petef

I googled... CRCDISK.SYS vista startup, and found many people with a similar problem but unfortunately most cases led to dead ends and no solution, so this it a particularly difficult problem to resolve. I found one case where reinstalling Vista was the solution but if I'm understanding Swickle correctly, the system is freezing up in such a manner that makes reinstalling Vista impossible. Corrrect? ---pete---

Everyone, If I understand the problem correctly, it seems that the same problem occurs on two different hard drives and also when a WinXP CD or a Vista CD is used. Same problem occurs when using the onboard video or the video card. Correct? If all the above is correct then I suspect a hardware problem on the motherboard. One of the onboard components could be failing and causing the freezeup. My only suggestion at this point would be to get into the BIOS and try disabling various onboard features such as the ethernet port, or onboard sound or anything you see that can be disabled while allowing the system to still boot up. I'd even suggest trying a different keyboard or mouse or switch from using PS2 ports to USB ports is that is applicable here. ---pete---

The Windows 7 GUI seems to be modeled after the iPhone. When I first saw a demo of the iPhone it seemed like a fantastic user interface and that's still true becasue the iPhone is a portable *handheld* device. However, this new style of interface seems all wrong for a traditional PC workstation. I'm assuming that Windows 7 will be marketed for desktop computers as well as laptops. If true, Microsoft seems to have goofed again by designing a new OS that has a GUI best adapted for a handheld device but marketed for use on a desktop computer. I see so many problems associated with a touch screen on a desktop computer or even a laptop. I'll list them below. * Screen constantly needs cleaning. Montors will need a washer and wiper system similar to the windshield wipers on your automobile. (joking) :D *The millions of PC workstations in the world now are ergonomically incorrect for adapting a touch screen. Can you imagine a 22" screen repositioned to be close enough to touch it? Now it's too close for comfortable viewing. * Seems that the ergonomically correct position of touchscreen would interfere with a traditional keyboard that is also in an ergonomically corrrect position. * The user's arms will get cramps or fatigued. * An entirely new PC workstation will need to be designed if the touch screen is to succeed for a desktop PC. Unfortunatley, the average business or home user is not going to like the idea of throwing out their old computer worksation furniture. So this sounds like another poorly thought out idea by Microsoft. Touch screens are not new technology becasue GE was using them way back in the 1990's for training employees. I was one such employee and I can tell you that moving & clicking a mouse is much better than reaching out with your fingers to touch the screen. On the other hand, for a portable device like a phone or PDA, the touch screen seems to make good sense. If Windows 7 is not widely accepted by the general public it could breath new life into Windows XP and Vista. ---pete---

Check it out and see what you think... ---pete---

TIP: How to enable the Administrator account in Vista The Problem: Vista has been known to suddenly lock you out of your own account due to password failure issues, leaving you unable to get into windows. By default, the Administrator account is disabled in Vista so you have no easy way to get into Windows to fix things. The solution: To safeguard against this problem where you may get locked out of your user account, you should enable the Administrator account. DO IT TODAY, BEFORE YOU HAVE PROBLEMS! Procedure is as follows: * Go to.. All programs, right-click.. Command Prompt and select.. run As Administrator. * To ACTIVATE the Administrator account type the following command: net user administrator /active:yes * Reboot the computer and you will now see the administrator account as an optional user account to log into in case something goes wrong with your regular user account. * To DEACTIVATE the Administrator account follow the same basic procedure but type the following command instead: net user administrator /active:no SECURITY ISSUES: Once you enable the Administrator account, you should logon to the account and use the User Accounts program in Control Panel to set a password for the account. Upon activating the Administrator account, by default, the password should be blank. However, in the rare case that a password is set, use a regular account with administrator privileges and the User Accounts applet in Control Panel to remove the password and then create a new one. ---pete---

Forget that. I edited my post to remove that statement. You have to be careful when reading my posts because I always post them and then go back to re-read them and I often edit the post within a few minutes of posting it. So if you are reading my posts immediately after they are posted you will often not see the edited version. ---pete---

Ok, that makes good sense. But isn't that the job of the iPod Access software mentioned earlier in this thread; to transfer tunes from the iPod to the Windows PC? iPod Access for Windows Excerpt from link above... iPod Access for Windows is the premier application for transferring songs from your iPod or iPhone to your Windows computer. ---pete---

I really don't know, but it's my impression that the needed features are left out of the iTunes software on purpose, so that makes me think it's more about anti-piracy than it is about PC vs MAC. ---pete---

Well Seth, Vista has been out for 1.5 years now, and judging by the my lack of malware cleaning business on Vista PCs I'd say that all the anti-malware measures in Vista makes it less prone than XP. As a matter of fact, comparing the damand for malware cleaning services in 2006 versus 2007, I'd say that consumers are learning how to avoid malware in the first place and also how to clean it themselves. In my business, I notice the malware trends changing. It used to be I'd encounter an infected PC with hundreds of malware that eventually slowed the computer to the point where they'd call me to clean it and cleaning was relatively easy. Lately, I'm encountering malware infected PCs that only have a few types of malware but they are getting much harder to remove. I rarely get calls to clean Vista PCs. So, I think it's true that as people migrate to Vista or whatever new OS that Microsoft come out with and as people get more educated about avoiding malware and cleaning it themselves, we will see much less business related to cleaning malware. ---pete---

Thanks for posting the question! I had a call from a potential customer just the other day asking how to get tunes from his ipod to his new PC and I didn't know how to do it. I was thinking that the iTunes software would do it but to my amazment we couldn't find any such feature in the iTunes menus. I should get myself an ipod just to have some experience with it so I can help others with theirs. ---pete---

A quick read & summary of the article above indicates that manually browsing the folders on the iPod is risky and may corrupt the data. They suggest using software specifically intended for copying files from the iPod to the computer. See link below. iPod Access for Windows ---pete---

If you are new to the concept of using forums to obtain solutions to technical problems, I offer you a detailed article that will guide you on most basic aspects involved. TIPS FOR USING ANY BBS, FORUM or NEWSGROUP HTH-FreeInfo_TipsForUsingAnyBBSForumOrNewsgroup If you don't have time to read the entire article, I recommend that you just read the following sections to get started on the right foot. THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU POST A MESSAGE HTH-FreeInfo_TipsForUsingAnyBBSForumOrNewsgroup GUIDELINES FOR THE SUBJECT/TITLE OF YOUR POST HTH-FreeInfo_TipsForUsingAnyBBSForumOrNewsgroup GUIDELINES FOR COMPOSING & POSTING YOUR MESSAGE HTH-FreeInfo_TipsForUsingAnyBBSForumOrNewsgroup PS: The article above generally applies to any Forum and is just a guide to help you get the most out of the the entire experience. It is NOT a list of rules for this forum. ---pete---

I was researching this issue (recovery partiton is not working) and found a forum that specializes in BOOT operations. I came across an interesting post that seems to deal with this issue but I can see it would take considerable time to investigate further. See post#3 in the thread at link below: Recovery partition headache! - Boot Land I see some very intersting and new tools in that post. (beeblebrox and TESTDISK) Definately worth looking into. ---pete---

I'm glad to hear that you finally fixed the problem by reinstalling again, but for future reference, you or if anyone else has a similar problem, try going to START > RUN and type in the following commands to re-register several *.DLL files and that might fix the problem. regsvr32 /s wuapi.dll regsvr32 /s wuaueng1.dll regsvr32 /s wuaueng.dll regsvr32 /s wucltui.dll regsvr32 /s wups2.dll regsvr32 /s wups.dll regsvr32 /s wuweb.dll ---pete---

Be aware, that defrag in Vista can be set to automatically run on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Every Vista PC I've checked so far has had this schedule set to run on a weekly basis, so I'm assuming that this is the default setting. Check your defrag schedule in Vista by checking the properties of the hard drive then select Tools, and then click the Defrag Now button. You will then see the option to modify the defrag schedule. ---pete---

Run MSCONFIG and check for any SERVICES or STARTUP items related to the printer that may have been disabled. ---pete---

Not to hi-jack Seth's topic, I posted a new topic: http://extremetechsupport.com/forum/windows-vista/2584-vista-suddenly-locks-you-out-enable-administrator-account.html#post15061 ---pete---

Windows 2000, right? Anyway, I have fixed problems with WinXP Explorer and security center by re-applying SP2 when I was unable to locate the regular WinXP installation CDs. You might try something similar with Win2K. ---pete---

I've had 2 Vista computers in the past few days where the user was unable to login to Vista due to password failure issues. FIRST PC required a System Restore to the day before the last windows updates, and the SECOND PC required a password reset using PW reset utility on CD . SECOND PC had this problem after several programs were uninstalled using normal uninstall procedures. FIRST PC had this problem and only clue is that it received a Windows update on the day the problem started. ---pete---

I have found AV-comparative to closely match what Techs are reporting who routinely clean malware professionally. You have to view the "Retrospective/ProActive Test" test results to get the best overall picture and realize too that they only test about every 6 months, so keep in mind that things can change from when they tested to what version is currently on the market. ---pete---

AV-comparatives is the one I trust the most for evaluating anti-virus products. AV-Comparatives

Which Office version are you referring to that won't work in Vista? It's exactly this kind of thing where MS breaks their own products and leaves you stranded that has caused me to abandon MS products and turn to alternatives. Over the years I've been burned too many times by MS compatibiity issues within their own products where they offer no easy and economical solution. I now avoid MS products whenever possible. ---pete---

Kelly, on versions prior to 4.0 you could update the program to a newer version if you first went to Preferences and clicked the update button on the General & Startup tab. By default, it was set to automatically check for program updates (I think). On version 4.0 you can also get program updates but it's been moved to.. Preferences - Updates tab. There you can set it to automaticaly check for program updates but I'm not sure what the default setting is. ---pete---

Years ago I learned my lesson and got away from using any special file formats for most of my documents created in MS WORD that I maintain for information only. This includes info I capture from websites, forums, or things I write for myself. I save in "MS-DOS Text" format which is readable by any word processor and creates very small files. I prefer to use WORD becasue of the built-in spell checker and various other features that are useful even for creating plain text files. About the only time I use formatted text and save as MS word *.doc is when I need to write a formal letter or a document that needs special formating but most times I am printing a hard copy so compatibility issues are never a problem. To address lisalashes comment about "Why does it have to be so complicated?", I say keep it simple as possible by only using plain text with no special formatting and save as MS-DOS Text or ASCII text for documents you intend to share with others or that are for your own information only. Only use fancy or special formatted text and MS proprietary file formats for documents that you plan to print out and distribute or where you know in advance that the people you intend to share with are using the same MS Word program as you are. I have lived by those rules for many years and the result is my archive of over 3,600 files, mostly saved using MS Word in MS-DOS Text format which is readable by any word processor. Can you imagine if I had saved all those files using the various MS proprietary file formats since about 1995 and the monumental task of converting them to the new file formats whenever MS decides to change things? ---pete---

Try getting away from the MS proprietary formats (.doc, .docx) and use something designed to be more universal such as Rich Text Format (.rtf) The Rich Text Format (often abbreviated RTF) is a free document file format developed by Microsoft in 1987 for cross-platform document interchange. Most word processors are able to read and write RTF documents. Rich Text Format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Also, make sure you use standard FONTs that you know are supported by most other Word Processors. (Courier, Arial, Time New Roman) ---pete---