3Questions about Windows Vista

[Trainbuff]

I am planning on upgrading my computer to Windows Vista at the end of the
year, because some games I want to get work with DirectX10 and the fact that
it is the most recent version of Windows. There are, however, three questions
I have about it:

1. When you install Windows Vista, does it remove all of the XP updates that
were downloaded from Windows Update? Since Vista would have no use for these,
I'm assuming it might, but I'm not sure if it does (Lol, you know what they
say about why you shouldn't "assume")

2. Would you recommend I simply upgrade my system to Vista, or should I do a
clean install? I have DVD-R's to back up my music, videos, and such, but I am
concerned about losing the user names and passwords stored in my system (I
don't have all of them written down) Which leads me to question 3:

3. Is there a way in Windows XP to look at the user names and passwords
stored on the system? Not only do I have passwords saved in Firefox, there
are one or two games that, when I play them online, require these. Or, can I
copy and paste them and then look at them on word? (I don't think you can
with passwords, but I'm not sure.)

Any advice will be appreciated. Before I upgrade to Vista, I definitely plan
to get a new video card (eVGA 512MB 8600GTS) and 4GB of ram for my XPS 400
System, which should make Vista run smoothly.

 

[Telstar]

That's why I don't like using "remember my password" features of any
program. It's makes the brain lazy and gives you a reason not to
remember them yourself. The best place to store your passwords is in
your head.

dzomlija.spaces.live.com/)

Utter nonsense and impractical if you have any kind of cyberlife.

See: RoboForm...not only password management, but complex forms as well.

 

[Trainbuff]

I believe it is the motherboard Dell manufactured for it. It hasn't given me
any problems, and it has all the slots I need (I'll simply remove the Nvidia
Geforce 6800 I'm using now and replace it with the 8600GTS). As for the CPU,
it's a Pentium D going at 2.80 Ghz. I ran Nzone's Vista Upgrade Advisor and
it said that it was fine to use with Vista. I may upgrade it later on to
either a Core 2 Duo going at 3 ghz, or maybe a quad core (probably quad core)

 

[Trainbuff]

Thanks for telling me about that Roboform; I downloaded it and its saved
many of my passwords. I do have one final question though: Do I need to buy
the full version of Windows Vista Home Premium? Or can I buy the upgrade
version? I'm thinking that I might do a clean install, so I want to make sure
I get the right one.

 

[uvbogden]

You can do a clean upgrade install and preserve your settings, applications,
etc.. See details in this tutorial.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/68767-clean-install-upgrade.html

 

[HeyBub]

How is having software remember your passwords and forms for you any
better than remembering them yourself? Password Management software
can be broken into with malware, and there is no encryption in the
world that cannot be broken into, so even their own protection
systems are not as goods as your own brain. If your password is in
your head, how is anyone going to get it unless you tell them?

So please explain to me how you believe this to be nonsense?

There are encryption techniques that would take the NSA computers a very
long time to solve and if NSA's decryption algorithms were running on your
pissant computer, you would surely notice it. Further, encrypted passwords
can be solved, usually, only by brute-force techniques because of their
small size.

How can someone get your password(s) from you? Ask Kahlil Shaik Mohammed,
or, as he is now known, "Eight-toe Mohammed."

 

[Paul Knudsen]

How is having software remember your passwords and forms for you any
better than remembering them yourself? Password Management software can
be broken into with malware, and there is no encryption in the world
that cannot be broken into, so even their own protection systems are not
as goods as your own brain. If your password is in your head, how is
anyone going to get it unless you tell them?

So please explain to me how you believe this to be nonsense?

I, and no doubt the O.P. go to dozens of sites. You want to use a
different password for each (if you've got a lick of sense), and it is
impossible to remember them all. Hence, Roboform.

I submit that breaking the file encryption is far less likely then
someone guessing a password reused over and over.