I'm sick of Toshiba and Vista

Toshiba Satellite A215-S7416
I've had enough of this ****. This thing goes when I can afford it.
Stupid thing just runs the high speed fan most of the day. I've used compressed air inside it a bunch of times to no avail.

VISTA: won't work my lexmark x4270 printer and when i try to instal the driver I get some BS error.
that media-network throttling BS is pissing me off. Doesn't matter if I'm at 30 in volume or 100. All it does is FREEZE all my open applications, so I have to open my media player and click pause every 4 seconds. I've already set that registry value for it to 12(worst), 5, and disabled and it doesn't to crap.
Anyone got any advice besides getting XP or getting rid of this junk?

 

try doing a fresh install of vista, but backup your files first. if you cant do it, bring it to a computer shop so they can get rid of all the bloatware on the thing when reinstalling vista. also get them to open the thing up and clean the whole thing, from fans to getting rid of all the dust.

 

When I got my computer fixed, that is what they did to Vista. After that, I went through that whole vista performance tutorial and did most of the things there. I got this laptop on December 31 so it isn't old enough to be doing this, especially when airing it out.

 

what are the specs, maybe it cant handle vista or the tasks you want it to do.

 

It came with Vista and I don't have to be doing anything extreme for it to just run the fan at high speeds. I could be watching a video with a couple tabs open and it'll run it more than normal.

 

You could try undervolting it or running it at modest settings. Should lower the temp and therefore the fan speed.

 

Undervolting?
I just remembered...it didn't do this before I got it fixed. Odd...

 

well they may of messed it up, but have you monitered the temps? there might be something wrong with the processor, gpu or the hd.

 

I'd agree with one of the posts above, do a CLEAN install, then go into Control Panel and set everything to Performance mode, and shut down aero.

With Service Pack 1, performance between Vista and XP are nearly identical.........I've been doing both on my X205, and a clean SP1 install really helps.

 

dude whats your specs? list that first and then we can tell if its your computer or vista

 

I know where your coming from. I hate my Toshiba too! I been recovering it over, and over again, because it's always freezes. VISTA SUCKS!!!!!!!!!! I use my computer for school and can't afford to lose things, when I have deadlines. I want to downgrade to XP. I need a floppy drive to get rid of this horrible OS. I should of been smart and went with APPLE instead of VISTA.

 

I would go as far to say CrApple is worse.

 

Your telling me you rather have Vista than Apple. Now if it was XP it would be a different story.

 

Vista sucks on slow hardware, that is all
Laptops tend to have slow hard drives and I'm sure you got a 4200RPM or an old 5400Rpm and yes vista sucks on those, i had a 4200rpm on my toshiba too and i hated it, music use to get stuck but then again, i upgraded mine to a newer 250GB 5400rpm drive and I'm loving vista. Xp tends to have a boring GUI and slow downs in a few months after a fresh install. Besides battery life sucks on Xp

if its slow hardware you got, Xp would be better
Apple is complete rubbish for the person who actually uses his computer

 

I THOUGHT I was going to become an Apple person last year. Decided to buy a Macbook, and according to what I heard, "Once you go Mac, you never go back."

Well...I hated it...and am keeping the Macbook as a backup. I am running Vista (Premium or Ultimate) on 4 computers (1 desktop and 3 laptops) and XP on one.

I am loving Vista.

 

Very true on all counts.

 

Absolutely.

 

BTW, if you think that Toshibas have problems, go over to the Macrumors forums. I've read the Macbook forum for at least a year over there, and it is filled with hundreds of tales of Mac problems, including some pretty serious manufacturing defects; sloppy engineering; sloppy, inconsistent manufacturing techniques; poor quality; serious overheating; and poor materials used.

 

I tried Vista, but i went back to Xp because the Toshiba Power Saver only works in XP, and i can turn the fans down!! , 3 speed setting.

My fans were running full blast in Vista!!

 

Had a choice between Vista and and an Apple Mac system. Went for the vista.

There are no doubt issues with vista but it is constantly being worked on and refined.

I find Apple is too non-mainstream to be practical. However, competition is always a good thing for a healthy market.

 

Once again Vista and Toshiba are trash.
I had my harddrive replaced over a month ago due to it making noises ever since I got it repaired for the video card, and then it finally failed. I was just listening to a song and my computer crashed HAHA.

 

to the op and anyone else:

no offense but i really believe that you wouldn't be having the issues that you are having if you knew more about your hardware and how your operating systems works. i have been using toshiba laptops since 1994 and have had no issues besides the random hard drive crash which would have happened anyway.

i run vista and xp on my x205. and had i initially added more ram to it in the first place i probably wouldn't be running xp.

i did ALOT of research before i settled on my x205. i also did alot of research on vista and knew what i was going to do to vista before i got ahold of it.

i think that if you all did some more research about your equipment and your os that you may be able to solve your problems and be able to help other people.

 

Research what? if you are saying I did this, you are blindly mistaken.

 

I'm not doubting your specific compy has issues, HWB, and that you may have gotten a lemon, but some of these issues could be configuration specific as well.

Were you running an older technology AMD processor? Was Vista 64b? Were you running any apps (or drivers) with known compatibility issues with Vista 64b?

I got my kid an L305 series with a T5750 and Vista 32b 4 mos ago. It's been running rock solid, cool, and reasonably quick almost 24/7. OTOH, I recently demo'd a machine with the same physical shell (L305D), but an older AMD CPU (TL-60), also with Vista 32b. It runs way hotter, and very sluggish WRT my kid's. It is reasonably stable though, but very hot and sluggish. I'm swapping it for a newer L305 with an Intel "P" series CPU (P7350).

I also just demo'd an HP DV7 series with 64b Vista. It crashed a helluva' lot. I use Opera as my main browser and there's a known incompatibility when using Opera + Adobe Flash Player + Vista 64b.

So there's a lot of variables to consider when issues arise. Thats not saying you didn't have any unresolvable problems tho. You menationed a gfx chip and HDD. I never did catch your machines specs, OS version, and apps, so I can't really comment further.

 

i am not saying you did anything per se.

strat cat got the spirit of my message as it is evidenced in his response.

all i am saying is that if you do your research before you by a product you will be much better off after the fact. i knew as much as i could about my x205 and vista BEFORE i bought the computer. much of my research consisted of looking at other users reviews and seeing what issues they had and how they liked their purchase.

for instance, one of the first things i do when i buy any computer is a wipe and clean install. it is now my computer and it is configured for my specifications vs. some mass market bloatware. i learned this over the years through research and experience.

i am not singling you out or anything. many folks feel the same way that you do. i feel that much of this can be solved if people did their research before they made a purchase.

 

Well first of all, it's not an older one since I bought it last December. Second, this is 32bit. Any driver compatibility issue would be Toshiba's fault.
Also, I was not able to look at all these reviews since my desktop's harddrive had crashed (old harddrive).
Here's the specs: http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/modelContent.jsp?ct=SB&os=&category=&moid=1854776&rpn=PSAFGU&modelFilter=A215-S7416&selCategory=3&selFamily=1073768663&selModel=1854776|PSAFGU

 

So you're using a one year old bargain system, that probably still has all of Toshiba's bloatware running is getting less than optimal performance? Not only this, but you are trying to get a printer that is getting abysmal reviews on Amazon.com to work, and now are whining that you can't get it to work? If you don't like it that much do something about it. Take a look at the threads on optimizing Vista and do some of those things. I personally suggest that you start with getting rid of Toshiba's bloatware and upgrading the 4200RPM harddrive if you have not already. If not this, buy a copy of XP and install it (at 20% of your systems value), or even install a flavor of Linux and have fun with their driver issues. In any case suck it up and do something about it. Making asinine complaints on a message board helps no one... least of all yourself.

The previous posters were right: you should have looked at the reviews for your computer. Even on this website it says that your system was slow when it was new, and this is repeated in reviews done by other publishers. That you purchased the system is no one's fault but your own, and it should go without saying, but you get what you pay for.

 

i was attempting to be less blunt than tabbedout but he is right.

the first thing i saw when i googled your system was a bunch of "buy this at walmart ads." as soon as i saw that i gave up. given what you were in the market for (and bought) spoke to your knowledge of computers and how they work. i personally wouldn't buy a laptop in that range but i have recommended them to people that i know are not expecting cutting edge performance out of their machine.

again not trying to rag on you but when i saw lexmark i also gave up. i am very knowledgable on computer technology and there are a few brands that i just run from. lexmark is one of them. my god, everyone that i know that has a lexmark has called me with a problem. my solution is to tell them to get a different printer. usually a budget hp.

do yourself a favor and learn how your computer (and any peripherals) works so that you can make it work for you. anyone that is knowledgable here can pull their laptop apart and put it back together. or at the very least can perform their own clean install.

 

Not only this, but if you do not have the knowledge (nothing wrong with that at all) you can ask HOW you can get your computer to run more efficiently. I'm sure that I am not speaking for myself only when I say that there are many here that would be more than happy to give you a hand getting your system running as best that it can (these forums exist for a reason).

Realize that by being resistant to doing anything (as evidenced by your post that you don't think you should do anything "extreme" to get your computer to work "properly") you are, IMHO, being stubborn and only hurting yourself. Some of your issues might be solved with simple software tweaks. The overheating could require that you access your laptops heatsink (get a screwdriver) and blow out a years worth of dust. If you choose to go this route know that you will gain intimate knowledge about how your laptop works, and this will serve you well when you decide to purchase a new computer... Or you could decide to remain ignorant and cry every time a computer doesn't act exactly the way you expect, because I promise you, EVERY manufacturer has problems and you will NEVER be happy if you expect something other than this.

 

That is done already. I just got a new HP wireless printer and it works beautifully. What does all this "bloatware" you speak of have anything to do with the printer, that I even downloaded the latest driver for, not working with my laptop? It is a 3 in 1 printer sol I really don't care what reviews it got.It was my only printer while we had no money (actually still don't really) and I had to run back and forth to the library to print stuff out for school.

Done about 3 times now and has nothing to do with saving my graphics card and harddrive.

Buy it for me. And you can also buy me an external harddrive to store all my current data on so I can do the switch.

I see you are here to start a flamewar. Installing XP on a vista system is more than stick in the CD. And, once again, my complaints are legit that direct back to Toshiba. Hey, maybe I just got unlucky with this one.

 

I actually did that several times. The problem is solved via Toshiba under warranty. I shouldn't have to go any further than that while my computer is under warranty.

:cry:

First lexmark I got was fine. Second one was trash. This one was GIVEN to us. Not my fault. But yea, new HP printer since I want to stray from Lexmark now.

 

It does in fact have something to do with your graphics card and HDD. Your graphics card was bottom of the barrel when it was released and BARELY able to handle Vista, and there are tweaks that will decrease the demands on your GPU. Same thing with your HDD. Simply put, you CANNOT purchase a slower drive, and there are tweaks that can decrease your systems HDD demands (decreasing reads/writes)

I don't like you that much . I am giving you options that will cost you less than the cost of a new system that may make your system better. For what it's worth you could purchase a faster HDD for less than an OEM copy of XP. ALSO, that HDD will be a huge bottleneck no matter what OS you install (except Windows 3.11 maybe). You will probably find that XP is "slow" if you keep that snail in your laptop.

I agree, you have a right to your complaints, but at the same time I think you have some unrealistic beliefs about what your system is, what it should be capable of, and how it should behave after a year of doing no maintenance on it. A computer is like a car. It will not run at peak performance if you don't do some PMCS (preventative maintenance) on it. I am hardly trying to start a flame war. I did not say that Vista is better than XP, or any other OS for that matter. The point I was trying to make is that you should be a little proactive about your problem and do what you can to fix it.

 

It's not slow and I don't think I ever said it was. The tweaks of course help with performance, but my graphics card was still defective.

I am aware of the harddrive upgrade and I will probably buy it if I keep this laptop longer,

Trust me, I MAKE SURE I do enough maintenance.

 

Your laptop should have no problems running Vista. Would have been nice if you posted the specs but a quick google shows that it has a Turion X2 at 1.7Ghz, 2GB of RAM and a x1200 GPU. Not the best but should run Vista with Aero Glass smoothly. Either you are not doing something right or they broke it when they "fixed" it for you.

 

Yes they did. Like I said, after I got it back after they replaced the graphics card, it started making noises.

 

What kind of noises?

 

What was the gfx issue that generated the service return, and what did Tosh claim they did (if anything) to resolve the problem? Did they actually replace the gfx chip or simply reinstall the driver?