Most XP users hate Windows 7!!!

[antares]

SOME 8 year old hardware will run W7 quite happily -- I've got an old PENTIUM IV computer from circa 2000 running W7 32 bit just fine -- although it's only got 512GB RAM and a 60 GB HDD. Not even USB slots.

Running Windows 2000 on that computer is actually faster -- that's basically due to the MUCH smaller size of the OS and W2K was designed as a SERVER OS (its the basis for the STILL excellent Windows 2003 Server) but you would be surprised at what W7 will work on.

Hi Jimbo, yes, I have a 2001 Dell Dimension 8200 with P4 3.06GHz, 2GB RAM, ATI AIW X800XT and Win7 runs very smoothly, even with Aero on, it feels maybe even faster than XP, but that might be because it's a fresh install whereas my XP installation is already over 2 years old with many programs on it.

I have some legacy PERIPHERALS where the original manufacturer is no longer in business --quite specialized and EXPENSIVE gear still perfectly serviceable so I'm keeping XP for these (running XP as a Virtual Machine --no more dual booting for me).
For this type of gear XP will still be around for several years yet -- not because it's a better or worse OS - but due to the fact that people who USE this type of gear will still need it.
Cheers
jimbo

I thought that was not possible. I also have some peripherals that are not Win7 compatible (an old USB HP printer and scanner), they only work in XP, and if I run XP within Win7 as a virtual machine they will not work either. So, maybe I did not understand what you're explaining...??

 

[jimbo45]

SOME 8 year old hardware will run W7 quite happily -- I've got an old PENTIUM IV computer from circa 2000 running W7 32 bit just fine -- although it's only got 512GB RAM and a 60 GB HDD. Not even USB slots.

Running Windows 2000 on that computer is actually faster -- that's basically due to the MUCH smaller size of the OS and W2K was designed as a SERVER OS (its the basis for the STILL excellent Windows 2003 Server) but you would be surprised at what W7 will work on.

Hi Jimbo, yes, I have a 2001 Dell Dimension 8200 with P4 3.06GHz, 2GB RAM, ATI AIW X800XT and Win7 runs very smoothly, even with Aero on, it feels maybe even faster than XP, but that might be because it's a fresh install whereas my XP installation is already over 2 years old with many programs on it.

I have some legacy PERIPHERALS where the original manufacturer is no longer in business --quite specialized and EXPENSIVE gear still perfectly serviceable so I'm keeping XP for these (running XP as a Virtual Machine --no more dual booting for me).
For this type of gear XP will still be around for several years yet -- not because it's a better or worse OS - but due to the fact that people who USE this type of gear will still need it.
Cheers
jimbo

I thought that was not possible. I also have some peripherals that are not Win7 compatible (an old USB HP printer and scanner), they only work in XP, and if I run XP within Win7 as a virtual machine they will not work either. So, maybe I did not understand what you're explaining...??

Hi there
A Virtual machine is almost like running a physical XP machine except that it runs as an application on your Host machine say W7.

Forget XP mode for the moment -- that's a specialized case -- however if you run say Virtual Box or VMWARE on your W7 installation you can create a "Virtual Machine".

In this case 99.99% of Legacy hardware WILL run. XP mode IMO is a waste of time but running a Full Virtual machine under vmware or Vbox will give you what you want.

When creating this you perform an installation of the OS just like you would as if you were installing it on your physical computer.

The advantage is you DON'T need to dual boot and the old drivers will keep legacy hardware running indefintely.

Look at the virtualisation tutorials on the forum fore more info on this topic.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[antares]

Hi there
A Virtual machine is almost like running a physical XP machine except that it runs as an application on your Host machine say W7.

Forget XP mode for the moment -- that's a specialized case -- however if you run say Virtual Box or VMWARE on your W7 installation you can create a "Virtual Machine".

In this case 99.99% of Legacy hardware WILL run. XP mode IMO is a waste of time but running a Full Virtual machine under vmware or Vbox will give you what you want.

When creating this you perform an installation of the OS just like you would as if you were installing it on your physical computer.

The advantage is you DON'T need to dual boot and the old drivers will keep legacy hardware running indefintely.

Look at the virtualisation tutorials on the forum fore more info on this topic.

Cheers
jimbo

So that means that if I install Windows XP in VMware running in Windows 7 as host OS then any peripheral that is not compatible with 7 (old USB HP printer and scanner in my case) will be recognized and working by using the virtual XP? Does this also include the PC's internal hardware? (my sound card is not 7 compatible). I posted this question some time ago in another forum and I was told that the virtual OS (XP in this case) can not override the host OS (7 in this case) drivers, and that therefore any windows 7 non compatible hardware would not run from the virtual XP.

 

[smsff7]

Well I hated vista and when I first saw Win 7 I did not care for it, but I did get used to it and start to like ot (I don't really miss XP much)

Although there still is a few things from XP I do miss

1: Win 7 changes where options are located (say to switch things in the control panel and such) So I needed to relearn where everything it, but that is not such a big deal anymore

2: I miss the Xp search. I thought it was easyer to find what I was looking for when there was check boxes to limied the file search to say video, pictures or audio. I don't use the search much now because I hate having to type "Type:mp3" when I want to find something

 

[fseal]

So that means that if I install Windows XP in VMware running in Windows 7 as host OS then any peripheral that is not compatible with 7 (old USB HP printer and scanner in my case) will be recognized and working by using the virtual XP? Does this also include the PC's internal hardware? (my sound card is not 7 compatible). I posted this question some time ago in another forum and I was told that the virtual OS (XP in this case) can not override the host OS (7 in this case) drivers, and that therefore any windows 7 non compatible hardware would not run from the virtual XP.

Sound and networking should work mostly well, the sound hardware in virtual machines is fairly basic so don't expect any super fancy sound features. You don't have access to your machines /actual/ sound card, but to a generic virtual sound interface that is then piped through your actual host OSes sound drivers.

Anything USB should work fine if you allow the virtual machine to take over control of the port. The easiest way to so this is to run the virtual machine and while it is focused, plug in the USB device. I.e. in VMWare, if you have windows 7 focussed and you plug in a thumb drive, Windows 7 takes control of it, if VMWare is focused when you plug it in then the Guest OS gets control of it.

The actual method of allowing one VM or anther have acess to one USB port or another probably varies.

 

[cluberti]

2: I miss the Xp search. I thought it was easyer to find what I was looking for when there was check boxes to limied the file search to say video, pictures or audio. I don't use the search much now because I hate having to type "Type:mp3" when I want to find something

I felt this way too, until I changed the indexing options to include my personal folders, all of them. The index is a bit large, but it doesn't seem to affect search speed at all - Start > Search and typing something in became pretty easy and relevant quickly, although not until I added my own folders and other things I wanted included in the index that weren't indexed by default.

 

[antares]

Sound and networking should work mostly well, the sound hardware in virtual machines is fairly basic so don't expect any super fancy sound features. You don't have access to your machines /actual/ sound card, but to a generic virtual sound interface that is then piped through your actual host OSes sound drivers.

Anything USB should work fine if you allow the virtual machine to take over control of the port. The easiest way to so this is to run the virtual machine and while it is focused, plug in the USB device. I.e. in VMWare, if you have windows 7 focussed and you plug in a thumb drive, Windows 7 takes control of it, if VMWare is focused when you plug it in then the Guest OS gets control of it.

The actual method of allowing one VM or anther have acess to one USB port or another probably varies.

Will installing specific drivers for my XP devices (USB scanner, printer, internal sound card) in the virtual XP OS make any difference? Or they will be ignored and VMWare will use its own drivers?

 

[cluberti]

Will installing specific drivers for my XP devices (USB scanner, printer, internal sound card) in the virtual XP OS make any difference? Or they will be ignored and VMWare will use its own drivers?

The base hardware, from the motherboard to the CPU, is *virtualized*, so it has to emulate hardware by using generic devices. You won't be able to use your own drivers, because the hardware is being virtualized and displayed to the virtual machine as generic hardware (generic Intel network card, generic AC'97 audio, etc). From the virtual machine you can access things like USB devices as the actual devices, because they're attached to the port (not being emulated), but for major things like video, audio, etc, no.

 

[antares]

With Microsoft providing XP support until 2014 and XP downgrade rights until 2020, XP will probably remain in history as the most successful OS ever.

Microsoft Pledges Windows XP Support Through 2014 -- Microsoft -- InformationWeek
Microsoft extends Windows XP downgrade rights until 2020 - Computerworld

 

[BCXtreme]

With Microsoft providing XP support until 2014 and XP downgrade rights until 2020, XP will probably remain in history as the most successful OS ever.

Microsoft Pledges Windows XP Support Through 2014 -- Microsoft -- InformationWeek
Microsoft extends Windows XP downgrade rights until 2020 - Computerworld

I honestly can't fathom anyone in 2019 downgrading a computer to Windows XP from 2001, it would be like downgrading XP to DOS. But I suppose someone, somewhere, will be doing it.

 

[severedsolo]

#1). Windows XP was very easy to steal...especially with a volume license key so it didn't have to be activated. People could install it, share it and put it on whatever they want. It was way easier with XP than it is with Vista or 7. So, since it's not as easy to steal, just badmouth it and use the old stuff.

Windows 7 isn't exactly difficult to steal, but I'll say no more on that before I start violating rules

Anyway, my $0.02:

Personally, I think most XP users really don't "love or hate" Windows 7. Im sure there are plenty of XP "Fanbois" (hell we get alot of them on here) but I think most people probably don't care one way or the other. If it works, and runs their programs/hardware etc. then I doubt most people who aren't "in the know" would care whether its XP, Vista, 7 or even Windows 98!

We of course, are in a unique position, most of us are enthusiasts, and have followed Windows 7 on its long winding journey to being (in my humble opinion) the best Windows, hell the best (again, IMO) OS out there!

 

[pparks1]

Windows 7 isn't exactly difficult to steal, but I'll say no more on that before I start violating rules

It's much harder for the average joe than it was previously when they could just use a volume license key on 10,000 different computers and get away with it.

 

[cluberti]

And with the Russia thing lately, it's been made basically public that Microsoft *does not* care about individual pirates, they care about the distributors and those facilitating the piracy. It makes sense, since those folks / organizations are where MS loses their money, not at the individual pirate level.

 

[Skulblaka]

And with the Russia thing lately, it's been made basically public that Microsoft *does not* care about individual pirates, they care about the distributors and those facilitating the piracy. It makes sense, since those folks / organizations are where MS loses their money, not at the individual pirate level.

I agree

 

[smsff7]

2: I miss the Xp search. I thought it was easyer to find what I was looking for when there was check boxes to limied the file search to say video, pictures or audio. I don't use the search much now because I hate having to type "Type:mp3" when I want to find something

I felt this way too, until I changed the indexing options to include my personal folders, all of them. The index is a bit large, but it doesn't seem to affect search speed at all - Start > Search and typing something in became pretty easy and relevant quickly, although not until I added my own folders and other things I wanted included in the index that weren't indexed by default.

I still find it faster and better to click a button to limit search then to type it out...indexing has nothing to do with that

it also is faster to limit where to search for the file

 

[Compaker]

I still remember the day my mom received her laptop, she opens it up and it had windows 7 on it. I ordered it for her, and she got ticked off because I got her 7 over windows 2000. When I told her they didn't have that anymore she called Dell support and yelled at the guy for like an hour xD

 

[Maxxwire]

I once got a 10 minute lecture from a guy yelling as loud as he possibly could that "Windows 98 was the greatest operating system Microsoft ever made and everything after that has been pure &*%#".

~Maxx~
.

 

[antares]

I once got a 10 minute lecture from a guy yelling as loud as he possibly could that "Windows 98 was the greatest operating system Microsoft ever made and everything after that has been pure &*%#".

~Maxx~
.

Hey Maxx, I'm yelling at you, Windows 98 is the mother of all OS's!! Here's the proof:
YouTube - Bill Gates - Windows 98 crashing on live TV!

 

[Maxxwire]

That's odd because neither Vista nor Win 7 have ever crashed on one of my computers.

~Maxx~
.

 

[Skulblaka]

I still remember the day my mom received her laptop, she opens it up and it had windows 7 on it. I ordered it for her, and she got ticked off because I got her 7 over windows 2000. When I told her they didn't have that anymore she called Dell support and yelled at the guy for like an hour xD

I'd be ticked off...