Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
Ξ March 19th, 2007 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Windows, Reviews |
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
Revisiting Windows Vista-=- by Joe Hancuff
Introduction
It’s been quite some time since I’ve tackled the subject of Windows Vista again. I’ve been quoted and quoted and for some my opinion is gold. However, I also want to ensure that my opinion is as unbiased as possible. The reason we’re back here is because I’ve decided to give Vista another try. “Heck, it’s been a couple of months, let’s see what’s changed,” I said as I unpacked my fresh retail copy of Vista Ultimate. So I backed up my production XP machine yet again, expecting to deal with the complete debacle that was the upgrade situation the last time I tried Vista. I honestly didn’t have high hopes for this install despite being a fresh format. We all know upgrades are bad, mmmkay? This brief article will go into my experience this time around and point out the most notable differences between this one, and the last. Hopefully you can take this into account when making the decision between both upgrading or not and if you do, choosing between 32 bit and 64 bit.
Installation
As per the norm with Vista at least for me, a fresh installation always goes smoothly. This one was no different; a quick deletion of the XP partition and initializing a new clean and shiny NTFS partition was a breeze. The rest of the installation was for all intents and purposes automated. Smooth as glass is how I’d describe it.
I chose the 64 bit version as I have a T7200 dual-core 64-bit capable Intel process in my Dell XPS m1710. Good choice if you ask me, the 64 bit version runs a perceivable 20 percent faster than 32 bit.
One thing to note in the retail packaging vs the developer copies is that the retail versions, unlike XP, can only be activated once, and that’s it. If you need to activate it again, you’ll have to call Microsoft. However, recently, I’ve found that since Vista is so new and after all of the Windows XP social engineering for new keys went down, you’ll be told that there’s nothing they can do at this time to help you should you need to call Microsoft for a new product key. There currently is no method of deactivating an old machine in order to transplant your copy onto a new computer. So for you upgrade junkies, you may get faced with activation on a clean install when you think you shouldn’t only because you changed a major portion of your system. As of right now, you’d be stuck. There are ways around this of course, but that is clearly beyond the scope of this article.
So, What’s New?
As a self-proclaimed fan-boy of Windows Vista, I found it tremendously refreshing to be back after having gone back to XP for productivity reasons. However this time around, I had researched all of my hardware and found that many drivers that were beta last time around are now out of beta and functioning. So this is why I decided to give it a try. Out of the box experience with Vista as I’m sure you all know is irritating at best. UAC is the anti-Christ to power-users if you ask me and I fully intend on modifying my installation media to have that preset as off.
My XPS was lightening fast after the install. Way quicker than XP ever could hope to be thanks to the extra bus width and memory addressing. Dell now has an entire set of drivers meant for Windows Vista, both 32 and 64 bit versions, so the first thing I tried was using Dell drivers everywhere I was banged in Device Manager. There were and still are a couple in there that I can’t recognize. As far as I know all my devices work, however, I still have two unidentified devices that don’t seem to be causing very much trouble. I’d imagine they’re Bluetooth virtual devices such as HID driver or audio drivers.
Oh yeah, Bluetooth. Dell released WIDCOMM 6.whatever drivers for the 355 Bluetooth radio. I was quite excited by this as I published a guide instructing users to install version 5 in Vista. The Microsoft stack in the retail release is the same as beta and RTM. So after installing the Dell drivers I realized they were garbage. Nothing works, the WIDCOMM virtual devices won’t install properly, and it’s nothing but a huge mess. I’d recommend staying away from Dell BT drivers… for now.
nVidia released a set point official version of their Vista video driver. This by far is the most impressive aspect of moving back to Vista. Especially 64 bit. My gaming has been taken to a whole new level. My hat’s really off to nVidia for really making a solid 64 bit driver. No more flickers, and my frame rates in games and applications are far better than they were even in good ‘ol stable XP. That alone makes me a happy camper, but wait, it gets better.
If you look at the build versions, they will tell you that it’s the same exact build as RTM. That being said, there are some major differences in the way the operating system handles in retail than in RTM. My theory is that MS did some quick settings tweaks in the retail image that have alleviated many of the complaints of beta and RTM users such as Vista being very memory hungry. For some reason, this is no longer the case. In-fact, I’d almost go so far as to say that Vista is even more resource efficient than XP was. At idle after all of my ancillary programs have started, I sit neatly at 32% memory usage. Of course this will go up with usage, but it’s just the Operating System being cached. 32% memory usage was unheard of in RTM or the betas. It’s now ridiculously efficient.
Whenever I was doing something intensive it would take what it needed but afterwards it released the memory back to the system in no time. XP didn’t even do it that well.
Holy Stability Batman!
I think the one most dramatic difference between this retail install and the RTM install is stability. Now, I’m not ordinary user. I do 3d modeling, video editing, audio editing, a dash of programming, and I work a great deal with obscure hardware. I have a lot of programs, codecs, and such that simply weren’t ever designed with Vista in mind, let alone a 64 bit operating system.
In my previous installation, nearly anything out of the “ordinary user” realm that I tried would end up with a “<insert program name here> has stopped working” message. I’ve only received this error once and I can readily explain that as the programs lack of support for the architecture not the other way around. Vista has been so stable it’s almost a little scary. Programs that I previously had insane problems with; Adobe Premiere, Cinema4D, Vista Codec packs, Fraps, Steinberg Nuendo, all work fantastically now. Now, I sung praises about Microsoft Office 2007 as I found that package to run flawlessly every time and to this day still does quite nicely. My impression of Vista is now reaching up my impression of Office. I find it super clean, super stable, super efficient, and generally a good user experience this time around.
Clearly I can’t speak for all users, all hardware, or all applications. I’m writing this article based on my experiences with the changes to the retail image whereas my hardware hasn’t changed at all. It’s fairly safe to assume that if your computer is recent that you too would experience a greater level of satisfaction if you grabbed the retail version.
Gripes…
Oh yes, Microsoft! You didn’t think you’d make it through this review unscathed did you? Oh boy no. I still have a bone to pick with you.
Let’s first talk about elementary 64 bit drivers (all the following devices work great in 32 bit Vista). For instance, my SD Card slot works fine, but Windows requires a driver for the SD card and that didn’t come with Windows. What? When did I ever need a driver for the specific card? How about my LaCie USB 2.0 External HDD? It wants 3 drivers for that. If you just click “ask me again later” it shows up in explorer anyway. So what’s with the strange drivers? USB Compact Flash Card reader? Nope, no initial compatibility. You have to restart the machine with the card reader attached to the USB port and then do the “ask me again” trick and it finally shows up. You only have to do that once though, so I suppose that’s a plus. Each time you connect it subsequently, it just comes right up (it still asks for drivers though.)
So what gives, Microsoft? Oh wait, I’m not done. My 2 thousand dollar Canon camera that Canon claims the PTP driver ships with both 32 bit and 64 bit Vista? Nope, no driver anywhere for it.
Can we just be honest for a moment?
Look, here’s my take on the whole situation. Microsoft has packed an insane amount of drivers that it was allowed to pack onto their DVD. They clearly can’t just bundle all the software in the world with their OS because there are copyright and distribution agreements and licensing and all that other crap to deal with. Basically, the companies that didn’t want to play ball got left behind and Microsoft basically said, “Screw you, we’re leaving without you.” In that respect, I don’t totally blame Microsoft for some limited functionality of things that previously “just worked”. The whole point of the 64 bit architecture aside from speed is the security of the uber-hardened 64-bit kernel. Just to illustrate, I deliberately attempted to run a virus and spyware infested 32 bit executable on my 64 bit machine. It hung for a second and then did nothing more. I didn’t even have Windows Defender turned on. It simply just didn’t do anything. I did scan after the fact and found nothing but the exe I attempted to run, and there have been no symptoms since. The 64-bit kernel is very hardened and very strict in terms of what gets to run and what doesn’t. The 32-bit kernel is more XP’ish in that it had to remain somewhat like XP because the vast majority of folks would be migrating from 32bit XP to 32bit Vista with a reasonable expectation that every device and piece of software would work in Vista.
Previously, as with Windows XP, whenever Microsoft came up on the decision between application or device compatibility and security, Microsoft chose compatibility. However, in Vista, the choices have been different, whenever it came up again, Microsoft chose security. Sure it’s inconvenient. But I enjoy having a hardened system. Now it’s up to software developers who really give a damn to get on board with this methodology and develop software and drivers meant for 64 bit Vista.
Conclusions
Is Windows Vista ready for the world yet? Ya damn skippy it is! It’s more of a matter is the world ready for Vista? Maybe… Maybe not. But with the way Vista has performed for me since I installed my retail copy, I’d feel a lot more comfortable now installing it on my parent’s machine. Although I’m sure since my father is an IT guru he’s probably already done that. But you get the idea.
I have been re-enchanted.