NSR: Outlook problems with Vista?

**altagirl** · 08-16-2007, 10:11 AM

So Mr.AG bought a new laptop in June, which came with Vista (he couldn't find one that still came with XP).

He's had a ton of problems with outlook, and he's taken it back to CompUSA a couple times - they take the computer for a few days and solve the problem temporarily. And then before long it's back to either continually asking for his password and not doing anything, or now it only sends emails without attachments and won't send the ones with attachments. Apparently it's sending the ones without attachments over and over and over again, so people get 8 copies of that, but none of the emails with attachments.

I've never used Vista. Is this something fixable or is this just going to continually be a pain in the ass? He found that Dell has laptops with XP on them left and wants to just replace the computer altogether.

One of the guys he works with thinks he should buy a Mac instead. But this is for work and it needs to be totally compatible with everyone else he's working with who are all on windows based systems. I've heard they're compatible these days, but I don't know if that's just asking for more problems or not.

Thoughts?

**Twoplanker** · 08-16-2007, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by altagirl

So Mr.AG bought a new laptop in June, which came with Vista (he couldn't find one that still came with XP).

He's had a ton of problems with outlook, and he's taken it back to CompUSA a couple times - they take the computer for a few days and solve the problem temporarily. And then before long it's back to either continually asking for his password and not doing anything, or now it only sends emails without attachments and won't send the ones with attachments. Apparently it's sending the ones without attachments over and over and over again, so people get 8 copies of that, but none of the emails with attachments.

I've never used Vista. Is this something fixable or is this just going to continually be a pain in the ass? He found that Dell has laptops with XP on them left and wants to just replace the computer altogether.

One of the guys he works with thinks he should buy a Mac instead. But this is for work and it needs to be totally compatible with everyone else he's working with who are all on windows based systems. I've heard they're compatible these days, but I don't know if that's just asking for more problems or not.

Thoughts?

Get the Mac and run Parallels. This allows you to run Windows (I'm runnning XP with Parallels; running Vista like this would require a lots of RAM). This way I've got the Mac and can click over to Windows easily. Just be sure and get about 2 GB of RAM on the Mac.

**Buster Highmen** · 08-16-2007, 10:44 AM

Bitch to msft. Dell won't fix it, even if they knew how.

**grizzle6** · 08-16-2007, 10:57 AM

Do what TP said. Get the Mac, run parallels if you really need Windows-based programs. I do it for work, and it's been fairly seamless.

**Tuckerman** · 08-16-2007, 11:04 AM

Get a Mac to to run like a PC? I have been running Vista for almost a year with no email problems. There should not be any issues are you using Outlook?

**Twoplanker** · 08-16-2007, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Tuckerman

Get a Mac to to run like a PC? I have been running Vista for almost a year with no email problems. There should not be any issues are you using Outlook?

- 10 points for reading comprehension.

**The AD** · 08-16-2007, 11:09 AM

Just FYI, if you go to Dell's business site instead of their home site you can still get laptops loaded with XP rather than Vista.

**Odin** · 08-16-2007, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by The AD

Just FYI, if you go to Dell's business site instead of their home site you can still get laptops loaded with XP rather than Vista.

-100 points for reading comprehension

**Tuckerman** · 08-16-2007, 11:11 AM

Woops.. If it sends a bunch could it be that he hit the send button too many times? There is a spot to tell Outlook to remember the user name and password.

**The AD** · 08-16-2007, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Odin

-100 points for reading comprehension

Please explain to me which part of this I'm failing to comprehend:

Originally Posted by altagirl

So Mr.AG bought a new laptop in June, which came with Vista (he couldn't find one that still came with XP).

**Odin** · 08-16-2007, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by altagirl

He found that Dell has laptops with XP on them left and wants to just replace the computer altogether.

34566y7

**The AD** · 08-16-2007, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Odin

34566y7

You're right, I'm dumb

I will add to altagirl that if he does go the Dell route to be sure to look at their business section. Yes, there are some laptops still available with XP in their home section, but many more on the business side. I just ordered one of their new Vostros for my wife. These seem to be a pretty good deal for the money.

**altagirl** · 08-16-2007, 12:27 PM

Cool - good to know on the Mac stuff.

I guess he's going to try MS tech support again one last time and see what happens. I guess one of the guys we work with with a small business has had a Vista computer in their office for 3 months that they can't get to do email at all. And we know one other person who had trouble, but got it worked out and it's been working fine for a few months.

**Buzzworthy** · 08-16-2007, 12:42 PM

Question: Does the Mr.'s email come from an exchange server?

**BakerBunny** · 08-16-2007, 12:57 PM

I support many Vista computers and several Macs trrying to run parallels and Vista. The Macs take a lot more of my support time.

Access your anti-virus control panel and disable "Microsoft Exchange auto protect" or anything similar, if you are using Outlook to communicate with a secure Exchange server. This "autoprotect" keeps exchange from makeing a local email cache for "cached mode" setups.

jgb@etree · 08-16-2007, 12:58 PM

Wipe Vista and install XP.

Vista's the new Windows ME

**Sensisnow** · 08-16-2007, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Twoplanker

Get the Mac and run Parallels. This allows you to run Windows (I'm runnning XP with Parallels; running Vista like this would require a lots of RAM).

Even if you go with this solution, you're still going to have to drop the cash to purchase a (genuine) copy of XP to install on the MAC. If you're going to end up doing that anyways, you might as well just purchase a copy of XP and install it on the laptop you already have. Just make sure that you burn a copy of the Vista restore discs in case you ever decide to go back.

**cramer** · 08-16-2007, 01:13 PM

sounds like that office install got fooked. id reinstall office, delete his local profile on that machine like its the first time he logged in and setup outlook again.

**Grange** · 08-16-2007, 01:32 PM

Tell Mr. AG to quit and then contact Neo_anderson. I think he's give away money.

**altagirl** · 08-16-2007, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by cramer

sounds like that office install got fooked. id reinstall office, delete his local profile on that machine like its the first time he logged in and setup outlook again.

If I'm remembering correctly, that's what they did when he took it to CompUSA. And I think he's setup outlook at least a dozen times at this point.

(He's driving right now, but is going to have to check all this when he gets home. He just keeps asking me questions about what to do and I have no experience with Vista or Macs for that matter and wanted to get some ideas. So thanks, everybody!)

**altagirl** · 08-16-2007, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by BakerBunny

I support many Vista computers and several Macs trrying to run parallels and Vista. The Macs take a lot more of my support time.

Access your anti-virus control panel and disable "Microsoft Exchange auto protect" or anything similar, if you are using Outlook to communicate with a secure Exchange server. This "autoprotect" keeps exchange from makeing a local email cache for "cached mode" setups.

We'll have to look for that. Thanks!

**altagirl** · 08-16-2007, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by jgb@etree

Wipe Vista and install XP.

Vista's the new Windows ME

I thought the new computers that come with Vista are somehow set up that you can't just do that? Or is it just hard to find a copy of XP now? Or am I totally wrong? For some reason he was thinking you can't do that.

**Buster Highmen** · 08-16-2007, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by altagirl

I thought the new computers that come with Vista are somehow set up that you can't just do that? Or is it just hard to find a copy of XP now? Or am I totally wrong? For some reason he was thinking you can't do that.

There may be devices on new PCs for which there are no drivers in XP. So in a sense, you can't always count on reverting to older OSes.

In reality, it sounds like there's an install or setup issue that needs to be addressed. Did Office come preinstalled on the system or did you install an older version?

jgb@etree · 08-16-2007, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by altagirl

I thought the new computers that come with Vista are somehow set up that you can't just do that? Or is it just hard to find a copy of XP now? Or am I totally wrong? For some reason he was thinking you can't do that.

You certainly can, and I *strongly* recommend doing so. Vista has some nice eye-candy, but has serious issues with the underlying OS. Rumor has it, that SP1 won't even be realeased until late 2008 or early 2009.

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

There may be devices on new PCs for which there are no drivers in XP. So in a sense, you can't always count on reverting to older OSes.

Theoretically, you are correct. In reality, there are almost no devices that ship on new PC's that aren't fully supported under XP. Funny enough, Vista is such a disaster that it doesn't even support many devices DESIGNED for Vista. One such example is the recent announcment that DX10 suppot is being dropped.

Altagirl: If you let me know exactly what PC you have, I'd be happy to run down every device against the XP HCL (Hardware Compatibility List) and even link you up to any relevant drivers that you may need to properly run XP on your system.

Friends don't let friends run Vista... It's a complete mess.

**altagirl** · 08-16-2007, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

There may be devices on new PCs for which there are no drivers in XP. So in a sense, you can't always count on reverting to older OSes.

In reality, it sounds like there's an install or setup issue that needs to be addressed. Did Office come preinstalled on the system or did you install an older version?

Pre-installed, and then CompUSA re-installed it when it started having problems (like 1 day after he bought it).