What will work, what won't work

[Mags]

I'm not sure if this Microsoft test is a comprehensive one, but I ran it on my PC and a few very essential things would not run ...

Is Your PC Vista Ready?

So hanging on to XP as long as I can.

[street1]

I agree after Vista has been through the washer for 3 years....I am gonna buy and use it then.

Poor Uncle Billy...He'll be waiting a while for my money.

[NooNoo]

Mags, the test is comprehensive and tends to err on the side of caution... it really depends what it reported as incompatible.

Remember Vista is for the coming generation of computers, not for computers that already exist. When XP first came out it was trashed because it wouldn't run some popular hardware (parallel scanners particularly)... but people insisted it should run every piece of hardware and software ever created.

If your computer is of the 98 generation, then run 98, if it's brand new and all your software is also brand new, and it was supplied with XP, then use XP. Only complain if something is stated as Vista compatible and it isn't.

[Mags]

On a personal note, it told me -

Your Computer can run Windows Vista - Home Basic edition best. (PC is new this year !)

C Disk Space - recommend 15Gig free disk space. Your C drive has 11Gig free space. At least 40Gig required for Vista. (could sort that out as have C and D)

HP56 World MicroModem will NOT work with Vista. (I need it IF I send Faxes)
Belkin UPS - it does NOT know if it will work (that's my Surge and Power Failure protector and turns PC off at 1am in case I don't!)
Slide Scanner - it does NOT know if it will work. (I need that for the 100s of Father's slides still to do)
Everything else ok.

Software:
Nero Express may NOT work (Essential but perhaps later versions would)
Norton Internet Security 2005 will NOT work. (Well could find a way round that)
Sun Java may NOT work (Really?)
Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 may NOT work. (This is crucial for DVD of Aunt's life I'm doing and other slideshows, I've read somewhere else that Photoshop Elements 5 just released won't work either !)

[NooNoo]

How old is your pc Mags?

Scanners are always a problem. Nero will undoubtedly sort out a patch or two or even produce a new version. The same for the UPS. If you really wanted a vista, it wouldn't cost much to replace the modem with a vista compatible one.

Norton will just demand you buy the latest version (which, if the XP launch is anything to go by) will slow the machine to a crawl and crash it once a week.

Vistas is still in Beta (technically)... alot of companies wait for release and demand before creating updates.

[Ferrit]

I expect Mags you need not worry all that much.
I have run vista on a P-III 800 with 512 ram and old hardware and it did run although it was significantly slow.
Extremely important for vista is memory. At the last AMD conference we were told
512= bare life support
1024= reasonably working
2048 = Optimal
Of course a half decent video card is also essential but this doesn't mean a gamer card
a newer 128 meg is adequate
Many people don't realize a lot of things about vista.
A lot of the software you normally buy extra for your work is already built into windows vista. Such as
DVD burning is already there
Fax and scanner combo which i have tried and liked (used to use symantec win fax}
Modems are a dime a a dozen so changing that is likely quite easy
Power software for UPS is also built in and likely wont be a problem even though it says it might be.
The final will run significantly easier then the betas. Despite what the vista test says
A lot of anti viruses wont run yes, but newer ones will and some older.
Using 2 year old anti virus software isn't really advised whether you have vista or xp
I have RC 2 on my system which you can see isn't a slouch and something failed when i tested it, Don't remember what now but it shows don't rely too too heavily on the results that vista ready test does.
I will likely move to Vista early in the new year. I like it and its seems stable

[Mags]

It's a new computer built this year, so, as it says, the PC would be fine

[slgrieb]

Hi, Mags! If you want to get more specific about your brands and models, we could most likely get more specific too. Really though, I wouldn't worry much. If all you hardware is as recent as your system, it will almost certainly have Vista support forthcoming. Anyway, relax! Vista will be around a long time, and there really isn't much reason for you to be an early adopter.

For that matter, XP will be with us quite a while as well, so you are not going to be running an unsupported OS. I'd wait a bit, let Vista get some patches and bug fixes under its belt and them consider the move.

Since I'm in the biz, I'll be running Vista on one computer real soon now. Went to MS System Builder Roadshow, did my training, took my test, and I have a free copy of Vista Ultimate on the way. But I'll still have a couple of machines running XP, and two laptops running W2K, which I have no burning desire to replace or upgrade.

[rgharper]

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]On a personal note, it told me -

Your Computer can run Windows Vista - Home Basic edition best. (PC is new this year !)

C Disk Space - recommend 15Gig free disk space. Your C drive has 11Gig free space. At least 40Gig required for Vista. (could sort that out as have C and D)

HP56 World MicroModem will NOT work with Vista. (I need it IF I send Faxes)
Belkin UPS - it does NOT know if it will work (that's my Surge and Power Failure protector and turns PC off at 1am in case I don't!)
Slide Scanner - it does NOT know if it will work. (I need that for the 100s of Father's slides still to do)
Everything else ok.

Software:
Nero Express may NOT work (Essential but perhaps later versions would)
Norton Internet Security 2005 will NOT work. (Well could find a way round that)
Sun Java may NOT work (Really?)
Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 may NOT work. (This is crucial for DVD of Aunt's life I'm doing and other slideshows, I've read somewhere else that Phshop Elements 5 just released won't work either !)
/COLOR]

In the order it dinged you:

(1) Vista Basic is probably recommended because your computer has an onboard graphic card, most likely an Intel chip. Some of these will support Vista Home Premium with the AeroGlass interface when newer drivers come out.

(2) Free space - time to clean house.

(3) Modem, UPS and slide scanner - each needs updated drivers/software from the manufacturer. If they are newer equipment should be no problem.

(4) Nero - already have released updated software. But you might not need it given Vista's expanded CD/DVD burning capabilities.

(5) NIS - No great loss. Updated version will fix that.

(6) Sun Java - Latest version working fine here.

(7) Photoshop Elements - dunno, no clue; probably updated version would be fine.

[Mags]

(2) Free space - time to clean house.

(3) Modem, UPS and slide scanner - each needs updated drivers/software from the manufacturer. If they are newer equipment should be no problem.

(6) Sun Java - Latest version working fine here.

(7) Photoshop Elements - dunno, no clue; probably updated version would be fine.

2) I have loads of free space - it's on my D partition where I hold documents, videos, etc. C is only 20Gig and I put programs there, but have moved Music over there too, cos I don't actually back that up daily/weekly, it's all on a CDRW. (It makes sense to me..!!)

3) Modem is very new. UPS and Slide Scanner are not.

6) I obviously don't have the latest version then?

7) No, I've read around and people are saying even the latest version isn't Vista ready ...

So XP will do for now.

And yes, Slgrieb, after I ran that software, I don't intend to get Vista yet, but thought it good to post where the 'assessment' software is, might help others.

[Loopy]

I don't mean to rain on your parade but I have a negative view of Vista because of all of the copyright protections that have been snuck in. I will probly end up running XP and Ubuntu or another version of Linux, rather then be locked down by Hollywood because I actually pay for things.