New laptops with Vista

[Rocky]

ROTFLMAO !!!

-Are you comparing MS Vista to a storm that the brave user has to endure until MS finally decides to push Windows 7 out (who might be more of the same anyway) ?

Honestly, Marco, when it rains, there's no such thing as a roof, and a dry environment !

I now recommend to the general public to switch to Mac, and the more "tech-savvy" to switch to Linux. Windows XP will soon join Windows 98 in the museum...

MS Vista sucks so much, it hurts !

We all know Vista sucks, but.... And this is a real big BUT....
Anyone following all the instructions given at the beginning of this thread, can make it operate as smooth as a baby's bum, and as fast as XP.
Telling people to go out and buy Macs or to install a new unfamiliar OS, is not the easy solution for 99% of PC and laptop users.
Making their azz dragging slowpoke new laptop into a blistering fat machine, is the solution, and that's what has been accomplished by this thread, as attested to by those who have done it.
I recently "cleaned" up my friend's new laptop, that had 2 gigs of ram.
I received it as they sold it to her, and it was a slowpoke, not to mention hard to use, and when I had finished with it, it was as fast as any puter I have ever touched.

It's all fine and dandy to be a Bill Gates hater, but it's unreasonable to expect the whole world to become puter geeks, just to get around a few problems that are rather easy to resolve.

 

[DunHill]

 

[Rocky]

Nice pic, but it's easier to fix up a Vista puter, than to teach a penguin to drink from a straw.

 

[Squat]

Telling people (...) to install a new unfamiliar OS, is not the easy solution for 99% of PC and laptop users.

I know... It is just my own way to dance in the rain

It's all fine and dandy to be a Bill Gates hater, but it's unreasonable to expect the whole world to become puter geeks(...)

I can't help it... But I don't have any hard feeling for Bill Gates, I just love my freedom... It makes me feel like sharing, but I don't expect a bunch of people to dig it...

 

[Rocky]

I know... It is just my own way to dance in the rain


I can't help it... But I don't have any hard feeling for Bill Gates, I just love my freedom... It makes me feel like sharing, but I don't expect a bunch of people to dig it...

I hear ya.
Dance away......

 

[Matilda]

My old lap top has eventually died and I have a new one with...Vista. I am tearing my hair out - it took me 6 hours just to get internet, I must say I am not the world's best when it comes to computers, I just want to use them!! Anyway, the top of my long list of problems is I can't get the webcam to work in messenger, and as I talk to my mum every day it would be nice if she could see me again. I have loaded the camera - no probs, and it works but as soon as the connection is established it freezes. In the 'tools' box on messenger if you go to audio/video set up it won't go further than the audio part, and in the webcam setting box the camera isn't listed, and it won't let me put it in. I have tried everything and pressed lots of buttons but to no avail. Any ideas???

Matilda

 

[apostropheman]

Matilda,

what brand of laptop s it?

have you followed the instructions in the thread so far? (not that that will address your particular camera issue but...)

also have you updated with windows update?
or with the proprietary software for updating?

many times it will do it automatically but sometimes you must do it manually...or at least it may help to initiate it yourself.

 

[Rocky]

My old lap top has eventually died and I have a new one with...Vista. I am tearing my hair out - it took me 6 hours just to get internet, I must say I am not the world's best when it comes to computers, I just want to use them!! Anyway, the top of my long list of problems is I can't get the webcam to work in messenger, and as I talk to my mum every day it would be nice if she could see me again. I have loaded the camera - no probs, and it works but as soon as the connection is established it freezes. In the 'tools' box on messenger if you go to audio/video set up it won't go further than the audio part, and in the webcam setting box the camera isn't listed, and it won't let me put it in. I have tried everything and pressed lots of buttons but to no avail. Any ideas???

Matilda

If the webcam works, like in monitor mode or with another program, like a different messenger, or skype, then it's a compatibility problem with your messenger, and likely there is nothing to do except try another brand.
If the webcam does not work properly in monitor mode or with any messengers, then possibly you have to reload the drivers, and if that doesn't work, you might have an outright compatibility problem with Vista.
Lord knows that Vista is a beeeeeeeeeeech.

 

[apostropheman]

i'm guessing that the webcam is a built in model. seems that many laptops have them now.

mine is an HP and there is a known issue, perhaps issues, with it and Vista.

i got it to work by searching Google, finding out how others had fixed theirs and following what they did.

alternatively you could use an add on webcam. i did that until i solved the built in cam issue.
an advantage with add on cam is that the software may be much more up to date and offer a variety of features unavailable with the build in model.

 

[Matilda]

Laptop is a Dell Inspiron 1501 from US (so might have all its bits). Web cam is HP - not built in. Worked fine with other lap top - Dell Inspiron 2650 and Windows XP. Webcam works on its own, and worked with Windows live messenger in XP. I haven't updated yet but I think it does it automaticaly. Have only a little hair left from tearing it out!

 

[apostropheman]

ok, there are 2 HP webcams on this page. assuming that one of them is yours...

HP Canada - Desktop Accessories and LCD Monitors

the first one is

part number: RZ406AA#ABA

and the 2nd is

part number: EW191AA#ABA


if you plug in the part number here

Software & Driver downloads*

it should lead you to the correct driver software to download and install.

do you know which version of Vista you have and is it 32 bit or 64 bit?

Laptop is a Dell Inspiron 1501 from US (so might have all its bits). Web cam is HP - not built in. Worked fine with other lap top - Dell Inspiron 2650 and Windows XP. Webcam works on its own, and worked with Windows live messenger in XP. I haven't updated yet but I think it does it automaticaly. Have only a little hair left from tearing it out!

 

[apostropheman]

here are the results for the 2 cams.

the first is:

Software & Driver downloads*HP 2-Megapixel Webcam

32 bit Vista:
HP Webcam Driver Update*HP 2-Megapixel Webcam

64 bit Vista:
HP Webcam Driver Update*HP 2-Megapixel Webcam


and the second:

Software & Driver downloads*HP VGA Webcam with unique LCD clip

32 bit Vista:
HP Webcam Driver Update*HP VGA Webcam with unique LCD clip

64 bit Vista:
HP Webcam Driver Update*HP VGA Webcam with unique LCD clip

all you have to do is choose the correct type of Vista...either the 32 bit (which most people probably have) or the 64 bit.

if one of these is not your webcam and you have the model number you should be able to find it on the HP site linked.

 

[apostropheman]

nice computer
Dell Inspiron 1501 Notebook

it would appear to be 64 bit...

Mobile AMD Sempron^{<small>TM</small>} 3600+ Processor
AMD Turion^{<small>TM</small>} 64x2 Dual-Core Mobile technology TK-55 Processor
AMD Turion^{<small>TM</small>} 64x2 Dual-Core Mobile technology TL-58 Processor
AMD Turion^{<small>TM</small>} 64x2 Dual-Core Mobile technology TL-60 Processor

 

[apostropheman]

i probably could have managed all this rambling in 1 post :surprised but this way i managed to hit 1000 posts!

hopefully it will lead you to the correct driver without too much confusion :cheeky::bunny::bunny:

 

[Rocky]

i probably could have managed all this rambling in 1 post :surprised but this way i managed to hit 1000 posts!

hopefully it will lead you to the correct driver without too much confusion :cheeky::bunny::bunny:

Congrats to you, my frozen northern friend.
More importantly has been the helpfulness of your posts.
Good job.

 

[apostropheman]

thanks!

i suspect they will to the trick..and if not i'm sure we'll be able to find the solution.

we've had similar issues and have resolved them successfully so i'm sure this will be the same.

Congrats to you, my frozen northern friend.
More importantly has been the helpfulness of your posts.
Good job.

:bunny::bunny:

p.s. the weather here has been really nice so far...no snow yet. today was quite warm and sunny.

i went for a good, long walk today...even got a little colour :cheeky:, still, not as nice as the DR but we can't all live in Paradise...now can we :surprisedaranoid:

 

[Matilda]

Even my reply to this that I did 4 hours ago disappeared! Lap top is Dell Inspiron 1501. No built in cam so I used the one I had with my old Dell and Windows XP. I have now loaded another camera and same problem. One of the millions of messages said it wasn't compatible with Windows Media (but I don't need it for that) so I reloaded that. Still won't work. I now have bald patch from tearing hair out.

 

[Matilda]

Just found my reply and now yours. Thanks guys will try this tomorrow as too much Brugal .tonight whilst losing at dominos to think straight. Will let you know how it goes.

Matilda

 

[Matilda]

Ok I have done what you said and.....I have webcam!!!!! But.. no sound. I can have frozen webcam and sound, or if I ask 'send webcam' in Live Messenger rather than 'have video call' I have fab moving video picture but obviously no sound as I haven't asked for sound. So the webcam works in 'send webcam' but not in video mode. Any thoughts????

 

[apostropheman]

i've had a similar situation when trying to connect for a "video call" with someone that does not have a fast enough internet connection.

what kind of internet connections are involved?

i believe you need "high speed" on both ends to do this successfully.

there may be other issues but we have reached the end of my experience and knowledge unfortunately. hopefully someone else will have more insight.

Ok I have done what you said and.....I have webcam!!!!! But.. no sound. I can have frozen webcam and sound, or if I ask 'send webcam' in Live Messenger rather than 'have video call' I have fab moving video picture but obviously no sound as I haven't asked for sound. So the webcam works in 'send webcam' but not in video mode. Any thoughts????