My Firefox browser won't print. Thinking of using Opera, has anyone else used it /tried it, would they recommend it ? My operating system is Windows Vista Home Premium.
Thanks in anticipation.
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Browsers are very much a personal preference, and Opera seems reasonable to me.
However, depending on what your printing issue is, changing browser may be of no assistance at all.
Help?
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I haven't used Opera for many years, so can't answer that question.
Firefox should print, it's one of the options in the hamburger menu top right, so I assume you mean yours is broken. Check the dialogue box (the step after the preview) and confirm that it is pointed at a printer that exists.
If is does, then I suggest reinstalling before changing browsers, but if you must then I'd try Chrome too, which is fairly similar in use to Firefox.
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When i try printing using the menu option i get a "error occured whilst printing" message.
I tried downloading Chrome but i don't think it's compatible to Vista Home Premium.
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Chrome is currently something like version 52. The last version that would run on Vista was 49. Were it not for that then I would agree with Manatee.
You know you ought to move off Vista, don't you. I always liked it, but it wasn't very good. 7 was much, much better, and no particularly different.
Ditto 10 really. I've just done a clean install of 10 and it is working really well. Much better than the upgraded version I previously was running.
Back at your printing problem;
I assume that it *was* working before? Has anything changed? printer / software etc. etc.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 15 Aug 16 at 14:15
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Opera is based on Chrome, but I've no idea if the current version (39) is compatible with Vista.
When I last used Vista (12 months ago) whatever version of Opera was current then was fine. You can of course download older versions.
I use Opera all the time and like it a lot.
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>> Opera is based on Chrome, but I've no idea if the current version (39) is
>> compatible with Vista.
www.ghacks.net/2016/02/17/opera-36-will-be-the-last-for-windows-xp-and-vista/
So you can't have newer versions, but it is reasonably supported.
I do think you need to consider leaving Vista though. This is going to get worse and present more difficulties as time goes on. More and more applications, programs and functionality will become incompatible with time.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 15 Aug 16 at 14:27
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Just downloaded Opera & the printer worked. But prefer the layout of Firefox. Guess i'll just flit between the two. If i did want to update to Windows 10 is it expensive ?
Please bear in mind my computer knowledge is "limited"
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First maltrap, I recommend uninstalling Firefox and then reinstalling it. (do make sure you copy all of your favourites first, although you don't need to delete your preferences when uninstalling Firefox).
Since installing Opera worked, it is quite likely that simply reinstalling Firefox will work.
I do not know the requirements/costs for Vista to 10, I will find out for you and report back. (unless somebody else answers in the meantime).
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Right, not good.
There is no free upgrade path from Vista to Windows 10.
The cheapest way is to buy a copy of W8.1 or W7 from eBay, install that and then you will get a free upgrade to W10. Lot of b***** work though.
The easiest way is to buy a copy of W10 and upgrade to that. I don't know how much it is in the UK, but it'll be in the £80 - £100 range I guess.
However, while the situation with Vista will gradually deteriorate, but it won't drop off a cliff. Microsoft will support it until April 2017.
I think you need to consider your computer. Is it nearing the end or has it got some legs left in it?
Given your computer knowledge I would recommend the following;
- Carry on with Vista for the time being but make sure you have good backups of all your stuff.
- Come the day the operating system position becomes untenable or unbearable, THEN upgrade to W10 by buying a licence.
- Come the day your computer goes toes up, then you'll be getting a W10 machine anyway and should be able to either beat your supplier into transferring the data for you, or using your backups to do it.
Depending on the condition of your PC, I'd say you've got a year before you really *need* to do anything.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 15 Aug 16 at 14:48
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Without causing too much confusion over the many browsers, I currently mostly use Waterfox. It's a Firefox fork, so it will look familiar, but without all the "stuff" that seems to have gathered around Firefox, so it's swift.
That plus Ghostery plus Cookie Monster and you're set for a reasonable experience. Mine also runs "noscript", "imageblock" and "ublock origin", which altogether gives me what I'm happy with.
All those addons are entirely optional of course.
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"...buy a copy of W8.1 or W7 from eBay, install that and then you will get a free upgrade to W10."
Officially, no. The free upgrade offer expired on July 29th.
However, Microsoft doesn't seem to have pulled the plug on the free "assistive technology" upgrade.
This link may still work (I make no comment on the morality or ethics of using it): www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/windows10upgrade
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>> Officially, no. The free upgrade offer expired on July 29th.
Good point, I forgot that.
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Many thanks all, i think i'm going to take FM2R's advice & stick with what i know (not a lot)
My computers still going strong (reaching for the nearest bit of timber)
Thanks Again.
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...there is no upgrade path direct from Vista to Win 10. (Direct upgrade is/was only available from Win7 upwards).
The move is therefore not particularly simple for someone who is not computer-savvy.
The requirement would be a back-up of data, and a clean install of a Win10 OS, then reconstituting the data from backups.
There is a good chance that Win10 will work on ageing hardware, but some previous Vista-installed programs may not work on Win10 (and replacements may or may not be available).
An OEM copy of Win10 (32 bit), which wolud be quite acceptable to install, would cost somewhat under £80 with careful research.
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Some flavours of Firefox do have printing problems with Vista. Google it with version numbers and you'll see you are not alone.
But as I no longer run Vista, it's been a while since I last had the problem. Various work-arounds, including going back a version on Firefox - website tells you how to install earlier versions.
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I've been using Firefox for many years (it's been Waterfox for some time now after getting a 64bit Windows OS) and never had any problems printing whatever I've wished to accomplish......
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Opera Browser - No FM2R
