Vista or the PC?

[wisconsin signs]

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/using-windows-vista-compatibility-mode/

Try this, let us know the results.

 

[seattle]

HAHAHAAaa Good luck running your shop on a mac!

 

[Techman]

without the SATA driver the install disc won't even recognize the hard drive.

You do not need a floppy drive to install the SATA drivers.
All you nned to do is make a slipstreamed XP installer. Very simple to do.. Just find the driver.. And find Nlite. And then find your XP install disk.
Start Nlite and follow the prompts.

There ya have it.. SATA installer all set with XP installer..
I charge $75.00 to make this slipstream system locally.

 

[animenick65]

In terms of regular software, OSX has some of the best free applications out there. It has the best Indy developing community. Not sure on the cost for sign software for Macs and that may be what Techman is talking about.

 

[hammered]

After installing Vista, I had to roll mine back to XP Pro. It just doesnt have the "balls" that XP seems to. Plus I was very familiar with NT which was the basis of XP anyway. Ill stick with XP til Vista is "fixed"

 

[GK]

If you are running Vista and it is running slow out of the box (which I am sure it is) switch everything back to the classic interfaces, check your start-up programs, and then look at the services that are running along with the background processes. Chances are there is a ton of stuff you have absolutely no use or need for if you are running it for a design work station or a production computer. Also, check your scheduled tasks, Vista loves to come with a bunch of them scheduled to run on start-up, many which are never needed. I would count the system restore as useless as well as it has been known to fail...there are plenty of better 3rd party apps for this.

 

[animenick65]

If you are running Vista and it is running slow out of the box (which I am sure it is) switch everything back to the classic interfaces, check your start-up programs, and then look at the services that are running along with the background processes. Chances are there is a ton of stuff you have absolutely no use or need for if you are running it for a design work station or a production computer. Also, check your scheduled tasks, Vista loves to come with a bunch of them scheduled to run on start-up, many which are never needed. I would count the system restore as useless as well as it has been known to fail...there are plenty of better 3rd party apps for this.

This is good advice, just make sure you google the process or service before shutting it off.

 

[CarolinaCabinet]

Dell will still do XP Pro under special request... they want to push Vista but if you tell them you want XP they will do it

 

[slappy]

Dell will still do XP Pro under special request... they want to push Vista but if you tell them you want XP they will do it

just got mine with it.... she even recommended it to me after asking me what i was going to use my laptop for. i didn't even have to request