Windows XP – Page 6 – Paul's Tech Talk

Hibernate vs. Standby

PaulOctober 18, 2007

Quick: What’s the difference between putting your PC in Hibernate or Standby mode? Yeah, we weren’t sure either. Luckily the Productivity Portfolio weblog schools us on the finer details of Windows XP power schemes. Using Standby:

Your machine recovers quickly as your data is stored in RAM. The slower part is waking up the peripherals. Although your machine is in “standby” the power has been cut to items such as your hard drive and monitor. You’re running your machine in a very low power mode, but it is still on. This mode can be useful if you’re on a notebook and need to conserve your battery while you step away.

With Hibernate:

The big difference is that your PC has shut down and is not pulling power. Another difference is that your data is saved to your hard disk and not RAM. This makes it a safer, but slower option for shut down and resume.

Not all PCs have the capability and are configured to Hibernate. If yours is, to see the Hibernate option on your XP shutdown screen, hold down the Shift key when you shut down.

Hibernate and Standby | Windows XP Power Scheme [Productivity Portfolio]

A really interesting article on the differences!!

Export Hardware Drivers with DriverMax

PaulOctober 17, 2007

Windows only: Want to format your hard drive and reinstall Windows but you’re not sure you have all the hardware driver disks to get everything working again? Free utility DriverMax analyzes XP or Vista systems for installed hardware drivers and exports them to a folder or external drive. Install DriverMax on a newly built system and import those drivers to get everything from your video card to TV tuner working again. I didn’t have the chance to test DriverMax’s import function on a clean system, so do image your hard drive just in case. DriverMax isn’t the most modern-looking application and you have to hand over an email address to get a free registration code (Boo!). DriverMax is a free download for Windows XP and Vista.

DriverMax [via How-To Geek]

Another good program to check out!!

Consumer protection org warns: resist Vista, “back to the future” with XP

PaulOctober 15, 2007

In yet another blow to the reputation of Windows Vista, the Dutch Consumers’ Association (Consumentenbond) has recommended that customers who purchase new PCs insist on obtaining Windows XP over Vista. In addition, it called on computer shops to provide Windows XP downgrades to customers who have already obtained Vista from said shops. After unsuccessfully trying to persuade Microsoft to provide those free downgrades, the DCA said that consumers would have to take matters into their own hands since Microsoft does not agree with its assessment of the OS, which the organization said appears to have been released before it was truly ready, according to comments recorded by Expatica. Related Stories * XP on OEM hardware? Not after January, 2008 * Microsoft’s OEM catch-22: XP still in the driver’s seat * Report: Vista Business, XP Pro sales down in Europe * Forget big service packs, Vista “high quality right out of the gate,” says execThe organization’s spat with Microsoft began when it conducted a survey on Vista’s performance. According to the survey results, the OS performed quite poorly, racking up 5,000 consumer complaints in less than five weeks. Commonly reported issues center on printer and hardware compatibility, system crashes, and slow peripherals. The DCA met with Microsoft to discuss its concerns before issuing its statement warning consumers away from Vista—evidently, whatever olive branch Microsoft offered wasn’t enough to satisfy the group.