# Computer upgrade woes



## Mike Mills (Mar 8, 2013)

I’m long overdue for a computer upgrade but have ran into a hitch. Seems I can’t buy a new one with WinXP, only 7 or 8. I have programs which barely work with XP and I am sure they will not work with 7 or 8. Such as Quickbooks 2007 will not run and I don’t want to shell out +$250 for the upgrade, then same problem with Act, and….
I had thought of partitioning the hard drive but was told that can’t be done with 7 or 8. I was going to install XP on a different “drive” and boot to it.
Any ideas? I am thinking of staying with Dell so maybe I could reformat to get rid of the 7 or 8 and then reinstall XP from my disc?
I really like the HP better but I don’t think my WinXP from Dell will install on it at all from what I have been told.

Any Ideas???


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## Kenbo (Mar 8, 2013)

Mike Mills said:


> I’m long overdue for a computer upgrade but have ran into a hitch. Seems I can’t buy a new one with WinXP, only 7 or 8. I have programs which barely work with XP and I am sure they will not work with 7 or 8. Such as Quickbooks 2007 will not run and I don’t want to shell out +$250 for the upgrade, then same problem with Act, and….
> I had thought of partitioning the hard drive but was told that can’t be done with 7 or 8. I was going to install XP on a different “drive” and boot to it.
> Any ideas? I am thinking of staying with Dell so maybe I could reformat to get rid of the 7 or 8 and then reinstall XP from my disc?
> I really like the HP better but I don’t think my WinXP from Dell will install on it at all from what I have been told.
> ...



I know that this is a far cry from what you have in mind, but I finally got away from the Windows based systems and went with a Mac a little over a month ago and I couldn't be happier at this point. I haven't had an ounce of instability with the operating system and I just love the new system and learning about it. Have you considered a Mac?


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## Mike Mills (Mar 9, 2013)

I would still run into the same problem of upgrading software as well as transferring data from one format to the other. I’m trying to plug the gap until I can sell my little company but it looks like it will be another four years now. I just want to keep using the same businessprograms and upgrade from my 500mb ram, install wireless video to the tv, and other things.


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## Kevin (Mar 9, 2013)

Mike I'm far from the expert, but I don't think you'll be able to easily find a solution, if at all. The software (and hardware) are programmed for planned obsolescence. There may be a way to do it, but I'd be surprised if it is an easy one. FWIW I had XP on my shop top (shop laptop) and loved it, then when I had to replace it when the HD went TU I had to take Vista. It sucks. I have Win 7 on my home PC and although I am not a big fan of Windows because it's always buggy and prone to attack, I actually like Windows 7 better than any version of Windows I've ever used including XP. 

But I sense your fear is not of whether or not you'll like the newer systems, you're just trying to save some coin if you can. I'm with you there for sure, but I just don't think you'll be able to do it. I hope I'm wrong. If you have to get a new system, you might consider trying one of the open source QB equivalents. Here's 5 of them. I've not used any of them. I haven't used QB since 2003. There's open source for almost everything. I don't know what ACT is but I bet you can find OS for it too. I never buy Windows Office because OpenOffice does everything I need and then some, and it's free. 

BEst of luck. Whatever you do let us know maybe we can learn something too.


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## cabomhn (Mar 9, 2013)

One option is installing windows xp on a "virtual machine" on your new windows computer. There are many different clients to do that such as VMware or others. This is kind of hard to explain via text but do a little research and you can see what your options are. For example, I had already purchased my Photoshop license as well as about $1000 in other photography related software licenses when I bought my mac and I didn't want to loose those, so I installed a virtual machine on my mac which runs windows 7 so I could have the best of both worlds.


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## jimmyjames (Mar 9, 2013)

Just go to a computer shop and have them build you a computer with windows xp. Theres still alot of good stuff around for xp computers, i still keep my old desktop with xp since a couple of my cad programs require it.


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## Vern Tator (Mar 9, 2013)

Wow, Great idea. I just tried to set one up, so I could run a favorite drawing program, and my laptop running Windows 7 64bit Home premium is not supported. Oh well!! :dash2::dash2:


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## jimmyjames (Mar 9, 2013)

Vern Tator said:


> Wow, Great idea. I just tried to set one up, so I could run a favorite drawing program, and my laptop running Windows 7 64bit Home premium is not supported. Oh well!! :dash2::dash2:



You can also look on craigslist and pick up a near new xp desktop from those guys that rebuild computers at home, theres a ton listed locally to me from $200-$400 and preform almost as well as a new computer, those said computers geeks usually have alot of computer bits laying around and you could have them make it even faster for pennies on the dollar


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## Kevin (Mar 9, 2013)

That's great info Jimmy. Is there also a smaller scale MAC rebuilt/scratch-built community like the PC community?


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## Mike Mills (Mar 9, 2013)

Kevin said:


> But I sense your fear is not of whether or not you'll like the newer systems, you're just trying to save some coin if you can.



_Yep trying to save some if I can but not the main reason. I don’t mind spending the $$ if is see value in it and I don’t mind a new system. With new stuff (like streaming video from the PC to the TV) I can do away with some cost such as Dish Network and just download what little I want from the net. _

Posted by cabomhn - Today 10:19 AM 
One option is installing windows xp on a "virtual machine" on your new windows computer. 

_I did not know much (read *anything )* about that. It seems Microsoft offers a free utility to set up a virtual machine on your computer and it works with 7 but not 8. I will delve into that more. Dell told me that you cannot partion the hard drive with 8 but maybe you can still do it with 7._


Posted by jimmyjames - Today 11:47 AM 
Just go to a computer shop and have them build you a computer with windows xp. 

_Botta Bing Botta Boom_  _Maybe the most sound advice._


_Vern, here is a link here to Disk2vhd. You can read it and see if it may work. Don’t blame me if you computer blows up._
http://www.labnol.org/software/create-virtual-machine-of-existing-computer/10510/


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## Catwoman (Mar 9, 2013)

You can partition the HD in Win 7. I haven't attempted to do it yet, but I have a friend who did, & runs Win 7 on one partition and Win 8 on another. I bought my copies of Win 8 in January before the price went up, but I still haven't had the nerve to try it out yet. If & when I do load Win 8, I'll set it up on it's own partition, 'cause I like Win 7 too much to totally upgrade. I don't have any touchscreen devices anyway, so I don't really see any reason to upgrade at this point.

I have set up the virtual XP mode on my Win 7 desktop to run older programs. I just have two or three that I use occasionally, and none of them is QB (I prefer Sage... formerly Peachtree), but all of them work fine. I find virtual XP a little funky to use, but it works.


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## Mike Mills (Mar 9, 2013)

Catwoman said:


> You can partition the HD in Win 7.



Thanks for that info. That should work.  I phoned Dell back and can get a new system with Win7pro. My plan is to partition and reinstall WinXP. I can then do the window upgrades for it and have Carbonite restore everything to as-is on the new drive.
I will leave Win7 untouched until I am ready to play around with it and install one program at a time.
Thanks


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## Catwoman (Mar 10, 2013)

Mike, just one more recommendation. You mentioned actually installing XP. I didn't have to do that to load my programs. It's like it already built into the virtual XP mode somehow. And I've heard that, while most programs work fine, there are still some programs that don't work too swuft in virtual mode. (Since Murphy - of Murphy's Law fame - likes me so much, I was really pleasantly surprised that my programs are working so well.) But to be safe, I think you'd do best to double-check with someone more familiar with the XP mode to be sure it'll do what you want. I joined several of the Windows 7 forums for when I have problems, and there is a ton of advice & knowledgeable folks on those sites who have threads on using programs on virtual XP. I would recommend checking them out to see if someone hasn't already asked about your specific programs. If you don't find a specific thread, start one. Those folks're pretty quick to respond, & that way, you won't be out any $$ on something that won't work the way you want. (I always preface my questions with the fact that I'm not a computer guru & that I need explanations that one might find in a _For Dummies_ book!) I'm thinking it also makes a difference whether your Win 7 is 32-bit or 64-bit. Mine are 64-bit. If that's a factor, the forums will discuss that, too. May take a few hrs of research, but if you're like me, I'd rather do that than spend big $$ to find that what I want doesn't work.


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## Mike Mills (Mar 10, 2013)

Catwoman said:


> I'm thinking it also makes a difference whether your Win 7 is 32-bit or 64-bit.





I’m glad you brought ups the 32 bit and 64 bit. My current is 32 I think; at least under system directory it says “system 32”. I have no idea if this affects how programs run or not.

The fact that programs may or may not work in 7 is why I was going to install XP as a different drive. I can then install the programs that I want t in XP and let Carbonite do its magic restoring all data and setting. Until I get everything set up I will just boot to XP and ignore 7 with virtual XP. 

I can then install programs to 7 (maybe over months) to make sure everything works.
Once transferred to 7, having XP will give me a system to install trial programs to without gunking up the clean one.
If you have a link to a Win7 forum you like it will be appreciated.
Thanks


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## Catwoman (Mar 10, 2013)

Oh, OK Mike, you've got a plan. I was thinking you'd be using the virtual mode in Win 7. 

Whatever you do, I just don't want you to rely on my post & then find that you spent wasted $$. I would feel horrible. 

I'm a member of www.sevenforums.com and www.windows7forums.com. There are others, too, but lots of times, if I just search the posts, I'll find answers without having to join in the threads. Often, for me the hardest part is figuring out the appropriate search terminology.


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## Kevin (Mar 10, 2013)

I bet your avatar on those forums isn't as cool as the one you have here.


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## Catwoman (Mar 10, 2013)

NOOOO, they're not... I was thinking of copying & pasting... (can I do that)???


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## Catwoman (Mar 10, 2013)

I don't even have any avatars there yet!


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## Kevin (Mar 10, 2013)

Catwoman said:


> NOOOO, they're not... I was thinking of copying & pasting... (can I do that)???



Of course. Just save your avatar to your image folder or wherever yo like, and upload it on your other forums.


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## davebug (Mar 10, 2013)

If it where me rather then partitioning the main hard drive on the new pc I would just plop in a second drive and install windows xp on that, then just select it as primary boot in bios. Being a new computer it should have the uefi bios which is way easier to use then the old bios. That way when and if you decide to move to windows 7 its still a clean install on the hard drive with full use going to it. If their are not enough bays/eSATA slots you can pull the W7 hard drive and just replace it with what ever you are going to reinstall XP on. If you no longer have the product codes for any software you plan on moving you can use a program called Belac Advisor or Keyfinder to scan your computer for all your product keys, including the windows activation code. Speaking of which if you did not buy a new windows license you will more then likely have to call microsoft to get the activation to take. They dont like you to reuse codes like that but you can just tell them your mother board got fried or what ever. I think XP may be at the end of its life as far as updates and support goes or close to it. You should be able to install almost any 32 bit program on the 64 bit OS. I have both 64 and 32 bit installed on one of my 64 bit pc's since some plug ins will only work in 32 bit mode.

Kevin if you want to build a mac not sure that's possible, but you sure could build a hackintosh. It is a custom built pc that runs what ever apple os you decide to drop in on it just google hackintosh, lifehacker.com usually has a up to date guide on it.


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## Mike Mills (Mar 11, 2013)

Thanks for the forum links Cat. I found a question answered that is exactly what I want to do. 

Dave, I did just what you described years ago with a different computer and it worked fine. I am looking to go to an “all in one” so it is just the screen, keyboard, and mouse. Per the info at Microsoft, if you have win7pro and want to install XP on a different dive and do not have an install disc they will let you download it free. Guess they have had a lot of people who want to do the same thing.
Thanks for the info on Belac Advisor and Keyfinder. I hope I don’t need them but I may have some missing. I always make a document with the key number. Any upgrades to programs other than Microsoft I also download to the desktop and then install and I can keep all upgrade exe’s in a file to reinstall again if needed.


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