Customer Reviews

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate FULL VERSION [DVD] [OLD VERSION]

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(25)
1 star:		(66)

 

 

Meh.

Vista reminds me of Windows XP except:
1) It's prettier. Hey, translucent window frames! Neato.

2) It's far more annoying. Have you seen that "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" commercial where the secret service guy is standing behind the PC asking him to approve or disapprove everything? Vista is totally like that. It's extremely annoying. Simply trying to run a built-in program from Windows' own control panel will pop up a box asking me if I want to run it. What's up with that? I just clicked it, so yes, I want to run it. You'll run into a lot of these and they don't really improve security because after the first 100 times, you're not even going to read the box anymore. One day it will say, "A hideous virus wants to delete your hard drive and send nastygrams to the President. Approve?" and I'm going to say yes simply out of habit.

I also say this feature fails the "dad" test. Is my dad going to know when to approve or disapprove things? I can picture him puzzling over the dialogue, wondering why it's asking him that.

3) There's a problem with Vista wireless networking. You can find people talking about it through Google but there's nothing on the Microsoft site about it. Every 60 seconds, Vista polls for new wireless networks whether it needs to or not, which will give you a ping spike. If you're surfing or downloading you won't notice, but if you're gaming, it's extremely aggravating. If you switch to a wire, the problem will go away. If you switch to XP, the problem will go away. It's purely a problem with Vista wireless.

4) What I really care about are my other programs, not my operating system. We are getting an ever more aggressive, annoying and resource hogging operating system when all we really want it to do is shut up, sit down and enable me to run my other programs without too much interference. Microsoft seems to think that most people log on purely to enjoy the operating system. No, we log on to enjoy our OTHER programs so this big bloated operating system is just getting in the way and hogging the resources that our other programs wish they had.

I would love to see a "Windows Skeleton" operating system that simply stripped out all the annoying, resource hogging junk I didn't want and let me run my applications in peace.


Edit:
I've been using Vista for a while now and I just want to say I still stand behind my initial 2-star rating. My final analysis:

Stick with Windows XP for as long as possible.

I think the bottom line is that Microsoft's efforts to improve security and kowtow to concepts like DRM have created a problem worse than the initial threat. I've gone for years with nary a hit on the various anti-virus programs I've used, and yet here I sit with a crippled operating system which seeks to save me from a problem that I never really had to begin with.

And it's true what they say about gaming: some of my games are experiencing problems which only occur in Vista. I don't know the technical source of those problems, but only Vista users are getting them.

The semi-mandatory "driver signing" is annoying too, and will only get worse with Windows Server 2008. I download brand-name drivers from companies like Nvidia and I have to follow their directions that basically say, "ignore all the Vista warning messages you're going to get".

Vista is just downright unfriendly to the consumer AND to the developer.

I second the motion that you should at least wait until Service Pack 1 is out, but truthfully, I'd suggest just running Windows XP until you're absolutely forced to upgrade for some reason.

Edit 2 (December 07):
The way Vista separates Administrators from Peasants on your home system really doesn't help anything. A lot of the programs out there have an auto-update section which doesn't work unless you run the program as an Administrator, which means quite a lot of stuff has to be run as an administrator, which means the whole act of separating it out is nothing but another poorly thought out "security" measure that adds way more in annoyance than it adds in actual security.

Also, I was going to access Microsoft Support to notify them of a bug I'd found, which is highly annoying and easily reproducible. On their support web site I find this gem:
"90-day no-charge support begins on the following dates:

* From the date you place your first support request.
* For Windows Vista, from the date you activate the product.

Cost:$59.00 US per support request after all no-charge support is used."

So wait...

It's going to cost me $60 to report this bug in your software?

And if I'd bought XP, I could report it for free since it would be my first support call, but since I bought Vista and activated it more than 90 days ago, it's going to cost me?

Chalk that up as yet another reason to not buy Vista. Stick with Windows XP.

I'm the IT administrator for a medium-sized business. I've installed every version of DOS and Windows Microsoft has put out since the early 80s. VISTA is the worst operating system I've ever seen. It is BUGGY, UNINTUITIVE, a RESOURCE HOG, and INTRUSIVE.

The browse boxes are so unintuitive, it is hard to figure out what Microsoft had in mind. They removed the "up one level" button in favor of a button that gives you a list of your most recently viewed folders. It takes lots more clicking around to get to the folder you want. This is total STUPIDITY.

The wireless networking is so buggy as to be nearly useless. You'll need to continuously reboot your machine to get your connection to work.

You'll come to hate the "whirli-gig" and you'll get lots of NOT RESPONDING messages when you try to launch or use applications. If I had a dollar for every time I got a NOT RESPONDING message, our Dell M1330 laptop would be free by now.

So often, I'll launch an application and the whirli-gig will come on the screen and then I wait . . . and wait . . . and wait . . . and wait. What is this Core Two Duo laptop doing??? VISTA has so many intrusive processes, it is frustrating to even launch an application (and my machine is a 2.4 GHZ Core 2 Duo with 4GB of RAM and a 7200 RPM drive). This machine would fly on XP.

If you enjoy spending lots of time trying to figure out why your machine won't do simple things reliably, if you want to spend lots of time talking to technical support people with thick accents who really can't help you because the operating system is basically JUNK, then by all means buy VISTA.

We are abandoning our VISTA experiment and going back to XP because it is reasonably reliable and because we need to get things done on the computer rather than always battling with its VISTA-isms. VISTA is a huge step backwards for Microsoft and I seriously doubt that Service Pack 1 will be enough to fix such major design flaws. Maybe when they come out with VISTA RELEASE 2 their poor sales will force them to listen to consumers.

Buy VISTA at your own risk. Don't say you weren't warned!!

I have been working with a friend trying to teach him Autocad LT 2008 and he recently bought a Dell computer with Microsoft Vista Ultimate loaded on it, as the salesperson at Dell recommended he go for the more "loaded" version, even though he is only going to be using this for home use.

We have had no end of problems doing some very basic stuff, like copying files from one folder to the next, with the endless "pop-up" screens everytime you do something. "Access denied" is the common response! I even resorted to DOS to try and change the extension on some Autocad files. I couldn't even do that! We can't save his drawings to a specified folder, so he has to go to the default folder for Autocad saves and rename his .bak file to a .dwg file EVERY time he goes into the program!! This is RIDICULOUS!!

The Explore option has been needlessly complicated in this new version. Can't even figure out how to navigate it without spending a great deal of time and I have been working with computers and every OS to date for over 25 years.

It seems like they made an OS that is fine for some users, but mostly on the gaming/downloading side, not actual WORK!

I'm not switching OS until I am convinced it's not going to mess up programs which are essential to my work.

OK, that's my rant...see that I'm not alone.

I tested various beta builds of Vista throughout its development process, and I must confess I thought I would end up hating the end product. However, Microsoft has cleaned up the final build nicely and the RTM is very much a polished product. The new Aero interface is pretty slick, and the visual effects are delightful (though hardware intensive). In addition, the new Sidebar allows you to customize your desktop with various gadgets such as calendar, weather, news headlines, or notes. User Account Control will take some getting used to, although it does help to bolster Vista's security; anti-virus software is incompatible with Vista due to hardened security, so the onus is now on users not to click anything stupid.

While the new eye candy and tightened security are certainly exciting, there are a few drawbacks that prevent me from giving this product a 5-star rating. Most are "what ifs" but are still worth considering.

First, Windows Vista has been thought to contain significantly restrictive DRM technology. In particular, I have not yet been able to determine whether or not Vista complies with the CGMS-A standard and obeys broadcast flags on analog TV signals. If so, this would allow broadcast and cable channels to specify whether or not content could be recorded. It seems ironic that your 20-year-old VCR might serve you better when it comes to recording television than your brand new Vista PC's Media Center would.

Second, Microsoft has been pushing its Genuine Software Initiative. The Product Activation scheme devised for Windows XP has been taken a step further, with Vista reverting to a "Reduced Functionality Mode" if it is not activated. However, one major difference in Vista is the ability to force a machine into Reduced Functionality Mode once it has already been activated. If you have Windows XP and ever tried to download anything from the Microsoft site (including Automatic Updates), you might remember having to validate your copy of Windows. If your license was deemed "genuine" you were able to download your updates or the new version of Windows Media player, and if you were determined to have an illegal copy of Windows you were refused access to the downloads. The consequences of having an illegal copy were minimal: you couldn't get some of the latest and greates utilities, but you could still use your operating system. In Vista, this has all changed. If your computer fails a Genuine Advantage check, Microsoft will flip what techies lovingly refer to as the "kill switch". Once you fail the genuine advantage check you will be constantly prompted to reactivate and your computer will revert to Reduced Functionality Mode if you fail to do so. Most people would say "so what? I paid for my license, so I'll be fine." However, the first round of the Genuine Advantage program under Windows XP caused so many problems that even Microsoft published a workaround for if your machine was erroneously denied access. Unless Microsoft has made some drastic improvements to the Genuine Advantage technology, many people will again find themselves blacklisted by Microsoft for no apparent reason - and this time the stakes are higher because the end result can be that your operating system is forced into Reduced Functionality Mode, effectively rendering it useless.

DRM and licensing restrictions have long been a gripe of technology enthusiasts. Together, they combine to offer the end user less control over his/her machine than ever before. This, coupled with the ever-present privacy concerns over Windows needing to "phone home" all the time just to guarantee a valid license, is no small cause for concern. It remains to be seen how intrusive these new technologies will be, but the potential for disaster is certainly present.

Big brother aside, performance issues also work against Vista. Windows is now more of a CPU, memory, and graphics hog than ever before. While I have not noticed considerably slower performance, I have noticed shortened battery life on my laptop while running Vista. Despite the "advanced" options for enhancing the mobile experience, I am not convinced that Vista will be a viable choice for laptops.

Overall, new features and a revamped GUI provide a nice experience - if your hardware can handle it. Despite the improvements, I still have concerns over DRM and the "kill switch" that prevent a 5 star rating. Hopefully time will prove me wrong.

My computer includes a 64 Bit AMD 3.0 GHZ CPU, an ATI all in Wonder Video Card, 10,000 rmp SATA drive & 2Gb of DDR2 RAM. This is a fast machine with expensive components compared to the average Dell, HP or other clone PC's.

Vista Ultimate coupled with Office 2007 cut the speed of the machine by 25% compared to Windows XP and Office 2003 that was running on the same machine before my "upgrade." I've had to shut off many of the new nifty features of Vista to speed the machine up. In addition, I've had to re-purchase new virus protection and spy ware protection because these programs, though still under license, don't work with Vista. Vista Ultimate was about a $900.00 mistake when taking into account the replacement software, the cost of Vista and the need to add additional memory and other higher end components to get my computer up to its old speed under Windows XP. Most of my CPU power seems to be used simply to run virus and spy ware protection to allow for Microsoft's inability to provide effective security protection for its operating system.

In addition, some Microsoft branded hardware (wireless keyboard) I purchased recently still lack drivers for Microsoft Vista. Also, forget about getting third party utility software for a while. Though Vista has been our for over a year, everyone seems to still be in the Beta development phase.

The only justification I can think of for buying Vista would be if software manufacturers stop making or upgrading programs for Windows XP or if some new killer application comes out that only runs on Vista.

I gave Vista Ultimate 2 stars rather than 1 because my machine crashes at about the same frequency as Windows XP with SP2 installed. In this respect, it's not any worse than Windows XP.

Where to start?

Bad drivers and non-existent drivers from very big name companies (HP,Nvidia,Soundblaster)

Most benchmarks say Vista is up to 25% slower than XP on the same hardware.

Memory pig.
Since when is 2 gigs not enough memory?

Write this down,because of the memory requirements for Vista,the 32 bit version will become obsolete in about 2 to 3 years.

So hold off if you are going to buy this piece of garbage and go 64 bit when things stabilze.

Software issues with anti-virus vendors.

UAC issues up the yin yang.
Vista nags more than a drunken, shrewish wife.

Rendundent messages telling me that the software might not have installed properly after cancelling an install.
Yeah,I know it didn't install,because I cancelled the d@mn thing!

I am an M$ reseller and get this stuff for a gretly reduced price becuse of a subscription and I do not have it running on any of my business or home systems because it just flat out sucks!

I have installed it on on a number of different systems along with a couple of Sony laptops that it came preinstalled on and have moved everything back to XP.

This is just a frigging disaster!

Only M$ could get away with selling this bloated piece of garbage to the unsuspecting public.

I flat out hate this OS.

When WinXP came out I refused to abandon my reliable Win98SE until SP2 was released and WinXP finally became an operating system (from the experimental eye-candy it first was). Experts advise us to do the same with WinVISTA - yet I do not think this is ever gonna happen...

WinVISTA is far WORSE than the initial release of WinXP: NUMEROUS and MAJOR compatibility problems with most third-party Software, Games (well, all games except...HALO2), GFX-Cards, Scanners & Printers, Cameras & USB-Peripherals. Not to mention Microsoft Software!

Even MICROSOFT Software (such as STREETS & TRIPS 2007, ENCARTA 2007, PICTURE-IT or MONEY 2007) refuses to work with WinVISTA! If they did not care to support their own Software, why should anyone else! And all this trouble just for the cool Aero effect (which, by the way, may be NOT supported on your 2007 PC!) and DirectX10 (for which, you do know, there is not one affordable GFX-card compatible with?)?
I don't think so!

Windows is an OPERATING SYSTEM! Why is it pretending to be able to DO EVERYTHING? It canNOT! Sure, it is nice to be able to listen to music, burn CDs, browse the Internet. But that is why there are so many Specialized Software available! And, what is even worse, WinVISTA will not let exactly these Software titles function as intended!

I had WinVISTA on my Laptop for about a week. I could not format quick enough! There is NOTHING WRONG with my WinXP-SP2. WHY CHANGE THEM?

I was really looking forward to Vista. I ran out and got my copy as soon as it hit shelves. Two weeks later, I uninstalled it. I don't know when, or even if, I will reinstall it. Here's why:

1) Game support - BEFORE you buy Vista, make sure your favorite game has a Vista patch, because it most likely won't work otherwise. Check online to ensure that they are compatible, because many just aren't.
2) Immature drivers - in point 3 below, you'll see that Vista flat out does not support many hardware devices. Even for those that it does, the drivers are so new, that the device (like my GeForce 7900GT) actually run SLOWER in Vista than XP.
3) Hardware support - most vendors are NOT releasing Vista drivers, to force people to buy new hardware. For instance, my scanner (Epson) has no vista compatible driver (I tried the XP driver), and neither does my camera. BEFORE you buy Vista, check to see that your hardware is supported!
4) Copy protection. Like to copy a DVD so you can watch it whenever you want? Forget it! It WILL NOT happen in Vista, M$ made sure of that. Same thing with programs like TuneBite that let you convert WMA songs into MP3s.
5) Antivirus. Vista's security it, well, more secure than XP. But the antivirus applications compatible with it are VERY lacking at this point. And there are already viruses (virii?) out for Vista, so you DO need it.
6) Firefox - many sites do not work under Firefox with Vista. And some extensions do not work. I can't help but think this might be intentional.

I've now been using vista ultimate for a little over 2 months, and I'm seriously considering switching back to XP. Yes, Vista is a little smoother around the edges. It's got some nice wallpaper, Aero is nice even if completely useless, the search line in start is a nice addition and the improved backup features are good, though the system restore is still useless; but the few tweaks they've added does not make up for the complete instability of the os. Since I upgraded I've been plagued with crashes, errors and just about everything else. My laptop is only a year old and I did a clean upgrade. Now USB drivers just suddenly disappear never to be found again, some programs like firefox decide not to start after turning on the computer and I'm forced to do hard reboots a couple of times a week. I really wanted to like Vista, and I thought I would, but I'm thinking about moving back down to XP. XP wasn't the end all be all either, but it was much more stable and I never had drivers just disappear on me. All of these problems for 300+ dollars, good bargain huh? Thank god I'm a student and I got vista for under $50 through my school. I ignored the warnings about vista and now I regret it more than you could know. Please, if you are considering moving up to vista, do yourself a favor and wait for another year... or two until they can get a handle on vista. Microsoft should really pay me for all of the wasted time, frustration and agony they have caused me.

I tried Vista. I sell and repair computers. If you want to work with Vista without a glitch follow this tips:
1) Wait until the first Service Pack it's out.
2) Buy a State of the Art computer with components and programs manufactured after the first half of 2007.
3) Get the OS preinstalled, not retail.
4) Forget about all your old software.