Vista questions

Hi,

My father passed away recently and I received his laptop (with Vista Home
Premium pre-installed) as a part of my inheritance. The problem is that
the hardware is exclusionary. That is, the manufacturer made it so that
all other operating systems are prohibited and I can't install any other
operating system on it. As there is a sentimental value attached to the
computer I prefer not to sell it, but so far the experience was
frustrating and a reminder why I stopped using Windows in the first
place.

Below are some questions, solutions to which, would help make my
experience with the Vista computer more enjoyable.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.


How do I...

* configure Windows Update so I can view and select which updates to
install?

* configure the time it takes Windows before asking again for permission
to do an administrative task? Right now it's set to 0 and I have to give
permission every time. I want to set this to 10 minutes from the last
time an administrative task was done.

* make the power button shut down instead of hibernate?

* shade windows? (hide a window and leave only the title bar visible.)

* configure it so I can shade/unshade windows by double clicking on
them?

* display the current date along with the time on the panel? Right now
it only shows the time and day of week.

* change keyboard shortcuts?

* change the position of the buttons in the window title bar? I need the
'Close' button on the left.

* add more workspaces?

* configure windows to scroll (using the scroll wheel) when the mouse is
over them and not only when the control that needs to be scrolled has
focus?

* always open the default browser when one is required? Some
applications open IE instead of the default browser.

* make it so that *.theme files, logs and other user system files are
placed in user's home directory (%userprofile%) by default? Right now
they are in %userprofile%\Documents

* rename the user name and corresponding home directory without having to
create a new user account?

* change the theme of window decorations? Where can I download more
themes?

* change the theme of the windows themselves? Where can I download more
themes?

On Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:23:32 +0000 (UTC), HexterBinary
<> wrote:


> My father passed away recently and I received his laptop (with Vista Home
> Premium pre-installed) as a part of my inheritance. The problem is that
> the hardware is exclusionary. That is, the manufacturer made it so that
> all other operating systems are prohibited and I can't install any other
> operating system on it.



??? Please explain exactly why you think that's so. If you tried to
install another operating system, please tell us what operating system
you tried to install, exactly how you tried, and what happened when
you tried, including the exact verbatim text of any message you
received.

Also tell us what the make and model of the laptop is.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

HexterBinary wrote:
> Hi,
>
> My father passed away recently and I received his laptop (with Vista Home
> Premium pre-installed) as a part of my inheritance. The problem is that
> the hardware is exclusionary. That is, the manufacturer made it so that
> all other operating systems are prohibited and I can't install any other
> operating system on it. As there is a sentimental value attached to the
> computer I prefer not to sell it, but so far the experience was
> frustrating and a reminder why I stopped using Windows in the first
> place.
>
> Below are some questions, solutions to which, would help make my
> experience with the Vista computer more enjoyable.
>
> Thank you in advance for your assistance.
>
>
> How do I...
>
> * configure Windows Update so I can view and select which updates to
> install?
>
> * configure the time it takes Windows before asking again for permission
> to do an administrative task? Right now it's set to 0 and I have to give
> permission every time. I want to set this to 10 minutes from the last
> time an administrative task was done.
>
> * make the power button shut down instead of hibernate?
>
> * shade windows? (hide a window and leave only the title bar visible.)
>
> * configure it so I can shade/unshade windows by double clicking on
> them?
>
> * display the current date along with the time on the panel? Right now
> it only shows the time and day of week.
>
> * change keyboard shortcuts?
>
> * change the position of the buttons in the window title bar? I need the
> 'Close' button on the left.
>
> * add more workspaces?
>
> * configure windows to scroll (using the scroll wheel) when the mouse is
> over them and not only when the control that needs to be scrolled has
> focus?
>
> * always open the default browser when one is required? Some
> applications open IE instead of the default browser.
>
> * make it so that *.theme files, logs and other user system files are
> placed in user's home directory (%userprofile%) by default? Right now
> they are in %userprofile%\Documents
>
> * rename the user name and corresponding home directory without having to
> create a new user account?
>
> * change the theme of window decorations? Where can I download more
> themes?
>
> * change the theme of the windows themselves? Where can I download more
> themes?
>
If you can boot from a CD or DVD you should be able to install whatever
operating system you want. What DO you want? And knowing the
manufacturer of this machine should assist those who can provide answers.

If you have web access, you can Google (or Bing!) for most of the
questions you are asking.

Bill