Windows 7 Starter on new Netbook - Urgent Help Please!!

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  1. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 starter
       #1

    Windows 7 Starter on new Netbook - Urgent Help Please!!


    Hi
    This is my first post as I joined today. I need help with a couple of things (I am confident on most things on my current Windows Home Premium laptop - but I have just changed to a new Netbook which only has Windows Starter!)

    I have been told to use a usb transfer cable to move most of my items like docs favs and photos across but need to ask a few questions before I start please:

    1. Will all my docs, emails etc transfer ok as I presume Windows Starter works same as Windows Home Premium? Also will all my programs like McAfee and Word automatically transfer?

    2. My current laptop says it is 64 bit and the new Acer Netbook 32 bit - any problems there?

    3. I currently have the choice of using Greek as my second language on my current laptop and by clicking EN /EL it allows me to change an type in Greek. Don't know how I installed this function initially but must have it on my new Acer Netbook. Reading online some people say there is not an option for this on Windows 7 Starter - help!!

    4. Finally (for the moment) is it worth upgrading to Home Premium which I have now on my laptop. I will not use my new netbook for games or downloading films or music or any major photo work like photoshop.

    Would appreciate your advice before my new netbook arrives this week.

    Thank you all so much.
      My Computer

  2.    #2

    Since you need to have your files backed up externally at all times anyway, I'd sort it all into your User folders then back them up to external USB drive. Then from the new PC, open each folder, select Organize tab, Select All, drag the group to the User folder on the left-hand Explorer bar. Don't release the left click until it stops expanding and confirms copying to the correct place. Copying files to an external drive - YouTube

    If you're less confident you can open the two windows side by side and drag the group of folders to the target location.

    You'll always need to reinstall your Programs, but especially changing bit-versions since this requires new installers for most programs. Let us know if you need help finding any.

    Starter just forfeits desktop backgrounds and Aero frame transparency, otherwise it's the same exact OS as all other versions without the expensive extra features of the higher versions. You should make an informed decision about those features you actually need before upgrading: Compare Windows 7 Editions - Windows 7 Forums

    Since it sounds like you'll be using the Factory install which came with the PC, be aware that this is usually an inferior install which may throttle even more the low power of most netbooks. You can reclaim some of the performance using Clean Up Factory Bloatware which also gives you smart optimizations and tools to use which work best with Win7.

    But to have the best install of all you can also consider doing a Clean Reinstall Windows 7 following the steps compiled based on what's worked best in tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped with here since Win7 beta, and has been used by over a million consumers without a single complaint or return with problems.

    Ask back any questions and keep us posted how it goes.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 starter
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank Gregrocker - this is most helpful.

    Should get my new Notebook in a couple of days and will come back after I have tried everything you mention.

    In the meantime just one thing I am not sure of.

    I mentioned the extra Greek Language which I currently have on my Windows Home Premium on my current laptop, I must have this as I write in Greek quite a lot as a second language. My worry is that Windows 7 Starter will not give me access to this second language?

    That is the only reason that I was considering an upgrade to Home Premium!

    What do you think?

    Thanks again
      My Computer

  4.    #4

    I'll ask our Language expert Kari to help you with the language issue.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 17,545
    Windows 10 Pro x64 EN-GB
       #5

    Hi Moggie, welcome to the Seven Forums.

    moggie said:
    1. Will all my docs, emails etc transfer ok as I presume Windows Starter works same as Windows Home Premium? Also will all my programs like McAfee and Word automatically transfer?
    You cannot transfer your software. Using Windows Easy Transfer (see tutorial) you can transfer personal files like documents, favorites, pictures and so on easily to your new computer. Any software (programs), a game you have installed on old computer, an email client like Windows Live Mail and so on, those cannot be transferred and need to be separateley installed on your new computer.

    moggie said:
    2. My current laptop says it is 64 bit and the new Acer Netbook 32 bit - any problems there?
    No, it is not and will not be a problem. Your files don't care about the bit architecture.

    moggie said:
    3. I currently have the choice of using Greek as my second language on my current laptop and by clicking EN /EL it allows me to change an type in Greek. Don't know how I installed this function initially but must have it on my new Acer Netbook. Reading online some people say there is not an option for this on Windows 7 Starter - help!!
    If I understand that correctly you have had the Greek input language installed and enabled on your old computer, which has allowed you to switch between English and Greek keyboard layouts. This can also be easily done on your new computer, just follow instructions in these tutorials:

    moggie said:
    4. Finally (for the moment) is it worth upgrading to Home Premium which I have now on my laptop. I will not use my new netbook for games or downloading films or music or any major photo work like photoshop.
    Starter is quite a limited Windows edition. Personally I would upgrade.

    Kari
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 starter
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thank you Kari (and gregrocker)

    Have noted all these points Kari and when I have set up the new Netbook this week I think I will upgrade to Home Premium as I have been using this for 2 years and am happy with it. I will report back to this forum once I have got the new Netbook working correctly.
    Regards
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 starter
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Further urgent help please Kari!
    I have received my new Acer Aspire Netbook and decided to upgrade to Home Premium as this is what I have on this my old netbook (the new one is only Windows 7 Starter.

    Upgrade went on ok - but I am having problems transferring my data! Tried to do it with a dedicated transfer cable thru windows 7 transfer and set up both netbooks - it went thru as far as the point where it said ' cannot transfer 64 bit data to 32 bit computer'! My current one was 32/64 bit I believe but don't know what I used, anyway it did not work.

    I had my docs inc. photos and letters on a memory stick so I put this in the usb slot of new netbook and was able to transfer all that info no problem - so why the problem with the dedicated transfer cable?

    Have downloaded again most of my programs such as gmail, thunderbird, ebay, bing etc onto the new netbook and they are fine.

    I need to transfer across all my current saved emails in thunderbird plus my favorites list. I have a disc for my printer so that's ok.

    I thought it would be easy - help. Any ideas for me. I have been at it for 5 hours and I thought I knew quite a lot about computers

    Thanks so much
      My Computer

  8.    #8

    Since all data should be backed up against hard drive failure at any moment anyway, simply plug in the backup, from Organize tab Select All, drag the group to the corresponding folder on lefthand Explorer bar, wait patiently until the bar finishes expanded to get confirmation hypertext showing where you are copying it is correct, then release the left click.

    Transfer cables, Windows Easy Transfer, and most other middlemen are nothing but problems. This is the simplest and easiest way and it always works.

    Other tips here for setting up a perfect Clean Reinstall Windows 7 especially how to keep it that way.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 17,545
    Windows 10 Pro x64 EN-GB
       #9

    Sometimes it happens that Greg and I agree . In this matter I agree with him 100%, do not use the Easy Transfer cable.

    My way to do this, I copy my files from old computer to an external drive, connect it to new computer and copy from there to corresponding folders in new computer.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 8
    Windows 7 starter
    Thread Starter
       #10

    Thanks gregrocker and kari

    I have taken your advice. What I did was to download (piece by piece) my docs, favorites etc onto a memory stick which I then put into the new netbook and it worked! Also I remembered I had saved some progams downloaded in my docs and I was able to transfer these also and they worked!!

    I am still having some problems as the new netbook does not seem to react as fast as my previous - it's now 32 bit, does that make a difference? I have gone into start up and unticked loads which might help. Also there are loads of rubbish programs showing - should I uninstall these? Will this help with speed?
    A couple of things I cannot seem to get correct if you can help please:

    1. Every time I open a page I have to click on the square to make it full size. I seem to remember being told to drag the edges to make it cover the screen - but after I have done this and gone out of the page the next time I go into it it is small again! What am I doing wrong - do I have to drag the corners? Or do I have to close and restart the netbook?

    2. Since I transferred my docs and favorites they appear as a list going down the page instead of previously they were across the page as thumbnails. I had this once before and was told to go into views and untick the little box 'always show icons never thumbnails' I did this but no difference!

    3. I have arranged my icons on my desktop eventually and have managed to make them smaller. Previously I was able to go into properties, bring up a list of alternative icons, click on one - apply and it changed. They do now appear but after choosing one there is no option to apply - any tips?

    Sorry about all these questions. I may have a couple more in the future but I feel I am getting there!

    Thanks again

    PS. Sorry - have just reloaded Bing as my default browser and have done something wrong! At the bottom of page above the line which has the clock etc there is another bar which says things like intnet mode on and items blocked on page. At the top of bing screen to the right are spaces for other browsers and most important I am missing the toolbar for things like 'view' and 'file'etc.
    Do not know what I have done as it was on old netbook.

    Apart from these queries I seem to have sorted most myself (after 8 hours work)
    Last edited by moggie; 06 Feb 2015 at 10:53.
      My Computer


 
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