key supplied (it's in a sticker on the machine..)
>>> folks where I bought my machine said it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted
>>> and I need to re-install it.. (an entire OS that gets corrupted, whoever
>>> heard of such a thing... M$ really had dumbed-down standards here
>>> big-time...)
>>>
>>> so security updates are important, but they mess everything up.. if I
>>> choose what updates to get, how will I know which ones are the security
>>> ones I need? )
>>>
>>> thank you..
>>
>> Security Updates do not mess up your system.
>
> thank you... I did not mean to imply that security updates mess up your
> system, but they also send updates that are not security and that I'm sure
> are not absolutely necessary.. and sometimes updates -- of whatever kind,
> I don't know -- conflict w/other stuff installed, etc.. hence I would like
> to get ONLY the updates I really need, which are the security updates.. I
> want to be able to FILTER updates, and install only the ones necessary for
> security..
>
>
> I've been running Vista
>> for a year now, and have yet to encounter a security that has done this.
>> As far as deciding which ones to install, that's a no-brainer. Security
>> updates are usually labelled critical. These should not be ignored.
>>
>> Some people will warn you not to rely on Windows Update for driver
>> updates, but again, this is a problem I have not encountered. In fact,
>> there are two driver updates waiting for me right now, but they require
>> a restart that is going to interupt with a series of downloads I'm busy
>> with.
>>
>> Question - What has Cable-TV got to do with your Windows Product Key?
>
> there are TWO product keys on a sticker on my machine, one is the Windows
> product key and the other one is a digital cable tv activation key.. I
> purchased my machine with two digital cable tuners, hence, I suppose, the
> digital cable tv product key.. when you're setting up cable tv in Media
> Ctr, it asks for this product key... my Vista is not accepting it...
>
> folks at my computer place said other users have also experienced this and
> it's b/c Vista has gotten corrupted and you need to do a clean
> re-install...
>
> thank you..
>
>
>
>