Vista Install Marathon

I registered for and downloaded Windows Vista Beta 2 a while ago and last weekend I finally got round to installing it.

I had a spare laptop that had Windows XP pre-installed so I thought I would use that for trying out Vista. The first thing that bothered me about Vista was that it comes on a DVD. Just how big does an operating system need to be?

I put in the DVD and it spins up and I get a Window popping up asking me if I would like to install Vista. I say yes and choose an upgrade install, put in the serial key and sit back and wait.

It was a long wait. A very long wait. Copying files from the DVD, expanding files, locating files(?), multiple reboots.

Total install time: 4 HOURS. 4 hours to install an OS?! You have to be kidding me. I know it’s a Beta and my laptop isn’t ultra spec. but really?

So was it worth the effort? Not really, my laptop doesn’t have the 128mb graphics card that seems to be required for all the nice stuff and my 2.4ghz coupled with 1gb Ram still mean that Vista runs like a wounded dog. To cap it all off Media Centre cant play any of my videos although strangely Media Player can?

Good job I took a backup before I installed Vista!

Matt

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