Operating System Alternatives

Computer Care: Windows still rules, but there are other alternatives

By Arthur Glazerglazer.tech@gmail.com
POSTED: March 22, 2013 10:43 p.m.

I have been a fan of the Windows operating system since its inception. With Windows XP back near the turn of this century, things started getting better. Wireless and USB support were introduced and many enhancements were added with that edition. Improvements were made to the computer hardware, the operating system and software; it all began to run faster than ever before.

Windows, in one incarnation or another, has been on my computers since the ’80s (Win 3.1) at the time when I had DOS installed on it. Things have gotten progressively better with each release, with the exceptions of the Millennium Edition, or Win ME, as it was infamously known, and, of course, the much-maligned Vista.

Those two versions were an annoyance to consumers and must have been an huge embarrassment to Microsoft. Still, they created superior versions after each one of those fiascos.

I’ve had clients who hated Vista so much they downgraded back to XP. If you have the CD, you can legally put it on any one machine of your choice.

Windows XP Pro has caused me only a few problems over the years and I still have it on my desktop computer. Win 7 Ultimate is on my laptop and is a strong OS, although every now and then I think I’m using Win ME again.

Once in a while, I can’t initiate a system restore or find that the computer has an inability to rename a file or folder. Even with updates turned off, I find myself waiting at a reboot while my system configures updates. My 64-bit laptop has 6 GB of RAM installed and still, the mouse will freeze on occasion. I work on these machines for living and even I get stumped at times.

What to do? Usually things happen for a reason; sometimes though, they are unexplainable. The first thing to do is reboot. Oddly enough, that little fix does a lot of good for an operating system. It refreshes the memory and repairs little issues within the system. It takes only a couple of minutes, so try a reboot first.

Should that prove ineffective, do some scanning. Let your antivirus and malware utilities both run full scans of your C drive. All it takes is a virus or Trojan horse to make a computer run a little crazy.

Scan results may reveal unspecific intruders, often listed as PUPs, or Potentially Unwanted Programs. They should always be terminated and removed. If your utility wants to remove something and asks you for permission, always allow it.

After that, run Windows Check Disk. All of these scans may be time-intensive, so don’t be in a hurry. All totaled, they can take hours, sometimes many hours to complete.

A last-case scenario in times of large issues is to reinstall Windows. This alternative will not fix the problems on your computer; instead it will erase them and put a fresh copy of your operating system on the hard drive.

There are other alternatives. You could try another version of Windows. If you have XP, try upgrading to Windows 7; if you have Win 7, try Win 8. Should you not want to give up one for the other, consider a dual boot or a dual config. This option lets you choose which version of Windows to boot the computer to, without deleting the other.

Google this option for instructions. I could explain it, but it would be a column in itself. It’s really not that difficult to accomplish.

Windows 8 was clearly designed for a tablet or other computer with a touch-screen interface. If you already have Win 8 and are dismayed at the lack of the familiar start button, there is help.

There are legal hacks to make the interface more familiar, but why should we have to tweak a new system? It would have been better with options. But if you do want that start button back, there are apps out there to download, most free. One may be found at www.startbutton8.com.

You could also try a different operating system altogether.

Linux is a viable alternative. Ubuntu is a version, or distro, as it is called, of Linux that has been popular for years. Not only is it a good, solid operating system, it’s not any harder to learn than Windows, and it’s free. This open-source Windows replacement also comes with various free utilities and applications, with more available to download. Find it at www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop.

Chromebook is yet another choice. Google released it a few years ago as an alternative to Windows. It’s lighter and cheaper than most laptops. With Chromebook, the operating system is Chrome OS and everything, including your data, is in the cloud. Security is built in and updates are automatic. Made for online computing, they start at $249.

OK, then there’s the Mac. There, I said it. But why buy an expensive Apple device when you already probably own at least one or two Windows CDs? Plus, Chromebook is inexpensive — and Linux is free.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Vista

Computer Care: Vista’s not all bad once you learn its quirks

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED Nov. 1, 2008 5 a.m.

It's been two years since Microsoft released Vista, and I still don't like it. I have two desktops and a laptop; they all run on XP. When I replace my laptop, I'm sure I'll replace Vista and install XP Pro in its place.

But I do have a system partitioned with Vista Business on it and, I admit, there are some enhancements worth mentioning. We're not here to bash Vista today, but to praise its limited glory.

So let's talk utilities, gadgets and permissions. It's the latter that drives me nuts. I grow weary each time Windows asks for my permission, on my computer, practically every click of the mouse. Then I discovered how to disable that feature. It is in fact a safety feature built in to Windows for our protection against rogue programs and spyware, but it is annoying just the same.

To turn it off, find your way to Control Panel in Classic View and double-click User Accounts. Then simply click User Accounts Control (UAC) off by unchecking the box. But be forewarned that you are disabling attempts to advise you of programs that may not be kosher, so tread carefully. Know what you install and what you click on.

Vista, for some reason, will let you delete the recycle bin. By right-clicking on it, you can inadvertently delete the icon and the ability to tidy up your desktop instead of simply deleting the trash. Should this happen to you, right-click on the desktop and choose Personalize from the shortcuts menu. In the task pane on the left, chose Change Desktop Icons and check the box next to Recycle Bin. Click Apply and OK and you're back to recycling.

Some things are missing from Vista that XP had, but are still accessible. There is no more "Run" command in the Start Menu, but you can access it by hitting the Windows Key + R. Also Control + R should do it.

Network Places is also gone. Find it by clicking Start, then Network.

Outlook Express has become Mail and has lost the ability to check web mail such as Yahoo and Hotmail. You can still do it from your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox) though.

Add/Remove Programs is now hidden. To find it, click Start, then Control Panel, then Programs and Features where you'll see Uninstall.

System Restore is still there, but also difficult to find. In Control Panel, it's in the Backup and Restore Center. Easier yet, from the Search box, type Restore.

One of the things Vista can do that its predecessors could not, is partition unused hard disk space.

"What is that?" you ask. There is a built in utility that lets you create storage outside of Windows. Why put your photos or music in jeopardy by storing them with your system folders. Should your computer crash, you may lose the images of your last vacation.

From Start and All Programs, go to the Administrative Tools Control Panel and then to the Computer Management Console.

Also in the Administrative Tools area is a RAM tester if you suspect a memory glitch. Click on the Memory Diagnostic Tool and choose the first option, allow the system to restart and choose Basic when it reboots to the DOS screen. F1 will take you to the tests and F10 will initiate them.

Another plus from Vista is the Health Report. In Control Panel, click System and Maintenance Performance Information and Tools. On the left in Advanced Tools, the last item will say, "Generate a system health report."

While there, look for Problem Reports and Solutions that will not only discover what's wrong in your computer, but will try to fix it.

If you have a USB thumb drive with extra memory on it, you can use it to boost your system. Upon insertion, you'll be asked if you want to use it for storage or for a memory boost. Just choose.

Windows Defender is a utility that XP users can download, but Vista comes with it installed. It is Microsoft's defense against spyware. It will monitor attempts of hijacking, stop rogue programs from running and prevent pop-ups. It's accessible from the Control Panel by going to Security, then Windows Defender. It will run automatically, but you can initiate a scan at will.

Vista has other benefits, but considering my space restraints, I can't mention them all. Sure there are some cool tools and nifty gadgets to behold. But if I want weather gizmos or another clock, I'll add it to my XP desktop.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Vista Tips

Glazer: Tips to help you make Vista run

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED June 28, 2008 5 a.m.

I have not addressed Vista, the current and latest Microsoft operating system in this column mainly because I don't like it. (Hey - my ball, my rules.)

I do have a copy of the basic version installed on one of my computers and I will service it for my clients, but it's not my preference for an operating system. Although fancy, it is bloated and sluggish and I would rather not use it, nor write about it. That said, let's explore a few ways to try to make it as fast as its predecessor.

The most effective and least expensive way to speed up any system is with more memory, or RAM. Vista has a new feature, Ready Boost, which will allow you to boost your system RAM temporarily, with the aid of a 2GB or more USB flash drive. It's not just for storage anymore. Upon insertion of the drive, Vista will check it for compatibility and then ask if you want to use it for Ready Boost. All you have to do is agree.

Another tip is to disable the Indexing Service, something advisable for XP as well. By constantly checking your files, Vista keeps them ready to be available for you. This can be helpful but it also slows down the system by always using resources you may need for other tasks.

Select Start, then Computer and right-click on your C drive. On the General tab, uncheck "Index this drive for faster searching." In the next dialog box, choose to include subfolders and files and you've turned the service off.

By disabling automatic disc defragmentation, you free up some more resources. Although defragmenting your hard disc is a good idea and doing so will speed up your system, having it always on is overkill. You're better off to set it on manual rather than automatic (the default setting) and run it once a month or as needed by yourself.

To disable it, click Start then Computer, right click the C drive and select the Tools tab. Uncheck Run on a Schedule and you're set.

Keeping your system registry in shape is paramount for an efficient operating system. The Windows database gets cluttered with junk and old values quickly. This in turn slows down the system. There are many programs to keep it clean. Advanced Windows Care Personal from Iobit is a good free one and can be found at www.iobit.com.

Run it weekly or when you notice your system is sluggish. Browse www.download.com for others, using the keyword "registry."

Although Internet Explorer, which is incorporated in the OS has been updated, it has slowed down under the weight of its new elements. By making a registry change, you can fix this.

See www.theeldergeek.com/increase_internet_download_connections.htm for instructions on how to increase the number of download connections IE makes. By increasing that number, it accesses Web sites more quickly.

Remote Differential Compression constantly checks for files changes in a Vista system and slows down performance significantly. To turn this service off, go to Control Panel (from the Start menu) and switch to Classic View. Select Program Features and choose "Turn Windows features on and off." Scroll down to Remote Differential Compression and uncheck it.

Finally, I would disable hibernation. It's another background service that eats up resources and most people don't use it anyway. Again, go to Control Panel, then Power Options and select Change Plan Settings. Then choose Change Advanced Power Settings and click on Sleep, then Hibernate After and move the slider down to zero. Click Apply.

Some technicians advocate also closing down System Restore, another service, but I would advise against it. Although it does use system resources, it's a valuable tool worth keeping and could save you in a computing disaster.

I don't foresee Vista in any incarnation as an OS with longevity. I think it was released prematurely, with errors and too many demands on the consumer and will disappear as quickly as it arrived. Now that Microsoft realizes it did not make its mark with Vista as a Super XP, but more of a Millennium 2, they are scurrying to release its successor.

Hopefully they have learned a lesson from this fiasco and may one day produce another XP-caliber operating system. Until then, I will stick to XP as my choice OS. I may throw the hastily released Vista a bone now and then, but my sentiments toward it remain steadfast - haste la vista, Vista.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears monthly in The Times and on gainesvilletimes.com.