PattayaDavid

I have Downloaded new updated DVD Drivers from the ASUS web site.

Should I uninstall Old Drivers first through Device Manager, then re-install the same way?

Or can I just click on Driver .exe file in Download Folder?

Will that take care of everything?

Thanks...

CS

Hi,

I am a little bit confused as to your reference to "Drivers".  I have both DVD and CD units from ASUS and when I checked for drivers on the ASUS site, there weren't any drivers to download, however there were firmware updates which I was able to download and then flash my drives.  Is this what you mean?  I didn't think DVD and CD units came with drivers anymore, however I have been known to be wrong on many occasions (lol).

Pattayadavid

I'll admit I don't know the law ...

...then how is using a proxy a crime?

i called TOT about the youtube problem among others and the customers service rep gave me a link to a proxy to use. TOT is recommending farangs use a proxy. pm me if you want the link that TOT gave me to use.

Hi,

I tried to send you a PM.  For some reason, every time I try to send you a message, it fails giving the reason that there much be at least 3 characters shown in the message.  For some reason, my text is being deleted.  Anyway, could you send me the TOT link; I think you know which one I'm referring to.Thanks,

Pattayadavid

Hi All,

I finally did it. I backed up all of my data then deleted Volume 2. I tried every way I could to increase the size of Volume 1 from 75GB to its full size of 298.1GB, but to no avail. I ended up deleting Volume 1 and creating a single Volume at the full capacity of the drive and will begin the process of reloading my drive and setting up partitions tomorrow. I appreciate all of the input that you guys have provided.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how to separate the operating system from installed programs? I would like to have a boot partition with nothing more than the operating system and install all of my programs, data etc. on separate partitions. I know that it can be done, but have never found any instructions as to how to perform the operation.

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

I don't know if this is what you're actually looking for, so sorry if I misread you, but here goes...

When installing an application, you know all all those prompts that you click Yes, Next, or Continue on? At some point they were asking you where you wanted to install the app, so next time read what they are prompting you for before clicking yes or next, and change the location for installation when prompted to confirm the path. So instead of c:\program files\app name\ change the path to d:\app name\ or d:\program files\app name\ if you want to keep them all under a single directory. Replace d:\ with whatever partition you are looking to install your apps on.

Hi Surface,

Yeah, I finally got my Raid systems setup correctly and hard drives partitioned.  I was a bit stumped at first when trying to partition Disk 1 containing my operating system.  I have 4 320GB hard drives separated into 2 Raid 1 systems.  Partitioning the storage drives of the second Raid 1 system was quite easy using Acronis Disk Director.  I established the first partition using the full free space on the drive then repartitioned a second and third time to create my 3 partitions.  When I tried to follow the same process with 1st Raid 1 system, it appeared to take, but when my computer was restarted, no changes were made to Disk 1.  I tried it several times to no avail.  Finally, I resized C: drive on Disk 1 then I was allowed to create 2 additional partitions using the unallocated space as there was no longer any freespace on the drive.  I guess that the C: drive, being an active boot partition, has to be partitioned differently than primary storage drive partitioning.

I have tried installing some programs to different drives when prompted for installation location, but by doing this, it brings up a lot of what-if questions for me.  Take the Opera browser for example, I can install the program on D: drive, but all of the mail, profile, bookmarks, favorites etc. will be stored in User/AppData/Local & Roaming folders.  Microsoft Office (Outlook) and other programs store their informations similarly.  I followed some instructions, found on another site, explaining how to move folders such as Documents, Contacts, Pictures, Music etc. to D: drive, but it became a little confusing for me.  I wish that all pertinent data would be stored with the original program.  Let's say that I have installed all of my programs on D: drive then need to do a clean install of Windows Vista, will these programs still be bootable through D: drive?  I would imagine that there would be no desktop icons or any evidence of these programs contained within Windows after the clean install.  Would the programs have to be installed again?  This has always been a confusing situation for me.  When I do a clean install now, I go into the Windows Users/AppData/Local and Roaming folders, among others and copy folders such as Opera and Outlook which contain my profiles, mail etc.  

I would appreciate any suggestions as to a means to better organize my drives that would make for a less involved process when performing a clean install of Windows.

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

Hi All,

I finally did it. I backed up all of my data then deleted Volume 2. I tried every way I could to increase the size of Volume 1 from 75GB to its full size of 298.1GB, but to no avail. I ended up deleting Volume 1 and creating a single Volume at the full capacity of the drive and will begin the process of reloading my drive and setting up partitions tomorrow. I appreciate all of the input that you guys have provided.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how to separate the operating system from installed programs? I would like to have a boot partition with nothing more than the operating system and install all of my programs, data etc. on separate partitions. I know that it can be done, but have never found any instructions as to how to perform the operation.

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

Thanks for all of the input. I'll first check to see if it is possible to delete the second volume and expand the 1st volume using either the Intel Raid Matrix software or Acronis Disk Director before initiating another clean install or keeping my configuration as is. Does anyone know if it is possible to do the above without deleting both volumes and starting over?

Pattayadavid

When I was looking for Vista 64 last month, ITCity said that they could order it for me from Bangkok, but their version didn't come with SP1 at the time. I ended up ordering my in the US from newegg.com with integrated SP1, free mailing within the US. I had mine mailed to a family member then forwarded to me here in Pattaya. You might check with ITCity to see if they offer it with SP1 now, however it is much cheaper to purchase it over the internet.

Pattayadavid

I can't decide whether to continue with this setup or to delete Volume 2 then create a second partition on drive 1 which will then be mirrored by drive 2. I would think that using 2 separate volumes would work well when installing 2 operating system ie. both XP and Vista.

Right now you have 2 RAID 1 volumes, each with a single partition, 75GB and 223GB. If your current 75GB volume already has a 75GB partition on it, you cannot just create a new 223GB partition on it as the volume is full , you need to expand the volume to fill the entire disk. If volume expansion is possible or not depends on your controller, so you will have to check the documentation. If it is not possible to extend the volume, your only option is to leave it as is, or delete the volumes and create a single RAID 1 volume across the entire array of 2 disks. Again, if you're looking to have a 75GB partition and a 223GB partition anyway, you already have that, you'd simply have it again in a single volume after doing this procedure.

PS. By setting up 2 separate volumes in Raid, would I not have the option of setting, let's say, the boot system volume as Raid 0 and the storage volume as Raid 1? Am I way off base here?

Yes, you would be able to do that, but do you really want to? You would have some more space available to you using RAID 0, but no redundancy and a small performance improvement, if any, especially using an onboard consumer based SATA RAID controller. RAID 0 is useful for large write operations, and your system partition is not going to be writing that much data to disk to see much of an improvement. Depending on the controller, RAID 1 can see a boost in read performance which is what I assume you are looking for with your system partition.

Thanks for your reply Surface.  You're correct, I won't be writing that much data to my drives therefore I have never actually even considered the use of Raid 0; I only mentioned it as a possible use when setting up 2 volumes instead of 1 volume and 1 partition to help me to understand a potential purpose of using multiple volumes within a Raid setup.  I suppose that you could conclude that this is one of the benefits of a 2 volume Raid, but my overall concern is whether there are any negatives associated with doing so versus using a single volume Raid with 2 partitions.  I have only recently performed a clean Vista install and I can, if necessary, delete both volumes and create a new Raid 1 system using 2 partitions if it is determined that it would be better in the long run. This is where I appeal to ThaiVisa.com forum readers for their input.

Bottom line, is their any difference in the functionality of a 2 volume Raid 1 system as opposed to a single volume Raid 1 system utilizing 2 partitions?

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

Pattaya David it sounds to me like they are not mirrored correctly...

I deal with Raid 1 daily as our work system are setup with this configuration when i do it this is what i do.. lets say i am using 2 250gb hardrives i create the mirrored raid in the bios when i setup windows i just set the c partion to 20gb and leave the remainder as free unallocated space once windows has been installed i then go to disk configuration from within windows and allocated the remaining 230gb to a d or e drive....i only see 1 drive in windows i will only ever see a maxmium of 2 partions( c drive and r the remaining partion) this for me works excellent and is how i send out all the systems sent to our customers...

Hi,

The drives may not be mirrored in the normal fashion, however they are indeed mirrored.  I was installing Advanced 

Windows Care 3 Beta yesterday and during the installation or first time using, it recommended that I do a system restore, which it offered to do for me, followed by a registry backup.  The system restore went without a hitch, but for some reason during the registry backup, it hung up at 33%.  I gave it a good length of time to complete the backup then tryed to restart my computer through Task Manager which failed to respond.  I ended up having to hit the reset button to restart my computer.  Upon restart, I received the usual message indicating that my drives were not properly mirrored and that a rebuild (verification) was being performed.  The Intel Raid Matrix Console indicated that Volume 1 (75GB) concluded it's verification fairly quickly with mirroring restored.  Volume 2 (223.1GB) took well over 4 hours to complete verification.  Raid 1 is now restored.  

When using two drives and only one Volume, do the individual partitions complete their Raid 1 rebuild (verification) at different times?  My experience is that you would not be able to see this in the Intel Matrix Console until all partitions had been rebuilt (verified) first.

I had set my Raid 1 up in BIOS.  I was a bit surprised when I was allowed to setup 2 separate Raid Volumes in BIOS thereby making it unnecessary to partition the drives later.  Like I said, I've never setup a Raid 1 system like this before and was wondering if anyone had any previous experience doing this and if there were any pros or cons to setting up Raid 1 this way.  I can't decide whether to continue with this setup or to delete Volume 2 then create a second partition on drive 1 which will then be mirrored by drive 2.  I would think that using 2 separate volumes would work well when installing 2 operating system ie. both XP and Vista.  Any ideas, anyone?

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

PS. By setting up 2 separate volumes in Raid, would I not have the option of setting, let's say, the boot system volume as Raid 0 and the storage volume as Raid 1? Am I way off base here?

Thanks Surface. My primary concern was whether both drives were being mirrored properly. Even though disk 2 only shows the 223.1GB partition, are you saying that the drives will still be mirrored in the proper order, 75GB operating system partition followed by the 223.1GB partition. It would have been easier to view properly had I only created the one volume with the two partitions, but as you said, as long as it doesn't hurt anything and works properly, it is probably best not to mess with deleting the second partition for now.

Again thanks,

Pattayadavid

Hi,

With new hard drives and operating system, I planned to setup a Raid 1 configuration in BIOS prior to installing the operating system.  I have done this in the past with a single partition, but this time I decided that I wanted multiple partitions with the first partition being occupied by the operating system and installed programs.  Normally, I would have setup the Raid 1 configuration with a single partition then once I have installed the operating system, I would install Acronis Disk Director and add a second partition.

I have an ASUS P5K Deluxe Motherboard and while in BIOS, I made the appropriate selection for a Raid system then using (Control I) I entered the menu page for creating the Raid system.  I proceeded as normal, selecting the drives that made up the Raid system and so on until it came down to choosing the size of the partition.  I initially chose 75GB on a 320GB (298.1GB usable) hard drive to setup the Volume.  After completing this function, I realized that the remaining 223GB of the drive had not been allocated.  While trying to add another partition, I read a message in BIOS that the BIOS supported up to two volumes, partitions (something to this effect) so I chose to setup another volume (whatever) to manage the additional 223GB of available space.  All went well and the Raid Array was established.

After installing the operating system, I opened the Intel Matrix Storage Manager Console and confirmed that Raid Array 0000 was present, however it consisted of two Raid Volumes.  Later, went back into BIOS and created a second Raid 1 configuration for my additional two hard drives.  This time I began with only a single partition (volume) then after I installed Acronis Disk Director, I made three partitions on this Raid setup.  The difference in this Raid system versus the first one is that this one is built on a single volume versus two volumes.

My question, did I screw up when setting up the first Raid Array?  Is their any advantages or disadvantages to having a separate volume for each of the two partitions operating in a Raid 1 configuration?  Disk 1 (C: drive) is displayed as a 75GB drive and Disk 2 (D: drive is displayed as a 223.1GB.  

The second Raid Array (0001) is displayed as a single Disk (Disk 3) and displays (G:, H:, and I: drives).  

Should I save the data on the 2nd Volume (Disk 2) of the first Raid setup, delete the volume, then make a second partition on the 1st volume?  Can this be simply done with no problem or loss of data or operating system? Or, should I just leave it as is since it appears to still be performing the Raid 1 mirroring function over the two disks (volumes).

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

Ok I agree with ball, as for LCD what size is good? im thinking minimum 20 inch wide screen , do they make 20,21,22, or 23? I will definetly pay a visit to that shop and compare prices, but will buy from them eventually^^ I dont know too much about the case and power supply and you enlighten me? I want ICE COLD SUPER FREEZING CASE AND A DUAL TURBO FAN IF POSSIBLE, Im looking for high quality stuff for the case and Power.

And you think that you can get all of that for 20,000 to 30,000 baht?  I built my compute at Busitek last year and I spent a good 60,000 baht.  Check out their website to see if you can find something to fit your budget.  Personally, I would recommend that you wait until you can afford a little bit better system especially if you play games.

I've always used Opera and just upgraded to 9.5. My main complaints with Opera is that you can't highlight text with pictures then copy and paste into a document such as Microsoft Word. The text is transferred, but no pictures and not in the website (I think HTML) format. This is easily done in IE7. I also don't like the lack of built-in spell checking, however I love the TAB feature and the ability to save multiple sessions.

Pattayadavid

I don't think that the server problems or whatever the problem, is restricted to only the You Tube site. I haven't been able to view videos from other sites such as Yahoo, AOL and even CNET Asia. Is anyone else having difficulty viewing video from sites other than You Tube?

Pattayadavid

  Banglamung Cable TV was there and reported the story, but I was told later that Raviporn village had paid them off not to broadcast it, fearing about the adverse publicity.

Who's to say that the burglars didn't pay off the security guards as payoffs and bribes are quite common in Thailand, take the police for example.  As it was pointed out, these security people are paid a paltry salary so when they are presented with an lucrative offer to look the other way, oh well.

I agree with you that the best solution would be to use 4 hard drives and pair them up as Raid drives, unfortunately my Lian-Li G7 mid-tower case only has space for 3 drives; I know, poor design in my eyes, but at the time of purchase I hadn't considered Raid configurations. I just wanted a lightweight, but well made aluminum case.

I have one more question for you. With past Windows operating systems, I've always been able to change the default storage/save folder, but with Vista I haven't been able to figure out how to do so. Every time I want to open a folder or save a file, picture etc., it always defaults to the C:\Users\My Name\Documents, Pictures, whatever. I save these files to my data partition, but I always have to go through the motions of opening, Computer then my drive of choice, file etc. before saving. How can I change the default storage directory for all of my programs? Is it possible to move the "Users" folder over to my data/storage partition? My ultimate goal is to have only my operating system and programs on the C:\ drive with all other data, pictures, music etc. on my data partition.

I also like the idea of making a partition, possibly on my 3rd hard drive and make a true image of operating system once it is installed thereby aleviating the need to install the Vista DVD the next time I want or need to do a clean install. Instead, I could just transfer the operating system image back over to the hard drive and begin loading my programs again. I could even wait until after I download and install all of the Windows Updates first. There seems to be a lot of good ideas out there for setting up a computer system for ease of use and it is my goal to use the best of these ideas.

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

I don't know about to change the default settings, never was looking for that but what I had done on my system is change some settings and I get every time back to the last stage. Here the way how to change:

open Windows Explorer, click on Organize -> Folder and Search Options -> View uncheck Show Hidden Files and Folder, uncheck Hide extensions for known filws types, uncheck Hide protected operating system files, check Remeber each folders view settings, click on Apply to Folders, Click on Apply, click on OK

For to create an Drive Image, I use DVD-RW and the program NTI Drive Backup which creates a bootable set of DVD's. The point is that a HDD can fail at any time and if the HDD with the Image fail, it's gone! The DVD-RW last a bit longer, just only need to store in an safe place.

For the Raid system, why you didn't think to use an external Raid? May you take a look at THIS WEBSITE! They having not the external storage only but the cards as well. And if you use 2 intern and 2 extern, you can have the data complete external. If you need some more infos about just call to that company and ask for Khun Visan. He's the owner and speak english very well, or PM me with you mobile number and I can give you all infos.

Cheers.

I never thought about an external Raid before; I guess it is because I've never seen it available in Thailand.  I am impressed with the STARDOM SOHO RAID SR3610-2S-SB2 eSATA+USB Raid 0, 1 Solution; looks like the perfect solution for me, but where would I purchase this system in Thailand and at what cost?

Pattayadavid

Pattayadavid:

With Raid 1 you can use every time 2 Hdd's with same size which means that ther 3. drive you have can't be used in Raid 1. If youn want to use that Hdd in Raid 1 as well, you need to buy an other Hdd with same size.

An other solution may is that you use 1 HDD for the OS and programs and the 2. and 3. for Data as Raid 1. Here you need to create a recovery set of DVD's for the System Disk to be sure to have and working Backup.

But that solution is mor complicated and I would just buy 1 more Hdd and use all 4 in Raid 1.

The Installation procedure is quite easy as I wrtote before. just install the OS and all Drivers and "normal" software on the first drive. Create the Raid Disk with the needed Driver from the MB CD, set the Bios for Raid and assign the HDD as 2 Pairs: 1 + 2 and 3 + 4 and just follow the Manual and screen instructions.

I can not tell you the details because they differs from Brand to Brand.

The Installation I would do with just 1 drive connected and testing everything is working fine before I would change to Raid 1. After everything is working, switch of the computer and connect the HDD. For to know in the future which drive is which, I would label them as Drive1 R1-1, Drive2 R1-2, Drive3 R2-1 and Drive4 R2-2

I think all Drives are SATA and so drive1 would be connected to Sata1 port, Drive2 to SATA2 port and so on. This is important in case you need to disassemble the computer or disconnect some of drive or for other reason.

Cheers.

I agree with you that the best solution would be to use 4 hard drives and pair them up as Raid drives, unfortunately my Lian-Li G7 mid-tower case only has space for 3 drives; I know, poor design in my eyes, but at the time of purchase I hadn't considered Raid configurations.  I just wanted a lightweight, but well made aluminum case.

I have one more question for you.  With past Windows operating systems, I've always been able to change the default storage/save folder, but with Vista I haven't been able to figure out how to do so.  Every time I want to open a folder or save a file, picture etc., it always defaults to the C:\Users\My Name\Documents, Pictures, whatever.  I save these files to my data partition, but I always have to go through the motions of opening, Computer then my drive of choice, file etc. before saving.  How can I change the default storage directory for all of my programs?  Is it possible to move the "Users" folder over to my data/storage partition?  My ultimate goal is to have only my operating system and programs on the C:\ drive with all other data, pictures, music etc. on my data partition.

I also like the idea of making a partition, possibly on my 3rd hard drive and make a true image of operating system once it is installed thereby aleviating the need to install the Vista DVD the next time I want or need to do a clean install.  Instead, I could just transfer the operating system image back over to the hard drive and begin loading my programs again.  I could even wait until after I download and install all of the Windows Updates first.  There seems to be a lot of good ideas out there for setting up a computer system for ease of use and it is my goal to use the best of these ideas.

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

I'm going to do a clean install of Vista 64-bit and I want to setup a Raid 1 configuration. My primary hard drive has two partitions and my second hard drive currently only has a single partition. Do I need to partition the 2nd hard drive and resize the partitions to match the primary hard drive before I do the clean install of Vista or will the partitioning and resizing occur automatically when I setup Raid in Bios and then load Vista? Basically, what is the best way to create partitions relative to a Raid 1 configuration and a clean install of Vista 64-bit?

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

You don't need to partition the 2, HDD! If that HDD has an Partiton, just delete it. Raid 1 is making a Mirror of the first HDD to the second HDD.

One thing is very important: the size of the HDD must be equal and if not the first (Master) must have the lower size than the second will be reduced to that size.

I would disconnect the 2. HDD within installation of Vista 64 Bit and Install the system completely include all drivers and Updates.

After that, I would set the Bios to Raid and an the reboot tell wich is first and wich the second HDD.

You may also need to extract the Raid Driver from the MB CD, consult the Manual for that procedure because it's different from Brand to Brand.

Later on everything what will be written on the Master, will be written on the Second HDD as well. But keep in Mind that you can NOT access the 2. HDD as long as the Raid is working.

Cheers.

Thanks Reimar.  I have 3 identical 320GB hard drives.  Should I remove or disconnect both the 2nd and 3rd hard drives when doing the Vista clean install?  Also, my second hard drive has data on it that I no longer need; should I go ahead and format it before I do the clean install of Vista then when I reconfigure for Raid 1, I will have a formatted 2nd hard drive instead of one 2/3 full of data.  I had previously used a Raid 1 setup, not with partitioned drives, but screwed it up when i did a Bios update and mistakenly selected default settings upon restart.  I could have done a recovery, but since I was going to do a clean install anyway, I didn't bother.

I was originally using a bootleg copy of Vista Ultimate 32-bit, but recently I purchased an original version of Vista Home Premium 64-bit with SP1 via mail order in the U.S. and just received it in the mail a few days ago.  I know you can't do it on Vista Home Premium, but what are your thoughts of using dynamic drive setup in Ultimate?  I wasn't familiar with dynamic drives until I began researching drive partitioning under Vista.

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

I'm going to do a clean install of Vista 64-bit and I want to setup a Raid 1 configuration.  My primary hard drive has two partitions and my second hard drive currently only has a single partition.  Do I need to partition the 2nd hard drive and resize the partitions to match the primary hard drive before I do the clean install of Vista or will the partitioning and resizing occur automatically when I setup Raid in Bios and then load Vista?  Basically, what is the best way to create partitions relative to a Raid 1 configuration and a clean install of Vista 64-bit?

Thanks,

Pattayadavid

I have to agree Vista sucks. I've been reasonably satisfied with Windows 95 through to XP.

I also run HP pavilion dv6735ee dual core 2.0 GHz notebook with 2348MB DDR2 SDRAM with pre installed Vista home premium.

Vista takes forever to load and shut down and as far as I'm concerned slows the machine down. At the first opportunity I'll be loading XP over it. Vista is a waste of money.

I have to agree with those who say that Vista does need updated hardware to perform as it is expected. It works best when used with a desktop solution running a Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Duo Quad processor, a stand alone graphics card and at least 2GB of RAM installed. I have Vista installed on both my notebook (ThinkPad T61 Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz with 2GB RAM) and my desktop running a Core 2 Duo Quad 2.4GHZ with 2GB RAM with an Nvidia 8800 video card. The difference in performance is quite notable. I think that the main problems with notebook computers, other than the video card support, is all of the bundled software that is preloaded on the hard drive at the time of purchase. In the past, I have fomatted my hard drive and reinstalled Windows along with only the programs that i actually use and the speed improved significantly.

Did you purchase your HP notebook in Thailand or elsewhere? Does it have the Vista ready sticker on it or did it just come with Vista installed. In Thailand, they tend to install Vista on almost every model computer and don't always count on it being an original version.

I would not recommend using Vista, especially on a notebook computer, if it did not have at least a Core 2 Duo processor. That extra 7GB partition on your hard drive most likely is for rescue and recovery to restore your computer to the original state at the time of purchase.

Overall, I have had a good experience with Vista. Even though it is a little slow on my notebook computer, I have yet to experience a crash of any sort on either of my computers. I have just purchase Vista Home Premium 64-bit and will be installing it on my desktop along with additional RAM soon.

Pattayadavid

The problem that Vista on a Laptop is more slow (notable) than on an Desktop, is because of the slow speed of the HDD.

One other problem could be the Performance Settings of the Laptop which is mainly set to balanced, If you set to high performance, the system speeds up because the CPU will work with full power instead of reduced power. As long as a power source is available, the Laptop can run in high performance mode because you don't need to look at the remaining battery power!

Cheers.

Reimar,

I agree with most of what you have written, but I fail to agree completely with your primace that the hard drive is the main reason for a laptops slower performance.  Windows Performance Index rates my hard drive at 5.1. Most desktop hard drives, minus the Raptor, run at 7,200 RPM.  My Hitachi hard drive in my ThinkPad T61 also runs at 7,200 RPM.  Of course, RPM by itself isn't everything.  Startup speed, access time and buffer size must all be taken in consideration too, however I don't think that any of these factors will make a substantial decrease in performance.  I do agree that a computer using a hard drive that operates at 4,200 RPM would make a greater difference, but I dare say that you won't find a laptop hard drive in a modern day laptop running at a speed of less than 5,400 RPM.  I still think that the extra software loaded on a laptop that differentiates it from its desktop counterpart has a greater effect on laptop performance along with performance setting as you have pointed out. Also, my laptop uses the Nvidia Quadro NVS 140M running all standard functions including aero and has the lowest Performance Index rating of 4.0.

Pattayadavid

I have to agree Vista sucks. I’ve been reasonably satisfied with Windows 95 through to XP.

I also run HP pavilion dv6735ee dual core 2.0 GHz notebook with 2348MB DDR2 SDRAM with pre installed Vista home premium.

Vista takes forever to load and shut down and as far as I’m concerned slows the machine down. At the first opportunity I’ll be loading XP over it. Vista is a waste of money.

I have to agree with those who say that Vista does need updated hardware to perform as it is expected.  It works best when used with a desktop solution running a Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Duo Quad processor, a stand alone graphics card and at least 2GB of RAM installed.  I have Vista installed on both my notebook (ThinkPad T61 Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz with 2GB RAM) and my desktop running a Core 2 Duo Quad 2.4GHZ with 2GB RAM with an Nvidia 8800 video card.  The difference in performance is quite notable.  I think that the main problems with notebook computers, other than the video card support, is all of the bundled software that is preloaded on the hard drive at the time of purchase.  In the past, I have fomatted my hard drive and reinstalled Windows along with only the programs that i actually use and the speed improved significantly.

Did you purchase your HP notebook in Thailand or elsewhere?  Does it have the Vista ready sticker on it or did it just come with Vista installed.  In Thailand, they tend to install Vista on almost every model computer and don't always count on it being an original version.  

I would not recommend using Vista, especially on a notebook computer, if it did not have at least a Core 2 Duo processor.  That extra 7GB partition on your hard drive most likely is for rescue and recovery to restore your computer to the original state at the time of purchase.

Overall, I have had a good experience with Vista.  Even though it is a little slow on my notebook computer, I have yet to experience a crash of any sort on either of my computers.  I have just purchase Vista Home Premium 64-bit and will be installing it on my desktop along with additional RAM soon.

Pattayadavid

Being that photo quality is driving your purchase decision, in a head to head comparison, I've read that the Nokia N82 takes the better pictures especially at night due to its Xenon flash as opposed to the LED flash that is present on the N95.

I have found some of the most indepth reviews on this site: http://www.mobile-review.com/review-en.shtml

Choose the Nokia N82 review and it will offer an in depth review of the N82 and a comparison of photos with that of the N95 and the Sony 850i. You can also read a review of the N95, N95 8GB and the soon to be released N96.

Pattayadavid

I fancy a Nokia N96 eventualy. I heard the cam is excellent and the quality of pictures superb - but for now i am gonna stick with my pocket pc, until i wear it out, that is.

Google the Nokia N98, soon to be released.  It is similar to the N96, however some of the features offered are not so much better, but different.  It just depends on what you like in a phone.  I'm looking for a 3G along with Wi-Fi phone with a large screen for internet surfing.  I'm waiting to see what the new Apple iPhone 3G model offers before I make a new purchase.

Pattayadavid

The Nokia 6600 Folding is not yet available in Thailand; I was told maybe 2 or 3 months. I ended up buying the Motorola RAZR 2 V9, a very slim and well built phone; the wife loves it. Thanks for everybody's help.

Pattayadavid

I normally use GSM Arena when comparing phones. The Motorola you bought has a better rating than the Nokia. How much did you pay for the phone?

I shopped at both the Festival Big C shopping center on 2nd road and at Tukcom and found prices ranging from 13,900 to 15,900.  Most of the models are clad in black.  My wife liked the reddish color that is depicted on most websites.  When I asked about this color, most vendors told me that it wasn't available in Thailand, only the black.  At the shops in Festival Big C shopping center, they only had the black color available and the best price I received was 13,900 with no extras; it comes standard with a 512MB MicroSD card.  Initially, the prices quoted to me at Tukcom were even higher, however after really searching around, I found the red colored model for sale.   The shop initially were asking for 14,500, but I was able to get the phone for 14,000 with them throwing in a 2GB MicroSD card in addition to the 512MB that came standard with the phone.  Most of the shops will offer to substitute the 512MB for a 2GB card for a little more money.

You can get the RAZR2 V8 model in both black and in a really dark midnight blue (blue-black) color.  the main differences between the V8 and the V9 is the lack of 3G and no removable memory card.  The V8 can be purchased in the 512MB or 2GB versions of fixed internal memory.  The V8 was selling for 9,900 baht with little to no negotiation depending on what shop I visited.  I hope that this helps.

Pattayadavid

What Sport Do You Want To See And/or Play In Pattaya?

Formula One (Beachroad and Second Road).

I 2nd Formula One, however compared to everyday driving on these roads, it could be rather boring.  Maybe a demolition derby at the Pattaya Nua circle would be more entertaining; on second thought, been there seen that.

Pattayadavid

The Nokia 6600 Folding is not yet available in Thailand; I was told maybe 2 or 3 months. I ended up buying the Motorola RAZR 2 V9, a very slim and well built phone; the wife loves it. Thanks for everybody's help.

Pattayadavid