Do you have a problem with Windows Vista? Before going into panic mode, check the solutions below to see if it’s already been covered – and fixed. By Nick Peers
Published
on 02 April 2007
Installing any piece of software can be a painful experience, but an entirely new operating system is so complex that it's bound to cause more than a few headaches for some. Fortunately, Nick Peers is on hand to answer your questions about installing Windows Vista. If you have a problem that you'd like us to look into, feel free to ask us on our community boards.
Fix problems when activating Windows
System Kickstart - Discover what to do when Windows Vista refuses to activate (Click to enlarge)
Alan Frost had to reinstall Windows Vista after his attempt to install drivers from Canon resulted in his machine locking up. Alan’s problem with the Canon drivers was probably linked to drivers left over from his previous version of Windows conflicting with the new software. When you come to install new USB devices like scanners, don’t plug them in until you’ve installed the software or drivers first.
Alan had another hangover from his forced reinstallation: he keeps getting messages to activate Windows, which then tell him the product is already activated. Get around this by clicking Next instead of Activate online now when the message appears.
Other activation problems can be dealt with by referring to the Microsoft Knowledge Base – failed activations generate an error code, and a number of resolutions are described here.
If this doesn’t help, download the WGA Diagnostics Tool from Microsoft – this generates a report about your system, which you should post to the Microsoft forums along with details of your activation-related issue for further advice and, hopefully, a solution.
Solving the Mapfile1 error message
John Smith’s problem stemmed from a “mapfile1: access is denied” message each time he started Internet Explorer or Windows Mail. Mapfi le1 is linked to software for ATI graphics cards, and the error is found on PCs that have been upgraded to Windows Vista from an earlier version of Windows.
The best solution is to locate new drivers and software from your graphics card manufacturer. Make sure it’s compatible with Windows Vista. If none is available, download the latest drivers from ATI instead, uninstall your existing graphics card software from the Add or Remove Programs control panel and then install this in its place.
Get device drivers for older hardware
Ronnie Lowe’s plea is typical of many we’ve received: can we get his wireless adapter working? Sadly, not all devices are compatible with Windows Vista – manufacturers may never produce Windows Vista ready drivers, while Windows XP drivers may not necessarily work (the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor tool should provide essential advice here).
Driving Ambition - Check with your PC or hardware manufacturer’s web site for compatible drivers (Click to enlarge)
The best thing to do is check to see whether Windows Vista drivers have been developed – if the component is part of your computer, check your PC manufacturer’s web site first for a driver update (if you bought your PC through the PC World chain of superstores, visit PC Service Call). If you purchased the hardware separately from the rest of your PC, you should visit its manufacturer’s web site for Windows Vista compatible drivers and support.
Getting AOL and other software working
AOL 9.0 VR (Windows Vista Ready) has been released and is available for download at AOL Help – but it’s been causing problems for some AOL users, including Audrey Verringer. She’s been unable to log on to AOL using the software – she can connect to the web through Internet Explorer, but she misses her favourites, buddies and so on.
New Version - AOL’s own software should now be compatible with Windows Vista (Click to enlarge)
We tested the software and had no problem logging in – it could be that early bugs have been ironed out (Audrey’s query came in a day before a major update to the software), so if you’ve been struggling to get AOL to work on your PC, download the latest version and see if it now behaves itself. If you’re having problems with other software, the advice is the same – check for a new version that’s been modified to work with Windows Vista. As with hardware, though, there are some older programs that just won’t be updated; you should be able to trick these into working by selecting Use an older program with this version of Windows from the Control Panel.
Use old Microsoft Outlook contacts in Windows Mail
Keep in contact - Export your Microsoft Outlook contacts for use in Windows Mail (Click to enlarge)
We heard from Tony Waters about the possibility of importing his Microsoft Outlook contacts list into Windows Mail – it is possible, Tony, but you must first open your contacts in Outlook itself, then export them to a file using File > Import and Export. Choose to export a file before selecting Comma Separated File(DOS). You can then import this into Windows Mail using File > Import > Windows Contacts. Select CSV (Command Separated Values) and locate the file you exported.
Fixing shutdown problems
A few of you have encountered shutdown problems after upgrading from Windows XP. This is probably linked to an incompatible program, file or driver that wasn’t removed. Run the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor tool before upgrading so you can deal with incompatibilities before they cause problems.
If you’ve upgraded to Windows Vista already, you can still use the Upgrade Advisor to track down incompatibilities – visit Microsoft Buyorupgrade to download the latest version. Once installed, it scans your system and alerts you to any incompatibilities, enabling you to either look for an update or remove the offending item from your PC.
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