Vista with Full Screen Magnifier

[RonS]

I can't get the Full Screen Magnifier to work under Vista (running 64-bit version). I installed the current version, and when I press Fn+Spacebar, the system gives a double chime sound, but nothing else happens. Also, nothing shows up in the system event log.

Does anyone else have this problem?

[steveg47]

You might try installing/reinstalling the latest hotkey driver and the System Interface Driver for Windows Vista.

[schimmi]

Have you enabled "Fullscreen-Scaling" in your Videodriver/BIOS?

[RonS]

I've done both of the above recommendations and it still doesn't work. Nothing shows up in the system Event Log, either. I'm starting to wonder if it's related to the video driver, since I've been forcing various drivers down Vista's throat experimenting with secondary video adapters.

[schimmi]

On my T42, i'm currently using mobility-modded drivers, because there are no official ones for vista. (Catalyst 7.6. atm) So far, the Screen Magnifier Feature worked with all of them, it seems it makes no difference if you are using Official or Unofficial Drivers.

However, I don't know what kind of videocard you have.

[steveg47]

RonS, slightly off topic but I am planning to install Vista Business on my T60P(replacing enterprise version). I could install either the 32bit or the 64bit version. Since you're already using the 64bit version can you see any advantage other then intellectual curiousity for installing it. My chipset limits me to 3.2gb of memory. Is there a noticable performance improvement? Anything else better/worse?

[RonS]

I haven't used 32-bit Vista yet, but the 64-bit seems very fast and rock-solid stable. I should qualify that rock-solid statement by mentioneding that Explorer locked up several times during the initial device discovery and driver installation. But every time, the OS recognized the lockup and restarted explorer. Now that I'm past that, I haven't had to reboot ever (about 6 weeks and counting).

I have 2GB of memory and a fast hard drive (seagate 7200.160). I'm using it pretty much "out of the box" - unlike XP, where I always went in and shut down the unnecessary services.

I run 32-bit XP in a virtual machine, which I use to test software that I'm developing. I also have XP ready in a dual-boot, just in case.

The biggest (only?) downside to running Vista (not 64-bit in particular) is that any card in the Advanced Dock must use the exact same driver as the internal Thinkpad's video, or else loose Aero. And I just lost another auction for a v5200 card for the dock.

I've read articles that 64-bit Vista is faster than 32-bit Vista. I've benchmarked graphics-intensive software on 32-bit XP an 64-bit Vista, and the 64-bit definitely runs faster. Even when the 32-bit code is running in a 32-bit WOW on 64-bit vista, it runs faster.

[steveg47]

You've convinced me (didn't take much convincing). My next install will be 64bit. Worst case scenario, I hate it and install 32bit. I use vmware extensively so I am always looking for anything that will improve performance. I'll install on the seagate 7200.100 (waiting patiently for the hitachi 7200.200). This also gives me the opportunity to test a theory that the cd key for a 32bit Vista install can also be used for the same Vista 64 bit install, in this case the Moduslink Vista Business Upgrade CDkey that came with the 32bit Vista upgrade dvd. I do have a Vista 64 bit DVD (MSDN) which contains all the 64 bit versions of Vista (sans Enterprise which is a separate DVD).