WinXP/Win7 dilemma with new computer

[metania]

Hi,
The motherboard died on my 3-year-old Compaq, so I just ordered a new computer that comes preloaded with Win7Home Prem x64. It was from Dell Outlet so I couldn't choose the OS. I've been using MCE (XP pro 32-bit) for several years and love it.

I'm worried about program and hardware compatibility with Win7 x64. I don't use very graphics-heavy apps like CADD, Photoshop, etc. I only plan to do a little video editing with my .avi clips. I also have an older version of Replay AV that I use to record live streaming radio. I don't want to buy a new scanner (Canoscan LiDE 20 - no x64 drivers!) so here are my options:

A-Partition the new 1TB drive for dual boot setup with Win7 Home x64 / WinXP Pro (32-bit). I would buy the XP Pro OEM Branded DVD.

B-Install my old 200GB SATA Seagate Barracuda 7200 as a second drive and run XP programs and scanner from that.

C-Buy Win 7 Pro 32-bit OEM Branded discs, remove Win7 home x64, and do a complete new install with the new discs, and hope that my XP programs work with XP Mode. (new i5 processor supports virtualization)

Any ideas what the easiest, most hassle-free option is for me? I have never partitioned a drive or installed a new drive before. I consider myself a quasi-geek: not at all a novice, but not hard core geek either. Thanks for everyone's suggestions and help!

(my system specs are for the new computer that's coming)

 

[gregrocker]

You don't really need to dual boot with XPired if you install Win7 Pro as XP virtual mode will run anything which cannot be installed in Win7. Many XP programs can also be run in http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html

I would try Pro to see if this handles it for you without the Dual Boot. If Pro works, you can buy a Pro upgrade license since XP will qualify for upgrade version to save a lot of money.

If not, and you already own an XP license, there is no reason to waste the Win7 HP license to get virtual mode. Just dual boot on separate HD's via the BIOS boot order or choosing one-time BIOS boot menu key. Unplug the other OS during install to keep them booted separately and independent to come and go as you please.

 

[metania]

Thanks Greg. I don't have an XP license for the new machine, as it's coming with Win7 HP x64 preinstalled. I have MCE on the SATA HD from the old Compaq that died. And with that, I only have the recovery DVD's that I created-they never sent me OEM discs.

BTW, if I buy the Win7Pro 32-bit OEM branded discs ($78), can I install that over the Win7HP x64 OS? Do I have to do a clean install, do I have to remove the Win7 x64 version first, or just install/upgrade over the x64 version? Thanks a lot!

 

[FliGi7]

I would try out Win 7 Home Premium x64 for a while before deciding that you don't want it or like it. Many people have been surprised, in a good way. And don't get scared at the x64 version. It is absolutely no different to you as an end user other than being able to download x64 programs specifically meant to run better on that version and also allowing you to use more than 3.25GB of memory. A lot of people get scared by the x64 version of things based on poorly constructed previous x64 versions of Windows, which this is not.

 

[gregrocker]

Thanks Greg. I don't have an XP license for the new machine, as it's coming with Win7 HP x64 preinstalled. I have MCE on the SATA HD from the old Compaq that died. And with that, I only have the recovery DVD's that I created-they never sent me OEM discs.

BTW, if I buy the Win7Pro 32-bit OEM branded discs ($78), can I install that over the Win7HP x64 OS? Do I have to do a clean install, do I have to remove the Win7 x64 version first, or just install/upgrade over the x64 version? Thanks a lot!

What are these Pro OEM branded discs? If they are only the disks you cannot use them with the HP license.

You can buy Win7 Pro but since you have an HP license which came with the computer it may save you money to use Anytime Upgrade to move up to Pro. It is also a lot easier since it unlocks the extra Pro features in just a few minutes time. You can also insert a retail Upgrade key into Anytime Upgrade, or clean reinstall.

 

[metania]

Ok, so it sounds like upgrade Pro is the way to go. Some software sites sell what they describe as:

"Contents of the Package: --Microsoft Windows XP Professional Reinstallation CD (Dell version) works on all brands of systems or custom built systems. Even though a the media is a reinstallation CD, it installs the complete program on any computer. -Unique Product Key with certificate of authenticity which will validate with Microsoft -System Builder Manual
This software is 100% genuine and will validate with Microsoft. It will also allow the latest updates from Microsoft including a free upgrade to SP3. The software is new sealed OEM."
​

Anyway, if I get the Pro upgrade, can I buy and install the 32 bit one, even though machine is preloaded for x64? I'm leaning towards 32-bit for backwards software/hardware compatibility.

FliGi7, you're right, I want to give it a chance. I will try some of my apps on x64 & see how it goes. But I already know I'll need to fork out $50 for a new scanner with x64 support, no thanks to Canon.

 

[FliGi7]

Metania, there is no such thing as "x64 support" needed for Windows 7 x64. The beauty of this OS as compared to previous versions is that it doesn't care if the application is 32 or 64 bit. It will install and work exactly as it should either way. The new system is simply optimized for 64 bit programs but is not required to use them, compared to older 64 bit versions which often required that the programs be 64 bit.

I personally run x64 and don't install many 64 bit programs. I use the 32-bit version of most every program on my machine and it works flawlessly just like it was on a 32-bit system. However, I get the benefits of being able to use all of my 4GB of ram and the ability to utilize 64-bit optimized programs when I do need to use them.

 

[metania]

Thanks for all the info. I think I understand better now.

By x64 support, I meant that Canon does not have any x64 drivers for my Canoscan LiDE20 scanner, so I'll need to buy another one. I assume the 32-bit drivers don't work-seems a lot of people have this problem.

 

[FliGi7]

No need to necessarily buy another scanner. There are a couple free solutions in this thread below that address the problem with your scanner compatibility in both the Home Premium and Pro versions of Windows 7:

http://www.sevenforums.com/drivers/46741-canoscan-lide20-64bit-driver-2.html#post556290

This thread also has information about a $40 piece of software that solves the problem, as another route to go:

http://www.sevenforums.com/drivers/88227-canoscan-lide-20-a.html

Or, you could just buy another scanner. Plenty of options right now

 

[metania]

Thanks a lot, guys. I'll find out how things go when the new box arrives tomorrow. Will try running scanner drivers under XP mode as thread suggested.

FliGi7, you've given me some hope that Win7 will work out after all. BTW, I noticed you have XP and Win7. What do you like about having both rather than using XP Mode within Win7? Are there certain older apps that just run better in XP? Just curious. I really appreciate your input since you have so much more experience with this stuff!

 

[FliGi7]

I'm glad we've given you hope. I think you'll be really impressed with the things Windows 7 will allow you to do as compared to older systems.

I do have XP and 7 and I dual boot for one reason only. I am of the school of thought of "do one thing and do it right". So, I have each of my operating systems (also running Linux) on separate physical drives for a couple reasons. One is so that if I ever fubar something on a drive, it doesn't take out any other unrelated or unnecessary partitions. Two, I like to image my drives upon successful install for easier re-installation later, so imaging a single drive is as easy as it gets with the Linux "dd" command to an external drive. Three, as related to two, I am often re-imaging or re-installing OS's to try different things and versions out. This gets much more complicated if you have several partitions on one drive running different OS's with different bootloaders. I have screwed up my bootloaders one too many times to keep doing that. So, really, it just boils down to simplicity. Also, I have an OCD need for speed and like having a simple and speedy OS->hardware communication mechanism rather than the extra layer provided by a virtualized environment which inherently causes slow downs. Although these slow downs are minimal these days, I refer you back to my OCD comment about speed. This really comes into play when you're running Photoshop in a virtualized environment, which is another one of the main reasons I'm still running XP on my dedicated drive.

I wouldn't say programs necessarily run better on XP, or vice versa, just that I have programs that I've run on XP for a while and I'd rather not move them all over.

 

[metania]

I like your thinking and the sound of your setup, FliGi7. I'd like to have the two OS's on two separate drives. I also have a few older programs that I don't feel like messing with. I've never installed an extra HD before but I have upgraded ram before so I'm not afraid to get inside the thing and try.

Is there a way I can install my old SATA HD from the Compaq that died, into my new computer (coming today sometime)? I also have a complete image of that drive on a separate Iomega extenal HD.
Is there a step-by-step tutorial I can follow?
Do I have to reinstall Windows MCE 2005? I only have the HP recovery discs I made when I first got the computer.
Can I use the same product key, since I'm still technically only using the one copy of MCE in one computer at a time?

I'd love to just be able to use that old drive as if it were my old compaq, while starting to use the new Win7 in the faster machine I just got. Can't imagine how screamin' fast that old XP will work with 4 GB RAM vs. the old 512 MB.

I think I have the need for speed and simplicity too-really appreciate your help!

 

[FliGi7]

You should have no problem just hooking the old drive up inside the new computer and booting from it. No need to reinstall anything. You just have to make sure you change the boot order in the bios to boot from that drive at start up, or if you don't want to make the change each time you can press the F12(?) key at BIOS bootup to bring up the boot drive selection menu.

 

[metania]

Well, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

I put the old HD in, no problem. Booted up to it, windows XP was starting up, then it said I needed to validate it. Tried validating but didn't work. So much for that.

Went back in, removed old HD, now Win 7 freezes everytime I boot into it. I can enter via Safe Mode, but not regular Win 7. I don't know why or how this happened. Tried 4 times, no luck.

Am now reinstalling windows 7 from reinstallation disc instead. Hope it works.

Well, now it works, but doesn't recognize my monitor and doesn't pick up my wireless network with the pci card, as it did before. What is going on?

How do I get it the same as it was out of the box?

 

[MrFlexible]

Metania, I am running Windows7 Pro x64. I have several programs which date back to Windows 95. They run without any problems after making the following change. Right click on the desktop icon for the program in question and select Properties. Click on the Compatibility tab. In the Compatibility Mode box, check the box "Run this program in compatibility mode for:". Click on the downward pointing arrow in the small window below that and select the version of Windows for which you want compatibility. Works for me!

 

[FliGi7]

Well, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

I put the old HD in, no problem. Booted up to it, windows XP was starting up, then it said I needed to validate it. Tried validating but didn't work. So much for that.

Went back in, removed old HD, now Win 7 freezes everytime I boot into it. I can enter via Safe Mode, but not regular Win 7. I don't know why or how this happened. Tried 4 times, no luck.

Am now reinstalling windows 7 from reinstallation disc instead. Hope it works.

Well, now it works, but doesn't recognize my monitor and doesn't pick up my wireless network with the pci card, as it did before. What is going on?

How do I get it the same as it was out of the box?

Since you re-installed, you blew away all the drivers on your system, so you'll have to download and re-install all of them (if your system didn't come with a drivers & utilities disc):

Drivers & Downloads

Keep in mind, there are various different drivers in each category so you'll have to know which video card you have to download the proper driver from the video section.

After you get all squared away with drivers, make sure you create a system repair disc so that you can boot from that in the future and try to repair things before having to re-install.

 

[gregrocker]

Use the drivers given by the installer and updated by optional Windows Updates.

Boot into Safe Mode with Networking to update the drivers.

Any drivers in error or mssing in device Manager can be found on the Support Downloads webpage for your model computer or device.

Check the Event Viewer>Custom>Admin view to see what else might be hanging your startup. Also the Performance log on Advanced Tools page accessed by clicking WEI score on Computer>Properties. Check also for issues cued at top of Tools page, Generate a System Health Report.

Did you run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor? http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx It will tell you which drivers or apps are incompatible.

 

[FliGi7]

Use the drivers given by the installer and updated by optional Windows Updates.

Boot into Safe Mode with Networking to update the drivers.

Any drivers in error or mssing in device Manager can be found on the Support Downloads webpage for your model computer or device.

Check the Event Viewer>Custom>Admin view to see what else might be hanging your startup. Also the Performance log on Advanced Tools page accessed by clicking WEI score on Computer>Properties. Check also for issues cued at top of Tools page, Generate a System Health Report.

Did you run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor? Free Download PC Upgrade Advisor Windows 7 Hardware Programs Issues It will tell you which drivers or apps are incompatible.

Personally, I download drivers straight from the manufacturer's website as Windows update has proven incorrect and out of date on more than one occasion.

 

[gregrocker]

MS spent a fortune getting the latest drivers into the installer or quickly available via optional Windows Updates.

They even paid manufacturers to build Win7 drivers so they wouldn't hold out, forcing us to buy newer hardware, as they did with Vista.

We have numerous install cases where users have followed XPired oldthink to import their chipset immediately after Win7 install and wound up with an older chipset than the installer provided.

In addition, older hardware chipset drivers have been modified to run on Win7 using the installer's chipset drivers. In many cases I can't get imported XP chipsets to work even in Compatibility Mode.

For this reason, I suggest not replacing the installer/optional Updates drivers unless performance dictates doing so.

 

[FliGi7]

Understood. However, having been through several cases (chipset, network controller, graphics card) where the drivers in Windows 7 were actually older than the ones on the websites, I simply go straight to the sites now. Attempting to import older drivers in compatibility mode is a different story and not actually applicable in this case given his brand new computer. In such cases, it would obviously be more optimal to use a driver that MS has already put into production in a compatible mode for the new OS. He should have no problem going straight to Dell to get all of the latest drivers, and could also have no problem using Windows Update for all of them. Just based on my consistent experiences of those drivers being spotty at absolute best, I cease to use Windows update for driver installation.