How To Fix Most Vista Problems & How To Install It Properly

1. Have a copy of Service Pack 1, Anti-virus/spyware/adware software and
firewall software and any other security software you use avaliable on an
external copy.

2. Back up your files to an external source.

3. OEM software is crap, pointless and uses memory and space and makes the
OS unclean and unstable.

4. Always clean install, never Never NEVER upgrade from a previous OS.
This is the worst thing you can do. If you only own an upgrade copy Simply
do a clean install (don't put in the licence) then do an upgrade install once
the OS is installed and put in your licence. Takes more time to install
twice but it's worth it.

5. b) If you have bought a computer with Vista installed on it just find
someone with a retail (Not OEM) Vista DVD (remember every retail Vista DVD is
the same and has all versions on it). Use the licence on the sticker of your
computer to install it.

5. a) I recommend booting from the Vista CD and formatting the drives
(remember you have backed up to an external source). You can access the
Command Prompt from the Vista DVD to format hard drives.

6. Boot from the Vista DVD and then use the product key stuck on your
computer or where ever it may be to install a clean copy on a clean hard
drive. What you will have is Vista installed the way Microsoft intended it
to be without any rubbish to disrupt its performance.

7. Install Service Pack 1 -then- Install Security Software -then- go online
and Activate Windows, Update your security software and use Windows Update to
update Microsoft products. Now copy your files back to your computer.


8. Then Install other third party software and drivers and check for
important updates from your computer's manufacturer website for necessary
updates like Bios updates etc...
You may have to go to different Hardware manufacturer's website's and get
drivers directly from them (example video card software) for better
performance.



Basically Vista works best if you install a clean retail copy on a clean
hard drive and then keep it and it's software up to date. Always start with
a clean slate.

So don't winge about problems if you haven't installed from a clean slate.



Follow these instructons at your own risk as I am not sure it will work for
every one.

 

Oh and when Windows 7 comes out the same will apply. Although Upgrading from
Vista might not be quite as bad as it has been from 2000/XP to Vista is.

 

So how is MS Office 2007 OEM "crap and pointless"?

Sorry won't work. Pre-installed Vista is OEM. A Retail CD/DVD WILL NOT WORK
with a OEM product key. Do you REALLY know what you are talking about?

I don't think you can install SP1 on an un-activated installation....

Absolute rubbish.

 

Most people buying Vista (and not simply a new machine) will already
have XP, so updating should be the most common installation type, and
therefore the most tested and well-developed by Microsoft, shouldn't it?

On the Mac having a fresh installation automatically import user data
from an old one is a bit less robust than updating.

Oh wait, Vista doesn't have that option, right?

 

I have used a key for an OEM version of windows to install the clean retail
version, but i can't remember which brand of laptop it was, worked very very
well though.

As I said at the bottom, I warned people it might not work in all cases.

 

not all Bundled software is bad, bundled office is of but personally I don't
like OEM windows due to the bundled rubbish.

 

And did you manage to activate it?

 

"Sorry won't work. Pre-installed Vista is OEM. A Retail CD/DVD WILL NOT WORK
with a OEM product key. Do you REALLY know what you are talking about?"

You are a nutcase!
You can buy OEM disks, you idiot!
How do you think we build Ststems! Do you think we buy retail disks all the
time.
Wake up, you stupid fool.

There are OEMs and OEM disks.
Dell, HP, etc are OEMs.

And what is on your bought OEM and retail disk is the same.
Will that sink in!!!

 

And don't forget to killfile me, lol.

 

Everyones experience will vary.
I have Vista machines that work fine (just because it's very poorly designed
doesn't always make it unstable) and others that just plain suck due to
driver issues.
That is as much the hardware vendors fault as Vista's.
I just plain do not like the design and implementation of many of the
'features'.
I have used it since early Beta and still ask myself, what MORON would do it
that way...
Vista is a great argument AGAINST design by committee.

BTW: amatuers that know just enough to NOT know they are clueless can be
really bothersome...

 

It is the manufacturer/vendor who is responsible for the crap on a
pre-installed system, and it is easy enough to go into 'Programs and
Features' to delete all of it.

The 'system builder' (OEM) version of Vista has no 3rd party stuff and crap
on it..

--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

 

Although that is sometimes true, it isn't necessarily true all the
time.

That's terrible advice. Many years ago, with much older versions of
Windows, it was generally good advice, but these days it hardly ever
is. In fact, my recommendation is that almost everyone *should* do an
upgrade, since it's much easier, and worst case, you do it over
cleanly if problems occur. The major exception to my recommendation is
if you are currently having problems. An upgrade is unlikely to solve
the problems, and may exacerbate them.

My installation of Vista here, was an upgrade from XP two years ago,
and it's been completely problem-free.

And that can't be done. OEM Product keys can *not* be used on retail
versions.

 

That's what I thought.
However, there are some forum responses here:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Activate+Retail+Vista+with+OEM+key&meta=

that say you can.

 

It would appear to hinge around whether the OEM is generic as in system
builder or a manufacturer recovery for what was/is pre-installed..


--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

 

Which Gordon SHOULD have learned by now.

 

Why? I was just quoting some forum responses...

 

Yes it was a friend who had a laptop and it had performance problems, i
formatted the HD with the Vista dvd then used the licence key on the sticker
to install it. It activated perfectly and it's performance has improved
significantly.

I forget the laptops make, Acer or something like that but I am unsure.

 

1. many people lose the CD that came with the computer.
2. Even if there is no bundled stuff on the CD it is often pre-installed.
3. Installing th OS on a blank HD seems to help with it's performance,
explain why this might be?