Control Panel
Published: March 11, 2008

If you were around during the early days of Windows XP you may remember me spouting off about how enamored I was with Control Panel. The changes XP introduced genuinely seemed to make Control Panel a better and easier place to navigate. When Vista was released I was hopeful I'd be equally as enamored and pleased with the changes Control Panel has undergone. Sadly, I'm not.

That's not to say Control Panel has become worthless by any means, but it has grown and seems much more bloated and unwieldy than previous versions. Sub-links have been introduced on every page which add to the clutter, and somehow it just doesn't seem as intuitive as it was in the past. Perhaps that's why the sub-links have been introduced, serving as a way to try and guide users to options not necessarily associated with the category where you'd expect them to be found.

In spite of what I consider the helter-skelter organization, there are still a vast number of options and settings available related to the maintenance, adjusting, and tweaking of Vista, although there are many items advanced users will look for that simply aren't available via Control Panel. Control Panel is essentially a repository where these settings can be grouped together and organized in an attempt to make them easily accessible when needed. Other than being a storage and organizational facility it serves no other purpose. You don't actually 'do' anything with Control Panel. Think of it as a launch pad for applets, the name commonly used for small programs.

The tour of Control Panel and its different categories begins here.

Vista - Upgrade, Clean, Dual, or Virtual Installation ?
Published: February 9, 2007

I'm not going to waste any time in this article debating whether or not you should make the move to Vista. Frankly, I really don't care one way or the other. It's your system and your money. Do whatever makes you happy. The intent here is just to cut through all the hype and crap and help you get it installed. However, there are a few things you do have to consider that simply can't be escaped, so lets get moving and get this over and done with as painlessly as possible. I've made some of these points before in different posts, but from the e-mail I've been receiving some of them need repeating.

First off, let me clear up the terminology I'm going to be using. When I use the word 'upgrading' I'm talking about upgrading a current installation of another Windows version that is already in use on your system. I'm not talking about going out and buying a new system that comes with Vista pre-loaded. A 'clean' installation refers to completely wiping the hard drive where the current operating system is loaded. It destroys everything on the drive or partition. The term 'dual' simply means installing Vista on the same machine you are currently using so that you can switch back and forth between the old and new operating systems. And finally, 'virtual' refers to installing Vista in a virtual machine on your current system.

As with most things in life, what you want and what you can have are oftentimes two different things. Take the chart below as a case in point. Find your current operating system in the left hand column and then cross index it to the Vista version across the top of the table you'd like to install. For example, if you're currently running Windows 2000 you don't have the option of doing an upgrade installation no matter what version of Vista you select. On the other hand, if you are currently running XP Professional you can do an upgrade installation to Vista Business or Ultimate, but if you want to go to Vista Home Basic or Premium a clean install will be required. That doesn't mean that you have to purchase the 'Full' version rather than the 'Upgrade' version. Any of the operating systems in the left column qualify you to purchase and install the 'Upgrade' version, the chart is just telling you the types of installations you have the option to perform. Obviously if the option Upgrade Install installation is present you also have the option to do a Clean Install as well.

To make this very clear, let me go over it again because this seems to be a point of great confusion. If you have a version of Windows listed in the left hand table column you can purchase the "Upgrade" version of Vista and it will install provided your system meets the hardware and space requirements. If you don't have a Windows version listed in the left hand column, lets say you have Windows 98 or Windows ME, then you will need to buy a "Full" version of Vista.

Backup Considerations

I actually read somewhere on the internet that if you don't want the hassles involved with backing up your files and settings, then an upgrade install is the preferred method. I sat here for a minute and thought about what I'd just read. I wish anybody that takes that advice good luck because it's a disaster just waiting to happen. I can't even begin to tell you how many upgrade installations have totally hosed a system and resulted in the loss of every last scrap of personal files and data, not to mention applications.

In theory an upgrade installation is ideal. It preserves all your user accounts, settings, and preferences. All your applications will still be available and ready for use. All your data files will be just as you left them before the upgrade and, if I'm not mistaken, there will be white unicorns frolicking in a lush, sunshine bathed meadow outside your office window. It's really time to pull our heads out of our butts and start taking backups seriously. I don't care if you're doing an upgrade, clean, dual, or virtual install, the fact remains you are introducing a new operating system onto the hard drive(s) and the potential for a disaster is huge.

Bite the bullet and take the time to back up every single data file on your system that is of any value to you. That includes text documents, spreadsheets, tax files, favorites, financial records, e-mail, music and video files, presentations, downloads, and anything else you deem valuable or irreplaceable. You can copy the files to a CD, DVD, an external USB hard drive, a flash drive (if you don't have a huge amount to back up), or a network connected PC.

Another point to remember is applications. The chance you're going to have to reinstall applications, even on an upgrade installation, is high. Do you have the original installation CD's and serial numbers for all your applications? If you downloaded some of the apps via the internet I'd be willing to bet you never took the time to burn them to CD/DVD's. The time to check is now, not after the hard drive has been wiped and there is no hope of recovery.

And Another Point I'm Going to Beat to Death

I've said it before, I'll say it again. If you're running a system that is already marginal, don't bother moving to Vista, even if it is possible. You'll absolutely hate it within minutes of completing the installation. The idea that Vista will run on 512MB of RAM is a joke. It will crawl and gasp for life on 512MB, but what it won't do is perform in a manner that 95% of users will find acceptable. Dump Vista on a machine with a marginal processor, graphics card, and memory and you'll say "WOW" alright, but it won't be a good WOW - I assure you of that.

The Installations

After all the talk above about do this, check that, backup this and make sure about other things, there really is a bright spot in Vista and that's the installation routine. It's relatively quick and painless. Compared to previous Windows offerings, it's almost a pleasure. The individual installation instructions are down below, so scroll on down and pick the one that best suits your situation.

January 30, 2007 - Vista D(ecision) Day

This coming Tuesday is it, January 30th, 2007, the day when you can head on down to the computer store and lay claim to your very own copy of Vista, be it in a shrink wrapped package or a brand new shiny computer system.

In the past when these days came along it was a much simpler process. You just walked into the store, grabbed a box off the shelf and headed on home. Prior to XP there wasn't any agonizing over what version to buy or whether or not your current system would run the new operating system. Well, maybe there was some agonizing, but it was on a much smaller scale and I think it was pretty much agreed the benefits of upgrading almost always outweighed the disadvantages.

Remember when Windows 98 was released? There were huge release parties and people lined up at midnight outside stores so they could be assured of getting a copy. Of course back in those days, computers were a lot more expensive and the order of the day was upgrading your current system rather than going out and purchasing a new system. Computers hadn't quite reached commodity status like they have today. Back then you had an investment in your hardware. It was actually worth upgrading the operating system and there was a much better chance the applications and hardware were going to function after the upgrade had been completed.

There has already been a huge amount of discussion about the system requirements for Vista. Most of the discussion centers around two aspects; system memory and the graphics card. Probably the most ballyhooed Vista feature is the Aero Glass user interface. It's nice. It's cute. It's different. Some even claim it makes you more productive. Personally, I doubt that claim, but nonetheless, that's what has been said in a number of articles. What is fact is that Vista does require a substantial amount of memory to run acceptably. I'm not talking 512MB here. At the very minimum you need 1GB of RAM and even then you likely won't be happy. Plan on 2GB if you really want to do any serious work. Past 2GB the difference really isn't very noticeable. As far as graphics are concerned, consider 256MB of dedicated graphics processing power the absolute minimum with 512MB being the preferred. Anything less and you're just simply not going to be happy.

So what the question really boils down to is "Do you really 'need' Vista?", and if you come to a positive conclusion on that question, what version of Vista would best serve your needs. I understand those aren't easy questions to answer on a good day. With all the hype surrounding the Vista launch and the hundreds of hungry retailers out there eager to part you from your hard earned money it becomes even harder to make an intelligent decision. I'm going to toss out some things to consider as you try and make your decision. These aren't in any order; just some things you may want to consider.

• If your current system is a few years old this may very well be a good time to look into replacing it and getting Vista as part of the new system. This is no guarantee that just because a new system comes with Vista it will be a screamer and take advantage of everything Vista offers. To the contrary, there will be a ton of marginal systems (read marginal systems as junk) on the market that can barely get out of their own way to take advantage of the Vista changes. Before too long all the available systems will ship with Vista so whether to move from XP to Vista will be a non-issue if you are replacing a system.
• There are eight (8) different Vista versions that I'm aware of and there may be more, but you need to choose carefully. I suggest you look at "The Editions" page on the Microsoft site for a detailed explanation of each Vista version. One of them called Windows Starter 2007 doesn't even carry the Vista moniker and is aimed at developing countries and is definitely not something you want even if you can locate it for sale. Vista Home N and Vista Business N are the same as Vista Home Basic and Vista Business but have the Windows Media Player stripped out of the offering. These two are available as a testament to what happens when lawyers get involved in anything. Avoid these three versions at any cost.

Windows Vista Home Basic - Remember those computers I mentioned earlier that have the unbelievably low come on price points that can't get out of their own way? Chances are they will use Windows Home Basic. You don't want this version. It doesn't contain the Aero Glass interface, you can't burn a DVD video with it and for that matter it doesn't do much of anything else.

Windows Vista Home Premium - For the majority of folks this will be the best choice. It has Aero Glass, Media Center, allows you to burn DVD videos, has SafeDocs for backing up files and a number of other features including Parental Controls which are very useful in a home environment.

Windows Vista Business - Obviously geared more toward business it doesn't contain the Media Center features but does allow it to act as a Remote Desktop host and has MeetingSpace capability as well as the ability to use ShadowCopy for automatic backups. For some reason you can't burn DVD videos with Business, but that's overcome pretty easily.

Windows Vista Enterprise - This is only available via a volume licensing plan. Chances are unless your company gives you a copy you'll never have any contact with this version. It's long on security and short on media and other home friendly features.

Windows Vista Ultimate - This is the top of the line, the one version that has everything including the kitchen sink. If you don't want to get a migraine sorting through all the features one version has versus another version, this is for you. If you need to have everything for bragging rights, it's also your choice, and supposedly from time to time there will also be 'extras' released for Ultimate purchasers. I have no idea what the 'extras' will be. Time will tell.

• If you're currently running XP ask yourself if you're happy with it in its current configuration. Do you have any compelling reason to upgrade other than just to see what's new in Vista? I know the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence, but there is a lot to be said for something that works well and meets your current needs. Security is always an issue, and Vista is touted as being more secure, but bad computing habits can make any system vulnerable and Vista won't change that.
• If you decide it's really to your benefit to upgrade the operating system on your current system, that's fine, but a bigger question looms and must be answered. is the current system really worth upgrading? If you are running at least a Pentium 4 processor at 1.8 or 2.0 gHz or so, have 1GB or memory, and a graphics processor with 256MB of dedicated memory then it may be possible or even worthwhile. Bear in mind though if you are using a laptop that many of them have graphics processors that can't be updated and often times there are memory upgrade limitations.
• Every time a new operating system is released there is always the issue of application compatibility. I'm sure somebody will remind me that I've said before, "Get over it" and go upgrade the applications that aren't compatible or find a different application. Unfortunately that's an additional expense you may not be willing to undertake, and in other cases, there simply may not be an upgrade or alternative application available.
• With each new release comes the proclamation that this is absolutely, positively the most extensively tested and secure piece of software ever released. That may be, but it's still new and there are going to be glitches and pitfalls that show up after release that no amount of beta testing can eliminate. Understand and accept that fact and be prepared to deal with it when it happens.

I took this last item out of the bulleted list of comments above because it has been a sore point with me for years. I have no doubt this little rant of mine is probably going to fall on deaf ears from system builders and will be ignored by 99% of the people that read this article, but I'm going to say it anyway. I absolutely hate and despise recovery CD/DVD's and even worse than that is the hidden recovery partitions on hard disks that stand in lieu of providing a customer with a genuine, certified Microsoft disc containing the operating system. I can't even begin to tell you how many thousands of e-mails I've received over the years from readers that needed the original CD and didn't have it available because the system they purchased didn't include the original media.

What can you do to get around not receiving a Microsoft CD/DVD of the operating system if you purchase from one of the big box stores or an online seller? Truthfully, very little, but I will tell you what I do and it has been successful for me. Go in and pick out the system you want and just before it's time to hand over the plastic to seal the deal, ask if a genuine CD/DVD is included with the system. Not a recovery CD or a hidden partition that allows you to create a recovery CD with all the preloaded crap that infects systems these days, but a genuine Microsoft CD/DVD.

Once they admit the CD/DVD doesn't come with the system, offer to go ahead and complete the purchase if they hand you a shrink wrapped package containing the exact same operating system right off the shelf, or in lieu of that, deduct the price of the operating system from the price so you may purchase it at the same time and take it home with you. Stand your ground. Sometimes you'll be successful, sometimes not, but I assure you that it will get their attention and you'll be elevated up the store chain of command quickly. Be polite. Nobody likes to deal with a rude customer, and rudeness will almost certainly get your request denied. Don't be afraid to make the same request of online only retailers as well. They want to sell goods just as badly as you want to buy. Negotiate, but do it nicely and you can both walk away happy.

Finally, be prepared to spend a lot of time working with Vista to get it working in a way that's comfortable to you and suits your style. It may or may not be a quick and easy process depending on the type of work you do and how ingrained your work habits are after a lot of years with another operating system. For me, I have to tell you it has been a long and painful process. Maybe I'm just old, stubborn, and resistant to change (some say there is no 'maybe' about it) but even after many months of beta releases and now the final release, I still haven't made the change to Vista as my primary operating system. At some point I may switch permanently, but right now I see Vista as a 'golly gee whiz eye candy' sort of exercise that I don't find overly useful or compelling for business use. For inexperienced or moderate home users the Vista Home Premium offering brings a lot of media and security features to the table that XP lacks.

Vista Editions and Links to Additional Information

Windows Vista Starter

This is a non-issue unless you happen to live in a location deemed an emerging market. The functionality of Starter is very low and it's intended for beginners with no previous computer experience. It's available through OEM's, system builder partners, and government sponsored programs. In spite of the fact Vista Starter isn't supposed to be generally available, I'd be willing to bet it will turn up in short order from OEM's and being offered to the general public at bargain basement prices. Resist the temptation as you will be sorely disappointed. More info on Starter.

Windows Vista Home Basic

One step up from Vista Starter is Vista Home Basic. For months now, almost every article I've seen about Vista manages to mention the new interface called Aero that uses the glass effects. If that is important to you, step right on by Vista Home Basic because it isn't available in this version. Truthfully, there isn't a lot available in this version. It does have Internet Explorer 7 and some better search features, but it's sorely lacking in multimedia and entertainment features. More info on Home Basic.

Windows Vista Home Premium

This is the version that will most likely appear on the majority of home consumer variety systems. Unlike Vista Home Basic, the Vista Home Premium version does offer the Aero Glass interface as well as enhanced entertainment and multimedia features. Keep in mind though that just because a system is sold with Vista Home Premium loaded it doesn't mean the processor, installed memory and graphics processor will be up to the task of running the operating system in a manner you'll find acceptable. Truthfully, I expect to see a lot of substandard machines loaded with Vista Home Premium to try and lure the less savvy and first time buyers. More info on Home Premium.

Windows Vista Business

Rather than include the entertainment and multimedia features that are touted in Vista Home Premium, Vista Business eliminates and replaces them with networking, backup, and remote desktop features that are more likely to be used in a business situation. Backup is a strong feature in Vista Business and deployment is improved via a non-hardware dependent image based installation routine. More info on Business.

Windows Ultimate

As you can probably guess by the name, Windows Ultimate is the version that has it all; it also has a suggested upgrade price of $259.00 and $399.00 for the full package. If you want the security and backup of Vista Business and the entertainment and multimedia features of Home Premium, Vista Ultimate is the means to that end. More info on Ultimate.

Windows Enterprise

The Windows Vista Enterprise edition is only available to Microsoft Volume License customers. It is not available for retail purchase. More info on Enterprise.

Installing Vista

It seems strange after all the years of Longhorn and Vista builds to finally name an article that doesn't include 'beta' or 'release candidate' in the title. In case you're thinking to yourself that the screen capture below isn't from a legitimate, licensed copy of the final Vista release, I assure you it is indeed on the up and up. It came directly from Microsoft via the MSDN site. Notice in the lower right hand corner of the desktop there is no longer any RC designation, no build number, and the 'Evaluation Copy' disclaimer has been removed.

As I popped in the DVD to begin the installation of Vista I thought back to the time when I did my very first Windows installation. If I remember correctly, and bear in mind I may be mistaken because it was a lot of years ago, I think the entire operating system was contained on three 5 1/4" floppy diskettes, or maybe it was five diskettes. The point is, times have certainly changed as Vista isn't even available on CD. It requires a DVD just to hold the code for the different versions.

There are different ways to go about installing Vista. I'm going to talk about four methods; the 'clean installation', the 'upgrade installation' and the 'dual boot' installation. The fourth method will be installing Vista in a VMWare virtual machine. No matter which method you select as correct for your situation, there are certain things you need to consider before popping in that DVD. Other than testers, I've never heard anybody come right out and say they hope an installation fails, at least not on their own system. Truth is though they do fail, and until it happens to you and you suddenly realize all hope of recovery is gone and you stand to lose all your precious data and files, the eagerness to install without backing up everything first can be deadly.

Back up your system. I'm not talking about just your favorites and maybe a couple of songs and photographs. I'm talking about everything. I think as computers have become more integrated into our lives we sometimes fail to realize just how much information is stored on these systems, or how devastating it can be if it is suddenly lost and irretrievable. Vista has been tested and retested more times than I could count, but it's still an operating system and there will be failures. Don't be one of the causalities. Have a tested, off the system backup, and make sure you know how to use the backup to restore your system. Alright, on to the installation.

Clean Installation

If you are 100% sure you are going to like Vista (that's a big if) then you may want to do a clean installation. Right now there is quite a bit of uncertainty about how the clean installation process is going to shake out. The uncertainty stems from the fact the Vista downloads available via MSDN or TechNet are full (not upgrade) versions. Why does this matter? If you remember back to previous versions of Windows, lets say you had Windows 2000 installed and wanted to upgrade to Windows XP Pro using an 'upgrade' version rather than a 'full version' of XP. At the same time you wanted to wipe the hard drive completely before you did the install. This was possible because during the installation of XP a screen would appear saying Windows could not locate an installed qualifying product and you would be asked to insert the Windows 2000 CD. Once it was inserted and verified, you were free to move ahead with the XP installation and it would complete.

The question that hasn't been answered yet (at least not to my knowledge) is whether or not this same procedure will be in place with Vista. I've read a lot of speculation about how this is going to work. Some camps claim the procedure will be similar or identical to the 2000/XP scenario I outlined above. Other camps claim 'inserting the qualifying product CD' is kaput and the system to be upgraded will need to have the qualifying operating system installed on the system before the installation will be allowed. Truthfully, I haven't been able to get an answer from anyone I 100% trust as to how the 'upgrade' scenario will be handled. The reality is though, if you currently have a legitimate (notice I said legitimate) Vista DVD and product key it's a moot point because you can do a clean installation and not be concerned with how this situation resolves.

Clean Vista Installation

Upgrade Installation

If there is an operating system currently installed on the system you might want to consider the 'Upgrade' option. This option retains your files, settings, and programs and upgrades the system to Vista. You'll notice on the screen there is a reminder to back up all your files before selecting this option. Heed that warning. I was curious about how long it would take to upgrade a heavily loaded XP Professional system with four installed hard drives and numerous external drives attached, each one over 50% full. This was a fairly modern Pentium 4 machine, 4GB of RAM and a well maintained system. Overall it took almost 2.5 hours until the upgrade completed, which wasn't out of line with Microsoft's admonition that the upgrade 'could' require several hours. In spite of the fact this system was purchased fairly recently (12 months ago) I wasn't overly happy with the upgrade results. There were some hardware and software issues that I'll save for a later, more detailed article, and the overall system performance was definitely degraded compared to the identical system using XP Professional. That said, I would 'never' under any circumstances just do an upgrade installation on a system in a real life situation without first researching every hardware component and piece of software on the system 'and' have an image of the system so it could be restored if things did not go as expected. This was only a quick test and I hope not representative of what will be considered normal.

Upgrade Vista Installation

Dual Boot Installation

The last installation method I want to mention is dual booting, or running the current operating system in conjunction with Vista on the same machine. In order to dual boot you need to have a separate partition of sufficient size on the hard drive where Vista will be installed. Rather than select the 'Upgrade' option during setup, opt for 'Custom' and specify the location where Vista will be installed. The installation process will recognize that two operating systems exist and configure the boot menu so either one may be selected.

Dual Boot Vista / XP Installation

VMWare Virtual Machine Installation

For those of you that prefer to run operating systems in virtual machines to make testing easier while maintaining the primary operating system integrity, I've included the procedure I use to install Vista in VMWare Workstation v 5.5.3 Build 34685. There are numerous ways this can be done and you may well find my method rather tedious, so feel free to experiment and modify the routine to suit your taste.

Virtual Machine Vista Installation

Right now I have to say that I'd either opt for the dual boot method or a clean installation rather than the upgrade install. If you only have one system and want to test out Vista the dual boot option is ideal. If you have a second system, wipe it clean and go for the clean install to use as a test bed. The virtual machine installation protects your primary system very well, but there is a small performance penalty to be paid and the graphics that are so highly touted as being part of the Vista 'experience' will be compromised, but in certain situations it's an unbeatable option. Whatever choice you decide on, just make sure you have the means to completely and totally restore your system to its previous state, and that includes all files, data, applications, and operating system.