XP or Vista?

In case there's still any doubt about Windows XP vs. Vista, this surprising upgrade report settles the question of whether to upgrade or not.

(Thanks, Eric, for that URL)

Soundblaster X-Fi errors

I installed my new Soundblaster X-Fi in Area51. I tried to install the drivers on both XP and Vista; problems with both.

Creative suggest I might have a BIOS problem, so I find the support page for my mobo, here: ASRock Motherboard - Product - 939Dual-SATA2 - Overview. I downloaded and installed the latest BIOS update (939Dual-SATA2 - Download).

Although this was a Good Thing To Do, it did not fix my problem. As it turns out, moving the card to a new PCI slot fixed the problem.

Windows XP & Vista can't recognize all my RAM!

It looks like I need to go to Vista 64 to get this to work, according to this article in the MS Knowledge Base:

The system memory that is reported in the System Information dialog box in Windows Vista is less than you expect if 4 GB of RAM is installed

I've installled 3 GB of Ram, but Vista only recognizes 2 GB:

Total Physical Memory 2,798.69 MB
Available Physical Memory 2.04 GB

Note that the Total Physical Memory should be 3072, so I'm missing out on 273 MB of RAM I have installed.

Playtool

Great information about selecting a video card, plus extensive information on power supply issues, which are very important for current video cards.

More information on power supplies at Tech Hounds: Power Supply.

Basic Computer Setup Checklist

Before you set up your computer, review this checklist:

1. Find a surge protector or Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for your computer. I like to be able to turn off all peripherals (monitor, speakers, printers) with a single switch. One of my favorite options is to plug the computer into the UPS battery backup, and then plug a power supply into UPS so you can switch off the peripherals with "one click."
2. Find a good spot for your rig. Make sure there is adequate ventilation for the computer -- don't pack it in too tight. Also, check the lighting: sometimes glare can make a monitor unusable, especially the flat screens. Ideally, you can get to the back of the computer as easily as the front, since this is where most of the connections are, anyway.

Now, assemble the items you'll need to set up:

• Power cable
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Network cable (usually Cat 5)
• Speaker system with power supplies
• External hard disk with the correct data cable and power supply (plug this into the UPS, too)
• Printer and data cable
• Others: scanner, tablet, joystick, etc.

Set Up Process

1. Plug the UPS into the power outlet or power supply. Tuck the cord away as much as possible, since it will only get in the way later.
2. Plug in the keyboard (and mouse, if required).
3. Plug in the network cable.
4. Plug in any other connections, such as speakers or external hard drives.
5. Attach the monitor cable. If possible, tighten the finger screws, but only finger-tight. Check the power cable to the monitor and confirm the monitor power indicator (usually an LED) lights up when you turn it on.
   
6. Plug in the power cord.
7. Boot up.
   

Windows Questions

Here are some things I'd like to know:

I'd like to capture resource usages on different flavors of Windows. Can I capture the following info from the command line?

• RAM usage
• CPU
• Current Processes
• Disk usage

I know I can do this stuff on the Mac and Linux boxen. Please post a comment if you have any suggestions for good Windows command line tools. I'll update this post as I find the best options.

NetworkClue.com lists many useful Windows XP/2000 Commands & Tools.

Windows Vista activation woes

When I was away on vacation, my newly installed copy of Windows Vista Ultimate de-activated. Yet, because Vista is having so much trouble correctly identifying my simple/stupid DHCP configuration, I can't activate on-line.

I refuse to use the touch-tone call in system.

Today, I moved the Vista box in question, Area 51, to the third floor office where we have a connection via RCN. I've noticed a new option (I don't think it was there before -- I'm sure I would have noticed it) that shows up on the first Windows Activation dialog that appears just after I log in:

Access your computer with reduced functionality
This will also allow you to buy a product key on line

This isn't really what I want to do, but it opens a full screen window for MSIE. From here, the address bar slides out from the top of the screen when I mouse up there.

Now, all I need to do is press Alt-Tab to go back to the original Windows Activation dialog that popped up originally, and now select the "activate online" option.

This is the most opaque, confusing process I've had to hop through in some time -- and it's critical to get the computer to run correctly!

Amazingly, I'm all set. Now that I've activated, Vista auto-magically displays the task bar &c. Since I'm connected to a new router & ISP, it's time to do the network shuffle.

Vista asks:

Select a location for the 'Network 2' network.

I pick "Home" and I'm all set. Now, Start > All Programs > Windows Update, [Check for Updates].

Quote of the day appears:

To check for updates, you must first install an update for Windows Update. Your automatic updating settings will not change.

From the sounds of it, I should be relieved. Did I mention I was updating? Yes, and 13 are available. Off I go...

USB Legacy Support Enabled on Area51

I was unable to use my old HP USB keyboard on the Windows Vista boot menu, although I could use it to access the BIOS menu (F2) -- good thing, too, because then I was able to set USB Legacy Support to "Auto," from "Disabled." This did the trick.  

ShuttleX Dies: Massive RAM failure

I just picked up Battlefeild 2142 and imaging how pleased I was when I found it would (possibly) run on my old breadbox, ShuttleX -- a Pentium 4. Well, since I haven't really booted it up in almost a month, maybe more, I had no idea that I had a major RAM failure and now I can't boot into Ubuntu, Windows (installed on the HD) or even from Knoppix. Only the Knoppix 5.01 CD gave me the full report on the kernel panic error, which suggested bad RAM chip(s). I ran memtest off the Knoppix CD and confirmed that it was the RAM.

Use Knoppix to format large FAT32 volume?

Keith suggests booting Area51 into Knoppix and using the Knoppix tools to format my large (113 GB) volume as a FAT32 disk.

XP = Best Choice

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 1:24 AM

Today, it looks like the best Windows for me is XP (Pro). It’s patched, all drivers installed, and it uses less RAM than 2000, with a similar configuration. Both use around 200 MB, but right now XP is formatting my F: drive (again) and using only 179 MB. That’s all pimped up, too, including MSIE 7, all updates, .NET, etc. etc.

Plus, I can use VNC!

Vista loses control of network card

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 1:23 AM

Now the network card that Vista used to recognize (and use) is now unable to connect to the router and get an IP address. When I boot into 2000 or XP, no problems. It’s clearly software, probably a result of one of the updates I installed.

Vista & 2000 fight it out over NFTS Permissions

I'm having nothing but problems with my large NTFS formatted data volume on Area 51. Vista erased all the data on it during the installation (nothing much); then reported errors and fixed them on reboot. Windows 2000 reported errors, and also had at it. Then, when I booted back into Vista, more errors, more fixes, more data loss.

Now, I'm reformatting the whole volume in Vista. I put a test file on the newly formatted volume, and boot into Windows 2000. No luck -- check disk runs again. It’s time to reformat as FAT32, but of course Vista only formats NTFS. Sheesh.

Monday, July 16, 2007 6:34 PM

Win2K isn’t complaining about the F: disk this time. More updates, and hardware lacking drivers.

Triple Your Fun: 3 Flavors of Windows

The plan is now to install three versions of Windows on Area51: 2000, XP, and Vista.

Sunday, July 15, 2007 10:52 AM

I formatted the hard drive with 3 boot partitions. I’ll devote the remainder to data. See my earlier post, New Partitioning Strategy, for details. Windows 2000 Slipstream is my first installation. All goes well, after I clean the CD. Here are my volumes:

C: 20 GB FAT 32 - 2000 SP3 (DRV1_VOL1)
D: 40 GB NTFS - XP (DRV1_VOL2)
E: 60 GB NTFS - Vista (DRV1_VOL3)
F: 120 GB NTFS - Data (DRV1_VOL4)

Total = 250 GB (of course, it doesn’t add up to 250).

Sunday, July 15, 2007 9:13 PM

Installing XP on D: (DRV1_VOL2).

For both this install & 2000, I need the drivers for the:

NIC
ATI Video Card x800
Sound Card

I complete this installation without a hitch, although the computer is off the network and not updated. On to Vista.
Vista fares much better with the drivers, especially the network driver.

Sunday, July 15, 2007 11:15 PM

Vista is loading my desktop for the first time. Let’s capture stats...

Wow, second time’s the charm for Vista. It recognized the network, and got the updates. That’s what took the first boot so long, I suspect: while Vista declared it was checking my performance, right after the installation completed, it was also downloading updates. Well done. Everything seems to be working, in the computer, but the monitor was not recognized.

On the significantly nasty side, the big data drive, F:, seems to have been formatted or fixed by Vista. Well, certainly not fixed in the normal sense, because all of my files (not many, really) were vaporized.

Reboot, tested a quick boot back into 2000. Still there, and looking absurdly ... flat. Back into Vista. Check it! For real -- Vista runs a consistency check on F:, and it all looks good. I really must check all the volumes, in the different OSes ... but right now, let me check it out in Vista.

Sunday, July 15, 2007 11:33 PM

More strangeness: after installing the correct drivers (or ones that worked, at least) and connecting automatically and downloading updates, now Vista can’t connect to the network. WTF?? The last time, I did a manual intervention, but this time I am going to poke around a little bit more.

Sunday, July 15, 2007 11:40 PM

I tried to discover the network with the Windows Firewall disabled, but that didn’t work. I’ll do my disk checks and reboot.

Also, note that the current driver for the ATI is working quite well.

I’d like to check out that rollback feature. Where is it? It’s called System Restore. Not yet ...

Sunday, July 15, 2007 11:52 PM

What’s this? Network Access? That’s crazy. How did I do that? Back on line. Is it because I enabled Network Discovery for a Private network? I can’t be sure, because Vista “couldn’t find solution” for my lack of network connectivity. And yet, it did.

Monday, July 16, 2007 12:42 AM

Anyway, I finished scanning the two non-boot NTFS partitions, and rebooted. Now, check the boot volume and the FAT32 volume. It looks like it started the scan on the boot volume, E:.

Monday, July 16, 2007 12:50 AM

Time to call it a night. Time to install 3 versions of Windows: 14 hours (not complete, but not continuous, either. Most of my work was really

New Partitioning Strategy for Area51

Here’s how I think I’ll partition the new 250 GB HD I just installed in Area51.

Partitioning Goal:

Boot multiple Windows versions to support the widest range of current game titles.

All partitions are NTFS unless noted

20 GB - Windows 2000 (FAT32)
40 GB - Windows XP
60 GB - Windows Vista
--
120 GB (3 separate Windows installations)
+
120 GB - Data and game installations (remaining space)
====
~240 GB

I can get this off on the right foot by doing a Slipstream install for Windows 2000.

Limited Game Support for Vista? Not true, it seems.

The guy at GameSpot told me that most Windows games for XP don’t run on Vista without a patch. Except, of course, Halo 2. As a result, I need to rethink my partitioning strategy.

AVG Free

AVG Free Advisor - Free antivirus and anti-spyware downloads - currently version 7.5

VNC + Knoppix

Non-trivial in Knoppix 5.x, too: Problems with VNC in Knoppix - Knoppix.net ... are there firewall issues? I gave up, but problems further upstream (bad NIC drivers) were to blame.

VNC + Vista

Some problems & solutions here: VNC + Vista = black screen? - Windows Vista. Also, another solution to another problem: Workaround to Run VNC Server in Windows Vista » My Digital Life

Installing Vista

Summary

My Vista upgrade (clean install) seems to work well, so far today. Total install time, including patching: right about 2 hours.

Vista Areo isn't worth it unless your video card pushes out 32-bit color ("true" color) at your preferred resolution. I had to back my resolution down from the optimal 1440x900 that my Viewsonic supports. Yikes! That seems strange, and needs some research.

My play-by-play log follows:

Monday, July 9, 2007 5:35 PM

Boot from the Vista DVD (hold down any key right after the BIOS screen loads). Then, wait after the spiffy desktop background loads. Watch the mouse pointer.

Finally, run Wizard, select language & keyboard, Install Now.

Please wait... and wait...

Monday, July 9, 2007 5:42 PM

Finally: enter the product key. Here are some complaints:

• The product key number is printed in a much smaller font than previous versions of MS products, making it even harder to distinguish between “8” and “B,” etc.
• The product key sticker is tacked onto the inside of this fancy plastic box that pivots open. Already, after opening it twice, the sticker is peeling off. I will have to make a backup label. Ridiculous.

For now, I opt to skip automatic activation. Anyway, it’s all for naught -- I have to start the install from my existing installation. Time to reboot...

Monday, July 9, 2007 5:47 PM

Reboot into the existing installation of XP. Click the Install Now button after loading Autorun from the DVD.

Please wait... again, but not nearly as long!

I enter the product key (the on-screen font is a little easier to read) and select my big NTFS partition. The installer announces that my old installation will be transferred to Windows.old. OK, let’s do it!

Monday, July 9, 2007 6:17 PM

Windows Vista has happily rebooted from the hard disk. I select keyboard and language, and then create an account. Then, select options for upgrading, set time zone, and finally, the nifty network zone setting. I choose Home (versus Work or Public).

Windows Vista scans my computer to “check performance,” whatever that means. In one sense, it means “read a whole bunch of ads about how great Vista is.”

Some question:

Did Vista recognize all my hardware, especially:
• Network Interface Card (NIC)
• Sound Card
• Souped up ATI video card.

And others...

First log in.

Monday, July 9, 2007 6:54 PM

I couldn’t configure my NIC with DHCP (Network Discovery, in Windows parlance) so I used manual configuration, which worked just fine. I install updates, and request the driver for my RealTek 97 Audio Driver. Reboot ...

Monday, July 9, 2007 7:36 PM

I installed all of the optional updates, as well, except for the language packs.

It turns out that rebooting and launching the installer from my existing install made the whole thing go a little faster, it seems.

Examining Area 51 with Knoppix

Before I install Vista Ultimate on my newly upgraded gaming rig, Area51, I want to run Knoppix to see what kind of hardware I have. I tried booting with Knoppix 5.0 and 5.1 (DVD), and right now it’s just not worth it. The 5.1 DVD loads intermittently, and the 5.0 CD doesn’t I’m going to install Vista by booting from the DVD.

In the meantime, I’ll just download the 5.1 CD via BitTorrent to see if I can get that to work with any consistency.

Monday, July 9, 2007 11:31 PM

I burned the Knoppix 5.1 CD on gforce and it boots up Area51 more reliably than the Knoppix 5.1 DVD. I can boot into 1440x900 (not sure about 32-bit color, though) but it doesn’t matter because the NIC drivers don’t seem to load, since the hub doesn’t light up for Area51’s connection.

Boot to Vista -- Knoppix is officially a bust. I’ve had the worst luck trying to get Linux to run on this box.

Vista Ultimate? 64 bit?

Should I upgrade Area 51 to Windows Vista Ultimate? 64 Bit or 32 Bit? It looks like Vista Ultimate Upgrade is about $238. I wonder if it has all the motherboard drivers I need, too? According to Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows: Windows Vista Feature Focus: 64-Bit (x64) Support:

Windows Vista Ultimate comes with both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) versions in the box, on separate DVDs

Looks like that's the move: Vista Ultimate.

Monday, July 9, 2007 5:09 PM

Update: I picked up the Vista Ultimate Upgrade, this morning, retail at Staples, for $260.

250 GB Hard Drive Upgrade for the Gaming Box, Area 51

I'm working with Blake on upgrading the gaming computer, Area 51, by adding a 250 GB hard drive, a Western Digital Caviar SE (7200 RPM) Model WD2500JBRTL with 30-day installation support and 1 year warranty, starting today, I hope.

We plucked the 15 MB boot drive, and left the 80 GB data drive installed as the slave. The hardware installation went smoothly and the BIOS recognized the unformatted drive as the new master on the next boot.

No operating system, of course, so it's time to install Windows XP. Here's the rub: pre-service pack, for both 2000 and XP, Windows can't recognize a volume larger than 137 GB. So, we boot from the handy Western Digital Installer CD, which allows me to format the entire volume. Tech note: the CD boots to DR-DOS and runs some nifty batch files which install the required drivers. Then, you use the keyboard to run a virtual GUI environment to format the drive with FAT 16, FAT 32, or NTFS partitions.

Here's what I did:

• Created a 4.2 GB FAT 16 partition for Windows 2000 (32 K allocation blocks, I believe).
• Devoted the remaining 245 or so GB to an NTFS partition (4 K blocks).

This way, after I install Win2K on the small (4.2 GB) boot partition, I can install

I set up Windows 2000 with a trivial password (admin/admin) and set up my personal account.

Windows XP Pro, New Installation advanced setup: Advanced Options, Choose partition and drive letter; Don't upgrade partition to NTFS (it already is)