Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archive

Catching Up

By Cate Eales
Appeared May 25, 2006 on castanet.net

This week it's time to catch up with recent computing events. Here are two interesting things that developed in the last few weeks:


Windows Vista Hardware Requirements
Microsoft edged a little closer to the January 2007 release date for their new Vista operating system last week with their announcement of hardware requirements. (Up till then, it was just "pre-announcements." See the May 11 column.) The hardware requirements are here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx.

There are a couple of things worth noting on that page. One is that there are different versions of Vista, and not every PC with a sticker that says it's ready for Vista is ready for the top-of-the-line version of Vista. "Windows Vista Capable" computers meet one set of standards, and "Windows Vista Premium Ready" computers meet a more extensive (expensive) set of requirements. If you're buying a new PC now with the objective of using Vista later, look beyond the "Vista" sticker.

Also worth a mention is this, from the same page:

Does buying a Windows Vista Capable PC mean that I will receive a free upgrade to Windows Vista?

No. A PC that is Windows Vista Capable or Premium Ready means that the PC is ready for an upgrade from Windows XP. You would still need to purchase the edition of Windows Vista that you want to install on your Windows Vista Capable or Premium Ready PC.

So know what you're buying or bring a consultant with you on your shopping trips.

If you already have a PC and wonder if you can upgrade, Microsoft provides the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor (Beta). You can get it here http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx. Download it, run it, and it will produce a report that identifies potential problems with your upgrade plans. ;-) Please remember this tool is a Beta, and adjust your expectations accordingly. I ran it on my year-old Toshiba laptop with no trouble. It produces a nice report which you can print out so you see what you need to upgrade.


Apple QuickTime Player New Release
Apple has released QuickTime Player version 7.1. QuickTime Player is a media player like RealPlayer and Windows Media Player. It's what QuickTime movies want you to use to play them even though you are using a PC and not a Mac. You probably have a version of QuickTime Player on your computer whether you know it or not. If you try to watch a QuickTime movie and your browser or your computer complains it needs the new version of QuickTime, you can get it one of two ways.

The way that Apple wants you to get it includes the Apple iTunes player. You can download the QT Player/iTunes combo here. Apple also provides a link where you can watch some commercials about switching to a Mac, bless their hearts. (You need QuickTime to watch the commercials.)

For those of us who do not use and do not want iTunes, there is a standalone version of the QuickTime Player available for download here.  Whichever version you choose, you will soon find that QuickTime is one of those very rude programs that, by default, starts up when Windows starts up. Most of us don't need that. It just sits there in your System Tray/Notification Area using up resources. It's the same as RealPlayer and most instant message programs. We're perfectly capable of starting them when we need them rather than letting them run all the time.

You can use the Windows utility msconfig to stop this behaviour.

Start | Run
Type "msconfig" (don't type the quotes)
Enter
Click on the "Startup" tab and scroll until you find the entry called "qttask"
Clear the check box next to that entry
Click OK

You can either allow Windows to restart now or tell it to restart later; it's up to you. The next time you start Windows, it will not start QT automatically, but will start up when you need it.

Be sure to see this update!  Thanks, Don!

That's all for now. Thank you for your comments; I read them all and try to be prompt in answering. Don't forget you can always check out the column archives or subscribe by email.


Links:
Vista column
Vista hardware requirements http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/capable.mspx
Help with purchasing
Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx
Apple QuickTime Player including iTunes (Windows version) http://www.apple.com/quicktime/win.html
Why you'll love a Mac http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/
Typical Mac User Podcast http://www.typicalmacuser.com/wordpress/
Apple QuickTime Player Standalone (Windows version) http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html
Get Cate's column by email: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=20618

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Cate Eales has been helping people make online computing safe, accessible and fun for over 20 years. She lives in Kelowna with her husband, Eric, and her dog, Sandy. Cate is a partner in Real Life Internet Solutions, helping individuals and small businesses with virus, spyware and malware eradication; personal computer training and management; digital image management; music transfer; and website design, hosting and management. Email Cate at cate@rlis.com with your comments, suggestions, or questions. To browse the column archives, visit the Real Life Internet Solutions website at www.rlis.com.