Windows 7, another step backwards

BeechV35Pilot · 02 Nov 2009

Johnston7 said:

Thi boxis unchckd already

Some more ideas: Try booting Win7 into Safe mode to see if the problem is related to an add-on program or driver instead of the base OS. Here is this forum's tutorial on how to do that:

Advanced Boot Options

One other question: Do you have any external hard drives (MyBook, for example), USB flash/thumb drives, MP3 players, or any other USB or Firewire devices attached to your computer? If so, try unplugging all of them and rebooting Windows.

whs · 02 Nov 2009

Johnston7, there is no need to be disturbed. If we did not want to help, we would not be here. But those of us who spend a lot of time on the forums know that many people just don't want to move. 99% of "system" problems are user error or the fact that the user did not take the time to study the new system. An operating system like Vista or Win7 with 55 million lines of code is no appliance - nor was XP. It just happens that people got used to XP over the years and were able to do their little things. The same will happen with Win7 - give it a little time and study.

rgauchey · 02 Nov 2009

XP is the Gold Standard. Unless your needs exceed XP's capabilities...............Stick with XP. I've used Vista and now 7 for a week. I have 7 on my desktop. I will keep using XP on my laptop. It is my rock. Everything works. Never a problem. Stable.

Jordus · 02 Nov 2009

Johnston7 said:

H2SO4 said:

Jordus said:

...
By saying that you are a novice user, you arent really qualified to decide which is better.

I could ramble off a couple hundred reasons why Vista and 7 are better than XP but you probably wouldnt understand them anyway.

The humility is only surpassed by the bedside manner

I disagree, the fact that novice's like myself could work and operate XP without any major problem, but struggle with Vista/7 is exactly where it's gone wrong. Microsoft should be making things easier for the home user not more complicated.

No, the problem is that people like yourself are upset at change and just because windows 7 is slightly different, navigationally speaking, you throw up your arms and call it quits and blame it on Microsoft.

Sbrideau · 02 Nov 2009

pparks1 said:

With regards to the comments made by the original poster....after working briefly with my inlaws this weekend who purchased a new laptop computer that comes with Windows 7....I can understand where he is coming from.

My inlaws have a computer that came with Windows XP. Prior to that, I think their home computer had either 98 or ME. They are in their 60's, aren't very technical and often get themselves into trouble with the computer. They aren't the types that are going to buy a book or read websites to learn how to use their computer. They are going to just sit there and click around and hopefully figure it out.

After 2 days with the computer
--They couldn't even remotely come close to getting their wireless network connected
--The UAC prompts confuse them
--They don't understand the superbar or where their open programs have gone.

Adding insult to injury, their new computer came with 4GB of RAM (which they didn't know), and it also came with Windows 7 64-bit (which they don't have any idea whatsoever that 32-bit or 64-bit even mean anything). I cannot even wait to see what issues they start running into when they try to install drivers for the printer, camera, etc. Or when they download applications from the web and don't run the 64-bit equivalents. For example, with 7zip you don't get Windows explorer context menus if you load the 32-bit version on a 64-bit Windows 7 host.

They aren't really complaining yet...but I know that it frustrates them that the things they actually know how to do, they cannot do as locations and such of these things have changed. And I'm not trying to say that we need to keep everything exactly how it was in Windows XP.......but for those who don't really enjoy their computers and aren't hobbyists...these changes are not always more intuitive for them.

Windows XP will be supported with updates and such from Microsoft until 2014.

You could costumize it for them, you can set it that in the taskbar at the bottom it shows the programs like it did on Vista and XP.

I don't know if that guy is going to come back to this thread though, since he is not the one that started the topic.

harpua · 02 Nov 2009

rgauchey said:

XP is the Gold Standard. Unless your needs exceed XP's capabilities...............Stick with XP. I've used Vista and now 7 for a week. I have 7 on my desktop. I will keep using XP on my laptop. It is my rock. Everything works. Never a problem. Stable.

7 is my stable rock and has been since about last December. Very stable even as a RC. The only place I'm ever likely to meet up with XP again after I eventually get around to upgrading my wife's laptop is in the virtual world.

And whenever I do, I feel like I'm driving a Model T Ford. RIP XP.

Btw, I still have some unopened XP tee shirts they gave out at the launch event for XP. Maybe I should try to put them up on Ebay. :)

1Bowtie · 02 Nov 2009

I agree with harpua, when i did the clean install of Win 7 Home Premium over my dual boot XP Pro and Win 7 Ultimate thats the last time i'll see XP. I loved it for years and it worked great, but it's time to move on. Support will run out sooner than later so you best get ready now.

Smitty

pparks1 · 02 Nov 2009

Sbrideau said:

You could costumize it for them, you can set it that in the taskbar at the bottom it shows the programs like it did on Vista and XP.

Nah...I don't want the tech support going forward. I generally speaking don't do anything on family members PC's. I used to build computers for family members in the past, but no more.

s0c9 · 02 Nov 2009

Johnston7 said:

sOc9 I'm 50 next birthday. Not exactly vintage, and certainly not a troll. Ive been rattlin my brains out to sort this and logged on here as a last resort.
You have taken the time to help, which is appreciated, but take a chill pill. You can be rude, and we all have our various skills, experience and feetime.

I asked the forum for help not insults.

Like I stated, no offence intended, and FWIW, I'm OLDER than you are !!
As was stated by someone else, there are MANY, MANY folks who will NOT help themselves with simple things... sometimes it grates

whs · 02 Nov 2009

pparks1 said:

With regards to the comments made by the original poster....after working briefly with my inlaws this weekend who purchased a new laptop computer that comes with Windows 7....I can understand where he is coming from.

My inlaws have a computer that came with Windows XP. Prior to that, I think their home computer had either 98 or ME. They are in their 60's, aren't very technical and often get themselves into trouble with the computer. They aren't the types that are going to buy a book or read websites to learn how to use their computer. They are going to just sit there and click around and hopefully figure it out.

After 2 days with the computer
--They couldn't even remotely come close to getting their wireless network connected
--The UAC prompts confuse them
--They don't understand the superbar or where their open programs have gone.

Adding insult to injury, their new computer came with 4GB of RAM (which they didn't know), and it also came with Windows 7 64-bit (which they don't have any idea whatsoever that 32-bit or 64-bit even mean anything). I cannot even wait to see what issues they start running into when they try to install drivers for the printer, camera, etc. Or when they download applications from the web and don't run the 64-bit equivalents. For example, with 7zip you don't get Windows explorer context menus if you load the 32-bit version on a 64-bit Windows 7 host.

They aren't really complaining yet...but I know that it frustrates them that the things they actually know how to do, they cannot do as locations and such of these things have changed. And I'm not trying to say that we need to keep everything exactly how it was in Windows XP.......but for those who don't really enjoy their computers and aren't hobbyists...these changes are not always more intuitive for them.

Windows XP will be supported with updates and such from Microsoft until 2014.

Tell your inlaws that there is no reason not to learn about the system because they are in their 60's. I got my first PC in 2007 and I am in my 70's. And it was fun to explore and learn about it. It's never too late to learn. A friend of mine started going to university in his 60's and is now nearly done completing his PHD. He did it just for the fun of it.