New Laptop Advice

Fay · Jan 02, 2012, 09:48:38

I am thinking it may be a good idea to get a new imaging laptop. Before something happens to my Toshiba, i could get a new one up & running, in my own time.

I am thinking i will finally have to go over to Windows 7. Are all our programs compatible with it? Being that I have XP, Will all my images etc transfer ok from this hard drive to a windows 7 one? Is it that much different from XP?

Please can you give me recommendations on a new one?

Thanks a lot in advance

mickw · Jan 02, 2012, 10:48:40

Although my W7 laptop is misbehaving at the moment (probably something I did), I managed to install everything I used with XP so you should have no problem.

If you were happy with with the Tosh, why not try and get it repaired first ?
A quick search came up with a PC repair in Bromley
http://www.pcrepairs.me.uk/

Worth giving them a call

RobertM · Jan 02, 2012, 13:15:25

I got mine from Dell Outlet, you can find some good offers there. I've not had any problems running all my astro programs with the one I got with Win 7 32bit (Pro version) installed.

Robert

Rocket Pooch · Jan 02, 2012, 13:35:44

Hi Fay,

I use Wndows 7 64bit, no issues at all and makes XP look very very slow! I would recomment 64 bit, our Dell home laptops were £379 4GB, 500GB hard drive from Tesco.

I have AIP4WIN, Photoshop, PHD, Nebulosity, Cart du Ciel, ASCOM, EQMod all running on it with no problems. The virus scanner is Microsoft Security own.

I have no idea why people still recommend XP, I have this on the Works laptop and its turned a nice quick laptop into an unreliable heap of slowness.

Chris

Fay · Jan 02, 2012, 13:50:59

Robert & Chris, have you both got Inspirons?

Rocket Pooch · Jan 02, 2012, 13:53:33

Hi,

Yes its one of them, don't get a good laptop if your going to put XP on it.

RobertM · Jan 02, 2012, 19:06:55

Mine's a Latitude 5520

Carole · Jan 02, 2012, 21:28:15

The only thing that occurs to me is the drivers. I've been bitten once before when I transferred to Vista from XP and could not get drivers for my webcam for Vista and had problems downloading PHD to my Vista laptop whereas I had no such problems with XP. I had to keep two laptops running just because of the webcam, but I've now replaced that webcam so it's no longer a problem.

Other than that, once I got used to Vista, I have had no further problems with it for imaging.
I know this is not W7, but I guess it's a similar scenario.

Carole

Fay · Jan 02, 2012, 22:04:28

better the devil you know... as much as possible, especially in our game

Mike · Jan 02, 2012, 22:24:07

Vista was undoubtedly Microsofts biggest mistake (Behind IE6 and Microsoft Bob). Nothing worked on it. You would have been better off with Windows 3.1.

In fact, according to Wikipedia, PC World rated it as the biggest tech disappointment of 2007, and it was rated by InfoWorld as #2 of Tech's all-time 25 flops.

Windows 7 is a vast improvement and I have to agree with Chris in that it is an improvement over XP. Unless you are running very very old hardware that may not have had any updates to their drivers for many years then Windows 7 is your best bet and there will be drivers for it. Remember that Windows 7 has now been out for 2 years and XP is now 10 years old.

There are some annoyances with Windows 7, but they can all be disabled (such as the incredibly irritating UAC). Vista put off a lot of people from updating to WIndows 7, but trust me, they are totally different operating systems.

Mac · Jan 02, 2012, 23:18:27

quick question.

can you run 32bit software on a 64bit windows 7 machine?

Mac.

Mike · Jan 02, 2012, 23:30:11

Yes

Rocket Pooch · Jan 03, 2012, 09:30:16

Quote from: Mac on Jan 02, 2012, 23:18:27
quick question.

can you run 32bit software on a 64bit windows 7 machine?

Mac.

Your having a laugh

Fay · Jan 03, 2012, 10:02:38

not the sort of question Mac would ask, so i would think he is having a laugh.

I have wondered that myself

mickw · Jan 03, 2012, 11:38:59

I don't think 32 bit programs run on XP 64 bit

Mac · Jan 03, 2012, 13:14:47

The reason for the question was.

my psu in the desktop is starting to fail now, and they no longer make the psu for mine.
All i can get now is a brick shape as opposed to the long flat 1kw one mine is. (XPS system GEN 4)
and im not too sure they have the correct shapped PSU leads for the motherboard and graphics card.

well its been on 24/7 for 7 years now, and its only just starting to fail, so im pretty happy with it.

As i have her horror stories about win 64 bit not being able to run 32bit software, ect, ect. so i have steared clear of the 64bit system

I though i'd just post the question, as i wouldnt want to get a 64bit Windows system and not have any of my software run.

Its taken me a long time to purchase

all of my software and i wouldnt like to go through that again.

Just for the informed i was looking at this.
http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=d00x8331&c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&model_id=xps-8300

upgrading from windows home to ultimate.

Mac.

Ian · Jan 04, 2012, 00:17:53

yes, 64 bit runs 32 bit software, no worries. Drivers are different though, although whether you can use 32 bit ones and put up with some sort of functional problems, I'm not sure.

the only difference I've found between 32 and 64 bit W7 is that 64 can see much more memory, but only if it's installed. 32 is limited to about 3.1Gb RAM.

Fay · Jan 13, 2012, 18:04:55

what about USB3, do camera etc, run ok with these, when they have been used to USB2?

Mike · Jan 13, 2012, 18:45:41

They should do. USB 3 is backwards compatible with 2 the same as 2 is with 1.

Fay · Jan 13, 2012, 18:47:16

oh ok mike thanks

Ian · Jan 13, 2012, 19:50:28

but you might just as well completely ignore them unless you've got a usb 3 hard drive. At the moment, they're just about the only class of devices that can make use of them...

Fay · Jan 13, 2012, 20:15:57

so would you have to make sure that there were USB 2 on there as well?

Ian · Jan 13, 2012, 23:30:42

no, usb3 is great if you can use it, as Mike says it'll support usb2 devices. However, usb2 ports are much more useful right now and you're much more likely to find them on laptops and computers.

I guess the time will come for a usb3 astrocam, but that's waaaaay off. It'll be drives that will need it mostly...

RobertM · Jan 13, 2012, 23:36:05

Hmmm, way off you say...

http://www.ptgrey.com/products/flea3_usb3/flea3_usb3_camera.asp

Ian · Jan 14, 2012, 14:18:44

well that just goes to show...

Rocket Pooch · Jan 14, 2012, 18:54:40

My new ish dell has 3xusb2 and 1xusb3.

Fay · Feb 05, 2012, 12:19:24

Bought a Sony laptop:

17.3 screen

500gb hard drive
Windows7/64bit
i5
6gb ram

I have just finished setting it up. It has taken a week, and today i finally re tried the camera connections. All are ok, Atik, SX, QSI SP 900, except the Canon, it seems a suitable driver was never made for this model. will probably have to buy a new one.
The Philips modifed webcam has to go off to Andy so he can flash it to enable it to work on the system.

DSLR Focus will not work now, so have to get to grips with APT & possibly EOS Capture.

all other programs seem ok.

I was concerned about the screen size, but it is really nice & will still fit in my box i have the laptop in when out in the field.

it looks a bit too posh to be using it in the the garden.................................

Rocket Pooch · Feb 05, 2012, 17:24:41

Fay,

You have Nebu thingy for DSLR focus so why not use it? Also if your camera is a 450 you can get up to date drivers for it.

Chris

P.S. I'm sure someone will tell you to downgrade to XP soon

Fay · Feb 05, 2012, 17:28:21

what nebu thingy? is that Nebulosity?. yes thats true. it has just been confirmed, no drivers for 350D for Win 7.

Rocket Pooch · Feb 05, 2012, 18:05:37

Fay,

The drivers are here http://software.canon-europe.com/products/0010192.asp

Just select Windows 7 and English.

Chris

Fay · Feb 05, 2012, 19:15:05

Thanks Chris. i have put in a few languages & the drivers for 350D are not available, in the languages I looked for. Worth a try

mickw · Feb 05, 2012, 21:02:29

I think You'll find the "drivers" as such are embedded in in one of the programs.

If you can use a 350D with APT and W7, any necessary drivers must have been installed.

If the Canon Utility/Capture works, drivers must have been installed.

DSLR focus is very old now so likely will never work unless you can install it in compatability mode.

Fay · Feb 05, 2012, 23:01:00

no cant use it with APT

Mac · Feb 06, 2012, 04:16:20

Just a thought.

Have a look at winXP on Windows7

Just google for windows7 Virtual pc.
They only used to allow it on the Pro versions, but it seems that that resented now.

It will allow you to run an XP system within Windows 7 &
will give you access to the USB & Serial ports.

So you should be able to get access via that if all else fails.

Mac.

Fay · Feb 06, 2012, 08:41:02

oh, i will have a look Mac. It was only available with professional or ultimate.

thing is, would this affect everything that is already on there

The Thing · Feb 06, 2012, 08:42:20

Quote from: Fay on Feb 05, 2012, 19:15:05
Thanks Chris. i have put in a few languages & the drivers for 350D are not available, in the languages I looked for. Worth a try

I would try to install the Vista drivers for the Canon. That's seems to be what everyone else does. If you look at the small print most of the install packages listed for the 350D include Windows 7 64 bit.

Rocket Pooch · Feb 06, 2012, 11:33:48

Great run XP under Windows 7!

That's progress.

Fay · Feb 06, 2012, 12:49:28

i am quite happy with W7 & do think i have to move on. i was just trying to avoid more spending on a camera. Modified it would probably be around £500!!!!!

Mac · Feb 06, 2012, 13:51:03

Quotething is, would this affect everything that is already on there

Nope you are running a virtual system and nothing is changed,
its exactly the same as running any other program.

QuoteGreat run XP under Windows 7!

That's progress.

True, but if the companies dont update their drivers this should get round that issue.
although why doesent microsoft allow drivers to be backward compatible.
thats progress.

a driver is a driver is a driver

Mac.

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