Recognise you from the computer forum, where I thought I recognised you from here...

Check out the link below. I get their XP magazine, and will start getting the Vista. Been thinking of loading vista on my last build.

If you look at the top of the page, you'll see they have their own message boards, might be worth it to join to get answers to your email question.

Good luck with the new computer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Windows Vista magazine

THanks for the link. We are having major problems with Vista. Circuit City cannot help unless I bring it in. Microsoft cannot help nor can their techs since it came with the machine. After 2 hours we don't want to talk to HP. The problem is that we want our individual names and preferences. We had this with XP, and expect it here. Without my own name, I have to go to the site that I think you gave me for my mail. I cannot attach my mail to my preferences until my "name" works on the computer.

We bought the computer on about Monday, and now everyone's answer is that Vista is only 17 days old.

We spent about $100 to get it completely set up so we would just have to plug it in. First the router didn't recognize Vista, and we had to buy and install a new router, and now this. I am ready to ask Circuit City to refund our money for the installation.

I am so aggravated. Roselvr, I did recognize your name and so appreciate your posts.

I watch my pennies, and try to be frugal so I can spend money on roses. We purchased what to us would be one of the best systems so I can more easily show pictures of my roses, and navigate where I want. I don't want to learn about the computer. I am so thankful for the speaker phone so that I can do whatever I want when I am on hold.

What I really want is to go outside and work - just a little bit. The temps of 9 and 4 degrees in this part of the country are unacceptable. On the new, one of the people spoke the truth when he said that we did not choose Tulsa, Ok so we could have these temperatures. We came here instead of Minnesota to avoid these temperatures.

SAmmy

Sammy, take it back to Circuit City and tell them to install XP instead. You'll save yourself many, many headaches in the long run. If they fuss, tell them MS is not supporting it yet [17 days comments] and that you did not agree to that. It's actually incredibly easy for them as long as you don't need new data saved.

Good luck! I bet that'll clear everything up, but please drop me a line at crewswhicker AT hotmail DOT com if you think you need quicker, friendlier tech support, and I'll do some research :) It was my job for eons, and I'll pull out the old hat for friends.

PS - Vista is not the best choice for home users, at least, for the foreseeable future. If you like XP, keep it for a while regardless... if possible.

I agree with Meredith. When you go back there, make sure you get your copy of Vista, from what I remember, it had XP, they upgraded to Vista for you.

In the meantime, see if you can look for a Windows Vista tips magazine. I have a few for XP that walk you through everything, they may be put out by Smart Computing Magazine. Once you've read up on it and feel you are ready for Vista, then install it.

I just found a site that tells how to get rid of the Vista Areo theme and go back to windows classis, maybe that will help you? Vista tips

1. If you hate the look of Aero, click Start/Control Panel/Themes and you can choose a non-Aero theme, such as Windows Classic.

PC Magazine Vista Tips list

19 essential get-started tips for Windows Vista

Thanks, Old Blush, I need to read up on Vista, and that looks like a pretty good site.

Meredith, you are always so nice. When we set up the accounts, we set up 5 Administrators. The computer didn't like that at first, but once the machine was shut down, there was no problem when it restarted. My adult children visit, and I want them to have full rights when they use the computer. If they want to set up a game or go to a site, I trust them completely, and don't want them to feel like they need my permission. Generally in a young family, there is one administrator, but I wanted eveyone to have those rights. It works ok now.

The mail was no problem, but I couldn't do it alone. The Vista Windows says it is the newer version of Outlook Express. Our cable company has their own POP words and SMPT or (SMTP) words. They were very helpfuland stayed with me while I revised my password. They also helped me pull up my Outlook Express mail so I haven't lost anything. I did have many emails that I had not copied or saved to a folder that gave rose information. I think that is all lost.

I have to rethink my complaints since Vista is so new. We have a home network, and the router was not sophisticated enough for Vista, so we had to upgrade that. The new windows has its own security, but we purchase Norton's and asked them to put it on at Circuit City. They were able to retrieve the "My Documents" section of the old computer, and that was good.

My life is so busy that I didn't really have time for all of this. Also when you spend more than $1000, you (I) expect super service - I don't expect them to say that everything is new and learning it will take time.

I appreciate the help you have given me. I do intend to try to study computers a little more and be a little better informed.

Sammy

Vista doesn't sound too promising to start, does it?

I ended up buying another PC, a Dell. I was leaning to Apple but performance tests showed the Apple ran a key piece software, much slower, than the Dell--so my decision was pretty much made for me--since that was my entire reason for buying a new computer.

I'm still using XP which works flawlessly for me. Although I have the upgrade to Vista, I haven't installed it. I just don't have a compelling reason to do that right now.

(Incidentally, I love the Dell. It's absolutely silent and ridiculously fast. I can open huge photo files, one on top of the other, and it keeps up with no trouble at all.)

MichaelAT

Sammy, Best Buy should have grabbed your Outlook Express while they were backing up. Do you still have the hard drive? It's very easy to do.

Be careful with having a lot of user accounts. I had a friend that had 2 accounts, one got infected because for some reason the antivirus wasn't watching the other account.

I am not having a problem with Vista, but I wish I had had time to plan for the computer. Circuit City put in the security, and I am not familiar enough with it to handle the blocks. It has blocked my school's grading program. It says that the certificate has expired, and I cannot get in. It is a horrible program, but it is the only way I can put in my grades from home. It is closed to parents and anyone on the outside, it is just for teachers and administrators. I will have to scramble in the morning, but they kids can wait. I just think it is funny that the computer has blocked it.

Also I sent an email to someone, and it was return. The returned email was blocked. My computer blocked me.

I especially think it is funny since I teach Spanish, and the kids think they can use a machine to translate. It is the weaker student who does that, and they aren't good enough to read the Spanish from the machine, and see how ridiculous their writing is.

I hope the rest of you have had the beautiful day we have had today. It is about 55, and no rain.

We made one mistake with our computer. We purchased the regular computer, Circuit City installed things for us, then we decided to get a flat screen that is larger than what comes in the package. That means that the resolution should be high. It is low. But I have already chosen a gray/ blue that is a pleasing color for everything else. I have also chosen my fonts. When I tried to change the resolution, the prompt asked if I liked it, and I had to click "no". Everything seemed distorted.

I think I have complained too much.

Sammy

Sounds like Norton anti spam or one of the features. Did you get the Norton antivirus or the internet security?