More Awesome Than You!

As I type, I have a spanky-new computer shipping to my house that has (alas?) Vista installed. (Dun dun DUNNN.)

SO. Has anyone actually played Sims with Vista? It is the tits or the shit? Or has everyone been scared off by Senor Pescado's giant flashing warning signs? If I add Seasonings two weeks after my pimped out machine arrives, will it be all BBQapocalypse?

The Sims 2 is not totally compatible with Vista, from what I understand.

http://thesims2.ea.com/help/detail.php?help_id=281

I hope none of this turns out to be an issue for you.

Vista is *BAD*. Nuke it and reinstall XP. Who the hell leaves all the factory spyware installed anyway? ALWAYS REFORMAT THE NEW COMPUTER!

More Awesome Than You will not support Vista at this time. Perhaps when it has been properly hacked.

*grumble*stupid solaris 4th disk corrupted grr...*grumble*
Anyway, there's a lot of bullshit out there about Vista such as Pescado's comments about Vista invalidating your XP CD key.  Additionally, some People say is that a lot of stuff doesn't run on Vista but the reality is that about as much stuff is incompatible now as it was when people upgraded from 98 to XP.

TS2 isn't one of them, but there will be a negligible performance decrease like 5% since you're running it on Vista.  Still, you probably will just notice a speed increase just because your new computer is probably faster.  Games and applications that use OpenGL have about 50% of their previous performance due to the fact the drivers aren't built into the kernel anymore.

I just got my new PC with Vista today and I have not had a problem with any of the games I play yet (knock on wood).  The only problem I ran into was with my ASUS motherboard's Realtek sound.  The ASUS site already has a fix ready to download for Realtek/Vista and viola my speakers worked just fine after that.

My husband also got a new PC with Vista and he had some problem with his LCD monitor (I refuse to leave my CRT yet) as well as the same sound problem.

So far so good but keeping my fingers crossed on my new Nvidia card.

How's that bullshit? It's bad news about Vista. Bullshit is your Pollyanna "everything is fine" blather. How much are they paying you to spew these lies?

The part in there saying that they're invalidating the key was in all of the other versions of Windows.  It's not confirmed either other than in that one story.

They're still doing shady stuff though like adding a DRM service that checks the license of a video 30 times a second, killing analog holes, and locking the kernel for no reason other than to attempt to make a monopoly.  There's still no reason to upgrade to it though because there's no DX10 games and if you do upgrade you'll gimp OpenGL.

Are there really any problems(not including game compatibility) that Vista could cause if it's on a computer that isn't connected to the internet?
I'm thinking of installing Vista on my gaming PC, and leaving my internet PC with XP

It is uncertain that Microsoft would let you operate the computer like that. Sort of like their "Registration Procedures", which I refuse to follow. Just like gun registration, software registration is a tool of Nazis who plan to take your software away from you. It was a stinker of a plan when the Nazis came up with it, and it STILL STINKS.

Well I'm thinking of waiting a while until I can get my hands on a copy that doesn't need to be registered, or I find something that lets me bypass the registration

Always, ALWAYS, wait for the pirate version of ANY Windoze. The Pirate version is always the safest and most secure, so always hold out for Pirate Edition.

Okay, I'm glad I asked. That's all much clearer now.  :-\ Thanks to the one person who came in and is actually using Vista. I guess I'll be one of the guinea pigs, too.

I desperately needed a new computer anyway. This one has become an abacus. Here's to the non-thrill of seeing my first cinematic.  :P

I have XP sitting around. Maybe I can just run it off that. Thanks for the link, SaraMK.

You could setup a dual boot system with Windows XP Professional x64 and Windows Vista both as available operating system.
That way, you can trial Vista and use XP for The Sims 2. Here's the Wiki article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_boot) on dual booting and guide (http://muckyfeet.com/2006-dual-xp-vista-install/) for working with XP and Vista.
Most important step is to create a seperate partition or install individually on seperate drives to avoid any conflicts.

If the computer doesn't have internet access, I think you can activate Vista over the phone like you could with XP.

Pes, there's already pirate versions of Vista out there but it's not as idiotproof as it was before since all versions require activation.  There's 3 methods that are used to activate these copies that I know of, the first involves swapping the RTM activation with RC2 which will last until July 31.  Another's setting up a KMS server that pirate Vista connects to every 6 months to activate, and finally there's messing with the clock to give almost unlimited time until requiring activation.  Of course, the DRM isn't hacked out of any of version yet but it's only a matter of time since a security researcher has already cracked it (http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/29/1811201).

Here is an article I read this morning regarding games and Vista:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2090646,00.asp (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2090646,00.asp)

FX60 and the 8800? Heh, a typical household rig  ::)

If the writer of the article would give me a rig like his, I'd use Vista too.

Yes, which is why I won't be changing from XP anytime soon.... But some year I'll have upgraded my hardware enough to do it.

I have been seeing some posts in the MilkShape forums about compatibility with Vista.

No one there reported any OpenGL speed problems, but then MilkShape's not a game, except maybe when running animations.

But people have had trouble activating their key. It is believed that the issue is due to a file protection scheme like the one that protects the XP system files that appears to have been extended to program files in Vista.

If they can't patch an .exe, how would a pirate operate?

If this is true, MS has little hope of roping me into Vista even after they get it stabilized in SP2 or SP3. I don't want a Nanny.

<* Wes *>

Pirates don't patch exes, they just replace the EXE entirely. Only programmers do things like that.

Will Vista Run Your Games? (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2090646,00.asp) (already referenced above)

Windows Vista Performance Guide (http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2917&p=1)

Build a Windows Vista Upgrade Parachute (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/02/07/build-a-windows-vista-upgrade-parachute/)

Windows XP vs. Vista: The Benchmark Rundown (http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/01/29/xp-vs-vista/)



In fairness, if you wanted to test how well Vista runs games, you would need to use a machine sufficiently powerful that the hardware would not be a limiting factor. Writing that Oblivion doesn't run well on Vista because your hardware isn't up to snuff isn't of much value.

I hate all that. Media player already nags me about videos. It's like windoze is the lawyer of what I want to purchase- or not purchase ;)
I just got a macbook as a second computer, and I'm in love with MacOS X (First time mac owner ;D). And on my gaming pc, no vista for me, I'm prepared to stay away until I have no choice. Stupid microsoft. I just loathe using Windows now.  :P

I understand what you're saying. But, realistically, your gamers are going to have X19xx's or 79xx's in their rigs. Mainstreamers are going to have X18's or 76/66's in their rig's or worse. 1-3 month old namebrand boxes are going to have only the intel X6300's or the lower-clocked 64 X2's. A Vista review using his rig isn't much of a value either.

I'll still take his rig though.

Interesting articles. Thank you. I'm a bit concerned though about hearing words like 'far more processess' 'far larger codebase' 'far more memory used.' I thought MS was throwing the baby out with the bathwater with Vista. No more bloat code; lean and mean. Naive, I know.

I'd wonder what Vista does with alt-tabbing and swapping vid memory to hdd. Does it favor it's own 3d base when going from a game to desktop? Swapping out all your game data from the vid board to main mem or worse the hdd?

I just bought a new Dell XPS 410, Intel Core Duo 6400 (2.13 GHz) with 4 GB RAM, ATI 1300 Pro video card (256 MB).  It came with Vista.  The game, with all EPs and about 1.5 GB of custom content, loads in about a minute.  This compared to *at least* 15-20 minutes on my old machine (Pentium IV 2.4 GHz with 1 GB of RAM and Radeon 9600XT video card).  The graphics settings in-game default to low or medium, but I have turned up just about everything to the max setting and there is no lag at all.  I was a little worried about how the video card would perform with Vista because it's on Maxis's list of "OK" cards, not "Good", but I have zero complaints so far, after about 3 days of playing the game on the new machine.  All my hacks work fine.

It seems likely that your massive loading speedup is mostly caused by the massive jump you took in available RAM.

And probably also a faster/larger-cache HDD. One of those hidden tech jumps that processor producers and software makers take performance credit for.

Vista just seems faster because your components are better.  If you clean installed XP over the top of that performance would be 5%-35% better at the moment but you'd lose stuff like Aero, Flip3D, and DirectX 10.

Oh yeah, since most computers today don't come with a floppy disk drive you'll need to use nLite to embed your SATA drivers with a XP install disk if you're installing from boot.  Vista doesn't require this.  I feel that this is an important point to mention since your computer manufacturer might not provide the drivers anymore, making installing XP impossible to install.

*SCREEM* Your stats are about identical to mine. I can't wait for my computer to get here. I think I probably won't notice the difference because my old computer was so sucky.

I'm sure you're right about that.  My old PC had an 80 GB hard drive and it only had about 20 GB free space.

Don't we as Sims 2 owners have enough to worry about without throwing in a new operating system?  I say instead of spending the money on the operating system, throw more hardware at your computer.  My husband has a new computer with Vista and all the hardware that is suppose to be speedier---my computer leaves his in the dust--it's all about power hungry bad ass components.

Yeah, but my old computer was all about the little hamster in a wheel. It was five years old. I ran out of room for RAM. You get the idea. My new Vista compy smokes my old one. I worked it out and it wasn't worth it to upgrade the old abacus further. The timing was right because I was also buying new, fairly simple games like CivCity Rome that I couldn't play properly.

Eh, my two cents.

Vista: All your soul are belong to me. Cancel or allow?

ALLOW! If I say cancel, my new machine will probably kill me in my sleep. Send help PLZ.

Now unless they fixed this little jewel with Vista (My B-I-L is a beta tester for M$) at some point you'll want to do something and the little box will pop up asking for the Administrator Password. You won't have it.
According to my B-I-L Vista on install does not give an option to create an Administrative password. So now what are you going to do? There is a work around and I'm sure the hackers have it or are working on it, but I don't need any OS that won't let me change what I want to change.

My ex told me the other day that Vista asks every time if you want to run an unsigned programme. (If it's in the startup folder he said). As many programmes are unsigned by MS this would be a nightmare on its own. He said there's no way of turning it off.

Hey, I got myself a new laptop a couple of days ago. With Vista. I did make sure it was the Business edition that could be rolled back to XP if I wanted, but I decided to give Vista a go first. So I've spent the last two nights turning shit off. Finally I have the admin account, no irritating popup messages and a pretty interface. We'll see.

It also has nvidia (6150?) graphics, which could be interesting. 256MB but some of that is system RAM. It's an AMD dual core 2.0Ghz with 1GB RAM. I was going to try an Intel core duo but the best deal I could get was this one.

I'm house-sitting this weekend with possibly no Internet, so I'll see how the Sims runs. I won't be able to load all EPs but I'll try 3-4 of them.

As if being SIGNED is somehow a good thing. A Microsoft certificate of authenticity is worth less than shit to me.

True. I'll choose the software I think is good on my PC, thanks very much. MS does NOT pwn my PC or the Interweb, much as it might like to think so.

That user interface thingie Vista is running (UIC?), that's a nannying, interfering, nagging, irritating piece of work. I've turned that off and will make my own security arrangements.

I work for Office Max and not a day goes by that at least two people come in with the complaints that the software they were using on XP will not work on Vista.  They come into the store looking for updated programs that are compatible with Vista, but there are so few out there at the moment.  Even 2007 versions of Microslop software aren't compatible.  I had 2 people just this morning wanting to update MS Streets and Trips, but the newest version (2007) is not compatible.  I have received more complaints about that program than any other.  I feel bad for these poor folks that spend money on a tech to install their software and it doesn't end up working anyway. (Mostly elderly folks.) I really don't want to get vista until it is absolutely neccesary.  I have heard too many complaints in the last month.  I have messed about with the few Vista machines we have on display and fail to see what all the hubub is about.  XP is good enough for me.

Well so far the sims runs great on Vista. The only real stumbling block I have found is the webcam, doesn't have Vista drivers. Everything else works fine except I hate their sucky version of Windoze Explorer. Put away your crappy popups, I know where I'm going.

Err, it's been cracked for a while now, they're exploiting the OEM SLP activation and it's real easy to do.
[size=0pt]Paradox OEM BIOS Emulation Toolkit (http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/03/04/bypass-vista-activation-with-paradox-oem-bios-emulation-toolkit-v10/) or Vista Loader 2.1.2 (http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/03/19/download-vista-loader-212-oem-bios-crack-emulator/)[/size]

You're quoting a nearly 2-month old post to bring up information that came up a month after that post?

I do the vista/sims 2 rhumba, and can't play the sims without it. Ironically, every other game I play I play under XP (because they use OpenGL for the video support, and OpenGL support on Vista is non-existant because they want to have every single person use their DirectX 10 support and they abandon the OpenGL support there...)

Now, I use the pirate edition, and haven't needed to activate it, and still I get windows updates (but I check the place where I got the crack to not activate it to see if a windows patch might disable this feature since Microsoft doesn't need my money)

Now, even when I get some juttering with Vista, mostly on community lots, otherwise it runs fairly smoothly. I must have my thumbnail views because I play in windowed mode and alt-tab often.

(EDIT:) New ATI drivers for vista were released today. Hopefully they help with the choppiness, and perhaps even I might be able to play the OpenGL games under Vista. If I can't, it's no huge issue to use XP for them.

No more Vista Rhumba for me. This morning I woke up and knew I didn't want Vista in my life anymore. I was sick of the networking issues, how I had to fight to get an admin account, how many drivers are not yet available and even how the defrag wouldn't show me how far along it was, let alone a pictorial representation. I hated the clumsy Windoze Explorer interface which preferred to show me little groupings of folders instead of the contents of my hard drives. Yay, it's all gone. Formatted and dead. No more Vista, no more rules.  ;D No more bloody 9GB HP partition uninvited on my hard drive.

It was an interesting journey. Thirty minutes on the phone to Microsoft, two Indian men who only wanted a number from me, an English chap who understood I was 'down'grading from Vista Business and a nice young woman who completed the activation. I was concerned that I had used a Win XP Pro product key that belonged to the educational institution where I work, I emailed MS helpdesk here. An MS rep rang back about an hour later and basically reassured me that no-one ever checks on anything but businesses and volume licenses. Hmmm.

The HP site had no WinXP Pro drivers for my model laptop. So I tried their online chat to a technician. Cool feature, she gave me the mainboard and video drivers. Unfortunately the wrong video driver which had a craptacular result of fuzzy dancing columns of colour. Once I sorted that out - and tried a number of other drivers - I went back to the HP chat and a helpful young man ftp'd all the drivers I needed. Excellent service. Welcome back XP, all is forgiven.

I am going to be doing the Sims/Vista rhumba after TS2 finishes reinstalling (the Vista PC lacks the necessary registry entries to run it at present). I can always go back to the XP PC if necessary, even if it does now crash approximately every 15-30 minutes.

Will modify post once I've got all EPs and SPs (with the exception of Celebration Stuff) reinstalled.

This is very inspiring to me. I have been thinking about doing this as well. I have customized a lot of my settings, etc, but I still feel like I'm hobbled by it daily. I don't want to be a beta tester anymore!  :'(

Friends don't let friends use Vista - break free of those chains.

Have you tried to open the Documents and Settings folder yet? Even as admin?
ACCESS DENIED!
WTF?!? This is my damn PC and I'll open any damn folder I like. I like to edit the start menu and put a copy in all users, I think it is - or default user.

Let me in Vista - or you die.
OK. You die.

Eh?
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b354/Venusy/VistaUsers.png)

Vista doesn't have a Documents and Settings folder (unless it's one you transferred from an XP install). If that's the case, then right-click on the folder, select Security, then Advanced, then Owner, then Edit. Allow the UAC prompt, select either your name or the Administrators group, and check the box next to "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects". Hit OK to everything, and it should work now.

I have to admit, that is a very pretty interface. Apparently, Vista is trying to make Windoze look like a Mac. :P

OK, maybe it was called user settings or something. Maybe also because I disabled the UAC first thing, I turned off an AWFUL lot of crap. Maybe I completely borked Vista!  ;D

ETA: Yes, it's very pretty - which is why I gave it a chance. I loved the way you could choose your own colours for the UI and I loved the swirly green/blue desktop image. Otherwise - meh.

I like the more rounded sort of themes, especially in silver or white; but the pretty is not worth the broken of the Mac, so I settle for trying to find skins for apps that replicate it somewhat.

I don't like themes or colors at all. I prefer things to look more or less like Ye Olde. My XP doesn't even use the XP theme. No desktop wallpaper, either. Just Ye Olde Windoze.

YEEEW, pukey beige.

Something I've just figured out: how to make the Vista UAC work better than the XP system of user accounts (on systems with no secpol.msc). regedit > Accept UAC prompt > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Policies > System > Right-click on "ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin" > Modify > Change the "1" or "2" to a "0".

Ignore the Windows Security Alert, as you haven't disabled UAC, you've disabled the UAC prompt (that is, it no longer pops up messages such as "You have moved the mouse. Continue with this operation or cancel it?").  Unlike the method of turning it off in the Control Panel, programs still run in standard user mode unless they are flagged as a program that should be run as administrator, and because UAC is still enabled, you can still write to the temp directory. When logged in as a standard user, it still pops up the regular dialogue for programs that need it.

Now, if there was only some way to stop Vista blocking DAEMON from running at startup...

Alternatively you could edit those UAC settings in the Local Security Policy if you're using Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate.  Seriously, UAC's not that bad considering Linux systems have sudo and Mac OSX has something else like UAC.

When Vista says "File Permission Denied" that means it's in use, it probably should make that slightly clearer.  I haven't had any issue with not being able to gain control of a file like in XP.  As for performance, it's about the same and some programs like Minefield, Office 2007, and Eclipse have improved slightly.

I've never had a problem with DAEMON Tools, except for the fact that it would always boot up at start.  The only stuff it would block for me would be msconfig (lol) and Adobe Updater.

It's weird Apache doesn't work completely with Vista, especially since it's based off of a server OS.  IIS works but it's junk (there's a reason why there aren't many WIMP servers).  I'm not going to install XP just to play around on a personal imageboard so I'll have to wait until Apache is updated, but I'm not holding my breath.

If I may get back to the original topic -- I now have a new PC with Vista on it. Sims runs well (great performance, and the crasher bug is gone) -- but it takes well over 5 minutes before the splash screen etc. appears. I suspect it is the copy protection. Any clues how I could bypass it? There is no nocd for SeasonsP1 yet, and it doesn't matter if I use a mini-image, full disk image, or the original disk.

Additionally my Daemon is weird. Whenever I reboot it has only the first disk set, instead of the four I have defined.