changing from vista

[DAIPWYSO]

I use a Dell dimension 2400 with 1gb RAM, 80gb HDD, running XP with SP3. My partner uses an emachines laptop with 2gb RAM, 250gb HDD running Vista homebasic. We also have a 1TB toshiba external hard drive.

 

The thing is Kate is really having a hard time with Vista. I've looked around the internet and it seems that 'downgrading' from vista to XP is going to be beyond us.

 

Just a thought. How readily can i download something like Ubuntu onto the Dell pc to try it out without removing or harming Windows xp? And if that's doable (!) (and Kate's more comfortable with it) will it go onto the laptop in place of Vista and how much of the old data, music, photo's will be compatible/not?

 

Obviously if it is achievable i'll need a season ticket on the forum to get me through it!

 

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

 

Many thanks in advance Dave (& Kate)

[Jelly Bean]

Hello Dave me again.

 

You would need either the XP install disk or the recovery disk just incase of a issue.

 

Read this link and see if you would attempt it:

 

How to dual boot Windows XP and Linux (XP installed first) -- the step-by-step guide with screenshots

[DAIPWYSO]

Hi Jelly Bean

 

Thanks for that, I had a look at it and am currently having a lie down.

I am going to consider my options carefully. As posted elsewhere we're experiencing 'confidence' issues with Vista. I think if we can resolve the 'rapidly diminishing hard disk space' issue, it may be worth persevering with Vista, maybe.

Is it just me or is it actually a little annoying to have progressed from xp to something which is unrecognisable and extremely difficult to use?

Thank you very much - diolch yn fawr iawn.

I'm sure with all your help we'll get through it ok

Dave

[Jelly Bean]

Hey Dave and thankyou.:)

 

The missing soace is due to backup and restore and system restore.

 

Yup annoying Vista does this and you loose space.

 

Ok you can reduce system restore space used in Vista and delete system restore points this will free up space.

 

Click start/all programs/accessories/system tools/disk cleanup/click files from all users of this computer/elivated admin popup click continue/make sure C is highlighted and click ok/check all boxes then click more options tab/click on cleanup button listed under system restore and shadow copies/in the popup windows click delete/click ok/click delete files.

 

The utility to change the settings is a command line utility called vssadmin. You’ll have to open a command prompt in administrator mode by entering cmd into the start menu and hitting Ctrl+Shift+Enter, or right-clicking the command prompt and selecting Run as Administrator.

http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/WindowsLiveWriter/ReduceSystemRestoresDiskUsageinVista_C3A/image%7B0%7D.png

Show Allocated System Restore Size

Type in the following command into the prompt:

vssadmin list shadowstorage

http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/WindowsLiveWriter/ReduceSystemRestoresDiskUsageinVista_C3A/image%7B0%7D%5B1%5D.png

As you can see in the screenshot, System Restore is taking up 2.2 GB on my system.. and I just reinstalled!

Changing the Allocated System Restore Size

To change the maximum size on the disk that System Restore will use, you will need to type in the following command:

vssadmin Resize ShadowStorage /For=C: /On=C: /Maxsize=3GB

http://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/WindowsLiveWriter/ReduceSystemRestoresDiskUsageinVista_C3A/image%7B0%7D%5B2%5D.png

You can change the /for and /on to match the drive that System Restore is enabled on, and you can set a different size for the max size. I chose 3GB for the sake of this example, but you could also limit it to 500MB or something else if you wanted to.

If you have plenty of disk space, I’d recommend leaving the values alone, but if you are running low on space, this is a quick way to help the problem.

 

I think you should keep Vista and just need a little help in using it.

[DAIPWYSO]

Thanks. I'll try it this evening when I get home from work (I wasn't really lying down!).

Regards Dave

[Jelly Bean]

I wish I was lying down.

 

Vista is annoying but you can get used to it.

 

Have a go and let me know how it goes..

 

I am sure we can help Katie along with the Vista trials and tribulations.

[Tootech]

Just a coment regarding this

 

How readily can i download something like Ubuntu onto the Dell pc to try it out without removing or harming Windows xp

 

The latest Ubuntu 9.10 is great, different to XP but works very well. You can run it as a live CD to get a feel for it - just be aware that it will run more slowly as your CD drive spins up to start each task you request.

 

Also consider Kubuntu - it has the KDE desktop rather than Ubuntu's Gnone - both work well and its down to personal choice.

[DAIPWYSO]

Jelly Bean

Brilliant, I managed that ok. I know you said it's best not to but I changed the Maxsize to 4GB (will that be ok, can I change it back if need be?) because it was so good to achieve something. We were feeling a little impotent. Am I right in hoping the HDD space used shouldn't escalate much faster than the data input now?

 

Tootech, thanks i might try that with Ubuntu for comparison. Although I think Jelly Bean is probably right and ultimately we'll have to learn to live with Vista.

 

Yet again thanks for being there, Dave

[Tootech]

we'll have to learn to live with Vista./QUOTE]

 

Hmmm, well I learned very quickly to live without it

 

It is a bit like driving your car around on 3 cylinders, knowing that somehow it will go faster and smoother, just not knowing which bits to change to make good again.

 

Happy days :):):)

[DAIPWYSO]

Tootech

If you're right I'll be glad to abandon Microsoft.

I don't think they'd miss me though!

Dave

[Jelly Bean]

Yes 4 gig should be fine.

 

And yes it can be changed back if you wish to.

 

Yes hopefully the dissapearing space should stop.

[DAIPWYSO]

Hi Jelly Bean

Well done. The dissapearing disk space was the single biggest issue with Vista and was causing Kate considerable grief. She's been increasingly concerned over the 3 months that she's had the laptop. And viola (!!) all is now sweetness and light (for the time being at least).

I can't thank you enough.

Diolch yn dwmpe - thanks in lumps

Dave

[RandyL]

That's great. Jelly Bean will be pleased too.

 

Just to add a bit of information so you know.

 

By default Vista is set to use 25% of the FREE hard drive space for System Restore. So if you have 100GB space left Vista would use 25GB of it for System Restore.

 

I've noticed that Vista Restore points use a lot of space for each one. So at 4GB you will have fewer restore points before the older ones get deleted.

 

Vista also makes a fresh restore point every 24 hours even if a system change has not occurred unless a restore point was made because of a change.

 

So the point is at 4GB you likely won't be able to restore to an early point in time. Even with it set larger early points would be less due to the hog of space it needs compared to earlier versions of Windows.

 

If that is an issue there are ways to change the scheduling of restore points. If not you can leave it as is.

 

Good job everyone.

[Jelly Bean]

Hey Dave and thankyou RandyL.

 

That is brilliant Dave,Vista is annoying and Katie would not be the first to worry about loss of space.

 

If you need any further help we will be pleased to help you.

 

JB.

[DAIPWYSO]

Thanks for the heads up RL. I can't pretend I understand the implications but i'll leave things as they are for a while. Kate's enjoying the comfort in 'feeling' that the disk space isn't evaporating before her eyes. Perhaps when we're more comfortable with Vista, reverting to the original restore settings then might not seem so bad?

If I live to regret the decision you'll be the people i'll be calling on to hopefully 'talk me down'.

Best regards and thanks again Dave