Question about games on old Vista system

[nich_steve]

I have an old Dell pc with the Vista Home system installed from purchase. Although it won't connect to the internet any more, I still have some files and old pictures stored on it and sometimes print from it. I mostly use it to play the old solitaire games that came with the system. My qyestion is regarding those old games. The program just keeps loading the same old games over and over, so frequently that I can often readily recognize them. This particularly applies to the basic solitaire game. Is there a way to re-set that game / software so that it offers a better selection of games without repeatig ? I hope I have given sufficient information. Thanks for any help.

 

[wither 3]

Please provide a more detailed description of what "repeating" means. I don't know what you're doing to launch a game. Some kind of desktop icon, etc.

You didn't ask but, why won't it connect to the internet?

 

[nich_steve]

I guess it is just so old and outdated, no longer supported by Microsoft, that it won't connect to the internet. I'm not absolutely sure since I don't know much about computers.

Yes, I click an icon to begin to play a game. By "repeating" I mean that it just keeps giving me the same games to play over and over in what appears to be a random sequence. I can recognize many of them since they keep coming up so often. There must be hundreds of possible games due to the mathematical probabilities with that many cards in a deck, but I keep getting the same limited number of games. Hope this makes sense.

 

[wither 3]

Go to Start, Programs, Games. Select the game you want to play. Do you get the same problem?

Do you have an internet provider which gave you a modem to connect and install?

 

[nich_steve]

I'll try that a few times to see if it still occurs.

I'll check with my internet provider. Thanks.

 

[nich_steve]

I have tried what you suggested to access solitaire but it seems to continue to give me old games I have seen numerous times. I was hoping there might be a way to re-load / re-install those games but have no idea as I don't know a whole lot about computers. Thanks for your suggestion.

 

[wither 3]

If I understand you correctly, you're saying that when you try to play something like solitaire, the hand that it deals is a hand you've seen before? Is that what you mean by "repeating?" If you can remember hands that you've played before, your memory is way better than mine. The hands are supposed to be dealt randomly and that's my experience. Never mind that the Microsoft games are biased like crazy against the player. I have no idea how to fix that issue.

 

[nich_steve]

If I understand you correctly, you're saying that when you try to play something like solitaire, the hand that it deals is a hand you've seen before? Is that what you mean by "repeating?" If you can remember hands that you've played before, your memory is way better than mine. The hands are supposed to be dealt randomly and that's my experience. Never mind that the Microsoft games are biased like crazy against the player. I have no idea how to fix that issue.

Yes, it keeps dealing hands l've seen many times before. I don't know if my memory is that good, lol, but I do recognize many of the hands it deals. It is only with the basic solitaire game. I also play a couple of others but don't notice it having that problem. Of course, that may be because of the way they deal and play so that repeats are not as noticeable. When I don't have anything else in particular to do, I play these games to help keep my mind sharp as I'm getting older.

 

[Vistaar]

Hi there! I gather that you have a newer internet-capable device, since you are able to post here without using the old Vista PC. Perhaps a Solitaire app could be found for your newer device? What other type of device or operating system do you have?

If all else fails, you could always use a real deck of cards.

 

[wither 3]

Vistaar made a good point I over looked- your posting here on the internet. Is your old system connected via a router?

 

[nich_steve]

Hi there! I gather that you have a newer internet-capable device, since you are able to post here without using the old Vista PC. Perhaps a Solitaire app could be found for your newer device? What other type of device or operating system do you have?

If all else fails, you could always use a real deck of cards.

Good morning. Thanks for your reply and the suggestions. Yes, I have a laptop. I just enjoy sitting down at my desk and playing on the old desk-top machine. I mostly posted here because it intrigued me that the solitaire program / software would do that and I just wanted to see if any of these good folks would have any ideas about it, especially if there was a simple solution.

I am a "before the Boomers" person and just kind of like to do what I'm used to without all the new stuff. I don't mind learning new things but some of it makes no sense and it is hard to get someone to help when needed. I recently bought a new phone and have had all kinds of trouble getting it set up and getting help in doing so.

I have several decks of cards, from the old days, but just am not able to shuffle them as well as I used to. LOL.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[nich_steve]

Vistaar made a good point I over looked- your posting here on the internet. Is your old system connected via a router?

I looked to see what I could find on my internet connection for my old system. Some years ago I installed wireless and my computer shows that I am connected to the wireless network but it won't let me log onto the internet with that computer. I just figured it was because it was old and out-of-date and no longer supported. I hope I am using the right terminology as I am not a computer person. Thanks for asking.

 

[wither 3]

Hey- I'll be 80 in a few months (if I make it). On the old system, go to Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center. Does it show the computer connected to a Network? If not try Connect to a Network.

 

[Vistaar]

...Yes, I have a laptop. I just enjoy sitting down at my desk and playing on the old desk-top machine. I mostly posted here because it intrigued me that the solitaire program / software would do that and I just wanted to see if any of these good folks would have any ideas about it, especially if there was a simple solution.
...I recently bought a new phone and have had all kinds of trouble...

Let’s say your laptop has a version of Windows that is still supported by the Microsoft Store. In that case, it should be possible to install their Solitaire app on it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it behaves exactly the same way (repeating games). It might be more promising to find a third-party Solitaire app for your laptop or phone.

@wither 3 You have apparently decided that getting the Vista desktop connected to the internet is your preferred topic even though the original poster did not ask, and obviously has internet access. My guess: Internet Explorer is the only browser and a sufficiently primitive homepage has not been selected - and no I don’t think the OP needs to concern himself with fringe browsers such as Supermium! Frankly, you should get a new PC yourself.

 

[wither 3]

Other than installing Vista with an ISO which has all the games, I think that the issue of the games is dead. The internet is a secondary issue. If he has a router which is connected to the functioning system, he should be able to connect to the internet. I would never ask anyone to attempt to use IE as a browser since it no longer functions adequately.

If I were to go to a new PC, it would have Win 11 and a plethora of new hardware.

 

[Vistaar]

I think that the issue of the games is dead. The internet is a secondary issue. If he has a router which is connected to the functioning system, he should be able to connect to the internet. I would never ask anyone to attempt to use IE as a browser since it no longer functions adequately.

Again, the OP has newer devices that can connect to the internet well enough to post here. I would never ask anyone to attempt to use an old Vista desktop for web browsing when he has newer and better devices for that purpose! Not everyone is a Vista enthusiast - in fact hardly anyone is anymore, and there are very good reasons for that. If you have no ideas about playing Solitaire on Vista, then maybe you should just stop posting. Did you try the game yourself to see if it possibly has a setting that might affect its behavior?

 

[wither 3]

The only setting I see that might cause what he is seeing is "always save game on exit." If that is checked and he agrees to play the saved game, per the prompt at Solitaire start up, obviously he'll see a game he's already played. I'll give him more credit than that.

I agree about the number of Vista enthusiasts. I guess I can be called a Vista enthusiast because it does everything I need. I also like Win 7, which is 60% Vista. I'm guessing those two OS's do what about 95% of what people need.