There was an article on ZDnet about how a lot of USB drives aren't fast enough to run with Vista. If you're buying a new flash drive, I'd suggest looking into the article first. You don't want to buy one and have it not work.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=186&tag=nl.e622 - ZDnet article
http://www.grantgibson.co.uk/misc/readyboost/ - list of USB flash drive compatibility with Vista

The one I use (some unbranded/unmarked unit that looks like something that belongs in a chick's purse - who cares, I got it for free and it works) is recognized by Vista, and it has some partition (or whatever you call it) that is called "ReadyBoost Cache."

I've tried other name-brand flash disks that Vista has bounced back saying no can do.

My own personal readyboost experience is with a Sony 2Gb TinyVault. Nice and small and fits right into the USB slot. $39 at Fry's last week.

http://www.provantage.com/sony-usm2gh~7SONY1E3.htm

You can also use a card reader with a regular memory card (SD, CF etc...). Since 2Gb high-speed SD cards are nice and cheap that may be a good solution.

Okay, so I've just ordered a new laptop from Sony (an SZ), but it's only available with Vista. My tech guy here says that licenses are "backwards compatible" and I can install XP on this machine with the Vista license key. Has anyone ever tried this? I know it will install, but will I have trouble with Microsoft's WGA virus . . . uh . . . validation program?

Never heard of that, and a quick Google search doesn't seem to give an answer either.

It would seem VERY weird if an OEM Vista license for a Sony would allow an installation of XP, so I'm going to go with "BS".

Save yourself the trouble and get a full retail license for XP.

Actually, given your experiences with Microsoft I wouldn't ask for advise from "the tech guy" or anyone here. Call Microsoft and ask THEM. They are the only people I'd trust to give a reliable answer on something as important as licensing.

But if you ask me, buying a Sony and then trying to put a different OS on it than the pre-installed one is just asking for trouble.

Why not give Vista a try for a few days and see if you can save yourself the nightmare you've already been through once?

I just called Microsoft. Evidently, it's something that business volume licensees can do (Microsoft calls it "downgrading"), but not an individual user like me.

I think I'll see if I'm happy with Vista first -- if everything works and the laptop talks to my other machines, I'll leave it as is. If not, I'll move over the license from the laptop it's going to replace. I was going to retire that one, anyway, as it's on its last legs. I'll either set it up as a Linux machine, or use it with an extra licensed version of XP Home that I've got sitting around.

Great minds think alike. ;)

Sony has the XP drivers for this machine, and bringing up new installations is easy for me -- I've done similar things on Sony laptops before (and, of course, on the desktops that I've been building for myself for the last 15 years or so).

I will. Based on what I've been reading, the performance hit of Vista isn't so great that I'm really concerned about it. I am concerned about multiple reports of inability of Vista to see XP machines on a LAN -- my system at home has 3 XP Pro and one Win2000 machine on it, and they all have to talk to each other reliably. I'm also concerned about Vista-compatible versions of some of the more obscure programs that I run.

However, we'll see. I should have the machine in about 2 weeks. I'm psyched -- the thing is beautiful.

There, fixed it for you. ;) ^