Vista Query

[BruisedQuasar]

Just got a T60. Upgrade from T23, which my daughter loves. New to T60. New to Vista. I prefer XP Pro & W2K Pro & mostly use Linux for surfing. I like Vista Ultimate --so far.

Question: My T60 will never leave my house & I do not hold a secret Fed job, so the hefty security stuff is just resource wasting and irritation for me. I disabled Bio (fingerprint) & etc. Yet I still have to wait for & click out three boxes each time I boot. They are: a fingerprint box, which I get rid of by clicking 'x', a password box I click 'X' to close & a warning that Windows Security isn't activated. I never use Windows Security, considering it a bad joke. I assume its no different in Vista. Is there any way I can disable these boxes? I looked in "service devices.msc" and "Add & Remove" software but cannot find how I keep these "services" from launching and slowing down boot sequence.

--Bruised

[jdhurst]

For what it worth (probably not much), my recommendation would be to get a license for Windows 7 Pro (it will have to be 32-bit), wipe the machine clean and install Win 7. The fingerprint and other problems will probably go away. You can download new drivers from Lenovo (my T61p runs Windows 7). Vista has been essentially orphaned by Microsoft, and for me, it took less effort to get Windows 7 tweaked than to get Vista tweaked. ... JDH

[GomJabbar]

AFAIK the login screens are from the *gina.dll in use. See following for more info.
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... na#p485343

As far as Windows Security goes, I believe you can turn off notifications from within Windows Security. I am not in Vista ATM to check.

[BruisedQuasar]

For what it worth (probably not much), my recommendation would be to get a license for Windows 7 Pro (it will have to be 32-bit), wipe the machine clean and install Win 7. The fingerprint and other problems will probably go away... it took less effort to get Windows 7 tweaked than to get Vista tweaked. ... JDH

Thank you for the reply. I considered getting Win 7 instead of Vista. I do not have a version of Win I can install on this T60, except for W2K. My XP Pro discs are Dell. W2K Pro was fine for the T-23 which I ran on Knoppix & Puppy Linux unless I absolutely had to use Win. My Puppy Linux & Knoppix (on USB sticks) boot and run fine on the T60 but there are times when you have no option but resort to Win., such is the power & dirty pool of the huge MS Computing Cartel Monopoly.

The Vista Ultimate install that came on this T60 amazed me. The original owner told me he tried Win 7 on it but removed it as it was glitchy. The only snags I have with Ultimate are the irritating security boxes that drag out boot and must be 'X' -ed out before I can move on. I also had to disable hibernate (as I always do with any Windoz version). It eats resources & usually fails to respond to "wakeup" commands. I don't like shutting down Windoz with the on/off button. It does play well with power off, unlike my Linux Distros.

Do you know if there is a workaround to do a full clean install with a Win7 upgrade?

--Bruised

[jdhurst]

I have not had any glitches in Windows 7. My reliability score runs around 9 (I have some issues with QuickBooks and Symantec Endpoint, otherwise I would be at 10). I have had a couple of "Stopped Workings" that I have largely corrected (same was true of Vista), but no crashes. I am now in my 11th year of no BSOD's. Windows 7 is smoother than Vista, and even though I beat Vista into submission and made it work, life has been easier with Windows 7.
... JDH

[BruisedQuasar]

I have not had any glitches in Windows 7... I have had a couple of "Stopped Workings" that I have largely corrected (same was true of Vista), but no crashes. Windows 7 is smoother than Vista, and even though I beat Vista into submission and made it work, life has been easier with Windows 7.
... JDH

Thank you for the personal assessment. I noticed that for some odd reason I can get Win7 cheaper that Vista Ultimate. I think I need to reinstall anyway to exterminate this Warez Gamerz system that is installed. Its like a Stargate SG1 evil Go-ould symbiont
leeching off a host body --since I will never use it. I have a suspicion that I dare not try to just uninstall all its programs.

Any advice on which version of Win7 to avoid or which is best?

--Bruised

[jdhurst]

In terms of version, it seems to me (plying many forums as I do) that the majority of people purchase wretched Home stuff to save money and then ask why it won't do what they need. Accordingly I only recommend Pro or greater. There is a comparison of versions at Microsoft, but in no case should you sink lower that Pro.
... JDH

[BruisedQuasar]

I wondered if Vista labeling was similar to W2K & XP Pro, where you want the Pro editions.

Thank You

[jdhurst]

No, I do not think so.

Windows 2000 was business system and had no home edition. XP had 1 home edition. Vista had 2 home editions (IIRC) and now Windows 7 has 3 home editions including Starter. .. JDH

[A31]

In terms of version, it seems to me (plying many forums as I do) that the majority of people purchase wretched Home stuff to save money and then ask why it won't do what they need. Accordingly I only recommend Pro or greater. There is a comparison of versions at Microsoft, but in no case should you sink lower that Pro.
... JDH

Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate... I agree with JDH on what is quoted above!!

Windows 2000 was only available in 1 Professional edition and 3 Server editions - I think Windows Millennium was meant to be the 'Windows 2000 Home' but Me is the second worse Windows OS IMO, just slightly better than NT4 Workstation...

[msb0b]

The number of consumer editions of Windows has been fairly consistent at 2.

XP had Home and Media Center Edition. The latter was only available through the OEM channel and not sold directly to the end users.

Vista had Home Basic and Home Premium. Both are available through retail channels and caused a bit of confusion when people bought Basic and expected Premium functionalities. There is also a Starter edition for the developing countries.

Microsoft switched Home Basic and Starter around with Windows 7. Now Home Basic is for developing nations. In the states, you can get Starter or Home Premium. Starter is for netbooks and only available to OEM. Home Premium is the primary offering for the consumer segment.

The consumer editions don't let you join domains, use XP mode or user manager. Other than these limitations, they don't work differently than the professional editions. I have never had a problem with consumer editions.