ULS drivers under Vista

[Lee DeRaud]

It's about time for my quadrennial computer upgrade, including the antique machine that drives my VL200. Plan A involves a new laptop and a new CPU for the big computer in the study, and using that CPU (a 2.6GHz Sony P4) to upgrade the machine that drives the laser.

Plan B, given the prices/speeds the way they are, is to replace all three computers, but that will almost certainly force me into some flavor of Vista on the laser's computer. I know there were a lot of driver compatibility issues when XP first came out, but I haven't heard much about driver problems with Vista...then again, the drivers for a laser engraver aren't exactly "mainstream" applications.

Anybody running a ULS laser with a Vista-based computer yet? Also, any known issues with Corel X3 under Vista?

[Craig Hogarth]

I have a ULS M-360 and one of my two laptops is Vista. I purchased the laser at the Vegas ARA and all lasers were using Vista computers. However, I'm having problems and cannot get into the properties tab. When I click on properties, it fades out, similar to other buttons that aren't applicable.

I spoke with my tech guy and he doesn't know why it's not working. Vista comes in 32 and 64 bit (or maybe 64 and 128) and it's verified that I have the correct driver for my version.

Right now, I'm running it on my other laptop and he's supposed to come out next week to take a look at my Vista laptop.

I'll let you know what comes of it. At least I have seen it work on Vista before and since I have a usable computer, I'm in no big hurry.

[Craig Hogarth]

Keep in mind that I'm a Corel rookie, but I have had no problems with Corel and Vista. There's a couple patches on the corel website for Vista.

The only issue I have had was sometimes that graphic would disappear. I was able to see it on the print preview screen, but it wasn't visable in the working screen. I was able to save and reopen and it was fine. I figured out the problem was when I was using the touchpad. My touchpad has a little side bar that allows me to scroll up and down pages. When I was using the touchpad and my figure touched it, the screen moved so quickly that the graphic disappeared even if I went back to the right spot. When using a mouse or tablet, I have no issues.

[Mike Mackenzie]

Lee,

This is strictly my opinion Vista S**Ks. We do have drivers for Vista they are working OK for the platform systems, However they are still working out the bugs for the older VL systems. If you can you will have far less headaches if you can keep an XP system on it for now.

The factory says that it works but us in the field are not convinced.

[Mike Null]

"This is strictly my opinion Vista S**Ks." MIke Mackenzie

Couldn't have said it better myself. Recently bought new laptop with Vista. Only time I've ever regretted buying a pc.

[Dave Jones]

I believe Dell anounced a week or so ago that all of their computers are once again available with XP or Vista, instead of the cheaper systems only coming with Vista. There were too many complaints about Vista.

[Chuck Burke]

Dave,

You are indeed correct.....a lot of Dells computers can now be built either way.

At least SOMEONE at Dell was thinking.

Chuck

[Lee DeRaud]

This is strictly my opinion Vista S**Ks. We do have drivers for Vista they are working OK for the platform systems, However they are still working out the bugs for the older VL systems. If you can you will have far less headaches if you can keep an XP system on it for now.

Hmmm...sounds like a good excuse to save a couple hundred bucks and recycle my Sony CPU.

Thanks for the heads-up.

[Bill Cunningham]

I cycle my computers about every 4 years, and have, since about 1977 or so.. (Started with an Altair ) The new one goes in the shop, the old shop one goes in the house, the old house one goes in the pile upstairs in the shop..
Up there I have a heath H8, a TRS-80 Mod III and Mod IV, A TRS CoCo II, a Timex computer, a Tandy 1000, a 486, and a P1.. I'm using my old PII in the house, and a P4 in the shop I bought in 2003.. Hmmm time to upgrade..

Every MS operating system is the same, they release it half ready, and basically say "Let the Bug Shoot Begin" .. Wait for a couple of versions, before you upgrade the OS.. NEVER buy the first years offering, cuz it never works right..