Very Frustrated with Microsoft products and services

[George]

Paid a lot for hardware (plenty of disk space and memory) and Windows Vista
Ultimate but got very bad experience:

(1) Backup software does not work properly. Always failed with error after
burning many DVD-ROMs.
(2) Whenever there is a problem, Vista tries to find solution online, but 10
out of 10 times it found no solution (The function is completely useless but
make user more frustrated).
(3) It lags when playing online game (WoW) and have to log out every 5 to 10
minutes. Tried the performance tools to boost the Experience Index Base
Score but nothing change. No recommendation or improvement.
(4) Found critical errors in the Event Log. Tried to search for support
information on Microsoft website using the EventId, logname and other event
properties but nothing returned!
(5) When search for help on microsoft website, it always bring you to the
product home page or provides no search result. It is unbelievable that
common phrases like 'Windows Vista backup', 'Windows Vista backup issue'
returned no result in communities. Search function that always returns no
result is no function at all.
(6) The System Health Report provides lot of numbers but no instruction of
how to fix problems.
(7) For no reason, all Microsoft Office documents (WORD, EXCEL,) becomes
read only. No editing, copying or saving.

It seems that only software consumers have to put up with these kind of
faulty products and crappy services just because Microsoft has dominated the
PC market!



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http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/co....public.windows.vista.performance_maintenance

 

[John Hanley]

George -- with regard to backups: I gave up on backing up to DVD; too long,
too many errors, too many discs, etc.
I bought an external USB hard drive for $60 as my backup destination. It
works just fine now, no hassle and a worthwhile expenditure.

 

[Paul Smith]

Paid a lot for hardware (plenty of disk space and memory) and Windows
Vista
Ultimate but got very bad experience:

(1) Backup software does not work properly. Always failed with error
after
burning many DVD-ROMs.

I backup to Windows Home Server, most people using the built-in backup will
backup to other hard drives. Without knowing the error it would be hard to
advise.

(2) Whenever there is a problem, Vista tries to find solution online, but
10
out of 10 times it found no solution (The function is completely useless
but
make user more frustrated).

When I had some problems with my video card, Sim City 4, Sound Blaster,
Flash player, Skype etc, it was kind enough to inform me that was
responsible before I go looking manually for the problem. I think this is
one of Windows Vista's best features, and it'll get better over time.

The fact you get nothing back tells me that you're running into a rare
issue, probably caused by 3rd party software or unstable hardware.

(3) It lags when playing online game (WoW) and have to log out every 5 to
10
minutes. Tried the performance tools to boost the Experience Index Base
Score but nothing change. No recommendation or improvement.

World of WarCraft runs great here, as does Crysis, Supreme Commander and
others.

(4) Found critical errors in the Event Log. Tried to search for support
information on Microsoft website using the EventId, logname and other
event
properties but nothing returned!

Some critical errors in the Event Log are to be expected. Generally its
best to use a web search engine for error codes, or limit your search to the
Knowledge base.

(5) When search for help on microsoft website, it always bring you to the
product home page or provides no search result. It is unbelievable that
common phrases like 'Windows Vista backup', 'Windows Vista backup issue'
returned no result in communities. Search function that always returns no
result is no function at all.

Communities search works here, otherwise search on Google Groups.

(6) The System Health Report provides lot of numbers but no instruction of
how to fix problems.

It isn't designed to give instructions on how to fix problems, just to
produce an overview of the system.

(7) For no reason, all Microsoft Office documents (WORD, EXCEL,) becomes
read only. No editing, copying or saving.

No problems here.

It seems that only software consumers have to put up with these kind of
faulty products and crappy services just because Microsoft has dominated
the
PC market!

Maybe consumers aren't running into faulty Microsoft products, they're
running into the mountain of junkware out there and letting it near their
machines.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.dasmirnov.net/blog/
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*

 

[Homer S.]

Paid a lot for hardware (plenty of disk space and memory) and Windows Vista
Ultimate but got very bad experience:

(1) Backup software does not work properly. Always failed with error after
burning many DVD-ROMs.
(2) Whenever there is a problem, Vista tries to find solution online, but 10
out of 10 times it found no solution (The function is completely useless but
make user more frustrated).
(3) It lags when playing online game (WoW) and have to log out every 5 to 10
minutes. Tried the performance tools to boost the Experience Index Base
Score but nothing change. No recommendation or improvement.
(4) Found critical errors in the Event Log. Tried to search for support
information on Microsoft website using the EventId, logname and other event
properties but nothing returned!
(5) When search for help on microsoft website, it always bring you to the
product home page or provides no search result. It is unbelievable that
common phrases like 'Windows Vista backup', 'Windows Vista backup issue'
returned no result in communities. Search function that always returns no
result is no function at all.
(6) The System Health Report provides lot of numbers but no instruction of
how to fix problems.
(7) For no reason, all Microsoft Office documents (WORD, EXCEL,) becomes
read only. No editing, copying or saving.

It seems that only software consumers have to put up with these kind of
faulty products and crappy services just because Microsoft has dominated the
PC market!

That's what happens when one company's products is all we have to choose from. They
do whatever they want and quality matters not a bit. They force hardware
manufacturers to redesign the hardware to fit the needs of their software in order
to make it impossible to downgrade to a reliable O/S. They use us consumers as
Guinea pigs for their experiments and after about a year of patches and 'Hot Fixes'
and grief they release a service pack, which fixes thousands of their mistakes
(bugs) while adding thousands more (SP1). After another year of patches and fixes
and critical updates they release another service pack, designed to fix the
thousands of remaining bugs, which hopefully only contains hundreds of bugs (SP2).
Finally, for the next year or two they work like busy little bees on a new and
improved operating system (Vista) to take the place of the currently 90% working
operating system (XP). In addition, they rewrite a very popular and familiar suite
of business applications (Office 2003) in order to move things around, change file
formats, pretty it up and generally turn it into a suite of unfamiliar flakey
applications (Office 2007). This, in response to the infinite number of complaints
they receive and actually, just to refill their pockets full of $$$$$... Call it a
going away present for Billy boy.

Wow! Wouldn't it be wonderful for there to be some real competition in the software
industry..... One company trying to out-do the others with better features, improved
security, less bugs! And, price competition!!! O/S-2, where are you? IBM? Google?
BEOS? Someone? Anyone? Now is the time to compete!....

Hoping that this Vista disaster will knock them off their pedestal.

Damn, I must be dreaming...

 

[Kerry Brown]

That's what happens when one company's products is all we have to choose
from. They
do whatever they want and quality matters not a bit. They force hardware

<the rest of a rant snipped>

There are valid alternatives to Windows. Look at a Macintosh computer or
possibly one of the many Linux distros that could run on your current
hardware. I happen to like Vista. I also like Ubuntu and OS X. They all have
advantages and disadvantages but in the end they all do pretty much the same
things. If you don't like Vista try one of the alternatives.

 

[Dave]

That's what happens when one company's products is all we have to choose
from. They
do whatever they want and quality matters not a bit. They force hardware
manufacturers to redesign the hardware to fit the needs of their software
in order
to make it impossible to downgrade to a reliable O/S. They use us
consumers as
Guinea pigs for their experiments and after about a year of patches and
'Hot Fixes'
and grief they release a service pack, which fixes thousands of their
mistakes
(bugs) while adding thousands more (SP1). After another year of patches
and fixes
and critical updates they release another service pack, designed to fix
the
thousands of remaining bugs, which hopefully only contains hundreds of
bugs (SP2).
Finally, for the next year or two they work like busy little bees on a new
and
improved operating system (Vista) to take the place of the currently 90%
working
operating system (XP). In addition, they rewrite a very popular and
familiar suite
of business applications (Office 2003) in order to move things around,
change file
formats, pretty it up and generally turn it into a suite of unfamiliar
flakey
applications (Office 2007). This, in response to the infinite number of
complaints
they receive and actually, just to refill their pockets full of $$$$$...
Call it a
going away present for Billy boy.

Wow! Wouldn't it be wonderful for there to be some real competition in the
software
industry..... One company trying to out-do the others with better
features, improved
security, less bugs! And, price competition!!! O/S-2, where are you? IBM?
Google?
BEOS? Someone? Anyone? Now is the time to compete!....

Hoping that this Vista disaster will knock them off their pedestal.

Damn, I must be dreaming...

So many people unhappy with Microsoft yet they still buy the product with
their hard earned money makes no sense to me at all. When are you people
going to learn that if you want change don't feed the greed with green.

This whole excuse of "No other option" is complete BS. I'll leave it to all
the Anti-Vista/Microsoft people here to name a few I am sure they will be
happy to offer you a solution.

 

[PaulB]

Regarding Office documents, whic version Office do you have?

 

[Rlstormz]

Well I am a first time buyer of a computer and this has been a nightmare
trying to learn what to do and find out there is nothing you can do. I bought
what was affordable and marketed for me. When I first got it I knew nothing
of doing backups and they sure dont bother to tell you what to do. When I
finally try it won't do it. I would think the creators of the software should
be held resposible for creating faulty ware. But if you bought the computer
already equipped it is not backed up by MSN. (What a cute trick) then you go
back to the creator of the PC and they say we didnt make the software. So who
the F is respossible? Shouldnt this be like some sort of fraud? We sell you a
product and it does not work. And we are not gonna help you make it work
unless you pay money.Why dont I get my money back? I will be much more
cautiouse about buying system operations in the future and I sure will be on
the lookout for MS products. This is not the way to create return customers.

 

[Homer S.]

<the rest of a rant snipped>

When did the truth become a rant? I've worked with computers since 1977, seen
numerous O/S's, such as CGOS - Computervision Graphic Operating System, Solaris,
O/S-2, Sun O/S's, UNIX, Linux, Ubuntu & Mac O/S's - all with their own problems and
compatibility issues. The problem with Microsoft's current position is that the
entire computer industry is now geared toward building hardware and writing software
which is compatible only with Microsoft products. Even writers of open source
programs such as Ubuntu and Open Office, have to code with the MS compatibility
thing in mind. This allows Microsoft to change the rules in the middle of the road
whenever they wish, because in fact, they make the rules. Anyone who thinks this is
a good thing for the computer industry is either a moron or a Microsoft employee.

It's true that there are 'valid alternatives' to Windows, however, in the Microsoft
controlled world we live in, if you choose anything other than a Microsoft operating
system, you will be in a constant struggle to find drivers for your hardware and
applications that run under your O/S of 'choice'. On the good side, FWIW, you'll be
less susceptable to malware, which is mostly written with MS in mind, you won't be
paying the exhorbitant cost for software that MS demands and you'll be rid of all
this Activation/Validation crap.

What is needed is an alternative operating system that is reasonably priced ($79.99
for a standard version and $129.99 for a business/power-user version is reasonable),
runs all games and apps that XP and Vista run, is compatible with most hardware, has
no product activation or constant validation checks (none would be needed if it were
reasonably priced) and doesn't take a super computer to run it (Vista).

True competition can only be a good thing for all users of computers. As long as
Microsoft is the dealer of the only viable O/S, that will never happen.

Hmmm. Dealer.... Give them the drug for free or very cheap (Windows 3.1, '95 & '98)
while getting rid of the competition (O/S-2). Let them become hopelessly addicted,
then raise the price as high as you like and produce an inferior product.... Sounds
familiar...

 

[Kerry Brown]

When did the truth become a rant? I've worked with computers since 1977,
seen
numerous O/S's, such as CGOS - Computervision Graphic Operating System,
Solaris,
O/S-2, Sun O/S's, UNIX, Linux, Ubuntu & Mac O/S's - all with their own
problems and
compatibility issues. The problem with Microsoft's current position is
that the
entire computer industry is now geared toward building hardware and
writing software
which is compatible only with Microsoft products. Even writers of open
source
programs such as Ubuntu and Open Office, have to code with the MS
compatibility
thing in mind. This allows Microsoft to change the rules in the middle of
the road
whenever they wish, because in fact, they make the rules. Anyone who
thinks this is
a good thing for the computer industry is either a moron or a Microsoft
employee.

It's true that there are 'valid alternatives' to Windows, however, in the
Microsoft
controlled world we live in, if you choose anything other than a Microsoft
operating
system, you will be in a constant struggle to find drivers for your
hardware and
applications that run under your O/S of 'choice'. On the good side, FWIW,
you'll be
less susceptable to malware, which is mostly written with MS in mind, you
won't be
paying the exhorbitant cost for software that MS demands and you'll be rid
of all
this Activation/Validation crap.

What is needed is an alternative operating system that is reasonably
priced ($79.99
for a standard version and $129.99 for a business/power-user version is
reasonable),
runs all games and apps that XP and Vista run, is compatible with most
hardware, has
no product activation or constant validation checks (none would be needed
if it were
reasonably priced) and doesn't take a super computer to run it (Vista).

True competition can only be a good thing for all users of computers. As
long as
Microsoft is the dealer of the only viable O/S, that will never happen.

Hmmm. Dealer.... Give them the drug for free or very cheap (Windows 3.1,
'95 & '98)
while getting rid of the competition (O/S-2). Let them become hopelessly
addicted,
then raise the price as high as you like and produce an inferior
product.... Sounds
familiar...

Not snipping the rant this time

If it was that easy don't you think such a product would already exist? The
only way for driver level compatibility with Windows would be to license the
technology from Microsoft. I'm pretty sure they would make it hard to
compete with them on price. That's the way capitalism works. Rather than
blame Microsoft for this blame our western system of economics. If they were
to make it easy for others to compete with them they would have a
stockholder revolt on their hands. In our system public companies have to
maximize short term profits to keep stockholders happy. If they don't there
is soon a new board in place that will.

I also disagree with you about using a non Microsoft OS. I don't use OS X a
lot but I know many people who use it to run their business'. They have no
problems doing what they need to. Linux is becoming more mainstream all the
time. I run Ubuntu and Fedora on various systems and have no problems
finding drivers for mainstream hardware. Both OS X and Linux are very
different from Windows so there is a steep learning (or unlearning) curve
but once you are on top of the curve they are viable alternatives to
Windows.