Newbie here and just general question

[timlab1955]

I'm going from XP to Windows 7 Professional 64bit. Just wondering what I can expect when I finally get my notebook from Dell. The CPU is the I5 - 2.4 - 3.32 and the HDD is 500 gb, with 1 GB on the video card and 6 GB of RAM. What I plan on doing with this machine is the following:
#1: Start programming for Andriod (simple stuff)
#2: Not hosting, but building a web site for my wife about horses (go figure hu?)
#3: Transferring movies from VHS to DVD

The one concern that I have is, I have windows XP with office 97. Will there be a problem running this on my windows 7 computer. My wife's computer is Vista 64Bit and it runs on it just fine.

Will there be a problem doing any of the above stuff? What other stuff will be made available to me once I do get windows 7?

 

[DMHolt57]

It might be time for you to think about upgrading Office, but I suppose it will run in compatibility mode which can be set in the properties of the program executable. The difference you will have to adjust for coming from XP is the new Library system.

 

[Bill2]

Office 2000 and below are incompatible with win7 and you may run into unexpected difficulties. If you plan to do any kind of serious work, get Office 2010. Look for the cheaper Home & student edition.

As for the rest, that machine will do most everything for you other than making a sandwich or pouring beer.

 

[Charbroil57]

Office 2007

I have MS Office 2007 installed on my Win 7 x64 and have never had a problem wiht it.

 

[James Colbert]

I have MS Office 2007 installed on my Win 7 x64 and have never had a problem wiht it.

Ditto. I did get in on the free upgrade to 2010, and while there are differences, performance and reliabilty are exactly the same. Up to that point, I was running Word 2000 without any issues at all (other than closing the search window took a few seconds).

James

 

[timlab1955]

gosh it will not make a sandwich for me? What about a cup of coffee? What good will this be to me then? Thanks for the info. My other question that I wanted to post on here was this:

My adriod phone (Vibrant) will not pick up (wifi) my xp computer,but it will pick up my wifes computer which is Vista. I guess because of the DLNA that is built into the system. I'm sure Windows 7 has it as well. Now comes the question, how can I watch TV through my computer to my Vibrant? I have Dish Sat for TV and comcast for internet. Any clues on how to do this?

 

[James Colbert]

...Now comes the question, how can I watch TV through my computer to my Vibrant? I have Dish Sat for TV and comcast for internet. Any clues on how to do this?

windows 7computer to Vibrant - Google Search

You might also check in any existing Dish, comcast or Vibrant forums.

An excellent site that may help:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=26

James

 

[timlab1955]

Can't seem to find what I'm looking for on this one.

 

[DeaconFrost]

First, if the phone isn't picking up wifi, that shouldn't have anything to do with the other computers. If it sees the other computers, then the Vibrant should see your wifi access point/router as well.

On to two other points. If you are working with a lot of video, you may regret getting a laptop. Aside from typically smaller HDDs, they can't match the speeds of the desktop variety. You may have stuttering issues, depending on some other factors, like what you are doing with the video, etc. You may also not find the required ports on a laptop.

As for Office...97? Really? It's 2010 now. You can find Office 2003 for next to nothing on eBay, and you'd at least be within a decade of the current platform. If my only option was Office 97, I'd go one of two routes. I'd either switch to Open Office (not a fan myself) or use the free Office Live versions, which also give you 25 GB of free storage.

I never do understand why people are using such old Office suites, when something newer is available for free online.

 

[timlab1955]

Just one more question and I should be ready for my new notebook. Beside running old Office, is it worth putting the add on for XP (32Bit)? If so, is there any notes on it on how and where to get it? Thanks

 

[James Colbert]

If you have old programs that are incompatible with Win7, it's worth having. I have it on disk just because I can.

Here's the download link:

Download Windows XP Mode

James

 

[wilywombat]

Virtually anything you ran on XP can run on Windows Seven if you install a virtual machine. This forum has excellent tutorials available, try following this link to the one on creating a "virtual XP machine" :- "http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/8247-windows-xp-mode-install-setup.html" Copy and paste it into a new tab on your browser otherwise if you click on it you will be taken to the indexpage for all tutorials ( which is the best source of info for a lot of "How to's" in Windows Seven)

 

[timlab1955]

Well, I have to say, Windows 7 is working out okay on my new notebook. But I hate the window live email program. Is there any email program out there that is almost like outlook express? I could move around the program like there was no tomorrow.

Thanks.
Timlab

 

[Dzomlija]

Well, I have to say, Windows 7 is working out okay on my new notebook. But I hate the window live email program. Is there any email program out there that is almost like outlook express? I could move around the program like there was no tomorrow.

Thanks.
Timlab

There really isn't all that much difference between Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail. I hear alot of complaints about how the WLM layout is so completely different from OE, that it's unusable. I don't see the difference:

​

And it's just as easy to get WLM mail to place the Reading Pane below the list of messages. Just click "View" then "Layout". Other than that, the two of them are virtually identical...

But if you REALLY must use Outlook Express, then why not use Windows XP Mode? The above screenshot shows Windows Live Mail and Outlook Express running in a Virtual XP Desktop.

The following two screenshots shows me starting only Outlook Express in Virtual XP mode, and Outlook Express running in Virtual XP Mode:

​

If you want instructions on how to get this done, start a new post, let me know which on it is, and we'll take it from there. Although I'd rather you get used to Windows Live Mail, or use the full Outlook program from Microsoft Office. Far fmore secure than Outlook Express can ever hope to be.

The choice is yours.​

 

[DeaconFrost]

When you add in the fact that you can tie your info to a Live account in WLM and have your contacts backed up...it should be a no brainer which one to use.

 

[Vincenzo]

Regarding Office 97, in my mind the biggest issue would be that Microsoft is no longer supporting it with security updates. You'd be vulnerable to an on-going slew of exploits.

 

[bigmck]

Well, I have to say, Windows 7 is working out okay on my new notebook. But I hate the window live email program. Is there any email program out there that is almost like outlook express? I could move around the program like there was no tomorrow.

Thanks.
Timlab

Outlook Express is very close to Thunderbird. It is free, check it out.
Thunderbird - It

 

[yoshirocks]

I had Office 2000 on my Windows 7 notebook before upgrading to 2010 and it ran fine. You probably won't have a problem.

 

[Keiichi25]

Well, I have to say, Windows 7 is working out okay on my new notebook. But I hate the window live email program. Is there any email program out there that is almost like outlook express? I could move around the program like there was no tomorrow.

Thanks.
Timlab

Outlook Express is very close to Thunderbird. It is free, check it out.
Thunderbird - It

Actually, Thunderbird is a slightly different kind of mail program. I also know that if the user is planning on using an IMAP server, Thunderbird sometimes quirks.

Thunderbird also saves archived mail a bit differently than Outlook and Outlook Express. MS Outlook uses PST files which are Personal Storage Files. Thunderbird saves mail a bit differently and can only be opened properly with Thunderbird or a third party conversion program.

 

[James Colbert]

...Actually, Thunderbird is a slightly different kind of mail program. I also know that if the user is planning on using an IMAP server, Thunderbird sometimes quirks.

So which client do you use?

James