What do you click on to make your Vista seem like XP. I know there is not 2 systems installed but I was told you can make Vista look like XP. Does that sound about right? I'm new to Vista and I hate it
Laptop Vista To Xp
- Thread starter rcool101
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Right click Desktop and go to Personalize, then click on the Theme option and select "Windows Classic" under the drop down box. You can also change the start menu to classic by right clicking the bottom taskbar then go to Properties, Start Menu and select the classic mode.
slicerwizard
Member
It'll run a hell of a lot faster if you actually install XP. Over the course of a few years, the time you'll waste while waiting for Vista to get things done will add up to a significant amount. Just something to consider.
That is your best plan. I bought XP Pro on Amazon.ca for the wife's Vista laptop. She hated Vista and had mucho problems. Runs like a charm with XP.
We actually both make ours look like W98, just got used to it and never did like the XP look. Once you know where to find everything in W98 it seemed confusing trying to find the same things in XP, and even worse in Vista.
Was reading about Windoze 7 yesterday and it appears the Classic feature will be removed, kinda sucks.
w8jjr
Member
One thing Before switching to XP from Vista check to see if drivers are available in XP flavor for your model from the computers manufacture support site. Alot of the newer machines, there are no XP drivers. Sure it will work with XP but will the wireless card or DVD writer work?
I ve seen this many times lately.
I ve seen this many times lately.
I had a good machine to do it on. With the exception of the "Feature Keys" along the top (which she never uses anyway) that model shipped with XP a few months previous to shipping with Vista. You could get burnt on other hardware, quite true. So long as you have some restore discs made for your Vista it would sure be worth a try and even if you don't have specific drivers many generic windows ones will work for common hardware items.
Before you wipe the drive, write down all hardware using Device Manager. Then see if you can find XP drivers for everything (like mentioned before). If you cannot find a driver on the manufacture's site, try generic driver like from Intel and nVidia or ATi (like davidmc36 mentioned). If you can't find a driver for something or not sure what it is, it might be something like TPM or a fingerprint reader, which you may not need and may be able to disable in the BIOS.
I kniow Vista isn't the easiest to get used to but I would give yourself about 2 -4 weeks before trying to install XP; might be the easiest thing to do.
I kniow Vista isn't the easiest to get used to but I would give yourself about 2 -4 weeks before trying to install XP; might be the easiest thing to do.
We fought with it for 4 months before finally giving up. One of the best C-notes that I ever spent was for the XP Pro disc. Your mileage may vary.
That is what I did; just went back to XP. I kept the old (new) hard drive in case I want to make it "stock" again and just bought a new 7200 RPM drive for $89 and put XP on it.
Don't expect much help from the manufacturer finding drivers, but they are out there if you look at manufacturer's websites and computer nerd blogs.
Like the Toshiba I did had a european model that was configured with XP. It works great.
lgentle
Member
Windows 7 does have the Classic Theme. I'm using it on my Windows 7 box.
Navycop
Member
I have an older computer and a "newer" computer side by side on my counter. The older one has XP, the newer with vista. I like using the new one only because it is a little faster (not alot of kids games) than the other. I was thinking about reformating the hard drive on the first one. I don't want to wipe other stuff (pics, win95, etc). Any suggestions?
See above about getting a new hard drive. You could get a new external hard drive and swap the drives out. So, in the end your currently install drive will be in the external USB case and the new drive in the computer. Just make sure the drive/case you buy has the correct interface (SATA or IDE).
The features and functionality you find in the pre-release product may not appear in the final version of Windows 7.
Removed features <(WIKI Link)
While Windows 7 contains many new features, a number of capabilities and certain programs that were a part of Windows Vista are no longer present or have changed, resulting in the removal of certain functionality. The following is a list of features that were present in Windows Vista but have been removed in Windows 7.
- Several shell features[42] including:
- Classic Start menu user interface
re: Back from the PDC…next up, WinHEC
I am shocked to see no classic Start menu in Windows 7. MS should not be so overconfident about Windows 7 and keep the classic Start menu and taskbar around. What other than Vista can best be a testimony to what happens when things change without giving users choice?
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Why, oh why do people feel like Windows 7 is a final product?
:roll:
:roll:
slicerwizard
Member
Rather than wiping, one can always split the drive and have both Vista and XP. I have Vista installed on C and XP on D. I find it useful for doing Vista software testing. Also, I can't get this laptop's memory card interface to work in XP (even though all of the correct drivers appear to be in place), so I just switch to Vista if I have to get 4 GB on or off this micro SD card...
Hah, it took about an hour for me to give up on Vista - it wouldn't even reliably copy my old files from an external HD to my new laptop. The same operation under XP worked fine. Go figure. When Windows Explorer is told to copy my Eudora folder and it silently decides to not bother copying a few mailbox files, it's game over for that OS.
rabidjade
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Sounds like there is more to the story. I've been happily using Vista SP1 and W7 with no issues in Vista and the common Beta stuff in W7. I've done everything I could in XP plus more with both OS's. An hour with correctly installed Vista isn't enough to go giving opinions at others.
That was an issue prior to SP1. SP1 resolved that issue and a lot others.
natrixgli
Member
Hey,
I'm a Linux guy, but as a system administrator who's ultimately *forced* to work with Windows, I say just bite the bullet and get used to the new stuff.
Soon support for XP will disappear, and you won't get patches that will keep your computer from becoming a zombie, spyware-infested, spam-bot, virus spreading machine. (which it probably will anyhow.)
Vista definitely brings on the growing pains (and brings them on HARD sometimes..) but all and all it's an inherently more secure system with some pretty decent features. (mainly because Microsoft nicked them all from Apple..)
Or if you have an extra trillion in cash, you could go with a Mac.
EDIT: forgot to include the Microsoft slogan "resistance is futile". Oh yeah, you will be assimilated.
-n8
I'm a Linux guy, but as a system administrator who's ultimately *forced* to work with Windows, I say just bite the bullet and get used to the new stuff.
Soon support for XP will disappear, and you won't get patches that will keep your computer from becoming a zombie, spyware-infested, spam-bot, virus spreading machine. (which it probably will anyhow.)
Vista definitely brings on the growing pains (and brings them on HARD sometimes..) but all and all it's an inherently more secure system with some pretty decent features. (mainly because Microsoft nicked them all from Apple..)
Or if you have an extra trillion in cash, you could go with a Mac.
EDIT: forgot to include the Microsoft slogan "resistance is futile". Oh yeah, you will be assimilated.
-n8
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kb0nly
Guest
I don't have any troubles with Vista, and i run two laptops and one desktop here on it. I do have an older computer that is providing my scanner feed and taking care of weather and APRS stuff on XP so i get back to that now and then.
I guess its all a matter of what you have running it, i have used some computers running Vista that were plagued with troubles, ran slow, etc.. But i don't have any troubles on mine, though i am far above the recommended system specs on all but the older laptop running Vista. My desktop gets the max rating of 5.9 and cruises on Vista, computers i have struggled with running Vista were usually in the 2-4 range, the so-so computers that just barely meet specs for Vista.
If your looking to buy a new computer and go to a store with demo models out, check their system rating, its the number to shop by these days.
I guess its all a matter of what you have running it, i have used some computers running Vista that were plagued with troubles, ran slow, etc.. But i don't have any troubles on mine, though i am far above the recommended system specs on all but the older laptop running Vista. My desktop gets the max rating of 5.9 and cruises on Vista, computers i have struggled with running Vista were usually in the 2-4 range, the so-so computers that just barely meet specs for Vista.
If your looking to buy a new computer and go to a store with demo models out, check their system rating, its the number to shop by these days.
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Each Their Own
I have very little updates installed here and never, NEVER had I become zombified! Believe me, I monitor the router like a hawk using the SNMP feature with DD-WRT. Does this mean I'm worried about something happening? Nope. I just like watching the Chinese invasion...
With good malware protection, a good solid firewall, and common sense Internet practices. You really don't need those damn "patchs" In fact, I think they do more harm than good, IMO. I know this sounds nut's, but I've used an unpatched computer for years. :lol: Like I said though, I do have some critical's installed. Now running a computer with a 64 bit OS offers even more protection.
My registry is tweaked, raw sockets is off, NETBIOS is COMPLETELY blocked, etc. The only thing I worry about is SOAP.
:lol: I increased my half-open connections to 50. Does that mean I'll spread my infection quicker? :lol: An E-mail vector preying on the stupid is faster. lmao!
I have very little updates installed here and never, NEVER had I become zombified! Believe me, I monitor the router like a hawk using the SNMP feature with DD-WRT. Does this mean I'm worried about something happening? Nope. I just like watching the Chinese invasion...
With good malware protection, a good solid firewall, and common sense Internet practices. You really don't need those damn "patchs" In fact, I think they do more harm than good, IMO. I know this sounds nut's, but I've used an unpatched computer for years. :lol: Like I said though, I do have some critical's installed. Now running a computer with a 64 bit OS offers even more protection.
My registry is tweaked, raw sockets is off, NETBIOS is COMPLETELY blocked, etc. The only thing I worry about is SOAP.
:lol: I increased my half-open connections to 50. Does that mean I'll spread my infection quicker? :lol: An E-mail vector preying on the stupid is faster. lmao!
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