Hardware still missing drivers support...

[mlai]

Granted Vista has more hardware support than XP at launch...... The
hardware being supported are mostly legacy stuff and the newer stuffs are
not supported as well. I figure that I may start a list of problems:


Creative XFi cards:
Creative claims that (which is quite true) Directsound hardware acceleration
will not work with Vista, and trying to move all the people to OpenAL.
Also, DTS decoding will not be supported via the soundcard software. Beta
drivers are available but I seriously doubt if they will put out reliable
drivers until months after release. I am only saying drivers, none of the
applications that came on the installation CDs will work with Vista and they
haven't done anything about that yet.

ATI:
AVIVO still missing for Vista. But there is hope as ATI puts out monthly
releases pretty routinely.

Logitech:
Vista support is claimed to be somewhat available in December. But no one
has even remotely seen or talked about any alpha drivers. So not hopeful at
all. In fact, I am getting rid of as much logitech stuff as I possibily can
at home....... That includes: webcams, keyboards, mouse, and remotes......

Microsoft Hardware:
There is hope. Their website puts out beta for desktop sets (Intellitype
and Intellipoint) now. For their new Lifecams, MS claims to have beta
available in January, which is a month later then previously expected
according to a post on the VistaTeamBlog by nWhite. But rumour has it that
a beta is available to Vista technical beta testers.........

Pantone Huey:
I use it to calibrate my screen colors. Sent an email to techsup over there
and they sent a response back within 24hrs. Here is the response:
Response (JDINGLE) - 11/20/2006 09:26 AM We have tested PANTONE Huey on the
latest build of Windows Vista, and have found the product to be fully
functional with the exception of the Huey preferences, which do not seem to
be accessible.

We are continuing to test PANTONE Huey, and we are confident that we will
have support for this operating system either at the time of its release, or
shortly thereafter.

So there is hope.

HP AIO Printers:
Drivers (only basic drivers) are incorporated for products out before 2nd
qtrs 2006. But the new products (like the new Photosmart C6180/5180.....
etc), no drivers..... And given their prior track records (like promising
drivers and software for XP x64 by Dec 05 and delivering in Aug 06). Not
having too much faith there.

Asus:
I build my own machines and pretty much all uses Asus motherboards.
However, none of their custom software (BIOS update, system overclocking and
monitoring "AiSuite" or "AiBooster" comes to mine) have even beta out for
vista. The only thing that has beta out is the Wifi-AP software and even
that is just putting XP drivers in Vista directories, hardly a beta.......

Intel:
Probably the best in Vista support. Chipset Utils and IMSM is available for
Vista as I type.


So what does these all mean to me? I have Vista RTM installed on my Raptor
but half of my hardware does not even have beta drivers. So I guess next
year will be the REAL BETA period for system builders like me........

The above only contains hardware vendors that pertains to my setups. YMMV
depending on what kind of hardware and how new your platforms are......
BTW, Vista runs very nicely in VMWare 5.5.3.......

 

[Gene]

The best way to remedy this issue is to constantly check your hardware
providers and bug them for Vista drivers. Microsoft can throw in a host of
generic drivers, but there simply is just not enough disk space to put all
hardware drivers, not to mention, it is nearly impossible to create advanced
generic drivers that will work with all equipment.
On the brighter side though, the fuse is a burning. Time is running out, and
the hardware manufacturers have the pressure on. 2 months till release date,
I have a feeling in the next 30 to 45 days, you will see a lot of completed
drivers showing up all over the place.

I know that doesn't help much, but it may offer a little hope.

 

[mlai]

That's what we've been doing to all the vendors for the past few months.
However, a lot of the vendors are holding the lame view that "Vista is not
out yet and we will support it when it is out or SHORTLY THERE AFTER".
Their way of saying "yeah, we will TRY to support it when it is out or 6
months after......."

 

[John C.]

Hardware makers better have Vista drivers ready to go once Vista is
released to businesses, folks will by new hardware with the
expectation that it will work. If it doesn't they can expect to see a
lot of expensive returns.

Any hardware produced in the last three years should have a driver on
day one. Microsoft should ensure this, other wise it will hurt sales
of their product.

 

[Gene]

I'm sorry, I don't really know what to tell you other than to keep checking
with the manufacturers.

Sadly, with each new release of an operating system, you will have some
hardware and software manufacturers that will go above and beyond. Companies
like nVidia who really push the make-ready process, and you have companies
like HP, who will drag their feet to the very last minutes, and sometimes
too long.
Sadly, it is the perrogative of the manufacturer. Microsoft, I am sure is
doing all they can to try to help folks, but they are helpless when it comes
to the companies who create the drivers.

I'm in the same boat you are, I still have some equipment begging for
drivers, and most of my favorite software is useless right now. I just keep
on checking and hoping.

Wish I could be more help.

 

[JW]

Well we will just have to see which manufacturres really care about their
business customer users that are using their hardware on November 30th.

 

[John C.]

It almost seems like it would be in hardware makers' best interest NOT
to release Vista drivers for legacy hardware. This will force users
to buy shiny new "Vista Compatible" hardware. Of course they risk
alienating loyal users at the same time.

Betas of Vista have been available for a year or more, you would think
the hardware makers would have their drivers ready to go at RTM time.
They probably wait until RTM to start development. Even nVidia seems
to be in a sorry state, their Vista video drivers are terrible
performance wise and they don't even have a driver for their flagship
8800 product.

Total lack of x64 drivers killed XP x64. Hopefully we'll see this
change since just about all new PCs are x64 capable.

 

[JW]

Many manufactures have released Vista RTM drivers to MS that they have not
yet made available on their own Website. And Nvidia is an example of this
the driver that gets installed with the RTM release of Vista are a later
release than those at their Website. I assume that as of November 30 when
business can purchase Vista business or Vista ultimate that many
manufacturer will then make their RTM drivers available on thier own
Websites.

 

[Gene Fitzpatrick]

Oh John, Not to sound pessimistic, but mark my words. Many legacy items will
not have drivers made for Vista. I know that sounds bad, and it sounds rude,
but look at it from a business point of view. As you said earlier, it is
just the opportunity that these companies need to push new gear.
It is an idea that personally, I have mixed feelings about. I am not a
gamer, and until I started using Vista, I was more than happy with my
on-board video card. After using vista, I was more or less forced to get a
new card, a 7600GS, and I must say, I never understood the importance, but I
can tell you that I see the difference in performance.
No doubt, there will be some who curse the new expensive upgrades, but I
feel most will be pleasently surprised as I was, and impressed. It will also
educate folks, like myself on the importance of the idea, "Better gear makes
a better computer."

But hey, what do I know?

 

[mlai]

Well, I am not even going to talk about "legacy" hardware...... I have a HP
printer C6180 which came out last month.......

 

[Guest]

I can tell you that Vista b. is released last week for my business.
I have installed the official released version on the latest HP laptops
(NC6320 & NC6400).
Although they nicely recornize the SATA hardware (thank God, XP sucks in
this), almost all other basic lagecy isn't available.
Simply a USB2 hub driver (NO).
My HP 8450 printer (NO)
Intergrated Fingerprint sensor (NO)
Intelli Mouse and Keyboard (NO)
Mass Storage Controller (No)

and all other external hardware, like IR stick.

This should all be ready before they provided me the new OS.

It sucks big time

 

[JW]

It is not up to Microsoft to insure that the providers of hardware that can
run on Vista or any other operating system provide drivers when Microsoft
itself releases the OS itself.
According to one press report there were 19,000 drivers contained in the
Vista RTM release and another 11,000 were available via Winupdate at the
time of the Gold RTM.

 

[Guest]

I just wondering why we as personal users are forced to go out and get all
new or stick with old. Why cant there be away to make it easyer to obtain the
new OS with compatable hardware or maybe they could just find away to take
and make the new feachers work in the old OS if they would make the parant
controls they have in Vista for XP all versions there would be no reason for
me to upgrade at this time to vista. However if I whant the control to
protected my kids than I really should up grade to vista. And if I do that I
have to buy a new video card and maybe new sound because what i have will not
work right. Than to have to do it on the other computers this is a costly
upgrade that I have had to do with the upgrade from 98 to 200 than to xp and
now vista. Personaly I think its a shame they dont try to find away to
inprove what they have and yes I would pay for the parantcontrols that vista
had if they would work in xp and not just the family safe but all the parant
controls it is the first OS to give me total control even when Im not home.
And Im sure Im not the only parant that has this problem they whant the
control but not the expinse becasue its just to much to upgrade 3 personal
computers thats 3 OS's at anywhere from 190-300 thats to much and that dont
included what needs to be upgraded in the system its self to work. Just a
thought

 

[Guest]

There are so many posts here and i am not sure if mine fits but im trying
anyway. I have a 1 year old Dell XPS600 with Windows XP. I am trying to
simply upgrade it to Vista. During the Compatibility Report part, i get a
install stop error: "You must make the following changes before installing
Windows: Close Windows installation and contact the device manufacturer for
updated driver softwarefor these devices: - SCSI and RAID controllers:
SAMSUNG HD160JJ/P. At the point, i can not go any further. I contacted
SAMSUNG and they informed me that they are not ready to support Vista yet.
They couldn't even give me and ECD. Is there any work-around for this? Is
that my answer about upgrading to Vista?