How do I get rid of Windows Vista?

[trolea1234]

Sorry if this is in the wrong board. What do I have to do get rid of Vista and go to ME? Any help is appreciated. Also if I go with another Windows, say XP or ME, will I be able to use my printer thats not compatabile with vista? Thanks

[Video Head]

Sounds like you are suffering device compatibility issues with Vista. If this is the case, and your printer is the only issue, you may wish to check your printer manufacturer's website to see if they have a Vista specific driver. Vista addresses hardware in a completely different manner than previous versions of Windows and in many cases needs a specific piece of software to communicate. Most manufacturers are actively addressing this issue for their products.

If you are unhappy with Vista as a whole and you installed over a ME/XP install it may be more complicated. I would invest in a new hard drive and install the old Windows on it and create a dual boot environment with the current Vista still installed on the existing drive. This would provide you with the compatability without disrupting your files. Over time you could eliminate or migrate to Vista.

If your printer does not have Vista support, and there are no plans for support, it may be older and a replacement may be the quick fix.

[guns1inger]

A printer is not worth dropping Vista for, if that is the only issue.

However there is simply no excuse, ever, to go to ME. Me was an abomination. Windows 98 is better than ME. Go XP or stay with Vista.

What is your printer ?

[lenti_75]

ME is just crap

get XP or 2k. All you have to do is install it after you get a bootable xp or 2k cd

[yoda313]

Yes go with win2000 or xp instead of ME. You will be MUCH happier if you must get rid of VISTA.

HOwever as mentioned a printer is not worth the hassle of changing your operating system. You can get a vista compatible printer for under a 100.00 usd so that would be a better way to go if you can't find vista drivers for it.

[cal_tony]

You could set up your HD to boot from ME or vista. I have a separate computer set up for scanning and printing in another room and when I set up XP a decade ago I was having printer problems and was having a hard time finding drivers. All the XP drivers worked but not as well as as the ME drivers.
Finally, I ended up using 2 hard disks. 1 with ME. 1 with XP. If I remember correctly all I did was hook up a couple of wires from the hard disks to a micro switch so when I booted up, I could switch between operating systems.
It was so long ago, but I think all I did was hook the wires to the Master/Slave contacts. After 10 years, It still works fine.

Tony

[MOVIEGEEK]

Buying an $80USD printer is cheaper and less hassle than getting another OS.

[DereX888]

Sorry if this is in the wrong board. What do I have to do get rid of Vista and go to ME? Any help is appreciated. Also if I go with another Windows, say XP or ME, will I be able to use my printer thats not compatabile with vista? Thanks

If you are a bit "computer literate" go with Windows 2000 (it really is XP - just without the eyecandy, but also without the XP's clutter - the wizards and all other "easy does it" things). If you don't know much - go with Windows XP Professional.
Why to get rid of Vista?
Not just for the printer obviously.
Many techs reported that on a same computer you *always* gain from 20% to 50% various tasks performance speed just by ditching Vista for XP (and probably even more if you go with 2000 since the old tests used to show faster performance of same computer between 5 and 20% when run 2000 instead of XP, depending on hardware).
How to get rid of Vista?
Almost all of Vistas I have seen came as preinstalled on a store-bought machines, without installation disc.
That means there is a "restore" partition (might be hidden) lurking there on your hard drive.
You won't get rid of it without manual deletion of it.
Additionally your computer's BIOS might have been set to boot always from hard disk (that means you won't be able to boot it from XP disc, thus you won't be able to install it right away without setting things right first).
Also your BIOS may have been set with some "restore" options linking to that "restore partition" (i.e. many HP boxes have it that way).
As you see, Microsoft really really really don't want you to leave Vista and thereare quite few things standing in your way to get rid of Vista
So, it all depends basically on what do you know about computers.
I think average Mom and Pop won't have a clue how to wipe out their hard disk really clean in this case. If youre one of them , and something tells me you probably are (anyone a bit knowledgeable wouldn't even mention Windows ME...) then either ask some geek or kid to do it for you, or - unfortunately - youu may have no other choice than bite the bullet and stay with Vista (coz you will most likely loose warranty if you wipe out Vista's "restore partition" and what if you fail to setup 2000 or XP on your own?)... after all Vista really is very beautiful looking operating system, you've got to admit it it doesn't matter it is slow and crappy, buy faster computer next time and it'll look like it works faster, I bet on a 5GHz quadruple core with 8GB of RAM it will be as fast as Windows 95 on a PentiumMMX with 128 MB RAM was

[wulf109]

I ran ME problem free for years before switching to XP. ME is a good OS if you use the correct drivers. Microsoft released ME before hardware makers had drivers ready so it got a bad rep. ME is by far the most stable version of "98" available. Yes I know it's not technically 98.
If you switch to 98/ME you should chose ME. You'll have much less program compatibility problems with ME than 98.

[Midzuki]

Derex888 wrote:

I bet on a 5GHz quadruple core with 8GB of RAM Windows Vista will be
as fast as Windows 95 on a PentiumMMX with 128 MB RAM was

I bet my beloved(now deceased) 80486 DX2 @ 66 MHz w/ 32 MB of RAM and
running Windows 95 OSR2.5 would be faster than any Vista-infected computer of today.

[soflawill]

How to get rid of Vista?

Have you tried garlic, wolfbane, a crucifix and a stake through it's heart?

Sorta let you know what I think of Vista? 8)

[JimboS]

I don't know why people think VISTA is bad???
I have VISTA...works fine...
To the person thinking his win95 machine is faster than Vista....right, sure!!!!!
The Vista OS will tell tou what it needs to run something, or tell you "sorry" won't work...
ME was a dumb OS worst than win98...
Win2000 is OK as is XP
Vista is fantastic if you use all the capabilities, and learn how to use them...
If you don't like Vista there's alway's APPLE for you non believers,,,
So quit your B______

[MOVIEGEEK]

This will explain Vista's problems:
http://blip.tv/file/340692/

[Video Head]

Derex888 wrote:

I bet on a 5GHz quadruple core with 8GB of RAM Windows Vista will be
as fast as Windows 95 on a PentiumMMX with 128 MB RAM was

I bet my beloved(now deceased) 80486 DX2 @ 66 MHz w/ 32 MB of RAM and
running Windows 95 OSR2.5 would be faster than any Vista-infected computer of today.

Whatcha got? Whatcha wannna lose?

[edDV]

The secret is .... shhh.... You need about a Core2 with software designed to run on Vista and all is well.

This attitude that every old piece of crap legacy program must run is what will keep M$oft from ever making an advance.

Jobs just says sorry you all must buy everything new including hardware. No, I got that wrong. Jobs never says "sorry".

[JohnnyMalaria]

This will explain Vista's problems:
http://blip.tv/file/340692/

Same ol' rehash of clips from a few years ago when people complained about XP. The same people who now seem to want to have sex with it.

Good grief people - if you hate it that much, don't use it. You aren't legally obliged to.

[DereX888]

I don't know why people think VISTA is bad???
I have VISTA...works fine...
To the person thinking his win95 machine is faster than Vista....right, sure!!!!!
The Vista OS will tell tou what it needs to run something, or tell you "sorry" won't work...
ME was a dumb OS worst than win98...
Win2000 is OK as is XP
Vista is fantastic if you use all the capabilities, and learn how to use them...
If you don't like Vista there's alway's APPLE for you non believers,,,
So quit your B______

Dude, for the sake of amusement we set Win98 SE on an old box with Pentium II 266 MHz / 196MB SD RAM (we couldn't find slower in the whole office) and ran it against brand new HP XW6600 (with dual core *xeon* 2GHz / 4GB DDR2 RAM) ... you just wouldn't believe your eyes, just gotta see it, that old junk was simply "lightning fast" compared to the new supposedly higher-end workstation and I don't blame it on hardware, I blame it on OS obviously

Yes, I saw capabilities of Vista long time ago. But for what 90% of home users do (mail, chat, web) Vista simply is a freaking slow hog that needs 100x times more resources to do same what can be done on other OSes.
Now don't get me wrong - I'm not saying people should go back to the DOS-based junk OSes, but still I think it not only stinks but it is plainly ridiculus to create such bloated OS that can't even run on its own without gazillion of resources.

This will explain Vista's problems:
http://blip.tv/file/340692/

Same ol' rehash of clips from a few years ago when people complained about XP. The same people who now seem to want to have sex with it.

Good grief people - if you hate it that much, don't use it. You aren't legally obliged to.

It ain't that simple.
As I posted earlier in this thread, getting rid of Vista preinstall on a store-bought computer is most likely beyond capabilities of AVerage Joes.
I.e. the only well written doc on hp site describing how to remove Vista and prepare computer for other OS from the Mom & Pop's computer was removed just few weeks after it was posted there (we don't have to guess much at whose request it was removed, do we?) so good luck to all Average Joes with your simple "don't use it"
Don't you think there is really something wrong with this whole thing when an average customer buying (legally) brand new computer with brand new OS (legally) cannot just get rid of it and install (legally owned) other OS he has at home?

[Video Head]

and Mr. Ballmer says?

[Video Head]

I don't know why people think VISTA is bad???
I have VISTA...works fine...
To the person thinking his win95 machine is faster than Vista....right, sure!!!!!
The Vista OS will tell tou what it needs to run something, or tell you "sorry" won't work...
ME was a dumb OS worst than win98...
Win2000 is OK as is XP
Vista is fantastic if you use all the capabilities, and learn how to use them...
If you don't like Vista there's alway's APPLE for you non believers,,,
So quit your B______

Dude, for the sake of amusement we set Win98 SE on an old box with Pentium II 266 MHz / 196MB SD RAM (we couldn't find slower in the whole office) and ran it against brand new HP XW6600 (with dual core *xeon* 2GHz / 4GB DDR2 RAM) ... you just wouldn't believe your eyes, just gotta see it, that old junk was simply "lightning fast" compared to the new supposedly higher-end workstation and I don't blame it on hardware, I blame it on OS obviously

Describe "lightning fast". What technical analysis was used to determine this?

[lordsmurf]

Vista slows down systems for no reason. My "old" computer (3Ghz) runs faster on XP than a Core 2 does on Vista. That's sad. Pay for a "fast system" only to have the OS suck it all up. Why even bother to make an upgrade?

[DereX888]

I don't know why people think VISTA is bad???
I have VISTA...works fine...
To the person thinking his win95 machine is faster than Vista....right, sure!!!!!
The Vista OS will tell tou what it needs to run something, or tell you "sorry" won't work...
ME was a dumb OS worst than win98...
Win2000 is OK as is XP
Vista is fantastic if you use all the capabilities, and learn how to use them...
If you don't like Vista there's alway's APPLE for you non believers,,,
So quit your B______

Dude, for the sake of amusement we set Win98 SE on an old box with Pentium II 266 MHz / 196MB SD RAM (we couldn't find slower in the whole office) and ran it against brand new HP XW6600 (with dual core *xeon* 2GHz / 4GB DDR2 RAM) ... you just wouldn't believe your eyes, just gotta see it, that old junk was simply "lightning fast" compared to the new supposedly higher-end workstation and I don't blame it on hardware, I blame it on OS obviously

Describe "lightning fast". What technical analysis was used to determine this?

The whole system responsiveness like clicking on folder opens immediately etc.
We did it just to check it out ourselves after seeing a video comparison on youtube.
I honestly thought video was 'doctored' but after seeing it with my own eyes I know it is genuine.
Thats why I say - DO SUCH TEST YOUSELF, don't rely on my words, you just have to see the difference.
Yes Win 98 is ugly looking like some old b*tch, but I really urge you Vista-lovers to do such test on your own, see how far we have went from 98 in the terms of visual enhancements, and how low have fall in the terms of actual usability.

/edit/
scratch that.
Just make a backup of your Vista hard disk (by that I mean disc imaging, because plain old backup won't do in Vista's case) and install Windows XP on the same system.
You'll think someone installed more RAM and doubled your CPUs in that same machine
Just try it first before posting more BS here, please.

[Video Head]

Vista slows down systems for no reason. My "old" computer (3Ghz) runs faster on XP than a Core 2 does on Vista. That's sad. Pay for a "fast system" only to have the OS suck it all up. Why even bother to make an upgrade?

How does it run faster?

10k in 32:45.8 rather than 10k in 35:37.9?

[TBoneit]

Windows 95 or 98 or ME will for sure boot faster and shut down faster that Vista. However that also applies to Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

Win9x just doesn't cut it for a lot of things I do today so at Home it's XP MCE. At work our cash register computer runs on Win98, It also shuts down in about 2 seconds. The computer I use runs XP Pro and Vista Ultimate and the Bosses runs 98 and XP Pro (Legacy software)

BTW suggesting XP Pro for a home use on a standalone computer is overkill.

[DereX888]

BTW suggesting XP Pro for a home use on a standalone computer is overkill.

Why is it overkill?
XP Pro is a complete version of the OS, while XP Home is crippled version (the same but with few major components removed or disabled - thats the only difference).
Obviously Im not saying home user should run i.e. terminal services or IIS on their home machine, but still there is more to it than just the obvious. Use XP Pro but install what you need (i.e. Windows Messenger, MSN etc garbage is what I'd suggest to remove from default setup...)

[redwudz]

I ran both Vista and XP on the same machine, separate hard drive for each, everything else the same. I found Vista to be a few percent slower. https://forum.videohelp.com/topic336716-60.html#1756824

But that's with UAC and all stock settings enabled. I just don't see any big difference in speed. Sure you need a newer computer to run Vista and a fair bit of RAM, but that was fairly well known up front. Sure, not a great test, but it convinced me.

I've used ME, probably the worst OS every created, IMO. I've used W95 and W98 and W98SE. I had to reinstall about 4 times a year with each to keep them running at speed. I have used W2000. Not much good to say about it. Seems incredibly slow compared to XP, but just my experience with several computers. XP was a tremendous improvement. Reinstalls maybe once a year. I haven't had to reinstall Vista yet and I've used a couple of versions in several computers in the last year. It boots faster, shuts down faster and I like the 'Eye Candy'.

I have three Vista computers at present, including my new laptop. No major complaints or problems with any of them. But apparently, your results may vary. I don't think we really get to pick the OS. The market decides it for us most times. I have a Mac computer parked in my workroom. Probably a permanent doorstop as the market didn't seem to respond as well as with the MS machines.

Just my opinion. Go ahead.....

[Midzuki]

Video Head asked:

Whatcha got? Whatcha wannna lose?

Wakarimasen.

Summary: if you simply love bloatwares, it's no use to demonstrate
bloatwares are a bad thing. IF Vista could drop the gayish Aero thing,
the DRM superego, and its well-paid lazy "developers", it would require
800 MB of disk space at most && not more than 192 MB of RAM.

and Mr. Ballmer says?

http://encyclopediaofstupid.com/stupid/index.php/Steve_Ballmer

:P

[lenti_75]

I must be the lucky one...

the same video encoding software, on Vista 64 is almost triple the speed than on xp...PERIOD and the software is still 32bit.

SO, I don't know what "software" you're using, to test the "speed", but my vista kicks the hell XP.

and this is fact.

[DereX888]

I must be the lucky one...

the same video encoding software, on Vista 64 is almost triple the speed than on xp...PERIOD and the software is still 32bit.

SO, I don't know what "software" you're using, to test the "speed", but my vista kicks the hell XP.

and this is fact.

umm... the subject is
How do I get rid of Windows Vista?
or was it
"how much do i love Vista?"
man it is sometimes confusing with all the threadcrappers

[wulf109]

Typical thread hi-jacking happens all to often on this forum. I'm afraid you know the short answer,format your your HD and install a different OS,I can't resist,just not Vista.

[soflawill]

I owe everyone an apology. The OP was a legit question on how to remove Vista. In a reply that seemed funny at the moment, I made a few smart a**ed suggestions. It appears that I may be responsible for this thread degrading into a Vista bashing session, which of course does not help answer the OP's question as to how to remove Vista. So for that, and for the uproar, I am sorry.