Microsoft Vista Question

[OSHA]

I too just got Vista. Zone Alarm is not yet updated for Vista. I use a small router for a hardware firewall. I can't comment on the built in firewall. With this setup Spybot S&D, Adaware and AVG have yet to report any intrusions.

The Shields Up website will test your computer for various vulnerabilities. Once my router was configured properly it reported that I was in stealth mode.

[Echo Talon]

do you have a hardware firewall/router (i.e. d-link,linksys,netgear ?) if not get one.. ALL computers should be behind a router IMHO... then, make sure you have an anti-virus... Vista will tell you that you need one... you're comp may have came with one already, IF not you could get one from here for free for 60 days, then you could either buy it OR after the 60 days it will because the FREE version, which is fine.. but will lose (some) of the features...

[antisocial]

"Compaq and HP overheat.... Dell Hell ain't quite as hot as Hewlett Packard Purgatory."

LOL, just be sure to stay out of the Toshiba toilet!

[Ainast]

btw, it now gets no hotter than any other laptop I've used.

[proudofthesouth]

You can't buy a new computer with XP anymore. I tried!

BTW, I'm having to buy a new printer too cause Vista isn't compatible with most printers.

[Buffettfan]

Something like the barracuda (hardware) firewall is a huge step in protecting yourself.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>I was told to not buy Vista for at least 6 months to a year.

The best objective reviews of Vista I've read, say Microsoft should've called it Windows XP SP3. IOW, operationally there is no big differences between WinVista and WinXP. Especially not worth the high prices for upgrades. Bill Gates is gonna make a killing at $150-$300 a pop. I'd wait until MS stops supporting XP. By then the Fuji and Vienna upgrades will have been incorporated into Vista. Maybe 2010-2012.

[Echo Talon]

You can't buy a new computer with XP anymore. I tried!

oh really?

[rstrahan]

Never trust a Microsoft firewall. Go get a D-Link or Linksys router with built-in firewall. Those are bulletproof.

[Eagles Talon IV]

If you are going to use the Vista firewall you shouldn't use another one at the same time. Operating 2 firewalls simultaneously can cause problems.

[proudofthesouth]

I should have said in a "physical" store. I'm a bit old fashioned. When it comes to buying something as expensive as a new computer I want to actually touch and look at it first.

[peteram]

Compaq and HP overheat.... Dell Hell ain't quite as hot as Hewlett Packard Purgatory.

I'm on my 2nd Gateway Laptop. Just got it last October (before Vista) and it runs great. My first Gateway served me faithfully since 1999. Still runs, too, but it was time for an upgrade. Plus, Gateway Tech Support has been fantastic.

FReegards!

[Eagles Talon IV]

I agree, I have a 5 year old Dell and have not had a single hardware related problem.

[Eagles Talon IV]

"Compaq and HP overheat..."

I can attest to this. I had a Compaque literally fry before my eyes as the power supply committed Hari Kari.

[KoRn]

From what I've seen, the Vista Firewall is pretty robust. You can create custom rules based on ports, protocols, access lists, and direction. You can do quite allot with it.

I was surprisingly impressed when I saw it. You can also configure the firewall settings in the computer's local group policy Objects so the firewall settings will be global to the computer rather than the Current User. That will also depend at what level the GPO(group policy object) is applied. In Vista, local GPOs can be applied per computer, for administrator, or per user.

[Echo Talon]

The best objective reviews of Vista I've read, say Microsoft should've called it Windows XP SP3.

Ummmm, thats horse pucky... Vista Ultimate has lots of new stuff already in place Media Center, Total Disk Backup, Bit locker, burning, DVD support, gadgets up the wazoo, disk management, .net 3?,DirectX 10, when Vista (Fiji and Vienna) arrive then we will start to really smile. :)

[brazzaville]

Good morning,
"...a notebook cooler made by Antec"

I've used one with my old Gateway laptop for more than a year now and it does indeed work like a champ.

One thing to watch for is a build up of dust that can block the flow of cool air. Before buying the cooler, I killed two hard drives.

Michael Frazier

[FlyVet]

I just bought a dual core Pavilion and it's the coolest and quietest running system I've ever had, by far. I ran a CPU stress test on it, which maxes out the CPU and memory for about 10 min, and the exhaust temp increased from 77 to 82 degrees. The BIOS is weak (won't allow overclocking, won't allow me to set the SATA drive as boot priority after installing my old IDE drive, which slows down the boot up), but not being a gamer it's easy to live with.

I had intended to build my own, but with a $150 rebate I couldn't build a comparable system at that price, and then figure in a ton of preloaded software.

[proudofthesouth]

You are soooo lucky!

I had a Dell Inspiron and I must have gotten a real lemon!

My hard drive was replaced last fall when the system was only 18 months old. Dell had me send the back the entire laptop (at their expense) and they sent it back to me saying that they were sending me separately a hard drive which they didn't format prior to it.

I can't begin to tell you the problems I've had with Dell and how stressful and horrible Dell Hell is.

[P-40]

It is more likely that you have a software problem than a hardware problem.

I buy a lot of Dells and have not had much in the way of hardware problems with them. With the exception of Windows Defender for some reason, most of the problems I do see are software problems from the user installing some questionable software.