After Two Years … Another Vista Annoyance
April 14, 2010
I have to admit that I’ve become accustomed to the way Vista performs over the last two years and have been lulled into turning on my PC in the morning and going to fix coffee and clean out the cat box while I wait for the OS to boot. I guess I hadn’t realized how dreadfully slow it had gotten until this past week when I had the opportunity to work with a colleague who uses a Macbook Pro with Final Cut Pro to edit video. Now I’m frustrated since I’m entering the world of video editing myself and have been considering getting a powerful enough computer to be able to handle the process. After seeing how quickly Marilyn’s Mac booted and then watching her edit tons of video without a single application crash, I see a Mac in my future.
Speaking of frustrations and video editing, I encountered yet another one today. I use the AVS4You media editing suite and have been happy with it, at least until my week with Marilyn, the Mac and Final Cut Pro. Today, while I was working in the Video Editor, I started hearing the Windows default beep every time I selected a file from my list of imported media. It never happened until today. I’ve been using the software to edit video for several months and today is the first time I ever heard that ANNOYING beep. It didn’t take long before I had to close the software program and start searching for a solution. Was it a problem that suddenly cropped up with the software, or was it a problem with Vista. After reading several forum posts, I discovered that what I’ve been experiencing is a bug that’s been around since November of 2007 and affects all editions of Vista. The problem starts when you change the sound or sound theme you use for Select in the Sound Control Panel from NONE to something else then change it back again. I don’t remember doing that but I play around in my Sound Control Panel a lot so who’s to say I haven’t changed it at some time or other?
If you’ve been plagued with the Default Windows beep when you select from a list in any number of programs, you have a couple of options you can use to get rid of it. You can replace the system sound file you use for Select to a silent .wav file or you can edit the registry. Since I have not fear when it comes to editing the registry, that’s the route I chose. To find out how to use either of these methods, just visit Microsoft Support and read Article ID: 944150.
I think the engineers and programmers who haven’t taken the time to fix this bug after three years of complaints should have to wear headphones and listen to the beep every time they select from a list until they either fix it or run screaming from the room!
Posted in Annoyances, Vista, Windows
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April 26th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Hi Paige,
I just wanted to chime in on this topic . I to had the Vista blues and my video equipment and DVD players were very fussy if they worked at all.
When Windows 7 came out I decided to go out and buy a complete in the box edition of windows 7 (Not an upgrade),formatted my drive and started fresh with the system.
I have to tell you in all my computing days since my Radio Shack Mod 3 “I have never been happier!”
I even took the leap of faith and installed 64 bit operating system knowing some software would be lost that were 32 bit. I was even surprised how few of those applications didn’t work. The only applications that didn’t work were those cheesy applications you pick up here and there from lesser developers.
I think you will notice a big difference in the PC world as a result.
As I have used Macs in the past the only issue I have is Steve Jobs and Apples proprietary approach to marketing their systems.
I am an open market , open source advocate and really dislike it when apple protects its system and charges way to much for addons. (an example the price of ram upgrades)
I work in what was once a monopoly the Telephone business and had they been able to keep control you and I would not enjoy the current pricing you have today for Telecom. Heck you used to have to pay for each jack rental in your house and weren’t allowed to add any to the system.
I know when Vista came out the big problem wasn’t Microsoft it was the supporting vendors like Creative , Logitec etc. that were not there with the driver revisions.
But as always Microsoft is the one blamed for the problem. If you owned a PC and never installed any software that was not Microsoft or Microsoft certified I am going to step out and say it would be very very stable.
But because of the open source and ability to install 3rd party software PC’s allow the operating system takes the knock for unreliability and not the third party software developer that coded the garbage that causes the PC crash.
If your tires were worn out on your car would you buy a brand name quality tire or go find a no name brand from unknown manufacture.
With PC’s many opt for the free or cheap solutions that cause the problems with the PC.
So in closing make sure there is some history behind anything installed on a PC . Install Quality and certified and you will have less problem.
Thats what MAC forces by its closed source approach which has a benefit but compare it to an equally priced and quality PC with Windows 7.
Remember apples to apples and oranges to oranges.. Thanks have a great day.
April 26th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
Sorry missed a little point..
I to use AVS suite and it is good for quick tasking video and Audio but have started using Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9.0 it works well for me.
Does Final cut produce in WMV or MP4 ? If it is AVI you will also limit your reach as most people use PC’s that needs quicktime to play .
When you compare AVS suite you are comparing a $70 dollar suite to a $999 Final Cut Suite (yes it comes with most macs but you pay in the price). Compare Sony Vegas pro 9 $599 or Adobe Priemer $799 suites for a little fairer comparison.
April 27th, 2010 at 7:09 am
Robbie, thanks for the response. You have a lot of really good points and I appreciate you sharing them here. I’ve always looked at both Microsoft and Apple as PCs (personal computers) since that’s what they are. I don’t have a lot of experience with a Mac and I do have a lot with a PC. I have an upgrade of Windows 7 sitting here still in the box that I haven’t installed yet. I’ve heard that I’d be better off with an upgrade if I roll my current Vista installation back to the factory settings and I just haven’t had the time to do it. What’s your opinion?