View Full Version : Vista Annoyance
I'm getting more and more annoyed with vista 64. Just thought I'd reinstall c&c3 to try and complete it, but it wont run on vista 64.. tells me I'm not running dx or later, or my video card isnt up to date. Both not true. I google the error and it seems that its a problem with onyl vista 64. Patching the game should make it work.
So I run the auto updater, and it downloads a 250 Mb patch adn proceeds to install it. CLose to completing, it says the patch failed the verification "it may be an interal error". I download the acutal patch exe and try again and the same thing happens. I cant find anythign on this second problem, but I wouldnt have it at all without the first. grrrrrr.
LOL and now my uninstall just told me it failed cos I'm not an administrator - dunno what its been doing for the last 5 mins....
This is why I'm leapfrogging Vista and going from XP to 7. I've tried it plenty of times, and although out the box Vista is now fairly good. It's when I start doing things that XP normally copes with, Vista just fails. Multiple monitors, certain games. They just don't seem right. Even when working, they seem flaky and unreliable compared to XP.
It also says something that XP always seems to load faster and respond better, compared to the Vista system on the same hardware.
I've had vista SP1 queued to install for ages on windows update, but that install always fails too... Sometimes I get really peeved with computers. I doubt I'll build one again - I seem to always get hit with random shutdowns and reboots on my home builds too.
LeperousDust
18-02-2009, 16:34
Apart from Vista's insatiable disk space and memory appetite, can't say i've had major problems myself. Given the two problems above, i wouldn't want to move back to XP at all.
This is why I don't use Vista 64. 64-bit is fine as a server OS, but so many developers just don't 'get' 64-bit and treat it as an afterthought (if at all). I'm as guilty as the rest of them btw.
I've used Vista 32-bit since release and never had any major problems with it beyond the fact it doesn't work with my TV tuner (so I've had to stick with XP on the living room PC for that). Of course, it still has plenty of issues - including the insatiable appetite for disk space - so I'm certainly looking forward to Windows 7.
LeperousDust
18-02-2009, 17:05
Oh sorry thats a good point, i am only using 32bit :)
C&C3 works fine on vista 64.
Have you installed directx9 as vista comes with dx10 only. So you need to install the 9version.
64 is faster and way more stable than vista 32 and there is no hardware driver issues. Unless you have old hardware or buy creativelab soundcards.
64 is faster
Debatable. I know someone who has used both in anger on the same machine and the report was that while the user interface certainly seemed snappier, that only goes so far.
and way more stable than vista 32
Given that I've had few stability issues with Vista 32 (other than those due to OEM driver issues or sabotage), that's also debatable.
and there is no hardware driver issues. Unless you have old hardware or buy creativelab soundcards.
Creative aside, don't most of us have old hardware? If you're buying new then true, and it's also true that most old stuff works, but there's always the exception.
Bluetooth is certainly one obvious exception. The MS Bluetooth stack is missing several protocols including such things as A2DP, but you're in for a nightmare if you ever try installing a 3rd party stack. Last I heard (12 months ago) Microsoft were point blank refusing to validate 3rd party stacks because they by definition interfere with their own.
Debatable. I know someone who has used both in anger on the same machine and the report was that while the user interface certainly seemed snappier, that only goes so far.
The os feels much snappier. benchmarks don't show this. But compared to 32bit it feels so much faster.
Given that I've had few stability issues with Vista 32 (other than those due to OEM driver issues or sabotage), that's also debatable.
I haven't had many issues with 32bit, but I haven't had any with 64bit. Other than user abuse. Like when I left the side panel of and managed to knock the sata cable of the harddrive.
Most of my hardware was over 4 years old and I had no issues with drivers. It is rather silly to get 32bit unless you know something isn't supported.
well, final straw, it crashed during another attempt at installing sp1 and has now lost or corrupted files. Tried to repair but it was trying for an hour and i had to turn it off to leave to come up to ringwood.
How can i downgrade or convert the key to an xp one? Ive heard this is possible.
You might want to do some hardware checks just to ensure the disk/RAM/CPU isn't headed for the electronics graveyard. :(
Don't know about the XP thing.
arse
just got home and tried to repair the vista install, and now it wont complete the boot from CD...
To be fair, it sounds more like something hardware is dying. It's very rare Windows itself will randomly just start breaking stuff, it tends be indication something like your RAM or hard drive isn't happy. That or some dodgy drivers. nVidia used to put out some shocking drivers for their chipsets that would cause all sorts of problems.
Bad news indeed. Definitely hardware. Most probably CPU, RAM, or power.
managed to attempt repair then restore. Both failed. Now I've reinstalled vista for the time being, and cross fingers, no badness yet.
Gah - dont have time to try and work out if there is a hardware problem :/
FWIW, I've been running Vista x64 SP1 for a year now and had (somewhat surprisingly) no issues at all. Every game I've tried works fine, including C&C3 and RA3.
Not doubting you're having problems of course, just think that they might not be related to the "64-bittedness" of the OS per se.
well since reinstalling vista, windows update has not even listed sp1 as an availble upgrade afaik :/. What I have managed to do this time is get the proper nforce4 vista64 bit drivers... dont remember installing them on the last clean install.
WU wont offer SP1 until you've installed a number of pre-requisites, and can even be blocked if it has known issues with certain driver/hardware configurations. I suspect if you keep going through the updates it'll eventually show itself.
Alternatively, just grab the redist from the download center.
ChemicalKicks
24-02-2009, 13:39
FWIW, I've been running Vista x64 SP1 for a year now and had (somewhat surprisingly) no issues at all. Every game I've tried works fine, including C&C3 and RA3.
Not doubting you're having problems of course, just think that they might not be related to the "64-bittedness" of the OS per se.
Same here.
Personally cannot fault Vista 64 (cracked) been using it for over a year now myself too. Just seems to run faster than XP and is easier to use for me anyway.
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