Windows Vista RTM : User Guide

[gxsaurav]

Microsoft has released Windows Vista RTM on November 8; I got it via my beta tester status a few days back, & installed it yesterday. So far, over RC1, the impression is good, but not really what I expected. Many things are now changed from Windows XP, something which were not broken are now changed too for reason I do not understand.

The speed of Windows Vista is really impressive over Windows XP; it’s completely smooth & no tearing in UI pallets anywhere. Most of the apps work now, while some are released in new version already & rest will be released by Jan 30 most probably. I have not installed any drivers so far, other than the Intel chipset drivers for my motherboard, rest all the drivers are the one given in Vista

I took a few screenshots, it’s not too much different over Windows Vista RC1, so, I won’t be re-reviewing it, better read my Vista RC1 review first, & then this one. It’s an extension to the old one

Vista boots faster than XP if U R using the default “hybrid sleep mode”, the default close button in the start menu. U can change this button to Shutdown or anything else by going to Control Panel->power config ->advanced

Most of the apps I use are not being updated to work on Vista such as

1) Internet Download Accelerator 5.1.2
2) AVG Antivirus 7.5 free, Vista certified
3) Adobe Reader 7.08
4) Flash player 9, it’s no longer included in Vista, so u have to manually install it
5) ACDSee 9, works flawlessly
6) Nero 7.5.7.9 Lite
7) Daemon Tools 4.08, ISO Buster 1.92 beta
8 ) Firefox 2.0
9) QuickTime 7.1.3, VLC Player (changes the UI to Vista standard)

A few applications which are quite handy in case of vista are
1) CD Burner XP Pro, a very good Nero replacement, works fine
2) Tweak Vista, I would say it’s an essential tool for vista for sure
3) Ashampoo Win optimizer Platinum suite 3.2, works fine
4) Vistaboot pro 3.1, a must have since most of us will be dual booting vista with XP anyway

I found a Guide regarding the services in Windows Vista, which can be disabled here on MSFN

The folder structure of Windows Vista is now changed, there are Music, documents, downloads folders, which u can point to other folders of your own too, like I have D:\Downloads\ where all my downloads, extracted files go, so I pointed the Vista download folder to this folder by just changing the location in properties

I will add more things as I find them out

My Vista Desktop, running sidebar gadgets undocked

*img62.imageshack.us/img62/6962/desktopxm2.th.jpg

Stacked Windows

*img400.imageshack.us/img400/2276/stackedat9.th.jpg

Funniest bug ever I think, I have 0 MB RAM left
*img62.imageshack.us/img62/1881/ram0ra0.th.jpg

U will notice that the RAM usage is higher in Vista, this is cos Vista now uses Idle RAM for caching things. Suppose u open QuickTime, & then u watch some video & close it, now Quicktime.exe is closed, but it's components, prefetched plugins & some shared codec are still in RAM, so that if u reopen it, it will open faster. This is a long awaited feature in Windows
__________
Topdesk running in vista

*img75.imageshack.us/img75/8831/topdeskzx4.th.jpg

One thing I have really liked in vista, installing applications is much better & easy now, I have installed 8 apps so far, uninstall 3 of them, & still it has not said me to reboot. Gone are continues reboots for updates & all that, just install all of them & reboot ones

Some other apps

1) PerfectDisk 8 beta for Windows Vista works, u can then apply the latest version as an update, and it will work for 30 days fine

2) Power DVD 7.0.2111 works fine, even the codec in WMP11, it replaces the default codec supplied with Vista

One really bad thing, the Option to change individual file type icons is gone, there is a separate API for it, & I can't seem to find out where....me m referring to Windows XP Explorer->Tools->Folder option->File types tab that is no longer available. Although Win optimizer Platinum 3.2 gives an option, but so far it's not working properly. I hope Stardock releases Icon packaged soon for Vista

To change individual file association, u can do so from control panel

Also, Do not use hibernation or sleep if u r dual booting Vista with XP, in that case it will boot directly in Windows Vista, & there will be no option to boot in XP insted. U will need to shut down the vista OS , restart & then boot into XP from the boot menu

 

[dissel]

I have a query....how to change system time format,it always in 24 hour format,
is there any way to get it with A.M/P.M in the system tray/task bar?

I tried with both way classic menu style and vista style.but can't find anywhere.

 

[gxsaurav]

even i m trying to find a way, to change it 12 hrs clock format, right now looking in the registry

 

[Vishal Gupta]

Did u guys try intl.cpl (Regional Settings)?

 

[dissel]

thnaks Vishal....it worked
but the A.M/P.M option is front
is there any way to put it back behind the time ?
I mean 2.39 P.M instead of P.M 2.39.

 

[gxsaurav]

request for this thread to be a Sticky in the Software section

Anyway, one more thing. Windows Vista has changed the user folder hirachy, so u know longer have my documents or my music, u just have smart folder by the name music or documents

however u can still set them to physical folder in your system. By default they are in C:\users\<name>

If you wanted to store the user's music on another drive, but maintain the folder location within the user's directory, you can change it's loaction.

copy the contents of C:\Users\Bob\Music to the location with more space, eg. D:\Music\bob\

delete c:\users\bob\music

load a command prompt using run as administrator, type in...

CODEmklink /D c:\users\bob\music d:\music\bob

This will create a music folder in the user's directory, that works just like a normal directory, except the contents are physically located somewhere else (D:\music\bob\ in this case

A few other tweaks which i will keep on updating in this thread

1) Turn off UAC
Go to control panel->search for “User” & u will find an option to turn of UAC there, uncheck the checkbox & reboot

2) Disable hibernation in Windows Vista and remove hiberfil.sys, this will free up harddisk space equivalent to your RAM

Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, right click on “Command Prompt”, and then click “Run as Administrator”. If User Account Control (UAC) asks you for permission, permit the Command Prompt to run.

Next, type powercfg -h off

Press enter. Close the Command Prompt window and restart.

3) To uninstall Windows vista, from a dual boot configuration

If u have Windows vista installed on another partition, dual booting with Windows XP, then formatting the Vista partition, will remove Windows XP boot loader also, to prevent this, first boot in Windows XP, Insert the Vista beta DVD, then go to Start-> run & type

E:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt52 ALL /force

After this, your system will auto start & u will be automatically boot in Windows XP, now simply format the vista partition to remove it. U can also uninstall the Vista boot loader by Vista boot pro 3.1

4) Disable DEP in Vista:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator, Type in the command prompt window:

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff

Hit enter and you should see the confirmation: Operation Completed Successfully, Reboot and DEP should be off.

5) To change the time format to 12hrs clock

Go to control panel, Go to “Clock, Language & Region” section, click on “Change the date time or number format” link, in the next window, under the format tab, click on “Customize this format” button, then in the next window under the Time tab, in the “Time Format” box write this string

h:mm:ss tt

u can also change it by Start->run intl.cpl, this will directly open the “Regional & language options”

 

[gxsaurav]

well, back again

Right now, there are many incompatibilities of applications with Vista, however, new version are out, either as final version or beta

Kaspersky antivirus has relesed KAV 6.0.2 beta, with support for Vista.

Right now, there is no firewall which works with Windows Vista. However the inbulit vista firewall has become quite powerful now, & trust me, with some miodification u can strengthen it a lot.

*img243.imageshack.us/img243/3808/snag0000kl8.th.png
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To play AAC files nateviely in WMP11, u can download AC3Filter 1.11, install it, & even at default settings it will be able to decode m4a files natively, however it won't play any DRM protected audio

 

[gxsaurav]

Warning: Today i found a critical bug or something like that in Windows Vista IE7

If you use IE7 Tool-> Delete Browsing history option to clean your tracks then do not select "delete all files". In my case, it also deleted my addons data saved in d:\file\ as well as the contents of my documents folder, all jpg, doc files in it.....i recovered a few, but not all

 

[Vishal Gupta]

What!!!!!

Thats strange and really BAD

 

[gxsaurav]

all recovery done. Some images can't be recovered, & some recovered .doc files do not open...damn, MS sux for sure as they left this bug. Filed it today

 

[QwertyManiac]

Ahh that's sad GX, hope they fix the bug soon

 

[gxsaurav]

A lot of people are having problems with Windows Vista & Codecs for videos. Well, here is what i have tested & found

First download the RTM drivers for Windows Vista for your nvidia graphics card. New drivers 97.46 were relesed on January 5

1) Nero digital deocder doesn't work properly. Gives Tint error

2) DivX 6.4 works fine here, but if u enable the "Automatic deblocking with sharpening" feature, then the CPU usage raises a lot, in some cases if u seek forward, the audio & video will get out of sync. DivX is not yet officially supported on Vista

3) FFDShow works flawlessly, this is what i recomend u to use if u r using vista, for all your video decoding needs in Windows Media player 11

4) Download K-Lite codec pack 2.82, it has FFDShow, LAME MP3 decoders, & AC3 decoders, that is all u will need on Vista for now. U can use the inbuilt mpeg2 decoders too. With some tweaking in the filters & post processing, FFDshow can give same or better quality then DivX decoder

5) PowerDVD 7 & it's mpeg2 codec works fine in Vista, even with Hardware decoding

 

[aryayush]

I have a query....how to change system time format,it always in 24 hour format,
is there any way to get it with A.M/P.M in the system tray/task bar?

I tried with both way classic menu style and vista style.but can't find anywhere.

even i m trying to find a way, to change it 12 hrs clock format, right now looking in the registry

Ah, the sheer convenience and simplicity! ::insert heavy dose of sarcasm here::

*img129.imageshack.us/img129/8018/picture7he9.th.png

 

[pra_2006]

hi currently i am using Windows XP Sp2 should i go for Vista RTM Version or should i wait for final release of vista

 

[gxsaurav]

Ah, the sheer convenience and simplicity! ::insert heavy dose of sarcasm here::

Ah the sheer convenience of ignorence.....................

*img362.imageshack.us/img362/8894/imagedh2.th.jpg

Arya this is a thread for Windows Vista user guide. Plz refrain from posting about MacOS here, no one invited your opinion here when u have no idea about windows. Windows XP sets the clock to 12hrs format automatically

@pra_2006

check what applications u use, if they are available in updated forms then upgrade to vista, if they are not, then better if u stick to Windows XP, don't switch if nothing is broken. Also check your hardware, weather it's meets the requirment of Windows Vista or not, there is already a thread as sticky for the system requirment of Windows Vista by techno_funky. RTM = Final version

 

[anandk]

list of some vista bugs
*blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=402&tag=nl.e550

 

[brutality9k]

Time to update the thread.

I found out a few things recently while working on Vista. Thye are quite handy

1) Real admin account in Vista, just like XP (taken from neowin)


1- Click Start and type "secpol.msc" in the search area and click Enter.
2- You may receive a prompt from UAC, approve/login and proceed.
3- In the left list, choose "Local Policies", then "Security Options"
4- Set "Accounts: Administrator account status" to Enabled.
5- Set "User Account Control: Admin Approval Mode for the Built-in Administrator account" to Disabled.
6- Now log-off, and you'll see a new account named "Administrator" will be available, click on it to login.

Now this is the real Admin without any UAC or vista restriction. However, doing so is recomended only if u r a poweruser & know what u r doing. All the system files are exposed now.

Speaking of Expose from MacOS X, there are a few applications for Windows which does the same job, however, none is as fast as the real thing or even Flip3D.....well, now there is, directly from Microsoft. This is drawn in GPU & is instant

*img355.imageshack.us/img355/5628/vistaexposema8.th.jpg

All you need is a Mouse with 2 buttons & a wheel as the minimum, & Windows Vista with Aero support. Now simply download Microsoft Intellipoint driver , this will work with any mouse, it works fine with my Microsoft Wireless laser mouse & Logitech PS/2 mouse.

U can set it to any buttons of the mouse, I have set it to the scroll wheel button of the Logitech mouse & Side button of the MS laser mouse i got.

 

[gxsaurav]

1) How to make FlipTab static
a. Press ALT+CTRL+TAB

2) How to make Flip3D Static
a. Press WinKey+ctrl+tab


4) Changing the default Start Menu hibernation button to Shut down button

a. Go to control panel -> Write Power in the search box->Change Power saving settings->Select a plan & click on “Change plan settings”->”Change advanced Plans settings”->Power button & Lid menu->Start menu Power button->Change to what u like, Sleep is useless for desktops, Hibernate is the recommended option in Vista

One thing, if you are using Vista in dual boot, & if u hibernate your computer from Vista, then the next time you start your computer you will not see any OS selection menu & boot straight to Vista only. From there you can restart & boot normally in XP, so use hibernation with caution.

 

[gxsaurav]

A comparision between Expose on Vista & Static FlipTab

Static FlibTab

*img247.imageshack.us/img247/5638/staticalttabgj7.th.jpg

Expose

*img247.imageshack.us/img247/6234/exposesx3.th.jpg

Both looks good, depending on the users choice. I find static fliptab better, cos left hand is on the keyboard anyway & it's better then clicking the mouse wheel, wish i could mount this functionality to F12 key, anyone know how to?

 

[ketanbodas]

Lovely Review. rEps...