Well for those of you who didn't know, my old POS Dell computer died on me 3 weeks ago. At that time, my parents lovingly ordered a $1600 Gateway (Who is MUCH better than Dell) which took 3 weeks to recieve do to hardware problems, which I later found out was related to Vista.
This PC came preinstalled with Windows Vista Home Premium...In addition, it has 1 gb of RAM, a Core2Duo running at 2.14 each core, and a SoundBlaster X-Fi ExtremeGamer. (Not the best choice, but the best available, sadly.)
Let me start by saying this: Windows Vista is NOT the nightmare people say it is. It looks nice, functions (relatively) well, and is MUCH more secure and user-friendly than XP. However, I did have a few problems:
-My printer wasn't and still isn't supported...Thanks Lexmark.
-My broadband card (A mobile broadband card is the only broadband available to me because I live in out in the country) was supported, but Sprint's software was not...so a workaround was required.
-Long boot and shutdown times
-Despite having an X-Fi, I can't drop my audio latency to anything lower than 55ms. Which is BALLS, because my SoundBlaster PCI on my old PC, a
$30 card, could hit 48ms consistently. This holds true after disabling many visual effects and giving my audio applications (Mainly Reason) High process priority
[/list]
That's all I can think of right now...Vista's alright but if you want an audio PC, STICK WITH XP.
That's all for now, yall.
Peace,
-SC
I actually disagree on that.
I've tested out Vista myself.
My first reaction was actually the same, but the more I worked with it, the more I began to hate it. All these security messages just drives me crazy.
Sure, you can disable them, but then you'll have to disable the entire security panel, which makes it too unsafe etc...
Next important issue are the driver compatibility options.
Especially for the X-Fi soundcard, this is an issue. True, you have drivers available for Vista, but they're beta and do not offer the software like Audio HQ which allows you to setup stuff like the low latency etc...
Well like I said...I wish I could afford an audio PC...with a REAL pro audio soundcard, more firewire, no internet, XP, etc...But this is also a family computer (Unfortunately)
I haven't experienced trouble with the security messages myself...except that everytime I download then subsequently open a zip file via the IE window, I get the message that "Internet is trying to access a program on your computer" or some bull like that...I'm trying to see if there's a way around it...But most of my progs are trusted, so 'sall good there...
I still might switch back to XP...unfortunately Windows is retarded and it's difficult to install an older version of windows when a newer one is in place, particularly without formatting...and I'm NOT about to go through a day's worth of initialization bullshit again.
I wasn't even aware of software for the X-Fi...it was preinstalled and as such I didn't get a software bundle or anything...damn OEMs...
If you would have AudioHQ, you'd have this one too:
(http://creative.com/images/inline/products/x-fi/gamemode.jpg)
Although the Fatality one has also the Entertainment mode and Audio Creation mode (which is also in my edition: the Elite-Pro) I'm not sure if its in the Extreme Gamer's edition. They have their own mixer panel with their own options.
Dayum! Dat look niiiice!
I'm going to assume the Audio Creation mode optimizes settings for lowest latency, correct?
I'm checking for AudioHD now...With any luck I can pick it up somewhere :?
GOOD NEWS! I downloaded Vista drivers for the card and the Creative Audio Console came with it. It appears to be a stripped down version of AudioHQ, but guess what? There's an Audio Creation mode! YAY!
BAD NEWS: Damn it, Vista is causing an occasional IRQL_DRIVER_LESS_OR_NOT_EQUAL Stop error...
Ah, they finally made the drivers...
You can try reinstalling the drivers to see if it fixes those BSoD's.
there is also my fave BSOD fixxer: eSledge 4.0 :)
best out there, cross-platform, great a/v support and everything! IT"S VISTA READY!!!
QuoteBAD NEWS: Damn it, Vista is causing an occasional IRQL_DRIVER_LESS_OR_NOT_EQUAL Stop error...
I recently had the same error on XP. I wasnt entirely sure what brought it about, but I'll mention what happened all the same.
In an attempt to get more Audio IN ports I installed two of the same soundcard (M-audio 2496) ( one model was older though ).
Cubase didnt recognize the extra ports, So I removed one of them.
Then Problems started happening. I also think I may have accidentally downloaded a similar but wrong for it because I could control certain features in the soundcard menu, but I couldn't control the volume. I switched ports on the soundcard and things went smoothly... not for long though... Still the annoying crash.
Ended up formatting.. got the definite right driver..Now all is Okay.
I reckon the driver is the problem, since youve probably not been changing ports and stuff with your soundcard.
My only gripe with vista so far is that fact that it screws around with the volume settings etc.
@Everyone: The BSODs occured once before I put in the Vista drivers, and once after. I don't think the X-Fi is the problem. Gateway lovingly mentioned that one of their damn chipsets, which I'm lucky enough to have ( :? ) has "problems" with Vista. Oh joy.
Oh yeah, and I installed the Creative Audio Console and put it in Audio Creation Mode, but I STILL can't drop my latency to below 55ms. I blame Vista for this entirely, because I'm running Dual-Cores and 1gb of RAM.
@Residentgrey: A link? More info? Anything?
@Asharin: How so?
Quote from: "SoundCrafter"
@Asharin: How so?
Just the fact that everything is so much 'louder' if for example I save a track as mp3 or wav (with global volume at the default) the volume is so loud the mp3/wav will be distorted. I have to set the global volume to something like 32 to prevent this. Though perhaps this could be due to using the default ms drivers for my onboard sound card. It's not big deal if this is the case, I have a new card on order :)
I am not yet in the market and heck I havent even upgraded to XP yet, still running 2000 pro.
Will stay that way for safety.......
Nice. I've decided to stay that way too. Since the introduction of XP and now Vista, I've seen a sharp increase of problems with these OS's, on lots of software-forums. Mainly because the dreadful registry got involved, even with apps that were reg-free before that.
Plus nagging security, permissions, etc.
@Asharin: I've had this problem before...but in reverse...I.e., my mixes have been too soft...This usually is the result of a bad mix...not to doubt you at all :wink: of course! I could be wrong, though.
@Nicky and Sam: XP is more secure than 2000, and hardly as buggy as you describe, thanks to SP2.
Speaking of XP...I'm switching back to XP...I'm sending the computer back to Dell over spring break...don't know why they can't just take the hard drive...but XP is better.
More Vista evilness: My printer is incompatible (Cuz lexmark won't get off their asses.), and it's SOMEHOW slowing down my internet connection. Screw Deus ex Machina...it's more like Devil ex Machina. :P
XP is more secure than 2000, if you depend on factory-settings maybe. It took some time, I have to admit, but I've tweaked 2K now
in a very secure condition, without needing any patches anymore.
I've read about the same vista problems with lexmark printers on other forums..
Slowing down internet-connections very often have to do with virus-scanners, automatically set up to scan everything that's passing by, even if it's totally useless.
Quote from: "Sam_Zen"XP is more secure than 2000, if you depend on factory-settings maybe. It took some time, I have to admit, but I've tweaked 2K now
in a very secure condition, without needing any patches anymore.
I agree this is perfectly possible. I may use Vista as my main OS, but I have a spare pc that runs win2k that runs my email and web server (not IIS though! I use apache win32)
Well, don't get me wrong... At first I was entirelly optimistic about Vista, but I kept another XP installation next to it so I could switch back and compare etc... It made me realise that Vista had lots of drawbacks, and that I was more happy to use XP than I was to use Vista.
See, LP, I thought the same thing, but I wasn't as cautious as you were and went ahead and had a whole new computer built on the damn thing.
Quote from: "SoundCrafter"See, LP, I thought the same thing, but I wasn't as cautious as you were and went ahead and had a whole new computer built on the damn thing.
Well, sometimes you have to learn things the hard way... Its just a phase of life...
Yup...and now the nail in the coffin for my Vista experience:
Gateway and Microsoft have stopped providing XP. Therefore, I have to switch BACK to XP on my own...which, oh what, voids my warranty...Wonderful.
I'll probably end up switching back to XP on my own...I don't need a warranty and all of my tech support is done by phone so how are they gonna know?
However, if I decide to stick with Vista, which I also may, a salesman at Gateway has offered to credit me the cost of a new printer (!).
So yeah...
Easy choise if you ask me... First get that new printer, then switch back to XP :nuts:
Now I have a new sound card ( creative Xi-Fi..shoot me now) the volume problem I had is gone. Now creative just need to get off their asses and release some drivers that work properly :P I'd like my mic to not be so damn quiet :P
Quote from: "LPChip"Easy choise if you ask me... First get that new printer, then switch back to XP :nuts:
Great minds think alike: I had the exact same idea! :P
@Asharin...I'm pretty sure there's a preamp setting...somewhere. And X-Fi's are relatively nice without Vista. What type of X-Fi did you get?
Quote from: "SoundCrafter"Quote from: "LPChip"Easy choise if you ask me... First get that new printer, then switch back to XP :nuts:
Great minds think alike: I had the exact same idea! :P
@Asharin...I'm pretty sure there's a preamp setting...somewhere. And X-Fi's are relatively nice without Vista. What type of X-Fi did you get?
XiFi xtreme music, and uh, no there's no pre amp setting..wheras oddly, my onboard sound card DID have a preamp setting :/
Quote from: "Asharin"I'd like my mic to not be so damn quiet :P
There are preamp settings. Make sure you don't put it on the line-in, but on the mic setting. Also, if you have a console (I dunno if the extreme music has a console, but my elite-pro does :D) If you have it, and you hook your mike up to that (same applies to the 5,25" drive), make sure that you turn the knob next to the input. By default, its set to line-in. Turning it would put the amp on.
In the mixer, (considdering that you have the audio-creation modus mixer)
If so, then you have the big mixer screen on the left. Make sure that you have all speakers selected to get an optimal sound result.
Secondly, at the right, where the record button is, there's a slider too. Its the record volume, so move it all the way to the right if thats not the case.
Quote from: "LPChip"Quote from: "Asharin"I'd like my mic to not be so damn quiet :P
There are preamp settings. Make sure you don't put it on the line-in, but on the mic setting. Also, if you have a console (I dunno if the extreme music has a console, but my elite-pro does :D) If you have it, and you hook your mike up to that (same applies to the 5,25" drive), make sure that you turn the knob next to the input. By default, its set to line-in. Turning it would put the amp on.
In the mixer, (considdering that you have the audio-creation modus mixer)
If so, then you have the big mixer screen on the left. Make sure that you have all speakers selected to get an optimal sound result.
Secondly, at the right, where the record button is, there's a slider too. Its the record volume, so move it all the way to the right if thats not the case.
No seriously, there is no pre-amp setting for the mic when using the Xi-fi drivers. The mic is in the correct socket, there is just no pre-Amp option anywhere.
When I used the onboard sound I had a '20db Boost' option...'tis not there now. This is the default windows stuff etc. Because the creative software doesn't even run under vista :P Though they have at least got the drivers sort of working..
There's not LP...I checked. Asharin are you using AudioHQ or Creative Audio Console?
Quote from: "SoundCrafter"There's not LP...I checked. Asharin are you using AudioHQ or Creative Audio Console?
Neither they won't run in Vista..I did find some edited versions that apparently work, but being from a non official channel I don't really wanna try them, god knows what else they install :D
I'll just hold on for some updated vista drivers/software
@Asharin: Yes, I am running Creative Audio Console on Home Premium. If you install the Vista drivers from the Creative website, it should be bundled.
Quote from: "SoundCrafter"@Residentgrey: A link? More info? Anything?
Twas a lil joke silly. OI!
True, there's no check to boost +20 db like you had. Instead you have a slider you can push over 0 db to give this boost.
Although, I still believe that I've seen a +20 db boost somewhere, but I bet that was in the console itself... I'll do some more searching when I'm home...
Quote from: "residentgrey"Quote from: "SoundCrafter"@Residentgrey: A link? More info? Anything?
Twas a lil joke silly. OI!
Damn it! I'm going to stop believing people on this forum. Oh yeah, LP, check your PMs in a couple minutes.
Oh, my, God, the nightmare continues: Feeling lazy last night, I engaged in chat with a Gateway support technician about my STOP error. Apparently, he was feeling equally lazy, and just gave me a link (without listening to my problem in detail). The link told me to do what every bloody freaking OEM told me to do: Reinstall Windows.
(MOTHER-EFF!)
So obviously I was NOT about to go over a week's worth of initialisation bull with Vista + my sequencer + my legacy hardware. So I scrapped that idea...and called him an idiot after he logged off :mad:
OMG, we got a new printer, which was SUPPOSED to be Vista compatible, but, what's this? I have to download a 163-meg installer from HP's website to make it work? F this S.
In review, I'm still getting BSODs (More frequently now...), my Latency's at 55ms, and I want to punch someone.
Quote from: "LPChip"True, there's no check to boost +20 db like you had. Instead you have a slider you can push over 0 db to give this boost.
Although, I still believe that I've seen a +20 db boost somewhere, but I bet that was in the console itself... I'll do some more searching when I'm home...
Yeah probably in the console...Just need Creative to make one that works in vista :/
Quote from: "SoundCrafter"@Asharin: Yes, I am running Creative Audio Console on Home Premium. If you install the Vista drivers from the Creative website, it should be bundled.
Interesting, I did install those drivers, but no CAC here, maybe I'll download them again tomorrow when I finish this night shift and see if it shows up then.
Okay, I indeed cannot find the mic-boost thingy in the creative software.
Oh btw. The Audio Console is located in your config panel.
But I did found a mic +20db boost option :)
In order to get this, go to your classic windows volume mixer. The one with more than 1 slider. If you have the speaker icon from windows in your systemtray, double click it, otherwise use multimedia devices from the control panel, and select volume at playback.
Go to the menu Options and check advanced settings.
Again, go to the menu Options, and select properties. In that window, make sure the X-Fi is selected from the combo box, and then select the record option button. Make sure your mike/line-in entrances are all checked (I have 3 of them, but 2 are on my console, of which one is only line-in) and click ok. (If you're not sure, just check all)
I get a Microphone option with a button below saying Advanced. Pressing it gives me the option to add a +20 db boost. Its checked as default though, so make sure that if you still have a low volume, that you have the mike plugged in the right hole.
Umm I'm using Vista home premium, double clicking the speaker icon does the same thing as a single click. if I right click and select properties I then get the option to ope the mixer (which has no options menu) or the playback or recording settings (which again, have no mic boost (aka 20db boost) in the advanced settings. There is no way whatsoever to enable the 'classic' windows volume mixer.
I have been running the first release candidate of Vista for over a month now (highly confident guess). I personally like the operating system. I do particularly not like the almost constent needing of administrative permissions though. Other than that, Windows Vista is great. I especially like its new Aero color scheme. When I want to see one of my windows without activating it, I just press Control + Windows key + Tab to activate the Flip-3D. There are other things that I have experienced that I do not really care for, but I am going to guess that those things (as well as the administrative permission thing possibly) are part of the Release Candidate. I also have the second beta (technical refresh) (whatever that means) of Office 2007. It has expired though. That kind of nerves me a little bit because that puts the idea in my mind that Windows, though it is a release candidate, not a beta, may have an expiration date as well. If that is the case, then I am not sure what I will do with my computer once that date approaches. I do have Windows XP and DOS on it, but my data is on the Vista operating system, not the other two (especially DOS).
Those things were not removed after the official release. In fact its what they claim to make the OS safer :(
That makes sense. If the user does not have administrative permissions to do something, or just does not want to do something that he/she accidentally did, then that will allow the user to cancel that action.
hahaha...yeah. I'd just love to see that actually be used for security...Until something ACTUALLY tries to do something that requires user permissions...well, it's just an annoyance.
Its not even that secure.
When I installed, the first 10 times that I had to do something that popup was really annoying. After that I kind of automatically clicked it away, which will make me do the same when it doesn't come from an action I do.
Brilliant...why can't someone determine whether an action was started by user input or a remote process? If someone could do that, we wouldn't need annoying popup interfaces or the like.
Quote from: "SoundCrafter"Brilliant...why can't someone determine whether an action was started by user input or a remote process? If someone could do that, we wouldn't need annoying popup interfaces or the like.
Because a user could unawarelly trigger such event :( Its a pointless discussion IMHO, cus there's no easy fix.
and coz it's windoze :D
omg, i'm glad that i don't even have a beta of this vista...
I am currently using Vista, I don't usually see any problems with it, other than a few compatibility issues. This doesn't bother me as I just run the compatibility wizard... or 'Run as Administrator' if I'm feeling lazy.
Also, I believe that NEC monitors are not compatible with Vista, for some reason unknown to me. Oh well, hope that helps :S