Vista Premium Installation- The ~Play By Play~

Note: Sorry, Some of the  Pictures were lost for this post at one of the transfers of the site 10/2008..

I knew it wouldn’t be long before I installed [tag]Windows[/tag] Vista.   I’m obliged to install it; I have to install it.  After all, about a month from now, all of my friends and colleagues will be asking me Vista questions like: “why this doesn’t …, how does this …, and now this doesn’t….!”

The first thing the potential Vista buyer has to decide is what version of Vista to purchase.  Interestingly enough, I would hazard a guess that most potential buyers will not have thoroughly researched the massive [tag]system[/tag] [tag]requirements[/tag] (nor understand them completely) before they decide on a version. I believe that majority of buyers will probably buy the “premium” addition.   Some will not realize that they can’t run the advanced features until after they have installed it (whether successful or not).

I am going to describe the Vista versions, in brief, before I give you a “run down” of the my installation experience, minute-by-minute.  In this “play by play” I include some screen captures and short descriptions of what was happening with the computer system while Vista was installing.  I “successfully” installed Vista on the THIRD attempt.  More about that later….

The differences in brief:

[tag]Vista Basic[/tag] Includes:

Basic GUI Interface
Windows Defender, Windows Explorer 7,
Windows Media Player 11, Instant Search
Digital Photo Software,New Security Fixes
“Just The Essentials For Home”

[tag]Vista[/tag] Home [tag]Premium[/tag] Includes:

The Above PLUS-
AERO-A New Concept In Desktop Management
Windows Media Center, Automatic Backup Capability
Windows Meeting Spaces
 Tablet PC Support

Vista [tag]Business[/tag] Includes:

The Above MINUS- The Media Center Functionality/Many Media Capabilities,
Hardware failure protection
Business Network 
Remote Desktop
“The Basic For Business”
[tag]Vista Ultimate[/tag] Includes:

Everything Above From Both The Business
And Home Versions
After All It’s The “Ultimate”
This version contains literally “everything”
 

Vista Enterprise:

Designed Specifically For Large Enterprise Needs
Coporate Needs, etc.

_________________
THE PLAY BY PLAY:

Background Computer Specs: Sony Vaio, 1024 Megabytes of DDR [tag]Ram[/tag], Intel HT Pentium 4 @ 2.8 GHz, 200 Gigabyte SATA HD, Dual Monitors

FIRST ATTEMPT BEGINS

0:00   Begin “UPGRADE” installation of Vista Premium (Nice Shiny DVD)
0:01   After prompted, I choose the go online and “get the latest updates” option

  
0:02   Entered the product key (wouldn’t want MS not to get their proper due!)

0:02   Lots of hard drive activity and 3 minture later…
0:05   VISTA INFORMED ME I CANNOT UPGRADE (WHAT!!!) Apparantly, I had computer issues that prevent me from upgrading!

0:06   Time was taken to take this all in
0:07   Decide to run the “Windows Upgrade Advisor” (Should have read the results better the first time! :) )

0:08   Began the download of the advisor
0:10   “Advisor” downloaded
0:11   Launched the “advisor”
0:12   Commenced the advisor scan (while you are doing this you can interactively check out Vista Versions..it passes the time)

0:15   Still Scanning… (I really loathe the progress indicators that get to the end of the bar and then cycle back to the beginning…taunting you!)

0:16   Scan Complete

0:17   Examined the results…other than a minor multiple-monitor issue, no major things were reported to me
0:18   Double checked my system to make sure everything running in the background was OFF (Note: Make sure your Anti-Virus software is OFF before installing)

0:22   Decide to try again

SECOND ATTEMPT BEGINS:

0:23   Began installation
0:25   Entered product key
0:26   ENTERED PRODUCT KEY AGAIN BECAUSE I PUT IN A “B” instead of an “8”!!!
0:26   Agreed, Accepted…did not read the license agreement.
0:30   FAILED UPGRADE ATTEMPT, YET AGAIN!!! (Now I’m mad)
0:31   Decide to choose to perform a clean install WHICH NESCITATES ME MOVING EVERYTHING FROM ONE HD TO ANOTHER!!!

0:31   Begin the drudgery of moving everything and saving what was  needed
1:13   Finally ready to install a “clean install”

THIRD ATTEMPT BEGINS:

1:13    Began the clean install
1:20    I am finally farther than before!
1:21    I am told that the computer will restart several times during the installation (as long is it works…)

1:25   Finished copying Windows Files (Wow, that was fast!)
1:25   Started expanding Files
1:26   RESTART 1 (now I have lost my screen capture ability)
1:28   On boot, “Vista on screen” for a second then back to the above screen shot-expanding at 27%

1:31   Nothing has changed, the HD is still active, I checked my mouse to see if “it” was still alive… yep…

1:35   28%! it is alive!
1:36   Put on the coffee…
1:46   Finally, it is done “expanding”  (coffee is ready)
1:46   Began installing “features”
1:48   Finished installing “features” and now installing “updates”
1:49   RESTART 2
1:50   “Please wait while Windows prepares to start for the first time” appears on a black screen with white dots working there way across the screen
1:52   The second line of the ominous dots is now working its way to a third (again, why not a begining and end on the meters!)

1:53   A new black screen appears with the “white” mouse pointer!  (there is hope!)

1:54   The CD/DVD ROM Drive spin up (oh… the excitement :( )
1:56   The cool blue/green circle appears next to the mouse (hourglass replacement)

1:57   Completing Installation!
1:58   Still completing the installation!
1:59   Still completing the isntallation!  Moved the mouse out of habit…it helps soothe me to see it move)

2:00   RESTART 3
2:01   Logging into Windows For the First Time (we’ll see…)
2:02   Wow, I’m in!  (Quick, don’t touch anything!)
2:03   Installing FastStone Capture to take this photo (Welcome Start-Start Up Screen)

2:05   Finished Installation
2:06   Grabbed a 2nd cup!  Cheers!

Total Time: 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Postlogue:

All in all, it wasn’t a bad Windows Installation experience.  I have had installations in the past that have taken me 1/2 a day or more (Think Of Windows Millennium!).  I wasn’t overly concerned about not being able to upgrade since I believe that a “clean” install will help keep your system more stable in the long run and I was hedging about doing the clean install anyway.  However, many people may experience this problem and be totally frustrated and upset.  It does seem that the Windows Advisor will help if you are in this category. 

The Windows Advisor actually is a useful program and ALL users should run it before installation because it gives very good upgrade advice:

• Make sure you have downloaded previous drivers before you install
• This piece of hardware is incompatible with your system
• You won’t be able to use these part of Vista, etc.

Going into this, I knew that my multi-monitor system would not work because of the significant changes in the Windows Device Driver Model.  Subsequently, one of my monitors did not work.  I was able to get them both to work with some manipulating, but I did purchase a new multi-monitor card the next day because I wanted the Aero experience.  My next post will be about the monitor situation.

First look:  I really like it (especially with [tag]Aero[/tag]).  It’s clean and fresh and hasn’t crashed yet…”knock on wood”.

IF YOU HAVE HAD A GOOD OR BAD EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR INSTALLTION OF VISTA OR A “HORROR STORY”, PLEASE DROP US A NOTE IN THE COMMENT SECTION TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.  BE SURE TO INCLUDE AN ESTIMATE OF YOUR INSTALL TIME. 

DON’T FORGET TO VOTE ABOUT YOUR VISTA EXPERIENCE AND/OR WHEN YOU PLAN TO UPGRADE ON THE SIDEBAR!

                                                              ~J. Pisano