Vista slideshow help needed

I have got a new laptop for Christmas and when looking at pictures on slideshow I could float the cursor near the bottom of the screen and it would let me change how the were viewed, ie fade, spin etc.
Now, I had to swap the laptop yesterday and my new one doesnt offer the same function. I dont remember changing anything on the old one but cant seem to find how to activate it on the new one.
As I am a bit of a thickie when it comes to PC's I wondered if anybody could tell me what buttons I need to press.

[dizzyblonde]

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH vista. It'll take you six months to make it work properly. I bought my laptop in Feb, a digi camera in June and have only just got Vista to accept it and be compatible........be patient and good luck

When we tried to load the disc which came with my daughters camera onto her new laptop it also said that it was not compatible with Vista. I thought that Vista was going to be a pain but I have found that instead of loading the discs which come with cameras, etc just plug them in the usb and Vista seems to load drivers automatically.

BTW, can you arrange for nice weather in Halifax next weekend as I am going to be visiting family.

[dizzyblonde]

nah, vista says no!!!!
Erm i found that all things USB were incompatible with vista fer a long time until I uploaded a hotfix available 2 weeks ago, and poof wouldn't you know it, things started working.
And weather, nah Vista says no to that too.....hehehehe

Where is the slideshow? Is it in the 'Windows Photo Gallery'? I've just got Vista so can take a look but not sure where you mean as I've not used very many things on it yet.

Well I just had a look at displaying slideshows on Photo Gallery, if I float my cursor near the bottom (or just move it) it gives me a menu with "Themes" as one of the items, in that I can can pick "fade" or "pan and zoom" as the options for switching between pictures. Is that what you mean?

Thats it. on the one I had to return, the same happened. On the one I have now, nothing happens when I go near the foot of the screen.
Any ideas?????

Can you still buy XP computers? I'm running it on my PC though I have fear I may have to get a new at some point its 4 years old (but works great right now), I don't want vista it seems a pile of ****e to me.