Vista Service Pack 1 and Going back to XP Questions

[Methos]

Does the Vista service pack fix a lot of the problems? I'd like to hear from those who have updated to service pack 1. I'm considering updating to fix some problems, but at the same time I've heard it's added problems too. Such as the initial administrator account no longer has full admin rights and you have to create a second admin account.

I'm seriously considering going back to XP, but I'm not sure if that means I'll have to format my HD or not. Can I just insert the XP disk and re-install it without formatting?

 

[GoodGame]

I think you can dual-boot XP and Vista, but from what I've read there's usually a catch when dual-booting, which is you need to have the two OSs on different partitions/drives. If you have two drives, or even two partitions with enough space on your boot drive, I think there should be no problem dual-booting. I've never dual-booted my system to be honest.

It's usually a good idea to format cleanly before installing the OS, though I'm pretty sure the XP disc allows you to opt out of formating and repartitioning. At least try it to see what it says because the disc won't proceed with out approval at any rate.

 

[Zelig]

I haven't had any problems with SP1, but I didn't really have problems before either... best thing is just to let windows update do its thing.

What do you mean by default admin account? I created a single admin account when I installed Vista (SP1 included), and I've got full admin rights with it.

Installing XP over Vista might work, but you'd be left with a lot of junk, best way would be to format (or just delete all of Vista) first.

 

[Methos]

I haven't had any problems with SP1, but I didn't really have problems before either... best thing is just to let windows update do its thing.

The problems I'm having is that it keeps not allowing my iphone and ipod to connect, saying that it doesn't recoginize the device or that I need to reinstall it. Today I printed something on my printer and when I attempted to print something else a couple minutes later, all knowledge of my printer was gone. I couldn't find it anywhere. It was like I hadn't even installed it. I rebooted and a popup stated that it had been installed correctly. I tend to have these sort of odd problems that keep appearing and disappearing. I never had them before upgrading to XP.

What do you mean by default admin account? I created a single admin account when I installed Vista (SP1 included), and I've got full admin rights with it.

It's a problem we're having with the HOF mod. In order for it to work, the user must create a second admin account. Apparently the primary account doesn't use the PERSONAL files, which is what is causing the problem.

 

[Zelig]

The problems I'm having is that it keeps not allowing my iphone and ipod to connect, saying that it doesn't recoginize the device or that I need to reinstall it.

That's Apple's fault, their istuff doesn't work at all with 64-bit Windows, which they're catching quite a bit of flac for. (Although less than they might, since I'm guessing a bigger proportion of 64-bit users are going to be using non-Apple products)

It's a problem we're having with the HOF mod. In order for it to work, the user must create a second admin account. Apparently the primary account doesn't use the PERSONAL files, which is what is causing the problem.

Are you referring to the build in "Administrator" account? Nobody should be using that account for anything other than administration use, it's that way by design.

 

[Methos]

That's Apple's fault, their istuff doesn't work at all with 64-bit Windows, which they're catching quite a bit of flac for. (Although less than they might, since I'm guessing a bigger proportion of 64-bit users are going to be using non-Apple products)

I'm using 32-bit.

Are you referring to the build in "Administrator" account? Nobody should be using that account for anything other than administration use, it's that way by design.

Yes, but isn't the built in Admin account supposed to allow you full admin rights? We're having players that are not finding that to be correct. They have to create a second account and give it admin privs to get it to work.

 

[Zelig]

Yes, but isn't the built in Admin account supposed to allow you full admin rights? We're having players that are not finding that to be correct. They have to create a second account and give it admin privs to get it to work.

It does give you full admin rights, but that's all the account is meant to be used for, it's not meant to be used as a regular account.

Running in the built-in administrator account in Vista is akin to running as root in Linux.

 

[Methos]

Running in the built-in administrator account in Vista is akin to running as root in Linux.

Uh, what?

Basic idea is your saying it's not something you're supposed to do. So your saying you should create a second account with admin rights and use that? If that is the case, then what good is the built-in admin account for? Are there things the built-in account can do that the secondary admin account can't?

 

[Shadylookin]

Does the Vista service pack fix a lot of the problems? I'd like to hear from those who have updated to service pack 1. I'm considering updating to fix some problems, but at the same time I've heard it's added problems too. Such as the initial administrator account no longer has full admin rights and you have to create a second admin account.

I'm seriously considering going back to XP, but I'm not sure if that means I'll have to format my HD or not. Can I just insert the XP disk and re-install it without formatting?

I updated to sp1 on my laptop and I haven't noticed any changes. If you completely wipe out vista you'll have to format(it's done so automatically when you re/install windows). I don't think windows xp is very kind with partitioning so if you want to use other partitions you'll probably have to use a program that can partition for you. but if you really hate vista you may as well just format it.

 

[Zelig]

Yes, a different account with admin rights should be created. The default admininstrator account isn't enabled by default, it's simpler to create a new account when you install Vista.

The built-in administrator account automatically bypasses all UAC stuff, as such, it's meant for ease of administration purposes for people who leave UAC enabled.

I've never had to use it myself, I don't think I've even ever bothered enabling it.

 

[Grisu]

After installing SP1 I felt for the first time that Vista is actually worth keeping. It seems to be less sluggish responding so some commands (especially file copy). And several Apps that didn't run before (or not as they should) run now.

I'd probably still not get Vista if I had the choice, but at least now it's no worse for me than XP with the potential to be better.

 

[Jamesds]

I'd like to upgrade to Vista SP1, but it fails after Step 3 has completed, and reverts the whole installation. Microsft Tech Support so far haven't been that helpful. I just like having up to date stuff, and whilst Vista seems to work quite well for me now, the uprade should improve my experience (I have noticed the slow file transfers, and some other small things).

While I'm here, a small Vista-related question. I have a partitioned drive with C: and D:. Now D: was actually E: for a while, and after fiddling around with the partitions toget Linux dual booting, D: is now D:. This has confused Windows a little, and the most annoying thing being it can't find my Pictures folder. I had moved my music and pictures to drive E, and using the 'Location' tab for the Users\MyAccount\Pictures folder I had set it to E:\Pictures\. Now that tab doesn't exist, and Windows is oblivious to me having pictures in D:\Pictures. How can I reconfigure it?

 

[Quintillus]

<snip> Never mind, almost missed that it was only SP1 that resulted in the initial admin account not having full rights. Though that doesn't exactly sound like a good thing. If all of a sudden you have to create a new account to access your personal files and do all the other admin stuff you initial account used to be able to do, isn't that rather inconvenient? And let's face it, 75% of Windows users at least are using an Administrator account, and at least 50% of those using the initial one.

Even if they know it's not as safe (which not all do I'm sure), if they've never had any problems running the admin account, they figure why create two accounts when one will do? After all, logging in again just to install something is inconvenient. Kind of like dual-booting is just a bit less convenient than single-booting.

You probably can install XP without reformatting. I don't know that I'd do that, though. You'd probably want to install somewhere other than C:\Windows (so you don't have any problems with leftover Vista files), and then you'd have to configure all your programs to work with the new Windows directory (I think XP includes a tool that automates most of this with decent success rate - 3.11 did at least), assuming it leaves C:\Program Files the way it used to be. Then there's the issue of the new My Documents folder. Presumably it will leave all the files that used to in there alone, but that's not something I'd try without backing up the data first.

For Jamesds: It seems like your My Pictures/Videos folders are linking to the E: drive. If you click Start, then right click My Documents and choose Properties, you can set where My Documents links to. I think you might be able to do the same thing on Vista with My Pictures / My Videos, and thus reset their links to the D: drive instead of E:.

 

[Zelig]

<snip> Never mind, almost missed that it was only SP1 that resulted in the initial admin account not having full rights. Though that doesn't exactly sound like a good thing. If all of a sudden you have to create a new account to access your personal files and do all the other admin stuff you initial account used to be able to do, isn't that rather inconvenient? And let's face it, 75% of Windows users at least are using an Administrator account, and at least 50% of those using the initial one.

The initial account has total admin rights, it even force-disables UAC prompts. It just isn't set up the same way for personal files, so some stuff doesn't install nicely onto it.

FWIW, I doubt many people are using the default admin account, it's disabled and hidden by default, the only people using it full time are people who stumbled upon how to enable it on the web, but failed to stumble upon why they shouldn't be using it.

 

[Methos]

FWIW, I doubt many people are using the default admin account, it's disabled and hidden by default, the only people using it full time are people who stumbled upon how to enable it on the web, but failed to stumble upon why they shouldn't be using it.

Isn't it the account that is created upon installation? I didn't do anything at all to activate it, at least not that I recall. There is only one account on my computer and (I believe) it is the initial one when installed. If that is the case, then using it is fairly easy, so I'm confused at your quoted statement.

 

[Zelig]

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_administrator_activate.htm

That's the default admin account I've been referring to, sorry if we haven't been on the same page here.

All admin accounts other than that one should be identical.

 

[Souron]

While I'm here, a small Vista-related question. I have a partitioned drive with C: and D:. Now D: was actually E: for a while, and after fiddling around with the partitions toget Linux dual booting, D: is now D:. This has confused Windows a little, and the most annoying thing being it can't find my Pictures folder. I had moved my music and pictures to drive E, and using the 'Location' tab for the Users\MyAccount\Pictures folder I had set it to E:\Pictures\. Now that tab doesn't exist, and Windows is oblivious to me having pictures in D:\Pictures. How can I reconfigure it?

In Command prompt run DISKPART. It will allow you to change the letters different volumes are assigned. There are other ways, like there's probably a way to do it through computer manager, but I know DISKPART will do the job.

I don't remmember exactly, but the sequence of command should be something like:

list volume
select volume 1
remove letter D
assign letter E

Use the help feature as needed.

 

[Souron]

I'm seriously considering going back to XP, but I'm not sure if that means I'll have to format my HD or not. Can I just insert the XP disk and re-install it without formatting?

No.

You can dual boot. That requires you to shrink the vista partition (not sure the best way to do this, probably with 3rd party software). Then you can install XP on the remaining space. Your programs will not transfer over, but you will be able to read data from both operating systems.

If you do this, you will note that xp will install on a drive letter besides C. That isn't a problem for XP, but some programs expect to be installed on drive C, and various problems can arise. OTOH, it's convenient to have the drive letters in both OS's match. I don't know of a way around this.

 

[Knight-Dragon]

I am on Vista 32 bit now for my home PC. Not sure if I have installed SP1 since I just let it update by itself.

Fairly happy with it, since I only use it to play WoW and watch DVDs.