Windows Vista SP1 Initial Thoughts

In my opinion, it's a huge step backwards.  Here are some issues I have had with/since installing SP1:

• It took two hours to install
• Most programs run are running slower than before the service pack, and I frequently get the (Not Responding) in the title bar of many applications now
• Plugging in an iPhone to a USB port disables my USB mouse and keyboard, which is extremely annoying
• The acctinfo.dll plugin from the Server 2003 resource kit for AD Users and Computers no longer works
• With the processor usage only at 2-5%, it sometimes takes 15-20 seconds for the All Programs, Control Panel, or Administrative Tools menus to expand
• I see the same behavior right-clicking on shared network files
• After the install, I had to reinstall Windows Live Messenger, but I am using a beta version, so that won't affect most people
• Despite the lengthy explanations on why file copy will be so much better in SP1, I'm not seeing it. In fact, I see a huge decline in network performance. There are a few UNC shares that I connect to frequently that have 300 or more subdirectories. Opening these became so slow, I decided to time it. Before SP1, opening the share and being able to see all the subdirectories used to take about 5-10 seconds. After installing SP1, it now takes about 58 seconds.
• Initial boot and program loads are unbearably slow, so I decided to time this too. From a cold boot, it took 2:30 to get to a login screen. Discounting the two seconds or so it took to type in my username and password, it was then another 1:30 before I saw my desktop. Immediately upon seeing the desktop, I ran Outlook. It took another 3:45 until my cached emails were visible. Another 1:15 after that, my sidebar showed up, and about :30 after that, my new emails showed up. And that was just to open Outlook. I have eight programs I always start up after login that I use to do the bulk of my daily work. From a cold boot until they were all open and usable was just over 17 minutes. That is just ridiculous.
• Vista still corrupts files I save to network shares, such as the Documents, Pictures, Favorites, and Desktop folders that I have mapped to a server. It's very frustrating to click on a favorite in IE, only to discover that Vista has corrupted it, and it no longer opens, and you have to hunt down the URL again. Which isn't nearly as frustrating as importing pictures from a camera to your PC only to discovery that Vista has corrupted them. Especially if you've opted for the delete pictures after importing option.
• Turn Windows features on or off - Has anyone needed to enable Telnet or some other feature using this app? It could easily be called Turn Windows features on or off then get in your car and head to the nearest Starbucks for awhile.

I have been running Vista since it went gold, and on my home machine, where I'm only running one or two apps at a time, it's quite usable and interfaces well with my Xbox 360. However, in an Enterprise setting, it's just not getting the job done for me. I really wanted it to, but it just isn't. And SP1 has made things even worse. Managing network shares and the files in them is a slow, painful nightmare. Not to mention the fact that when I need to do something as mundane as run Terminal Services Administrator or manage a cluster, I still have to go to an XP machine, or a 2003 server. Vista will be able to manage Windows Server 2008 much better, but it will be years until all the servers here, or anywhere else for that matter, have been upgraded, and frankly I just can't wait that long.

Perhaps not everyone will experience the problems I'm having, but I'm guessing a good many will. Many other admins I know have told me their companies have the same "no Vista" policy that mine has (well, except for me, I'm "testing" it), and frankly, I fully agree, it just wasn't ready to ship and still isn't over a year later. Hell, even Bill Gates hints at it, without really saying it. Maybe things will get better with SP2, but I'm not holding my breath at this point.

Now I just have to decide whether to just uninstall SP1, or bite the bullet, wipe my machine, and reinstall XP.

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