I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
please email me: asianw2o@yahoo.com
I really need to get my work done.
P.S. my laptop had a choice to switch the bewteen the two windows and I've clicked on older version window and it just went blank. The obly thing i can do is access Vista only not XP home edition. HELP
Uninstall Vista Beta 2 off of Toshiba Laptop
Beta. Don't put it on anything but your beta computer, never on your main system. You knew that.
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message
I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
please email me: asianw2o@yahoo.com
I really need to get my work done.
P.S. my laptop had a choice to switch the bewteen the two windows and I've clicked on older version window and it just went blank. The obly thing i can do is access Vista only not XP home edition. HELP
Ya i'm sorry. i knew that but i was caught up in the moment. Can you help me out.
"Jone Doe" wrote:
Beta. Don't put it on anything but your beta computer, never on your main system. You knew that.
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
please email me: asianw2o@yahoo.com
I really need to get my work done.
P.S. my laptop had a choice to switch the bewteen the two windows and I've clicked on older version window and it just went blank. The obly thing i can do is access Vista only not XP home edition. HELP
Format and reinstall,
-- Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM "Anyone who prefers security over freedom deserves neither."
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message
Ya i'm sorry. i knew that but i was caught up in the moment. Can you help me out.
"Jone Doe" wrote:
Beta. Don't put it on anything but your beta computer, never on your main system. You knew that.
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
please email me: asianw2o@yahoo.com
I really need to get my work done.
P.S. my laptop had a choice to switch the bewteen the two windows and I've clicked on older version window and it just went blank. The obly thing i can do is access Vista only not XP home edition. HELP
"Jone Doe" wrote in message
Beta. Don't put it on anything but your beta computer, never on your main system. You knew that.
Unfortunately, they didn't. That seems to be a problem I'm seeing a lot of in this newsgroup. Computer newbies thinking "oh! new operating system! must have!" and when they install it they find its NOT what they thought and they end of SOL. Personally I say, tough luck. Beta test OSes are NOT for everyone. If people don't read all the info. and ignore the warnings. I'd say they deserve what they get.
I put it on my main system because 1> I understood the risks and 2> It was tiem for me to do a clean OS install anyhow.
You're so right. The disclaimer on the Vista web page says it all.
"Milt Smith" wrote in message
"Jone Doe" wrote in message Beta. Don't put it on anything but your beta computer, never on your main system. You knew that.
Unfortunately, they didn't. That seems to be a problem I'm seeing a lot of in this newsgroup. Computer newbies thinking "oh! new operating system! must have!" and when they install it they find its NOT what they thought and they end of SOL. Personally I say, tough luck. Beta test OSes are NOT for everyone. If people don't read all the info. and ignore the warnings. I'd say they deserve what they get.
I put it on my main system because 1> I understood the risks and 2> It was tiem for me to do a clean OS install anyhow.
I agree with the sensible caveats from Colin and Milt. but let's face reality--you can google for forums or newsgroups with the word Vista and of course people are going to be jumping to download Vista before they learn how to use it. It's human nature to want to use the next new thing and that will never change. And although they know it's called a Beta all they are seeing is "new OS available free." After 7 years or so of Beta XP and XP, 95% plus users of XP never touched the Help in XP nor do they have a clue what is at http://support.microsoft.com. Many of them ask quesitons on groups and the Microsoft chats that could be answered with a few seconds of googling so I think having the expectation.
It's admirable to urge people to "read all the information" but I'm living in a country now where students are growing up to belive tha reading is pure anathma. How much of a role ready net access plays in this is to me an interesting question.
Simply put,a new Windows OS is an aphrodisiac to a high percentage of people downloading and installing it, and they are going after it--ain't nothin' gonna stop 'em. Microsoft marketing personnel are well aware of this, and while feedback may be a motivating factor for releasing Vista to the public without less documentation and information than XP had at a comparable point in time, marketing was a prime motivator in releasing Beta 2 with little or no documentation and surely no one would consider the release notes and what is on Technet and MSDN right this momemnt as comprehensive info on Vista.
MSFT shares a great deal of culpability because I have watched very experienced users who both Beta test or use public Vista who do not know many of the features in Vista despite the plethora of excellent web sites on Vista, because MSFT has not lifted a finger to document and discuss most of these features in any kind of respectable detail on two of their major web portals, Technet and MSDN. They did put out a product guide for Vista and after reading it, I thought it was designed for elementary school students in a pilot study perhaps in the Seattle and Richland Washington areas. Also MSFT's participation in any of their newsgroups is simply scant and they display little interest at this point in time in participating in Vista eduation. Yep there are a few presentations available on the web for the public, and of course Beta testers have access to a lot more in the way of chats and Live Meetings to get educated on the features of Vista. Those amenities aren't made available to the public, but the OS is.
The Product Guide devoted a few sentences to describing recovery/repair modalities in Vista and it was mainly written as a cheerleading document for MSFT rather than as a helpful "Vista book." It was anything but a guide--it's more of an advertisement that says basically "We're MSFT so this OS will be more gooder than XP." It is quite a bit more gooder, but it woefully does not incorporate some of the nicest features in XP like the explorer folder organization scheme View>Arrange Icons By>Show in groups.
While MSFT is not going to lift a finger to document many features in Vista for months, they will be glad to sell you 9 books hitting the stores in the next to weeks at Microsoft Bookstore http://www.microsoftbookstore.com/Store.aspx?ain=Default and allow you to buy the information they won't furnish to you.
CH
"Colin Barnhorst" wrote in message
You're so right. The disclaimer on the Vista web page says it all.
"Milt Smith" wrote in message
"Jone Doe" wrote in message Beta. Don't put it on anything but your beta computer, never on your main system. You knew that.
Unfortunately, they didn't. That seems to be a problem I'm seeing a lot of in this newsgroup. Computer newbies thinking "oh! new operating system! must have!" and when they install it they find its NOT what they thought and they end of SOL. Personally I say, tough luck. Beta test OSes are NOT for everyone. If people don't read all the info. and ignore the warnings. I'd say they deserve what they get.
I put it on my main system because 1> I understood the risks and 2> It was tiem for me to do a clean OS install anyhow.
I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
please email me: asianw2o@yahoo.com
I really need to get my work done.
P.S. my laptop had a choice to switch the bewteen the two windows and I've clicked on older version window and it just went blank. The obly thing i can do is access Vista only not XP home edition. HELP
Daniel Woo wrote:
I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
Put in restore cd. Reboot pc. Boot from restore cd.
-- Jane, not plain ;) 64bit enabled ;) Batteries not included. Braincell on vacation ;) "Daniel Woo" wrote in message
Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
Tom Porterfield is saying "Have you tried booting with the restore CD" you are saying "i've tried putting in the restore cd" these are not the same thing.
What Tom is saying is that you should put the CD into the CD drive, then with the CD still in the CD drive, you should restart the computer. If the CD is in the computers BIOS boot list, and if the CD is bootable ...
"you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory".
If the computer does not try to boot from the CD, then you will need to go into the BIOS and change the boot order.
Todd
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message
Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
One more thing I'd like to add to this thread...whats up with the multiple posts? Not just this thread either, I see so many duplicate posts in this newsgoup mrrr. Stop it newbies! For this question alone there is a post at 4.40, 4.44, 4.54 and yet another at 4.55PM That's 4 freakin threads in 15 minutes for the same question..
"Todd" wrote in message
Tom Porterfield is saying "Have you tried booting with the restore CD" you are saying "i've tried putting in the restore cd" these are not the same thing.
What Tom is saying is that you should put the CD into the CD drive, then with the CD still in the CD drive, you should restart the computer. If the CD is in the computers BIOS boot list, and if the CD is bootable ...
"you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory".
If the computer does not try to boot from the CD, then you will need to go into the BIOS and change the boot order.
Todd
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
They are posting from the web-based newsreader.
"Bones" wrote in message
One more thing I'd like to add to this thread...whats up with the multiple posts? Not just this thread either, I see so many duplicate posts in this newsgoup mrrr. Stop it newbies! For this question alone there is a post at 4.40, 4.44, 4.54 and yet another at 4.55PM That's 4 freakin threads in 15 minutes for the same question..
"Todd" wrote in message Tom Porterfield is saying "Have you tried booting with the restore CD" you are saying "i've tried putting in the restore cd" these are not the same thing.
What Tom is saying is that you should put the CD into the CD drive, then with the CD still in the CD drive, you should restart the computer. If the CD is in the computers BIOS boot list, and if the CD is bootable ...
"you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory".
If the computer does not try to boot from the CD, then you will need to go into the BIOS and change the boot order.
Todd
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
Which often incorrectly tells them that an error occurred..........
-- Jane, not plain ;) 64bit enabled ;) Batteries not included. Braincell on vacation ;) "Colin Barnhorst" wrote in message
They are posting from the web-based newsreader.
"Bones" wrote in message One more thing I'd like to add to this thread...whats up with the multiple posts? Not just this thread either, I see so many duplicate posts in this newsgoup mrrr. Stop it newbies! For this question alone there is a post at 4.40, 4.44, 4.54 and yet another at 4.55PM That's 4 freakin threads in 15 minutes for the same question..
"Todd" wrote in message Tom Porterfield is saying "Have you tried booting with the restore CD" you are saying "i've tried putting in the restore cd" these are not the same thing.
What Tom is saying is that you should put the CD into the CD drive, then with the CD still in the CD drive, you should restart the computer. If the CD is in the computers BIOS boot list, and if the CD is bootable ...
"you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory".
If the computer does not try to boot from the CD, then you will need to go into the BIOS and change the boot order.
Todd
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
So they post again....
"Jane C" wrote in message
Which often incorrectly tells them that an error occurred..........
-- Jane, not plain ;) 64bit enabled ;) Batteries not included. Braincell on vacation ;) "Colin Barnhorst" wrote in message They are posting from the web-based newsreader.
"Bones" wrote in message One more thing I'd like to add to this thread...whats up with the multiple posts? Not just this thread either, I see so many duplicate posts in this newsgoup mrrr. Stop it newbies! For this question alone there is a post at 4.40, 4.44, 4.54 and yet another at 4.55PM That's 4 freakin threads in 15 minutes for the same question..
"Todd" wrote in message Tom Porterfield is saying "Have you tried booting with the restore CD" you are saying "i've tried putting in the restore cd" these are not the same thing.
What Tom is saying is that you should put the CD into the CD drive, then with the CD still in the CD drive, you should restart the computer. If the CD is in the computers BIOS boot list, and if the CD is bootable ...
"you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory".
If the computer does not try to boot from the CD, then you will need to go into the BIOS and change the boot order.
Todd
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
....with the same 5 issues that everyone else already did...
"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:
So they post again....
"Jane C" wrote in message Which often incorrectly tells them that an error occurred..........
-- Jane, not plain ;) 64bit enabled ;) Batteries not included. Braincell on vacation ;) "Colin Barnhorst" wrote in message They are posting from the web-based newsreader.
"Bones" wrote in message One more thing I'd like to add to this thread...whats up with the multiple posts? Not just this thread either, I see so many duplicate posts in this newsgoup mrrr. Stop it newbies! For this question alone there is a post at 4.40, 4.44, 4.54 and yet another at 4.55PM That's 4 freakin threads in 15 minutes for the same question..
"Todd" wrote in message Tom Porterfield is saying "Have you tried booting with the restore CD" you are saying "i've tried putting in the restore cd" these are not the same thing.
What Tom is saying is that you should put the CD into the CD drive, then with the CD still in the CD drive, you should restart the computer. If the CD is in the computers BIOS boot list, and if the CD is bootable ...
"you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory".
If the computer does not try to boot from the CD, then you will need to go into the BIOS and change the boot order.
Todd
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
What exactly is the "restore CD(3)" you mention below?
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message
I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
please email me: asianw2o@yahoo.com
I really need to get my work done.
P.S. my laptop had a choice to switch the bewteen the two windows and I've clicked on older version window and it just went blank. The obly thing i can do is access Vista only not XP home edition. HELP
Its the constant blogging that is getting to me. They just don't understand the functions of newsgroups.
"Mark D. VandenBerg" wrote in message
...with the same 5 issues that everyone else already did...
"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:
So they post again....
"Jane C" wrote in message Which often incorrectly tells them that an error occurred..........
-- Jane, not plain ;) 64bit enabled ;) Batteries not included. Braincell on vacation ;) "Colin Barnhorst" wrote in message They are posting from the web-based newsreader.
"Bones" wrote in message One more thing I'd like to add to this thread...whats up with the multiple posts? Not just this thread either, I see so many duplicate posts in this newsgoup mrrr. Stop it newbies! For this question alone there is a post at 4.40, 4.44, 4.54 and yet another at 4.55PM That's 4 freakin threads in 15 minutes for the same question..
"Todd" wrote in message Tom Porterfield is saying "Have you tried booting with the restore CD" you are saying "i've tried putting in the restore cd" these are not the same thing.
What Tom is saying is that you should put the CD into the CD drive, then with the CD still in the CD drive, you should restart the computer. If the CD is in the computers BIOS boot list, and if the CD is bootable ...
"you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory".
If the computer does not try to boot from the CD, then you will need to go into the BIOS and change the boot order.
Todd
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
Daniel Woo wrote:
Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
Then you didn't try what I said. Insert the restore CD and then reboot. If you prompted to "press any key to boot from CD", hit enter on the keyboard. -- Tom Porterfield
You need to use Win RE on a Vista DVD burned with MSFT's code. MSFT needs to get off their lazy butts and put comprehensive documentation on how to use Win RE on Technet and MSDN. They need to write a comprehensive FAQ and in depth article on System Restore in Vista the way hundreds of XP books have for XP. It's different in Vista and right now the System Restore Product Manager at Redmond hasn't done a thing to fix his broken System Restore. System Restore not only will not manufacture Restore Points on a Vista box even at the five default times System Restore with the registry untweaked will on an XP box, it won't manufacture them at all. If it makes one, you're luck. Go and look. There is no documentation on System Restore in Vista based on the Volume Shadow Service anywhere on MSFT's Technet or MSDN site. Not one softy of the thousands who are MSDN blogging the pure Nirvana of Vista that's getting ready to ship broken badly will document these features.
System File Checker, a stalwart utility in different evolutions since Windows 98, is now broken in Vista every build through Beta 2 5384.4. MSFT has not lifted a finger to fix it; nor have the Softies posted one scintilla of information on it .
It was totally irresponsible of MFST to release Beta 2 to the public, most of whom pays no attention to the word Beta and not release instructions and documentation anywhere on their web site. It's also difficult for Beta Testers who are kind enough to help in here to tell you about Windows RE and System Restore in Vista when none of them has comprehensive information about it themselves.
Let's get this out in the open and make it clear. Toshiba makes great computers--they have a wonderful research organization and some of the finest retailers on the planet. . So does Dell, and so do some of other 300 name partners. But MSFT and the 300 so called large "named OEM" partners don't give a damn about restore CDs working. If they did give a damn you would get a Vista DVD with every OEM purchase or time-wise now that would have been a retail XP CD.
Let's make no mistake about it. The people who make Win RE, and the teams who make System Restore and contribute to these recovery features in Vista were directly challenged to take a room full of their best and brightest and break Vista. Half the machines would have a MSFT Vista DVD and half the machines would have the pure crap that OEMs ship. OEM VP Scott di Valerion has an Excel--he hasn't caught on to Google free spreadsheets yet, spreadsheet that has exactly which crap which 300 named OEM partners ship.
MSFT makes money selling that preinstalled OS. After that if you don't buy another retail OS on MSFT media, you're screwed. Don't even try to use the Recovery CD for a dog's frissbee. The dog will be smart enough to look at you and say "No go Bozo. Spring for a real frissbee."
MSFT was aware of this problem for the last seven years. They utter hollow words like "we encoruage OEM partners to ship media that will allow them to recover." They know damn well it doesn't and their response to a challenge to prove it does is met with PURE SILENCE.
You won't see one person from the Vista team or MSFT jumping in here to defend the crap that they allow OEM to ship. They know it's a day late and a dollar short on code and don't ever think you will access Win RE on OEM media or partitions. Custom solutions that MFST Vista team members allude to that are available for enterprises sure. But when their ad campaign for Vista rolls out you ain't gonna see no enterprise enjoying Vista--you are going to see mom, dad, and kid nuclear family using ti.
This is all about hypocrisy. Scott di Valerio OEM VP isn't a software engineer with an eduation in computer science. He's a Price Water accountant who is at MSFT to make money. He's not there to insure that the 500 million past XP legitimate desktops work. He's not there to insure that OEM Vista purchasers will be able to use Win RE. I think that if interviewed this moment, OEM VP Scott di Valerio would not be able to demonstrate for me how to recover XP No Boots or Vista no boots, and I think that's a compelling point.
If put to a test with a Video camera right now, there is not one individual on the Vista team at MSFT who can access Windows RE from OEM media or OEM partitions and they know it. And those boxes are available to MSFT right this minute from Dell, Sony, HP ect to test. They have that stuff on the Redmond campus right now. They could test it in public and try to prove it works, but they don't dare to.
MSFT may be attempting to make software, but they are letting the business types like accountant Scott di Valerio call the shots on whether you get competent recovery media that has efficacy. Translated that means that forget about it--recover parititons supplied by the OEMs and so called Recovery CDS will not reach the panopoly of Recovery Features in Windows RE whatsoever and all the Softies on the Vista teams concerned with this feature are completely aware of it. But they aren't going to come out and say so. It's the topic that's taboo to them and they don't want discussion about this. They don't want to hear that System Restore and SFC System File Checker are broken in Vista because they are going to ship it whether they work or not. And all that feedback they tell you is avialable--it goes right to the Tin Ears and the Delete button. If feedback had efficacy, they would have provided documentation on System Restore and Win RE on their site, and they would have fixed those features in Vista and if you pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to an OEM and don't demand a retail XP CD and/or a retail Vista DVD then my friend, you deserve to be up the creek without a paddele that MSFTand their OEM wants and intends you to be sitting on.
How much self respect can you have and how can you look yourself in the mirror if you are a PM on the Vista team concerned with core file services or Windows RE or any aspect of System Restore or Recovery or you are Chris Jones, Corporate Vice President Corporate Vice President, Windows Client Core Development and you know that a huge base of your non-enterprise customers are completely screwed when it comes to fixing a trashed Vista because MSFT hasn't fulfilled their responsibility conjointly with their 300 OEM Named Partners.
They want you to buy Vista pre-installed on an expensive computer with your hard earned money,l but they don't give a damn whether you have the tools to fix it. Let them hear from you. Let them know you aren't going to buy the OEM unless MSFT gets off its butt and comes to an agreement with those 300 name OEM partners to ship you a retail Vista DVD. They can get this done. But they didn't in XP and they have no plans to do so in Vista. It's the quintissential "Let the masses eat cake" from the Redmond campus Vista teams.
These guys have key rolls in your not getting competent media from OEM Platinumesque partners like Dell, Sony, HP, Acer that will fix Vista when it is a no boot.
Chris Jones Corporate Vice President, Windows Client Core Development http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/cjones/default.mspx
Here's Chris smiliing and joking with his Vista box but the one question Rob Scoble didn't get around to asking Chris is the taboo question on whether OEM customers have media or partitions or a life raft to recover Vista that works:
Chris Jones - Beta 1 of Windows Vista revealed Video of the Man Responsible for Vista and a key player in the situation where OEM Recovery Media doesn't work http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=92834
Scott di Valerio Corporate OEM VP MSFT--another key player in the situation where OEM recovery media doesn't work:
Scott Di Valerio Corporate Vice President, OEM Division http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/scottdiv/default.mspx
You could try to contact these guys and let them know you want retail DVDs when you make your expensive OEM purchases that not only makes MSFT a Vista sale, but has dividends in advertisement and introducing you to scores of other MSFT marketing venues like MSN, and other software and tons of new products. But I believe they would have a tin ear and are totally unresposive. Look at the key features in Vista right now that they refuse to fix after 10 months of feedback that System Restore doesn't make restore points, that the All Programs Menu doesn't expand, that SFC System Fiel Checker is completely broken and look at their total refusal to provide documentation on the products that they released to the public free of course as a pure marketing tool that totally transcends any component of feedback for Beta 2 Public Vista 5384.4.
The only way to get Mr. Jones and Mr.Valiero to listen is to insist that you get retail media or refuse to buy OEM machines. They can get it done; but right now they don't think you matter. They have access to Vista DVDs as do their family and friends. They had access to XP CDs to do repair installs in XP as well. They know it; and they haven't shown they give a damn.
The teams who make these products haven't shown they give a damn because they lack the guts to walk up to Mr. Di Valerio and Chris Jones and bang on their desks and look them in the eye and say "I damn well want my products to be available to 500 million OEM Vista customers and you have it set up so that they won't. Do something about this now. Let the OEMs and MSFT know you won't take this anymore. Or be prepared to sit their whining about the PC you can't fix with so-called reocvery media and recovery partitions provided by OEM that MSFT has allowed to exist and flourish.
CH
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message
Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
WOW someone needs to switch to decaf.
We use about 20 Toshiba laptops and I have never had a problem with the restore disk set.
And how can there be a restore disk for Vista when its not even released yet?
"Chad Harris" <mail.MSFTturnssearchesovertogov.net> wrote in message
You need to use Win RE on a Vista DVD burned with MSFT's code. MSFT needs to get off their lazy butts and put comprehensive documentation on how to use Win RE on Technet and MSDN. They need to write a comprehensive FAQ and in depth article on System Restore in Vista the way hundreds of XP books have for XP. It's different in Vista and right now the System Restore Product Manager at Redmond hasn't done a thing to fix his broken System Restore. System Restore not only will not manufacture Restore Points on a Vista box even at the five default times System Restore with the registry untweaked will on an XP box, it won't manufacture them at all. If it makes one, you're luck. Go and look. There is no documentation on System Restore in Vista based on the Volume Shadow Service anywhere on MSFT's Technet or MSDN site. Not one softy of the thousands who are MSDN blogging the pure Nirvana of Vista that's getting ready to ship broken badly will document these features.
System File Checker, a stalwart utility in different evolutions since Windows 98, is now broken in Vista every build through Beta 2 5384.4. MSFT has not lifted a finger to fix it; nor have the Softies posted one scintilla of information on it .
It was totally irresponsible of MFST to release Beta 2 to the public, most of whom pays no attention to the word Beta and not release instructions and documentation anywhere on their web site. It's also difficult for Beta Testers who are kind enough to help in here to tell you about Windows RE and System Restore in Vista when none of them has comprehensive information about it themselves.
Let's get this out in the open and make it clear. Toshiba makes great computers--they have a wonderful research organization and some of the finest retailers on the planet. . So does Dell, and so do some of other 300 name partners. But MSFT and the 300 so called large "named OEM" partners don't give a damn about restore CDs working. If they did give a damn you would get a Vista DVD with every OEM purchase or time-wise now that would have been a retail XP CD.
Let's make no mistake about it. The people who make Win RE, and the teams who make System Restore and contribute to these recovery features in Vista were directly challenged to take a room full of their best and brightest and break Vista. Half the machines would have a MSFT Vista DVD and half the machines would have the pure crap that OEMs ship. OEM VP Scott di Valerion has an Excel--he hasn't caught on to Google free spreadsheets yet, spreadsheet that has exactly which crap which 300 named OEM partners ship.
MSFT makes money selling that preinstalled OS. After that if you don't buy another retail OS on MSFT media, you're screwed. Don't even try to use the Recovery CD for a dog's frissbee. The dog will be smart enough to look at you and say "No go Bozo. Spring for a real frissbee."
MSFT was aware of this problem for the last seven years. They utter hollow words like "we encoruage OEM partners to ship media that will allow them to recover." They know damn well it doesn't and their response to a challenge to prove it does is met with PURE SILENCE.
You won't see one person from the Vista team or MSFT jumping in here to defend the crap that they allow OEM to ship. They know it's a day late and a dollar short on code and don't ever think you will access Win RE on OEM media or partitions. Custom solutions that MFST Vista team members allude to that are available for enterprises sure. But when their ad campaign for Vista rolls out you ain't gonna see no enterprise enjoying Vista--you are going to see mom, dad, and kid nuclear family using ti.
This is all about hypocrisy. Scott di Valerio OEM VP isn't a software engineer with an eduation in computer science. He's a Price Water accountant who is at MSFT to make money. He's not there to insure that the 500 million past XP legitimate desktops work. He's not there to insure that OEM Vista purchasers will be able to use Win RE. I think that if interviewed this moment, OEM VP Scott di Valerio would not be able to demonstrate for me how to recover XP No Boots or Vista no boots, and I think that's a compelling point.
If put to a test with a Video camera right now, there is not one individual on the Vista team at MSFT who can access Windows RE from OEM media or OEM partitions and they know it. And those boxes are available to MSFT right this minute from Dell, Sony, HP ect to test. They have that stuff on the Redmond campus right now. They could test it in public and try to prove it works, but they don't dare to.
MSFT may be attempting to make software, but they are letting the business types like accountant Scott di Valerio call the shots on whether you get competent recovery media that has efficacy. Translated that means that forget about it--recover parititons supplied by the OEMs and so called Recovery CDS will not reach the panopoly of Recovery Features in Windows RE whatsoever and all the Softies on the Vista teams concerned with this feature are completely aware of it. But they aren't going to come out and say so. It's the topic that's taboo to them and they don't want discussion about this. They don't want to hear that System Restore and SFC System File Checker are broken in Vista because they are going to ship it whether they work or not. And all that feedback they tell you is avialable--it goes right to the Tin Ears and the Delete button. If feedback had efficacy, they would have provided documentation on System Restore and Win RE on their site, and they would have fixed those features in Vista and if you pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to an OEM and don't demand a retail XP CD and/or a retail Vista DVD then my friend, you deserve to be up the creek without a paddele that MSFTand their OEM wants and intends you to be sitting on.
How much self respect can you have and how can you look yourself in the mirror if you are a PM on the Vista team concerned with core file services or Windows RE or any aspect of System Restore or Recovery or you are Chris Jones, Corporate Vice President Corporate Vice President, Windows Client Core Development and you know that a huge base of your non-enterprise customers are completely screwed when it comes to fixing a trashed Vista because MSFT hasn't fulfilled their responsibility conjointly with their 300 OEM Named Partners.
They want you to buy Vista pre-installed on an expensive computer with your hard earned money,l but they don't give a damn whether you have the tools to fix it. Let them hear from you. Let them know you aren't going to buy the OEM unless MSFT gets off its butt and comes to an agreement with those 300 name OEM partners to ship you a retail Vista DVD. They can get this done. But they didn't in XP and they have no plans to do so in Vista. It's the quintissential "Let the masses eat cake" from the Redmond campus Vista teams.
These guys have key rolls in your not getting competent media from OEM Platinumesque partners like Dell, Sony, HP, Acer that will fix Vista when it is a no boot.
Chris Jones Corporate Vice President, Windows Client Core Development http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/cjones/default.mspx
Here's Chris smiliing and joking with his Vista box but the one question Rob Scoble didn't get around to asking Chris is the taboo question on whether OEM customers have media or partitions or a life raft to recover Vista that works:
Chris Jones - Beta 1 of Windows Vista revealed Video of the Man Responsible for Vista and a key player in the situation where OEM Recovery Media doesn't work http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=92834
Scott di Valerio Corporate OEM VP MSFT--another key player in the situation where OEM recovery media doesn't work:
Scott Di Valerio Corporate Vice President, OEM Division http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/scottdiv/default.mspx
You could try to contact these guys and let them know you want retail DVDs when you make your expensive OEM purchases that not only makes MSFT a Vista sale, but has dividends in advertisement and introducing you to scores of other MSFT marketing venues like MSN, and other software and tons of new products. But I believe they would have a tin ear and are totally unresposive. Look at the key features in Vista right now that they refuse to fix after 10 months of feedback that System Restore doesn't make restore points, that the All Programs Menu doesn't expand, that SFC System Fiel Checker is completely broken and look at their total refusal to provide documentation on the products that they released to the public free of course as a pure marketing tool that totally transcends any component of feedback for Beta 2 Public Vista 5384.4.
The only way to get Mr. Jones and Mr.Valiero to listen is to insist that you get retail media or refuse to buy OEM machines. They can get it done; but right now they don't think you matter. They have access to Vista DVDs as do their family and friends. They had access to XP CDs to do repair installs in XP as well. They know it; and they haven't shown they give a damn.
The teams who make these products haven't shown they give a damn because they lack the guts to walk up to Mr. Di Valerio and Chris Jones and bang on their desks and look them in the eye and say "I damn well want my products to be available to 500 million OEM Vista customers and you have it set up so that they won't. Do something about this now. Let the OEMs and MSFT know you won't take this anymore. Or be prepared to sit their whining about the PC you can't fix with so-called reocvery media and recovery partitions provided by OEM that MSFT has allowed to exist and flourish.
CH
"Daniel Woo" wrote in message Yes. i've tried putting in the restore cd and vista won't take it. it say that it can't regonize the window version
"Tom Porterfield" wrote:
Daniel Woo wrote: I have a Toshiba laptop and had the experience of being happy for 30 minutes. Then it hit me. I can't do much on here like i would on XP. Well duh, Its beta so theres not much freedomize things you can do. I've read some posts and i took it into play. I haven't have much luck with the info. I can't find it in the add/remove program and i've tried format and a window came up saying i couldn't do it becuase "vista" was on it. I don't have a XP boot cd like some people do . I have a restore cd(3) and couldn't use it because it says that it couldn't regonize the current window version on it. What can i do to take off Vista FOREVER.
Have you tried booting with the restore CD, the first one? I'm not that familiar with Toshiba, but often restore CD's are bootable. If that is the case, you would boot from the restore CD, which would then walk you through the process of restoring the OS on the PC to what it was when delivered from the factory. -- Tom Porterfield
Naw, Gary I pretty much have my coffee choices down right now. I'm great at making it. I wouldn't waste a dime on "decaf; I'll leave that choice to you. It's easy for you to glibly act as if there aren't major problems for people who get in trouble with OEM boxes but 99% of them can't recover. That tends to upset them, They have totally crap tech support called Convergys of Ohio that MSFT outsources based predominantly in Indian cities who are next to impossible to understand not because they are Indians, but because they are Indians who haven't begun to master English as a second language. Convergys pays them minimum wage, and MSFT pays Convergys minimum bucks to keep their phone calls from coming to any of them. MSFT isn't about to be bothered with PSS for the rabble, and they have people like us working for free doing their best quality support for non Enterprises.
"We use about 20 Toshiba laptops and I have never had a problem with the restore disk set."
Specifically how many times and for precisely problems did you apply the restore disc set to each laptop Gary?
Apparently then, you think that everything is working fantastic when OEM's crash. Pssst Gary, I can take you to where you see how crappy OEM recovery tools are. You can go to the XP or Vista chats right now and hang there for a while and you'll see people with preinstalled OEMs that can't get to Windows. See how much success you have with the ones who have Recovery CDs or recovery partitions but no XP CD.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/chats/chatroom.aspx
You won't have to wait long there for the next OEM No boot, and when it happens tell 'em Gary is there to make things right; that you have 20 Toshibas and "I have never had a problem" but see how many of them you can fix. You won't fix any who fail at F8 options without an XP CD to repair, and it will take you an hour and a half to get them to the F8 options and get them to try all of them.
I've helped people with over 1000 repairs with a broad spectrum of boxes representing 300 of what OEMVP Scott di Valeriano has on his list as "the 300 Name partners." The name partners include the multibillion dollar corporations that the choppers fly the OS too, calling it RTM when it's very much a Beta. They make a ton, and MSFT gives them a license to print money called XP and Vista--aka the operating system every 6 years.The more preinstalled OEMs sell, the more money MSFT makes. Most pcs use and need Office and a large percentage of them use and need a panopoly of a few hundred server choices that MSFT markets--and a lot of them use servers in the top 20 in sales.
Vista is scheduled to release sometime in the next several months. That's when there will be totaly bogus restore discs and totally bogus restore parititons and the same "You bought an OEM preinstalled Windows you're screwed if you don't go out and buy a retail Vista DVD" cycle will repeat for another 6 yeas until Vienna/Blackcomb or whatever screwy name the next one gets called comes out. I'm glad to clear up the time hang up and point you made that Vista has not RTM'd yet.
That date gets more in flux with every current day and rightly so. Vista has major not minor bugs and the need for major not minor feature changes. UAC is a great theory and its implementation needs much work. Enterprises and TAP testers have complained vociferously about a box in their face every time they move, and the response on the UAC team blog has been the typical condescending indifference. System Restore needs to be made to make restore points and work. System File Checker does not work and whoever is hiding in Redmond who makes it needs to fix it. MSFT is so concerned about SFC not working except with one switch most people have never heard of that they had one single person post it on one single thread of one Beta newsgroupand they released the OS to the public without any of htat information. Right now I'm seeing on blogs that its broken, I've been testing it and it can severely break Vista and corrupt the registry giving you the chance to deploy Win RE. The start menu UI is designed ridiculously and it can't even expand the All Programs Menu.
You bring me those Toshiba computers Gary and let's apply the XP and the Vista tests that MSFT is frightented to take. We divide them into ten and ten. I'll find a myriad number of ways to break them in second.s Half you try to fix with the Toshiba recovery media and half with the XP CD and we''ll keep score.
Since nothing will change when Vista finally RTMS, we can do the same with Vista.
Michael Burke , a PM for the Windows Client was quoted in the Investors Business Daily article this morning admitting they don't know when it will ship. A number of parameters are forecastsing a very luke warm reception for Vista.
The reason is stasis, recalcitrant mediocrity, and teams who have a tin ear for what testers have told them and build after build that doesn't fix major systemic problems. The major one is an arrogance that purports to want feedback, and has complete indifference toward feedback or interaction.
You can see the results of the Changewave Vista Survey quoted in IBD yourself: http://www.changewave.com/freecontent/2006/05/alliance-vista-051506_pr.html?ru=/freecontent/2006/05/alliance-vista-051506.html
1161 Executives were polled May 16-22 including 54 people who worked for companies involved in TAP programs and 146 people whose companies were joining a program to test Vista and 961 who decision makers in tech spending for their companies.
22% of respondents who are Beta testing believe it will ship in the 4th quarter of 2006. Many people report a major core revision to Vista a year after it RTMs, with an upgraded Vista kernel projected for 2008, something unprecedented in Windows and and suggesting it will ship as a Beta. 75% won't defer server or PC purchases to wait for Vista.
It all boils down to one word-- incorrigible arrogance and indifference to feedback, and it's going to cost them a lot of money.
CH
"Gary" wrote in message
WOW someone needs to switch to decaf.
We use about 20 Toshiba laptops and I have never had a problem with the restore disk set.
And how can there be a restore disk for Vista when its not even released yet?
"Chad Harris" <mail.MSFTturnssearchesovertogov.net> wrote in message You need to use Win RE on a Vista DVD burned with MSFT's code. MSFT needs to get off their lazy butts and put comprehensive documentation on how to use Win RE on Technet and MSDN. They need to write a comprehensive FAQ and in depth article on System Restore in Vista the way hundreds of XP books have for XP. It's different in Vista and right now the System Restore Product Manager at Redmond hasn't done a thing to fix his broken System Restore. System Restore not only will not manufacture Restore Points on a Vista box even at the five default times System Restore with the registry untweaked will on an XP box, it won't manufacture them at all. If it makes one, you're luck. Go and look. There is no documentation on System Restore in Vista based on the Volume Shadow Service anywhere on MSFT's Technet or MSDN site. Not one softy of the thousands who are MSDN blogging the pure Nirvana of Vista that's getting ready to ship broken badly will document these features.
System File Checker, a stalwart utility in different evolutions since Windows 98, is now broken in Vista every build through Beta 2 5384.4. MSFT has not lifted a finger to fix it; nor have the Softies posted one scintilla of information on it .
It was totally irresponsible of MFST to release Beta 2 to the public, most of whom pays no attention to the word Beta and not release instructions and documentation anywhere on their web site. It's also difficult for Beta Testers who are kind enough to help in here to tell you about Windows RE and System Restore in Vista when none of them has comprehensive information about it themselves.
Let's get this out in the open and make it clear. Toshiba makes great computers--they have a wonderful research organization and some of the finest retailers on the planet. . So does Dell, and so do some of other 300 name partners. But MSFT and the 300 so called large "named OEM" partners don't give a damn about restore CDs working. If they did give a damn you would get a Vista DVD with every OEM purchase or time-wise now that would have been a retail XP CD.
Let's make no mistake about it. The people who make Win RE, and the teams who make System Restore and contribute to these recovery features in Vista were directly challenged to take a room full of their best and brightest and break Vista. Half the machines would have a MSFT Vista DVD and half the machines would have the pure crap that OEMs ship. OEM VP Scott di Valerion has an Excel--he hasn't caught on to Google free spreadsheets yet, spreadsheet that has exactly which crap which 300 named OEM partners ship.
MSFT makes money selling that preinstalled OS. After that if you don't buy another retail OS on MSFT media, you're screwed. Don't even try to use the Recovery CD for a dog's frissbee. The dog will be smart enough to look at you and say "No go Bozo. Spring for a real frissbee."
MSFT was aware of this problem for the last seven years. They utter hollow words like "we encoruage OEM partners to ship media that will allow them to recover." They know damn well it doesn't and their response to a challenge to prove it does is met with PURE SILENCE.
You won't see one person from the Vista team or MSFT jumping in here to defend the crap that they allow OEM to ship. They know it's a day late and a dollar short on code and don't ever think you will access Win RE on OEM media or partitions. Custom solutions that MFST Vista team members allude to that are available for enterprises sure. But when their ad campaign for Vista rolls out you ain't gonna see no enterprise enjoying Vista--you are going to see mom, dad, and kid nuclear family using ti.
This is all about hypocrisy. Scott di Valerio OEM VP isn't a software engineer with an eduation in computer science. He's a Price Water accountant who is at MSFT to make money. He's not there to insure that the 500 million past XP legitimate desktops work. He's not there to insure that OEM Vista purchasers will be able to use Win RE. I think that if interviewed this moment, OEM VP Scott di Valerio would not be able to demonstrate for me how to recover XP No Boots or Vista no boots, and I think that's a compelling point.
If put to a test with a Video camera right now, there is not one individual on the Vista team at MSFT who can access Windows RE from OEM media or OEM partitions and they know it. And those boxes are available to MSFT right this minute from Dell, Sony, HP ect to test. They have that stuff on the Redmond campus right now. They could test it in public and try to prove it works, but they don't dare to.
MSFT may be attempting to make software, but they are letting the business types like accountant Scott di Valerio call the shots on whether you get competent recovery media that has efficacy. Translated that means that forget about it--recover parititons supplied by the OEMs and so called Recovery CDS will not reach the panopoly of Recovery Features in Windows RE whatsoever and all the Softies on the Vista teams concerned with this feature are completely aware of it. But they aren't going to come out and say so. It's the topic that's taboo to them and they don't want discussion about this. They don't want to hear that System Restore and SFC System File Checker are broken in Vista because they are going to ship it whether they work or not. And all that feedback they tell you is avialable--it goes right to the Tin Ears and the Delete button. If feedback had efficacy, they would have provided documentation on System Restore and Win RE on their site, and they would have fixed those features in Vista and if you pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to an OEM and don't demand a retail XP CD and/or a retail Vista DVD then my friend, you deserve to be up the creek without a paddele that MSFTand their OEM wants and intends you to be sitting on.
How much self respect can you have and how can you look yourself in the mirror if you are a PM on the Vista team concerned with core file services or Windows RE or any aspect of System Restore or Recovery or you are Chris Jones, Corporate Vice President Corporate Vice President, Windows Client Core Development and you know that a huge base of your non-enterprise customers are completely screwed when it comes to fixing a trashed Vista because MSFT hasn't fulfilled their responsibility conjointly with their 300 OEM Named Partners.
They want you to buy Vista pre-installed on an expensive computer with your hard earned money,l but they don't give a damn whether you have the tools to fix it. Let them hear from you. Let them know you aren't going to buy the OEM unless MSFT gets off its butt and comes to an agreement with those 300 name OEM partners to ship you a retail Vista DVD. They can get this done. But they didn't in XP and they have no plans to do so in Vista. It's the quintissential "Let the masses eat cake" from the Redmond campus Vista teams.
These guys have key rolls in your not getting competent media from OEM Platinumesque partners like Dell, Sony, HP, Acer that will fix Vista when it is a no boot.
Chris Jones Corporate Vice President, Windows Client Core Development http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/cjones/default.mspx
Here's Chris smiliing and joking with his Vista box but the one question Rob Scoble didn't get around to asking Chris is the taboo question on whether OEM customers have media or partitions or a life raft to recover Vista that works:
Chris Jones - Beta 1 of Windows Vista revealed Video of the Man Responsible for Vista and a key player in the situation where OEM Recovery Media doesn't work http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=92834
Scott di Valerio Corporate OEM VP MSFT--another key player in the situation where OEM recovery media doesn't work:
Scott Di Valerio Corporate Vice President, OEM Division http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/scottdiv/default.mspx
You could try to contact these guys and let them know you want retail DVDs when you make your expensive OEM purchases that not only makes MSFT a Vista sale, but has dividends in advertisement and introducing you to scores of other