When XP's name is announced, everyone comments how weird that name is. But today, we are now used with that name. It will be the same for Vista, a couple of years or so after release.

I hope someone will do a bulk for this when it is released

Longhorn = codename
Vista = product name

The product key should be in the e-mail Microsoft has sent to him (if Vista beta procedure is the same as Windows Server 2003 R2).

Ohh.. so the beta is conducted there instead of BetaPlace.

BetaPlace is where Microsoft do another beta-test of their OS, which is Windows Server 2003 R2 (I am part of that one). Windows XP 64-bit is also conducted there (already got my free serial number, although not using it yet). I wonder why Microsoft does their OS beta-testing in 2 different websites (BetaPlace for Windows Server 2003 R2 + Windows XP 64-bit and Microsoft Connect for Vista).

Well, try applying at http://beta.microsoft.com and cross your fingers.

Even though I got my copy last year, I just managed to get around to installing this last week. So after a week of trying Vista (Ultimate 32-bit), here is what I want to comment:-

1. About drivers:-
Detects all of my hardware except the soundcard, Bluetooth dongle and wireless USB dongle. The soundcards is a SB Live 5.1 card, and I have to use hacked drivers for it. Amazingly, the wireless USB will work with Windows XP drivers from the install CD, so no problem there. The Bluetooth dongle is another problem altogether, still not fixed as of today.

Another problem is that I can't set my display resolution higher than 1024x768. This is despite having used the ATI official drivers (the one with CCC) and my monitor is a 21" CRT. Anyone knows how to force Vista to use display higher than 1024 resolution?

2. Installation and performance.
The install process, I must admit, is faster than WinXP setup. The performance, even with all those Aero thingy turned on is quite slick and they reminds me a lot of the OS X Aqua thingy. IE7 in Vista is also faster than IE7 on WinXP on the same machine. I do not have problems with transferring/deleting files, with the exception of that annoying UAC prompts.

3. Software compatibility.
All software that I used frequently are Vista-compliant, so no problem there.

4. The UAC.
Too many needless UAC prompts for me, Even when deleting folders with files in it, a prompt will appear. Moving shortcuts from Desktop to QuickLaunch, another prompt. And it go on and on. Microsoft need to eliminate UAC for trivial tasks.

Edit: Fixed.

This post has been edited by asellus: Mar 20 2007, 02:09 AM

Is this just me but deleting files in Vista does not free up space in the hard disk?

I have a 40GB hard disk with 1GB space left. I burned a folder of 4GB worth of data into DVD, and deleted the folder. The UAC appears, I put the password and Explorer went on to delete the folder. But the HD space is still 1GB.

The recycle bin is empty. Dunno where the deleted files went.


Yes, this somehow did the trick, but it is not consistent. Sometime it works, some other time it doesn't.