So last summer I purchased a laptop and Desktop (HP Pavillions) for my new office. They came pre-loaded with Microsoft Vista. I asked for XP but was told I could no longer get it. I could have gotten the older XP software from Dell if I wanted to pay $1000 more for my computers. Ummmm, no! Now I'm thinking $1,000 would have been worth it. See, right from the beginning I was having trouble. Internet Explorer would suddenly close on me for no apparent reason, right while I was in the middle of something. No problem, I don't like IE anyway. So I downloaded Mozilla Firefox for my browser. It works better that IE, doesn't shut down as frequently, but it still does on occasion. That's okay, I can live with that.
The other problem I had was the error windows that would constantly pop up after every automatic Microsoft update that would load from the Internet during the evening hours. I would ignore the error windows until they eventually made my computer difficult to operate. Then it would require restoring my computer back to its factory install state.
Another problem I had was that I couldn't load my Vista compatible WordPerfect or my Vista compatible Quickbooks. Each time I had to go back to the factory settings, I would have to re-load my software. I would have to pay $15 each time to the makers of these software programs as they walked me through lowering Vista's numerous security devices so I could get the software loaded. I did this a couple of times.
Just recently, again, the computer got so bogged down with error messages from the automatic updates and the internet browsers kept shutting down frequently, that I knew I would have to go back to the factory settings once again. This time, however, I had no intention of paying money to have someone help me load software that was already supposed to be Vista compatible.
So this next step was my fatal error. I contacted Microsoft to fix their crappy Vista software so I would stop getting error messages with every automatic update and also be able to load Vista compatible software. Well nothing the tech from India tried would work, not even a check disk utility. He next took over control of my laptop by remote. So for the next 7 1/2 hours, yes, 7 1/2 hours, he worked on my computer, deleting over 700 files, moving others, running a check disk after much effort to get that to work and finally fixed the error message problems and enabled me to load Vista compatible software. Unfortunately, I now have a new problem, I can't access the Internet from that computer. He deleted or moved a file for a network adapter, a modem or some sort of driver that allows my computer to communicate and access the Internet. So for the last 8 days, I've been "working with" Microsoft to figure out exactly what he did and why the Internet no longer works. Microsoft tried to convince me it wasn't anything they did, that first it must be a problem with Comcast (nope, checked it all out), then it must be a hardware problem for the computer's manufacturer, nope. It's all just a big coincidence after their guy deleted over 700 files and moved others that the message I get when I try to access the Internet is that a file it needs is missing, having either been deleted or moved. *sigh*
7 comments:
Yikes. I got your package today and I will mail yours out Monday and also e-mailed you when I got it. Hope this gets better for you and I put up a great post today. Or I think its a great post today...
I recently bought a new laptop, and the very first thing I said to Tony when he went looking on ebay was that I DIDN'T want Vista. I've yet to hear anyone say they like it, and have hear of plenty who had it reverted back to XP, even if they had to pay for it to be done....
Here's hoping that you're online again soon on that comp :)
Cheers, kelly
We got a new computer last summer and L insisted on XP. He read a lot of reviews and discovered that a LOT of our software wouldn't work with Vista. :(
Microsoft better get working on a new system that WORKS, instead of spending money on ads that extol the virtues of Vista!
I bought a new home PC a few weeks back an insisted it had XP rather than Vista. I'm glad I insisted on it because I've had no problems with it at all.
Not that I trust MS very far - maybe as far as I can frisbee one of their CDs.... [grin]
UPDATE: Hewlett Packard is taking the laptop back to fix it and I should have it back in a week. If I get it back and it still does the same old crap I'm going to return it and ask for my money back, then I'm either going to find one with XP or switch to Apple. This will be a total of 2 1/2 - 3 weeks without use of my work laptop.
The more I hear about Vista, the more I like my Apple. Although XP was relatively stable, the inherent security holes that are an integral part of the OS kept me constantly defending my PC against all sorts of self-invited software.
Since moving to Apple more than three years ago, I have not had anything major problems. Add Apples excellent, domestic customer service and there is no looking back.
Mike
Mr. A, I'm already a fan of Apple and I don't even own one. The cost is the thing that has kept me from converting. I just might have to bite the bullet.
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