Some issues...

[Ron]

Hello,

I have 6 issues that i would like to report:

1) Some shortcuts at Recently opened programs list of the Start Menu won't
work at all (in the sense that they wont run the software/using it leads to
no effect).
The example that i have is Microsoft Word 2007.

2) Some shortcuts at Recently opened programs list of the Start Menu won't
do what they were supposed to do.
To get what i'm saying, do the following: search for cmd, right click on it
and select Run as administrator. Now close cmd window, go to the Recently
opened programs and you will see a shortcut called Command Prompt there. Now
try to right click on that shortcut and select Run as administrator. You will
notice tha it won't run as an administrator at all.

3) The Reliability Monitor isn't working since 10/13/2007.

4) The Safely Remove Hardware doesn't work as supposed for my USB drive.
What i mean is: i plug in my USB drive (wich is a Kingston not ReadyBoost
compatible) > next i get the AutoPlay message > next i select Open Folder to
view files > next i close the new explorer window that i got > next i go to
the Safely Remove Hardware icon on my taskbar > next i give it a left mouse
click > next i give a left mouse click on the Safely Remove USB Mass Storage
Device - Drive (F menu > nothing happens.
However, if i give a right mouse click on the Safely Remove Hardware and
next a left mouse click on the Safely Remove Hardware menu, i get a new
window where if i click on the button Stop and then Ok, i finally get the
wanted This device can now be safely removed from the computer message.

5) Installing the Silicon Image - Other Hardware - ATI 4379 Serial ATA
controller from the Windows Update will lead to system crash.

6) Sometimes when i intentionally exit from the Windows Sidebar (gadgets
running: Calendar and Weather; way to exit: right mouse click on Windows
Sidebar icon at taskbar > left mouse click on Exit button from the menu), i
get a weird Windows Sidebar stopped working error window. Next a report is
sent to Microsoft.

I have an Acer 5100 notebook, with original Windows Vista Home Premium OS
installed. All drivers and softwares installed are updated according to my
research and Secunia PSI analyse. Microsoft Update reports that there is no
new update available (unless the ignored Silicon Image - Other Hardware - ATI
4379 Serial ATA controller update).
UAC and Windows Defender are fully disabled. No AntiVirus application is
installed.

I would like to inform that i already did all "solutions" for the described
problems that i could find on the web using Google search and Live search:
none of them worked. I also tried Microsoft Sysinternals Process Monitor tool
to help me find any solution, but i could't handle with its complexity. I
also don't understand how to work with the Event Viewer as well.
Oh, and before i forget: I can't use Microsoft Customer Support unless i pay
for it and my Computer Manufacturer support is unable to deal with these
issues.
Thanks for your attention.

 

[Chuck]

That's unfortunate, since the OEM has the primary responsibility for dealing
with them as a condition of supplying windows OEM versions on your laptop.
I'd agree that some of your problems seem to be generic driver issues. In
general, laptops are unique, in that they have specialized drivers that are
for the laptop family, and not usable elsewhere. Often, generic drivers just
don't work properly, due to laptop specific considerations.

"Computer Manufacturer support is unable to deal with these
issues."

Generally, I have avoided the situation you are in by "upgrading" to a
higher retail version, which Microsoft supports directly.
In this case, the OEM is still responsible for specific drivers, and
Microsoft for the Op system.

 

[Ron]

yes, the situation is bad.

That's unfortunate, since the OEM has the primary responsibility for dealing
with them as a condition of supplying windows OEM versions on your laptop.
I'd agree that some of your problems seem to be generic driver issues. In
general, laptops are unique, in that they have specialized drivers that are
for the laptop family, and not usable elsewhere. Often, generic drivers just
don't work properly, due to laptop specific considerations.

"Computer Manufacturer support is unable to deal with these
issues."

Generally, I have avoided the situation you are in by "upgrading" to a
higher retail version, which Microsoft supports directly.
In this case, the OEM is still responsible for specific drivers, and
Microsoft for the Op system.

 

[Ron]

I have 2 other issues that i would like to report:

7) The ATI “South Bridge†driver won’t install at all (the South Bridge, nor
the Catalyst). Tried several versions, including the latest version and it
simple won’t install at all. The installation process goes ok, the system
reboot (manually), but the South Bridge driver isn’t really installed after
all.

8) There is a bug on the Windows Experience Index feature of Vista. If I go
there (Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System > Windows
Experience Index) and click on the Update my score link, sometimes I won’t
get the progress bar showing up the progress of the tests that are being
made: the only way that I know that there are tests being made is because I
can see that there is on going disk activity, thanks to the noise and the
light of the notebook. I also noticed that if Aero Glass is enabled, this
progress bar will show more often than if Aero Glass is disabled.