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After losing my second computer in 2 months to viruses, I bought a new one yesterday with Windows 7 preloaded. It either refuses to let me install programs that worked just fine in XP-HE and XP Pro, or if it does allow them to install, it won't let them work. If I could, I'd drop kick it to the moon.
Nor do I want their blasted little buttons all over the place to take me to their choice of websites. That's what a favorites list on the browser is for, for MY favorites, not theirs.
Just color me frustrated and feeling extremely negative about Microsoft.
After losing my second computer in 2 months to viruses, I bought a new one yesterday with Windows 7 preloaded. It either refuses to let me install programs that worked just fine in XP-HE and XP Pro, or if it does allow them to install, it won't let them work. If I could, I'd drop kick it to the moon.
Nor do I want their blasted little buttons all over the place to take me to their choice of websites. That's what a favorites list on the browser is for, for MY favorites, not theirs.
Just color me frustrated and feeling extremely negative about Microsoft.
I think part of it has to do with protecting the user from file manipulation, etc... I find the interface is good once you get used to it. There are some customizations that I probably need to change to make it how I want it.
However, I did have to use a "Take Ownership" feature that I found on the net to move files around and install some programs. I had to do it today when I upgraded a software revision, the installer wouldn't continue, then I did "Take Ownership" of the programs directory and it solved it.
Another issue you may have is the programs you are using could be old enough they don't support Win7 or if your Win7 is 64bit, the software may not support 64bit. It depends on the program. There are also "mode" selections for compatibility if you right click the program's icon (not shortcut) and Properties/Compatibility.
When I first got my new laptop with Win7....I do admit it took a little getting used to. At first I felt like I wasn't 'in control' or something. In time though, I learned to master it by fine tuning my preferences and now I love it.
After losing my second computer in 2 months to viruses, I bought a new one yesterday with Windows 7 preloaded. It either refuses to let me install programs that worked just fine in XP-HE and XP Pro, or if it does allow them to install, it won't let them work. If I could, I'd drop kick it to the moon.
How do you "lose" a computer to virues? Viruses are software. Worst case, you reformat and reload.
It sounds like you're running ancient software that's not compatible with an operating system from the last half of this decade.
Quote:
Originally Posted by karibear
Nor do I want their blasted little buttons all over the place to take me to their choice of websites. That's what a favorites list on the browser is for, for MY favorites, not theirs.
It sounds like you're complain about things your computer manufacturer installed.
Windows 7 runs great for me. I have no major complaints. I couldn't have said the same about XP when it came out. Windows 7 benefits greatly from having let Vista take the "new version" pains and giving everyone 3 years to update their stuff to Windows 6.x compatibility.
I think part of it has to do with protecting the user from file manipulation, etc... I find the interface is good once you get used to it. There are some customizations that I probably need to change to make it how I want it.
However, I did have to use a "Take Ownership" feature that I found on the net to move files around and install some programs. I had to do it today when I upgraded a software revision, the installer wouldn't continue, then I did "Take Ownership" of the programs directory and it solved it.
Another issue you may have is the programs you are using could be old enough they don't support Win7 or if your Win7 is 64bit, the software may not support 64bit. It depends on the program. There are also "mode" selections for compatibility if you right click the program's icon (not shortcut) and Properties/Compatibility.
Of the two programs that I'm getting most frustrated with one is a Lotus Organizer 2.0 version written for Windows XP, and it won't let that load at all. The other is Corel Office 2002, and while it lets the office suite install, it won't allow Wordperfect 10 to actually run. In fact, when I copied the files from my back up CD, it completely ignored all the WP docs as if they weren't there. Ditto for a short ton of ebooks that are filed in the 'my documents' section in WP - on my other computers, all I had to do was click on them and they'd come up with Adobe Reader. Now - nothing. If I'm really lucky, I'll be able to open some of the regular docs with Open Office - which took me 3 tries to download, but at least it works, sort of. I also have other ebooks which it doesn't seem to recognize, one of which is an 11,000+ page cooking around the world book.
And the most irritating thing of all is that there is no way to contact a live person for help.
Windows 7 seems like it might be great for some uses - like internet gaming - but for people who know exactly what they want and how they want to do it, if they aren't techs, they're up that creek without a paddle.
karibear, I just got windows 7 too, and I love it. You can run those programs in compatibility mode. Open your windows explorer and navigate to the folder that those programs are installed in. They should be somewhere inside your C:\Program Files (x86)\ folder.
Locate the .EXE for that program, and right click on it. When the dialog box comes up, go down to the "Properties" option. A window will open with tabbed options. Select the tab marked "Compatibility"
The rest from that point on, is pretty straightforward.
Of the two programs that I'm getting most frustrated with one is a Lotus Organizer 2.0 version written for Windows XP, and it won't let that load at all. The other is Corel Office 2002, and while it lets the office suite install, it won't allow Wordperfect 10 to actually run. In fact, when I copied the files from my back up CD, it completely ignored all the WP docs as if they weren't there. Ditto for a short ton of ebooks that are filed in the 'my documents' section in WP - on my other computers, all I had to do was click on them and they'd come up with Adobe Reader. Now - nothing. If I'm really lucky, I'll be able to open some of the regular docs with Open Office - which took me 3 tries to download, but at least it works, sort of. I also have other ebooks which it doesn't seem to recognize, one of which is an 11,000+ page cooking around the world book.
The first thing I would do is the right click Properties/Compatibility and try one of the XP settings, you may have to try one or more of them. Although I think someone at work had to set something to WinNT or 2000 for one program.
I haven't tried Corel Office, which I have somewhere and was planning to load. Lotus is definitely an old one, but again, might work in a compatibility setting.
If you get a warning that you have no permission or access to files, then I'd try the Take Permissions link I gave.
How do you "lose" a computer to virues? Viruses are software. Worst case, you reformat and reload.
It sounds like you're running ancient software that's not compatible with an operating system from the last half of this decade.
It sounds like you're complain about things your computer manufacturer installed.
Windows 7 runs great for me. I have no major complaints. I couldn't have said the same about XP when it came out. Windows 7 benefits greatly from having let Vista take the "new version" pains and giving everyone 3 years to update their stuff to Windows 6.x compatibility.
Yeah, I'm complaining about things the manufacturer installed - like Windows 7. I never had a problem with XP-HE or XP Pro. In fact, I never had problems with Windows 3.1, 3.11, or 98. What's the point of fixing what ain't broke?
You can reformat and reload IF you know how, and IF you have the program disks. When everything comes pre-installed, the consumer is SOL. Triply so, if you live in the middle of nowhere like I do, there is no one anywhere nearby who has more of a clue than I do about what might be wrong, and I can't just drive to the nearest city because I'm legally blind and can't drive anymore.
So - the first one I lost was over ten years old, and I had back up copies of nearly everything on it - no biggie, except for the aggravation factor. Every single .exe file is corrupted, nothing on it will open. Now pretty much the same thing has happened with the newer computer, which I only hooked up to the net a couple months ago. Again, no program disks to reinstall anything, it was all pre-loaded. There is NO place here that sells program disks of any kind, and while they are easy enough to get on line, one has to be able to get on line to do so. Catch 22, there.
Yeah, I'm complaining about things the manufacturer installed - like Windows 7. I never had a problem with XP-HE or XP Pro. In fact, I never had problems with Windows 3.1, 3.11, or 98. What's the point of fixing what ain't broke?
I'm talking about garbage that your computer's maker was paid to install on your computer, not the operating system. Things like McAfee, eBay icons, Yahoo toolbars, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by karibear
You can reformat and reload IF you know how, and IF you have the program disks. When everything comes pre-installed, the consumer is SOL. Triply so, if you live in the middle of nowhere like I do, there is no one anywhere nearby who has more of a clue than I do about what might be wrong, and I can't just drive to the nearest city because I'm legally blind and can't drive anymore.
So - the first one I lost was over ten years old, and I had back up copies of nearly everything on it - no biggie, except for the aggravation factor. Every single .exe file is corrupted, nothing on it will open. Now pretty much the same thing has happened with the newer computer, which I only hooked up to the net a couple months ago. Again, no program disks to reinstall anything, it was all pre-loaded. There is NO place here that sells program disks of any kind, and while they are easy enough to get on line, one has to be able to get on line to do so. Catch 22, there.
Every brand name computer comes with either bootable restore discs or a restore partition which is activated by a specific key at bootup, often F10. Either one will wipe the hard drive and restore it to factory condition.
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