Laptops All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies- P12 pps

Seeing to a Windows Vista Upgrade 84 Sizing up computer words One of the elements of hardware evolution has been the increase in the size of the computer “word” that can be operated upon by the CPU and other components. What’s in a word? A word is the unit of data manipulated by the computer, a particular number of individual bits that are grouped together. Let me try an analogy that isn’t about cars. A hungry alligator can open its jaws wide and quickly snap off a large chunk of, well, just about anything. A tiny piranha can do the same, but only with little nibbles. If they’re both eating at the same speed — matching bite for bite — then the alligator is guaranteed to win. (What a natural contestant for a hot dog–eating contest, don’t you think?) Some situations — in the computer world as well as in the Amazon River — have even the small mouth (or small-word computer) taking much smaller bites but operating at a much faster speed than the big mouth. But for most of us, it’s true that most modern laptops have both a big mouth and a fast mouth at the same time. A computer microprocessor’s design is linked to its word size. The registers (storage locations within the CPU) are usually word sized. The amount of data moved between the CPU and the computer’s memory, or out of the computer to another device, is usually one word at a time. And software is designed to describe colors, characters, sounds, and other information with words. The PC world arrived in the 32-bit age (words from 0 through 4,294,967,295) with the introduction of Intel’s Pentium CPUs. Today most processors use that design. Just a handful of consumer-grade machines use 64-bit proces- sors, paired with 64-bit versions of Windows XP or Windows Vista, but the future surely lies in that alligator’s mouth. Many current programs for use with a 32-bit version of Windows work under a 64-bit operating system, although they may run slower or not play well with other applications. A handful of laptops are now on the market using AMD Turion 64 processors, with Intel equivalents in the pipeline. Speeding to a graphic processor All versions of Microsoft Windows (as well as competitive systems including Apple Macintosh operating systems and Unix and Linux variants) are GUIs. And as GUIs they depend heavily on the speed and power of your laptop’s graphics adapter and any specialized or shared graphics memory. With each successive Windows version, the need for graphics adapter speed has increased. Windows XP was very demanding, and Windows Vista is very, very demanding. 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 84 Book II Chapter 1 Installing or Upgrading an Operating System Seeing to a Windows Vista Upgrade 85 Before you buy a new laptop on which to run Windows Vista, and especially before you consider upgrading an older model to run Vista, make sure the graphics adapter is up to the task. Here is one place where laptops present a challenge not faced by desktop owners: In nearly all laptop designs, you can’t replace or upgrade the built-in graphics adapter. If you’re buying a new laptop, make sure it is certified for use with Vista (if that’s your intended operating system). If you’re hoping to install Vista on an older machine, check with the laptop manufacturer for advice. Although Windows Vista is “certified” to run on a fairly wide range of graph- ics adapters, you may find that some older, slower pieces of hardware, or those with insufficient amounts of dedicated or shared graphics memory, may be unable to deliver all of the Vista features. The first feature to go may be the advanced Desktop Experience Microsoft calls Aero. Verifying your machine’s capabilities Microsoft, which is, after all, in the business of selling you its operating system, offers several tools that can help you determine if an existing machine’s hardware is compatible with Windows Vista. To run an automated scan of your laptop, go to the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor on the Microsoft web site. See Figure 1-5. The direct route to that Web page is www.microsoft.com/windows/ products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradeadvisor.mspx.Or you can go to www.microsoft.com and search for Upgrade Advisor. Take a bit The original mass-market PCs, mostly built using the Intel 8088 processor, limited to words made up of 8 bits, were very limited in the number of colors and type of graphics they could display. Then came 16-bit systems, which ruled the universe for more than a decade. Today most PCs are capable of working with 32- bit words, and the cutting edge for consumer- grade machines are systems that know what to do with a 64-bit word when they see one. An 8-bit word can represent a value from 0 to 255; more than one word must be connected to another for values higher than that, although each is evaluated and processed separately. A 16-bit word can represent a number from 0 to 65,535. Among 16-bit processors, the most commonly used was Intel’s 80286. 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 85 Seeing to a Windows Vista Upgrade 86 To read about the system requirements for Windows Vista, go to the System Requirements page on the Microsoft web site. To head there directly, enter the following into your Internet browser: www.microsoft.com/windows/ products/windowsvista/editions/systemrequirements.mspx. Or you can go to www.microsoft.com and search for Windows Vista system requirements. Once you’ve run the report, study its results carefully. The Microsoft utility that examined my laptop found a problem with a nifty little piece of hardware I plug into a USB port, which lets me work with an antique special-purpose printer that insists on an old-fashioned serial port. It also reported several utilities that needed to be replaced or updated if I chose to update to Vista. See Figure 1-6. You can fix some incompatibilities by obtaining updated device drivers; others may require buying new software or hardware. If so, you need to decide if upgrading is worth the cost in time, effort, and expenditure. Figure 1-5: The good news in Microsoft’s report is that my computer can run Windows Vista if I upgrade. The bad news comes in Devices and Programs, where the utility tells me of some incompati- bilities. 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 86 Book II Chapter 1 Installing or Upgrading an Operating System Installing Windows Vista 87 Installing Windows Vista A classic cartoon is regularly used in business, design, and other training classes. (I know, because I use it all the time when I consult.) You don’t even need to see the pictures; the words alone tell the story. Ready? Fire! Aim. Yup, the point is that people who plunge into a project without preparation — and that includes installing or upgrading an operating system — are just asking for a headache that can range in intensity from mild annoyance to a complete failure of all personal and business systems. Stop, look, listen, and think before you act, and you save yourself a lot of time and effort. Figure 1-6: The detailed report of Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor shows that the operating system is incompatibl e with a particular piece of hardware. 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 87 Installing Windows Vista 88 Doing first things first In the spirit of aiming before you fire, take these logical steps: 1. Plug your laptop into an AC outlet. You’re going to use a lot of power over a period that could extend to several hours, and you don’t want your battery to run out of juice in the middle of an installation — that could be disastrous to the process. Even better, allow your laptop’s battery to receive a full charge overnight before attempting an installation. If you do that, you should have a few hours of battery time to complete the installation or interrupt it at a proper moment in case the AC power fails. 2. Update your antivirus program. Make sure you have the latest version of your antivirus utility — and that the utility is compatible with Windows Vista. If your protective soft- ware isn’t intended to work with Vista, uninstall it. 3. Connect to the Internet. Make sure your system is properly configured and able to get online. If you can do this using the original operating system, Windows Vista can pick up the information it needs to access the Internet without your help. And as installation begins, Windows Vista can automatically go online and download drivers, updates to the operating system, and other elements it may need. 4. Scan your system. Conduct a full system scan for viruses, spyware, and other nasties. You don’t want to install a new operating system on top of old problems. 5. Update your system BIOS. If your machine was built before the release of Windows Vista, it may require a BIOS update to work with the latest operating system. See “Updating your laptop’s BIOS,” earlier in this chapter, for advice. And be careful. 6. Back up your data files. Make copies of any word processing, spreadsheets, databases, music, photos, videos, settings, and any other data you don’t want to lose. (You should be doing this on a regular basis anyway, just in case your hard disk drive were to fail. But before you install a new operating system, prepare for the possibility that data may be accidentally lost.) 7. Disable your antivirus program. This allows the operating system to install and configure itself without tripping on elements of the antivirus program intended to prevent changes to Windows. (Do, though, remember to re-enable the antivirus program once Windows is up and running again.) 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 88 Book II Chapter 1 Installing or Upgrading an Operating System Oops, I Did It Again: Vista Installation Problems 89 Gathering the essentials Let me go over the ingredients necessary for this Windows Vista pie: ✦ A Vista-compatible laptop computer. That means it meets all the require- ments for processor speed, amount of memory, hard disk storage space, and a DVD drive to hold the installation disc. ✦ The Windows installation DVD. With Windows Vista, Microsoft began shipping its operating systems on DVD media. This allows the entire system to fit on one disc; in fact, Microsoft includes all four of the most common versions of the OS on the disc. The box you buy includes a key number that unlocks whichever version you purchased. If your laptop has a CD drive but not a DVD drive, you can contact Microsoft and order (for an additional fee) a replacement set of discs in CD format. ✦ Your product key. You’ll find this code number on the disc holder inside the box you purchase. On a laptop that comes delivered with Windows Vista installed, the product key should be found on a label attached to the bottom of the machine. ✦ Your computer name if it is connected to a wired or wireless network in your home or office. You’ll need to instruct Windows on how to find and work with your machine as part of the installation. If you don’t know your computer name, here’s how to find it on an existing network: 1. Start your laptop. 2. Click Start. 3. Right-click My Computer. 4. Click Properties. You find the computer name displayed on the most logically labeled Computer Name tab. Oops, I Did It Again: Vista Installation Problems Installing Windows Vista on a properly functioning laptop is pretty much of an automatic process. Follow the instructions on the package or on the DVD itself; on many machines you need to reboot the computer with the DVD in the drawer. If you’re attempting a full recovery of an existing installation (resetting the machine to the condition it was in when you received it from the manufac- turer), you may be asked to power up the computer while holding down the 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 89 Oops, I Did It Again: Vista Installation Problems 90 C key, releasing it when the name of the laptop manufacturer appears on the screen. Several hardware makers configure their restoration discs this way; you may find slightly different instructions with your machine. You may encounter some other problems. Missing product key If you obtain a copy of Windows Vista as a demo from Microsoft or a retail store . . . or borrow someone else’s copy . . . you can probably install it on a Vista-capable laptop. However, you must purchase a new product key and activate the OS within 30 days. If you don’t, the machine won’t explode . . . but the operating system will stop working. Problem copying files If the installation process starts but doesn’t finish properly, several possible reasons exist, including ✦ The Windows installation disc is scratched, dirty, or otherwise defective. You can try cleaning the disc with a slightly wet, soft cloth. (Use only water.) Gently clean the disc by rotating the cloth around the platter as if you were moving around a clock face; don’t move in from the outer edge or out from the center hole. Allow the disc to dry completely before attempting to use it. If the problem continues, you can get a replacement from Microsoft. Go to www.microsoft.com and search for Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Software. ✦ Your CD or DVD drive isn’t working properly. Try playing an audio music CD or using another disc you know to be in good shape. If they won’t load properly, the drive hardware is malfunctioning. ✦ You’re using the wrong drive. If your laptop has more than one CD or DVD drive, make sure you’re using the proper one. Try installing the Windows disc in the other drive. You might try disabling one of the drives from within Windows so that the system only thinks there is one in the machine. ✦ You have a virus in your computer. You should have dealt with this prob- lem by running an antivirus scan before you attempted the installation; if you didn’t, do it now. Blue (or black) screen of death If installation comes to a stop and your laptop screen sits there with an exceedingly dull and uninformative blue or black screen, the first thing you should do is . . . wait. A lot of work may be going on behind the scenes. 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 90 Book II Chapter 1 Installing or Upgrading an Operating System Oops, I Did It Again: Vista Installation Problems 91 Take the dog for a walk. Watch a few innings of a Red Sox game. Talk to your significant other about the depth of your feelings. Or just sit and wait for about ten minutes. Keep an eye on the hard disk drive activity light found on most laptops. If you see it flicker from time to time, the process is probably still going on even though the screen is still blank. If you’ve waited ten minutes and nothing at all seems to be happening, you may have a failed installation. Shut down the laptop and remove the Windows installation disc. Try to bring it back to life. If you can’t get to the previous version of Windows, follow these steps: 1. Uninstall any antivirus program. 2. Restart the computer. 3. Try installing the new operating system. If you successfully install the new operating system, or if you go back to the previous version, don’t forget to reinstall the antivirus program. If you still can’t install the new operating system, you may have incompati- ble hardware in your laptop. Check again at the Microsoft web site to con- firm your machine and all its parts are compatible. If your computer is supposed to be compatible and you’ve tried the preceding steps, contact your computer manufacturer or retailer for assistance. Error message mid-installation Okay, this one should be pretty obvious: If you receive an error message, read it carefully. If you’re lucky (not always the case, alas) it just might tell you what you need to do to fix the problem. Otherwise, take these steps: 1. Make complete notes on the error message. 2. If you can get online, go to www.microsoft.com and search for information about the error. 3. Make a call depending on your installation type: • If you’re installing new, call Microsoft. • If you’re restoring, call your laptop manufacturer. Losing power mid-installation Always perform an installation with your laptop plugged into an AC outlet and with a fully charged battery in place. This belt-and-suspenders approach should protect you in case the power goes out. 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 91 Uninstalling Windows Vista 92 If your machine does shut down in the middle of installation, Windows attempts to go to the previous operating system the next time you try to start it up (although some features may not work or may not offer full function). If you have to start over, your best bet is to perform a clean installation. Start over from the beginning and reformat your drive and install Windows again. (You do have your data files backed up and your software programs available for reinstallation, right? Good for you.) Failed program or piece of hardware You absolutely, positively checked your hardware and software for compati- bility before attempting installation of a new operating system. Sometimes even those who follow all the rules run into problems. 1. Reinstall the program or device. Windows Vista may recognize it’s missing the latest hardware or software driver and go online to find it. If not, proceed to Step 2. 2. If you can, visit the hardware or software’s manufacturer web site and look for a solution posted there. 3. Call the program or device’s manufacturer. Uninstalling Windows Vista What do you do if you go through the entire process of installing Windows Vista and you find that Your machine can’t handle the pressure? or Your software or peripheral hardware won’t work properly with it and can’t be updated? or You just plain don’t like what you see in Vista? First you scream, then you read the next sentence of this book: You can’t uninstall Windows Vista. Wait! Don’t panic. 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 92 Book II Chapter 1 Installing or Upgrading an Operating System Activating and Registrating 93 You can reformat the hard disk, erasing Windows Vista in the process, and then reinstall the previous operating system. You do have the original installation disc or discs from the earlier OS, right? If you don’t, now is the time to panic. Reformatting the hard disk also takes away all your software applications, as well as any data stored on the drive. That’s why you made backups of all your data and gathered all your software installation discs in the first place. Right? Activating and Registrating All sorts of people have all sorts of beefs with Microsoft about one thing or another and I sometimes agree with them some of the time. But here’s where I differ: I firmly believe that users should pay for the right to use someone else’s intellectual property. As much as I would love to dispense my pearls of wisdom and offer solutions drawn from my decades of experience as a computer writer, editor, and con- sultant for free, I can’t do that. This book is my work product, and it is offered for sale and its success feeds the mouths of my family, the staff of the publisher, and your friendly neighborhood bookstore. The same goes for software, in my opinion. We all need to pay our share, or else the market will offer no innovation. Enough preaching to the grumbling choir. Here’s the news: Microsoft now requires all users to activate their software. It’s intended to keep users from installing and using software for which they don’t possess a proper license or attempting to use illegally copied software. That license may come when you purchase software or an operating system through a retail store or web site. Or the license may come along with the laptop as part of the package supplied by the manufacturer. Beginning with Windows Vista (and other current application software such as Office 2007) you’re required to activate your product within 30 days of installa- tion; if you don’t accomplish activation, the operating system or software is partially or fully disabled. If your laptop can get online, you get activate your Windows Vista software that way as part of the installation. An alternate way to activate Microsoft software is to do so by telephone. Consult the instructions that come with the product. Microsoft promises that the information collected as part of the activation process is used only for the stated purpose — to validate the software — and not to contact you or sell your name to advertisers. 10 140925-bk02ch01.qxp 4/8/08 12:36 PM Page 93 . perform a clean installation. Start over from the beginning and reformat your drive and install Windows again. (You do have your data files backed up and your software programs available for. for reinstallation, right? Good for you.) Failed program or piece of hardware You absolutely, positively checked your hardware and software for compati- bility before attempting installation of. current programs for use with a 32-bit version of Windows work under a 64-bit operating system, although they may run slower or not play well with other applications. A handful of laptops are now