Games wont launch

I run Windows Vista. I have been trying to play Call of Duty 2 and Call of Duty 4. My computer won't even get to the menu. They start and then they crash. I hate Vista :upset:

I have a Dell 420, with an Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 Processor at 2.4 GHz an nvidia 8600 GTS which I also am having problems with.