[Elecraft] OT- experience porting XP->WIN7

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

> Totally new OSs from Microsoft tend to be flaky until their second
> incarnation.

Windows 8 or 8.1 is hardly a totally new OS - it is primarily a touch
interface layered over Windows 7.  If one is not using the "tablet" or
Windows Phone interface on a touch enabled device, switching to the
traditional desktop provides nearly the same interface as Windows 7.
Coupled with some third party add-ons (like Classic Shell) the user
can achieve nearly the same interface as Vista or Windows XP with the
added reliability of Windows 8 under the hood.

I have both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 systems with Classic Shell and
I would not bother with Windows 7 on a new system - nor would I even
consider upgrading hardware that will not support Windows 8 given the
sub-$500 price point of quality new i5 based systems.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 2014-11-19 10:39 AM, Rick Tavan N6XI wrote:
> Your experience is exactly why I avoid changing OSs as long as possible.
> When I do, I take it as an opportunity to drop applications and features
> that I haven't been using - no need to port what you won't use.
> Nonetheless, it's always odious. However, I must say that converting to Win
> 7 was a really good move for me. It boots faster and runs much more
> reliably than XP on my setup. Now I'm trying to avoid Win 8 and expect I'll
> skip it entirely. Totally new OSs from Microsoft tend to be flaky until
> their second incarnation.
>
> 73,
>
> /Rick N6XI
>
> On Wed, Nov 19, 2014 at 6:39 AM, brian <alsopb at nc.rr.com> wrote:
>
>> You often see postings here advocating abandoning XP in favor of newer
>> OS's.   Yeah sounds great, but the devil is in the details.
>>
>> I just finished a port to a faster refurbed multicore WIN7 machine.
>>
>> The task involved:
>> 1)50 programs and data
>> 2) 3 sound cards (4 if you include the video)
>> 3) eight USB ports of stuff
>> 4) five RS232 ports of stuff
>> 5) one lpt port
>> 6) Networking with XP computers
>> 7) Internet
>>
>> I started October 23.  Finally I have 98% of what I had working under
>> XP.   It took an estimated 80 hours of work and cost in excess of $500.
>> Admittedly, I'm on the low knowledge end of OS stuff (and maybe in the
>> majority of ham users in that regard).
>>
>> The most difficult parts were:
>> 1) Device drivers.  Trial and error process.
>> 2) Sound card problems.  It's a zoo.
>> 3) Networking  (it takes 15 at first unknown steps in several pull down
>> boxes to do what a single click in XP used to do)
>>
>> I still have one unresolved issue with the motherboard sound.  It simply
>> won't output anything via line out.  I'm almost convinced that the sound
>> out hardware is bad.    It's quite possible on the refurbed machine that
>> the previous owner clobbered the hardware. WIN7 seems a bit flaky in sound
>> card stuff.
>>
>> It isn't a trivial process unless you're just interested in E-mail,
>> Internet browsing and a few spreadsheet programs.
>>
>> Thank goodness WIN7 isn't bleeding edge.  I can't imagine doing this for a
>> newly released OS.  GOOGLE is your friend in the process.
>>
>> 73 de Brian/K3KO
>>
>>
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