Windows woes

**Darwin** · #1 08-15-2010, 06:41 PM

My HP Pavillion 9000 laptop finally fell completely apart. After a bit of consulting with my computer guru, it became evident that it would likely cost less to replace it than try to repair it. Circuit city advertised a Gateway with twice the RAM, five times the hard drive space, and one fifth the purchase price of the HP. Finding out the hard way when purchasing the HPs (two of the SOBs, one for my wife and one for myself) that paying a high-end price for a supposedly high end laptop is not an insurance about getting an absolute piece of cheaply fabricated junk, I opted this time for cheap. As I kind of suspected, the new machine suffered a hard drive failure on the third day of use. Rather than spend weeks (months?) fighting to get Circuit City to honor it's warantees, I decided to use my local repairman and bite the bullet paying for a new HD from someone reputable. Granted, it may have been issues associated with cheap hardware rather than the OS, but I was totally unimpressed by the Windows 7 that the Gateway came with. I asked my guru if it would be possible for him to load XP sp3 on the new hard drive....answer was that the newer machines would not run well, if at all, on XP. So, I started griping to him about the new machine being as useless as teats on a boar hog, since Windows 7 wouldn't play nice with the ten grand or so of productivity software and computer periferals I've managed to build up. He told me it might not be all that bleak, since there is a download available through Microsoft that will enable Windows 7 to emulate XP. However, he gave me the impression that I would have to upgrade to Windows 7 pro in order to gain that feature. When I checked out the download page (don't remember the URL, but I found it by Googling for Windows Virtual PC), one of the setups for the download was entering the exact Windows 7 type on your machine...and included the Windows 7 home versions. So, my question to the computer geeks in the group....do I really need to upgrade to 7 pro in order to (maybe) still be able to use my XP-compatable software and hardware? (And please, no one snicker and tell me to buy an Apple....the Waz is even a worse predatory capitalist that Gates, if that is possible.)

**John Bowden** · #2 08-15-2010, 07:08 PM

Not sure about Windows 7 Darwin.... sorry.

I've resorted to re-furb'n older laptops and staying with XP.

If you stay away from 64 bit machines you wil be able to run XP.

Maybe you can get your Guru to put together a BA 32 bit machine and take the newer Gateway as trade.

john

**mbauer** · #3 08-15-2010, 07:25 PM

Ouch!

Before I used windows, I used Macs. I have to use windows because autocad doesn't work on Mac.

My next computer will be a new Mac. My two old windows machines still do the autocad, but why buy into the issues that windows causes? Once printed to PDF the autocad is a non-issue. There isn't as many virusses for the Mac so on-line surfing is safer and the newer Macs use the intel chip.

I bought my last 2-computers used, and they both still work. Why buy used? Because when I bought my very first windows machine (Dell-website order = Brand New) to go to school and do autocad, it failed and they really didn't want to back up the very expensive warranty that I bought with the machine.

Many used machines on eBay are lease returns, and have been refurbished and come with new installs of the operating system. Just make sure to buy from an authorized reseller to get the operating system disc.

Windows is slower than the Macs, because due to the "Look and Feel" lawsuit, windows has to base the system on DOS, then translate to the Mac style GUI to get stuff the monitor. Even at the speed of light this takes more time and allows room for more errors!

Mike Bauer

**tedparkes** · #4 08-15-2010, 07:34 PM

Im slightly biased, but I recommend a Dell Latitude system, and get the Pro Support warranty, and you will be absoulutly covered for as long as the warranty. I work for dell, so like I said i am biased, but I would never buy a different makers system after seeing how well we take care of our customers in Prosupport. I cant speak for basic support, as I hear alot of people have trouble with them, but you get what you pay for. I also WHOLLY recommend windows 7, I run win 7 ultimate x64, and it runs great, have no issues with the programs I use, other than a minor bug with 3ds max and the aero theme, but disabling it while im modeling resolves it.

what software do you have that has issues with windows 7? I cant imagine that they are not working on supporting it, if it is so costly.

Also if you dont mind telling us, How much is the gateway you were looking at, for an idea of your budget. You can get a refurbished latitude with 3 years of prosupport for 1k or less at the dell outlet. not bad for a system that would have been over 2k new in most configurations.

Just my thoughts.

**Darwin** · #5 08-15-2010, 07:46 PM

First and foremost of the incompatable programs is Image Forge, my standby for doing design work. Ones I hadn't tried installing before the hard drive failure but have doubts about are Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Painter, etc. all which are at least one version older than the ones listed on the Microsoft website as being Windows 7 compatable. The Gateway ran 399.95 on sale (refurbished). If need be in order to keep on with my model design work, I will use the laptop only for web surfing and playing with 3D software, and using the trusty old klunker desktop for serious work. If worse comes to worse, I suppose I can always cut the wires that are all that's left holding the screen assembly of the HP Pavillion to the bottom case, plugging in a spare monitor, and pretend it's an Amiga 1200.

**wag** · #6 08-18-2010, 02:23 PM

Windows has a compatibility mode that allows you to run a program that was designed for a previous version of windows. From the start menu, click on "all programs" then right click on the program you want to use, scroll down to "properties", then click on the "compatibility" tab. This should give you a drop down list of previous versions of windows to choose from. Hope this helps.
Wayne

**Paperbeam** · #7 08-18-2010, 04:38 PM

Never mind...

Website I posted earlier gives options for several different Windows 7 editions but now I see when you scroll to download says no go.

Now I know why I'm clinging to XP...

Terry

**Ron40** · #8 08-18-2010, 05:13 PM

Darwin,
I have Windows 7 Pro on my Toshiba laptop. You must have the
Pro version to run XP. The XP on the laptop runs as a virtual
machine and is emulated through 7 Pro. It allows you to run
several outdated programs but not all. I have Image Forge
installed on the XP side on the Toshiba and it seems to work but
I haven"t had much time to work or get familiar with it. There are
some programs that don't work well in an emulated mode...Ron

**Maltedfalcon** · #9 08-18-2010, 07:10 PM

From a Mac Guy
If you are going to replace your hardware - and you arent going mac or Linux o/s
Then it is time to bite the bullet and migrate to windows 7
Its like buying a new 2010 car then considering putting an 2007 engine in it.
There comes a time when you have jump levels of technology - new hardware is the perfect excuse. (not that it wont be painful) but getting new hardware and staying on xp will just put off the inevitable pain.

the best time to do something like this is when you are in control, the worst time is when you are forced to

**eric_son** · #10 08-18-2010, 08:25 PM

Hi,

If you already have an original copy of Windows XP at hand, you don't need Windows 7 Professional to get WindowsXP emulation. You can download and install VirtualBox (free!). VirtualBox will allow you to create a 'virtual machine' where you can install XP.

Actually, Win7 Pro's XP emulation uses the same techniques employed by VirtualBox.