Windows Vista Bugs Or Incompatibility...

[junkofdavid2]

Hello!

I finally bought my Toshiba laptop yesterday (I previously mentioned on another thread) which comes with Genuine Vista Home Basic.

My first taste of bug/incompatibility is this:

I tried to install the drivers of my current ADSL modem (Billion Bipac-7000) onto my laptop so that I could access the internet. Unfortunately, and error message appeared saying something like only for Windows 98/2000/XP.

I called up True Support, and they said that this modem (Billion Bipac-7000) cannot be used with Vista, no matter what... and I'd have to buy a new modem at the True shop.

Is this correct?

*Or, is there some sort of update for the driver of my current modem?

They mentioned 3 models to choose from when buying a new modem:

1) Billion for Vista 5102-S

2) HuaWei MT800

3) ZYXELP660-T1

What's the cheapest place I can get a modem, and how much should it cost?

Aside from answering my questions, you may also add your own "trials" with the new Vista, and how you were able to solve it.

Cheers!

Mike

[solo siam]

Do you need the drivers loaded? surely its just a network connection from the PC to modem.

Try compatability mode, or look on the internet for a workaround.

[junkofdavid2]

Do you need the drivers loaded? surely its just a network connection from the PC to modem.

Try compatability mode, or look on the internet for a workaround.

1) I go to compatibility mode, and then install the driver?

2) How do I go to compatibility mode?

Sorry, not a techie...

[cdnvic]

Is this an internal or an external adsl modem?

[CBinParadise]

Jeez --- I put a lot of effort into trying to help, but you apparently didn't read what was said. Why should anyone bother?

Here is the post you missed (in the other thread):

junkofdavid: I just realized that the following never got posted. Sorry to go on a rant about Vista before answering your questions. Here's what I originally wrote:

QUOTE(junkofdavid2 @ 2007-06-16 09:30:10) *

I'm thinking of buying a new laptop (Toshiba) which supposedly comes with free gEnuine Windows Vista Home Basic.

Will I still be able to use Windows Vista Home Basic for the same stuff?

I download a lot of videos in different formats (WMV, mpeg, .DAT, etc.), I play forex and watch JAVA charts, use Adobe photoshop, and do some graphic stuff.

Most importantly, I OPEN MANY WINDOWS AT A TIME (up to 20).

1) Will I have a problem if I shift to Windows Vista Home Basic?

2) Does Windows Vista Home Basic come with MS Word, Excell, Power Point, Front Page, Media Player, etc. or do I have to buy that separately?

The new Tosh will probably come with a trial version of Office 2007 (which includes Word, Excel, and Powerpoint but NOT Frontpage). You are probably currently running Office 2003 or possibly Office XP. When the trial runs out, you'll have to buy the whole shebang -- quite an expensive deal if you buy the real stuff. Office 2007 is quite different from your current version --- there's quite a learning curve. The poster who advised you to try the free Opedn Office alternative to Microsoft office was giving you good advice.

Frontpage runs on Vista but not very well, see http://www.realtime-vista.com/news/2007/05...patibilit_1.htm

for details.

Media Player either comes bundled with Vista or can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com), depending on the Vista Flavor. I don't have Home, so I'm not sure.

The videos you play should not be a problem UNLESS you access "premium content" also known as High Definition content. In that case, prepare yourself for a nightmare with Vista's premium content DRM.

Java under vista is still available from Sun.com. I can't tell what forex stuff you play. If you want good answers to your questions, describe your hardware and existing versions fully.

Adobe photoshop will probably run on Vista, DEPENDING ON WHAT VERSION of Photoshop you use. Older versions will not run, even under compatability mode.

Compatability mode is supposed to solve all these sorts of problems, however, a lot of people have had a lot of problems with it (whereas some people have had great success). See lifehacker.com/software/vista/how-to-run-pre+vista-programs-in-compatibility-mode-251492.php

for details.

Vista Home will undoubtedly be able to support 20+ windows --- subject only to the power of the hardware you are running on.

Bottom line: avoid Vista Home as long as you possibly can. There is another poster who recommends Vista strongly -- but he doesn't mention which edition of Vista he's running, on what hardware. A top of the line system will of course run nicely --- but there are better alternatives if you are going to shell out that kind of cash.

Finally, the Vista is newer but XP Pro is higher question is not meaningful (although I completely understand why you are concerned about this). It's just not a question that has a meaningful answer.

I faced the exact same issues you did: I wanted a faster notebook, but I also wanted my existing software, just exactly as I had it set up, with no surprises. I wound up buying a Mac Intel notebook, and running Parallels Desktop, which allowed me to run XP (and all my old software) in a virtual machine on the Mac. All my driver problems went away, and the relief at being out of the Microsoft treadmill was indescribable.

Hope this helps...

[sjaak327]

Try the XP drivers on Vista, providing you use the 32 bit version, if you use 64 bit, and the driver is not signed, you are out of luck.

Just google, and you will find xp drivers for your USB modem.

to use compatibility mode, just right click on the executable (I presume you use setup.exe to install the drivers), properties, and then the compatbility mode tab, where you can select to run it for XP or previous version. Alternativily don't use the setup program but go to device manager and navigate to the entry that represents your modem, and update drivers from there, let it search for your cdrom drive to get the drivers.

Edited June 18, 2007 by sjaak327

[cdnvic]

I'd get a non-usb external modem, a router, and then be free of compatibility issues as well as having a decent firewall.

I understand it's a bit more hardware to pack around but you can plug anything into that router then.

Edited June 18, 2007 by cdnvic

[A_Traveller]

On the manufacturer's site there are no drivers for Vista. I'm a little surprised that the XP drivers won't work, but if they don't then I guess, for once, True is being eponymous and you'll need a new modem which can connect to the lan port of the laptop.

Regards

[Rice_King]

I'd get a non-usb external modem, a router, and then be free of compatibility issues as well as having a decent firewall.

I second cdnvic's recommendation.

USB modems that require the user to load software and drivers in order to operate are a real pain. Everyone that I know, that have used the USB modems previously, have since moved to a modem/router configuration. Besides providing more configuration options and better network security, no drivers are required!

Edited June 18, 2007 by Rice_King

[junkofdavid2]

Jeez --- I put a lot of effort into trying to help, but you apparently didn't read what was said. Why should anyone bother?

Here is the post you missed (in the other thread):

junkofdavid: I just realized that the following never got posted. Sorry to go on a rant about Vista before answering your questions. Here's what I originally wrote:

QUOTE(junkofdavid2 @ 2007-06-16 09:30:10) *

I'm thinking of buying a new laptop (Toshiba) which supposedly comes with free gEnuine Windows Vista Home Basic.

Will I still be able to use Windows Vista Home Basic for the same stuff?

I download a lot of videos in different formats (WMV, mpeg, .DAT, etc.), I play forex and watch JAVA charts, use Adobe photoshop, and do some graphic stuff.

Most importantly, I OPEN MANY WINDOWS AT A TIME (up to 20).

1) Will I have a problem if I shift to Windows Vista Home Basic?

2) Does Windows Vista Home Basic come with MS Word, Excell, Power Point, Front Page, Media Player, etc. or do I have to buy that separately?

The new Tosh will probably come with a trial version of Office 2007 (which includes Word, Excel, and Powerpoint but NOT Frontpage). You are probably currently running Office 2003 or possibly Office XP. When the trial runs out, you'll have to buy the whole shebang -- quite an expensive deal if you buy the real stuff. Office 2007 is quite different from your current version --- there's quite a learning curve. The poster who advised you to try the free Opedn Office alternative to Microsoft office was giving you good advice.

Frontpage runs on Vista but not very well, see http://www.realtime-vista.com/news/2007/05...patibilit_1.htm

for details.

Media Player either comes bundled with Vista or can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com), depending on the Vista Flavor. I don't have Home, so I'm not sure.

The videos you play should not be a problem UNLESS you access "premium content" also known as High Definition content. In that case, prepare yourself for a nightmare with Vista's premium content DRM.

Java under vista is still available from Sun.com. I can't tell what forex stuff you play. If you want good answers to your questions, describe your hardware and existing versions fully.

Adobe photoshop will probably run on Vista, DEPENDING ON WHAT VERSION of Photoshop you use. Older versions will not run, even under compatability mode.

Compatability mode is supposed to solve all these sorts of problems, however, a lot of people have had a lot of problems with it (whereas some people have had great success). See lifehacker.com/software/vista/how-to-run-pre+vista-programs-in-compatibility-mode-251492.php

for details.

Vista Home will undoubtedly be able to support 20+ windows --- subject only to the power of the hardware you are running on.

Bottom line: avoid Vista Home as long as you possibly can. There is another poster who recommends Vista strongly -- but he doesn't mention which edition of Vista he's running, on what hardware. A top of the line system will of course run nicely --- but there are better alternatives if you are going to shell out that kind of cash.

Finally, the Vista is newer but XP Pro is higher question is not meaningful (although I completely understand why you are concerned about this). It's just not a question that has a meaningful answer.

I faced the exact same issues you did: I wanted a faster notebook, but I also wanted my existing software, just exactly as I had it set up, with no surprises. I wound up buying a Mac Intel notebook, and running Parallels Desktop, which allowed me to run XP (and all my old software) in a virtual machine on the Mac. All my driver problems went away, and the relief at being out of the Microsoft treadmill was indescribable.

Hope this helps...

Sorry for missing that. It's an excellent and informative post indeed... and I'm sure it will help not only me, but a lot of other people as well.

Cheers mate!

Mike

[junkofdavid2]

Thanks guys!

Unfortunately, the compatibility mode didn't work.

Looks like I really need to buy a new external modem.

My question now is this:

Can I buy any Ethernet modem in Pantip (there's Shinro for only 1,300 I think) or do I have to buy one of the 3 Ethernet Modems recommended to me over the True Hotline, available at True Shop? (expensive, about 2,500 each)

Available at True Shop for about 2,500:

1) Billion 5102-S

2) HuaWei MT800

3) ZYXELP660-T1

Available at Pantip IT City for 1,300:

Shinro

*Does it matter which one I get?

Edited June 19, 2007 by junkofdavid2