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My computer just COMPLETELY quit booting functionally Wednesday... freezing up ALMOST all the way through the boot process, usually loading the very LAST driver -- that sort of thing -- although it wasn't a driver I'd ever had a problem with before (the driver for my HP printer).
I kept rebooting into Safe Mode, then trying a reboot back into regular mode (which will often clear up any problems), but NO DICE... Finally, I did a System Restore. The System wanted me to just restore back about 12 hours earlier, but I'd already been having problems for something closer to 24 hours at that point, so I took it back to the NEXT closest restore point which was more like 48 hours back, and lost the last few updates, and after the restore, the system booted just fine.
Of course then it automatically wanted to do some Windows Updates, and as I was here to monitor, I let it do them, and sure enough, about 3 weeks sooner than I had expected it, the LAST ONE to come through, after it finished downloading, said, "Welcome to Vista Service Pack 1," which I'm SURE was what had screwed my system up by trying to install unattended.
Based on what I'd been reading from ZDNet, and PCWorld's online feeds this automatic update was STILL about 3 weeks earlier than Microsoft was PLANNING to do automatic releases, but I figured if they were doing it automatically, it MUST be ready, so I sat here and monitored it, and it seemed to go OK, although I had to go through a few reboots to get the system smooth.
However, earlier today, I got a VERY BRIEF "blip" on my bottom toolbar that said I had "two days" to "activate Windows due to a Hardware Change" or else lose functionality (although there was, of course NO Hardware Change, only the new Service Pack). THEN, it took me FOREVER to figure out how to go about DOING activation again (I finally had to search the Microsoft website for information on that!), and when I DID, the first time I tried, it FAILED to recognize my activation key -- said it was "expired, or already in use." (I already went through this BS ONCE with my Vista Upgrade LAST SUMMER and Dell had to send me a SECOND upgrade disk to solve the problem)... I was all set, after supper (this happened not long before), to do an online session with a Dell Rep, and set for HOURS of Dell Rep BS, BUT I clicked the "Activate My Windows" key ONE MORE TIME and THIS TIME it said "Windows has Activated Successfully."
Go Figure.
I have to tell you, with all the glitches and BS and AT LEAST A DOZEN re-installations of Vista I've had to go through to keep Media Center functional in the past year, if I have to re-install from scratch ONE MORE TIME (which involves starting with an XP installation, I think I'll go back to XP, PERIOD.
Vista IS better in some subtle, and slightly sophisticated ways, but XP ran SO MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY and error-free. If SP1 hasn't fixed all those glitches... I don't know, Bill Gates may be in line for a class-action suit if for nothing more than the aggravation, anxiety, and MILLIONS of HOURS of lost time Vista's caused MILLIONS of Windows users like me!
Jeff Hayes
Spartanburg, SC
Jeff, I'm sorry to hear about your problems. BUT, if your version of Vista is an upgrade to XP you DO NOT have to install XP first. In fact, I would recommend against it as it just complicates the end product.
See this article, which describes how to do it - http://www.davescomputertips.com.../
20070301.php#4
Basically you are using Vista to trick it.
I wasn't aware of that, Dave, but if I have the need to do it again, I'll certainly do it THAT way, assuming I don't just go back to XP, period!
Jeff
Glad to hear I could help. Stick with it Jeff. Vista really is a good OS.
