Topic: At last I have Windows 7 on a PC! (Read 3738 times)

Bigron · « **on:** 20 July 2018, 16:44:26 »

Now TB can stop moaning at me, I have left Windows XP behind (almost)!
I have been gifted an Acer AspireX1430 (any good?) and an HP V-M200 thingy with aerials coming out of it. Can I use this to set up an Internet connection wirelessly? The Sky router is downstairs and is connected by cable to this old PC, with the new Acer one in another room, It isn't practical at the moment to cable up the Acer, so Iwant to use it wirelessly. Can I do so with this kit, or do I need something else?
PLEASE keep it simple!

Ron.

Terbs · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 July 2018, 16:49:51 »

Probably no help to you Ron, but my Computer upstairs just has a cheap Belkin dongle plugged in the back, and that connects ok to my BT hub downstairs wirelessly.

Mine has a small stand, and you can either use the stand, or just plug it in directly.

This sort of thing..... http://www.belkin.com/uk/support-product?pid=01t80000001qJZtAAM

Sorry if it sounds a bit patronising, but you said easy !!!

Bigron · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 July 2018, 17:05:27 »

Not patronising at all, easy is fine for me!
I opened that link and just as I was reading it, they took me to an advertising page that wanted my name, rqank, number and inside leg measurement!
However, I think you are right, I need something to receive the Google things and I'll try opening it again - or try on Ebay!

Ron.

Terbs · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 July 2018, 17:10:37 »

Yes, there are many dongle's out there, if you excuse the pun !!! I use the stand with my computer as it is in a cabinet hidden away, so connecting with the cable to the usb, I can put the stand out on top to pick up the best wireless signal

I can wirelessly get normal internet, wife uses it to order her Tesco online. BBC I player, etc, etc all received with no problems. I even have one connected to the computer at our caravan, and that picks up the site WiFi perfectly

Bigron · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 July 2018, 17:21:01 »

Thanks, I will go searching. I do so hate the term "dongle"; it must be a yank term - the septics are SO babyish!
Is there a proper technical term, like Firmware key?

Ron.

Terbs · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 July 2018, 17:24:46 »

This is what I have, mate...
I hate the term 'Dongle'

...https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Belkin-N1-Wireless-USB-Adapter-F5D8051uk/272951033396?_trkparms=aid%3D888007%26algo%3DDISC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D52945%26meid%3D2d66bd8a6c00432382b3b6c9bd43e846%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D202370190533%26itm%3D272951033396&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982

Bigron · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 July 2018, 17:34:32 »

Ah yes - not too dear either. I assume that it can be plugged into the PC's USB port and the stand plus lead is to relocatite in case of poor signal?
May I be allowed another question, please: the hard drive is 1TB, divided into two 500GB sectors, Drive C and Drive D. The D rive is called a Data drive and is empty. Can I use that drive for my programmes, etc? It has a much posher version of Photoshop (CS) so I ecxpect to need to store many images.....

Ta very much,
Ron.

Terbs · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 July 2018, 17:38:32 »

Never played with sectors, Ron...I just have full drives in here. However, I see no reason why not. Just remember when you load a programme, to point it at the 'D' drive , or it will end up on usual default of 'C' drive....
And yes....that is the beauty of the extra stand. Not telling you to get one like mine, only that I have no trouble with mine. Unfortunately, due to everything here all packed for our move, I can't send you the spare one I have here

Bigron · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 July 2018, 19:19:55 »

Thanks for the thought anyway and good luck with the move - not a happy task.

Ron.

Gaffers · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 July 2018, 09:59:57 »

Just in time for Windows 7 to go out of support in 18 months

Bigron · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 July 2018, 14:11:48 »

Thanks for your encouragement and support.....

Ron.

dave the builder · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 July 2018, 16:56:52 »

Quote from: Bigron on 21 July 2018, 14:11:48

Thanks for your encouragement and support.....

Ron.

google says that spec of pc will run windows 10 Ron

may be worth doing that now , rather than get use to 7 then swap $:-\$
up to you

Bigron · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 July 2018, 18:01:19 »

Exactly what I was thinking, Dave, but apparently the offer of a free upgrade from 7 to 10 has expired - missed it by a year!

Ron.

TheBoy · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 July 2018, 10:13:07 »

Quote from: Bigron on 21 July 2018, 18:01:19

Exactly what I was thinking, Dave, but apparently the offer of a free upgrade from 7 to 10 has expired - missed it by a year!

Ron.

And even if you claim you have accessibility issues, that free upgrade has ended.

The Acer is a piece of crap, but probably less crap than before. I don't believe in portioning disks on Windows clients, so would convert it all back to one big C:. That said, I'd rip out the drive and shove an SSD in. Life is too short to wait for old disks.

Bigron · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 July 2018, 12:07:31 »

One day you will approve of whatever I have, TB!

Ron.

dave the builder · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 July 2018, 14:33:47 »

I agree with TB on some points
I see no valve in partitioning the c drive to create a c and d
if the drive fails, c and d fails
I do however, appreciate you are on a strict budget and possibly lack the knowledge or budget to fit an SSD.

Yes, you missed the free upgrade to win 10
if you have decent broadband , windows 10 can be downloaded from microsoft .
you will then just need an activation code (which can be purchased cheap enough )

LC0112G · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 July 2018, 15:00:10 »

I always partition C and D.

C gets 32GB-FAT32 and I install DOS7 first on that. Windows when goes on D. All programs get installed on D, and all my work/files go on C. For multi-boot I have all my work on C, and then multiple windows installations (Win2K-32, Win7-32, Win7-64, Win10-64), all in their own separate D partitions.

If the disk goes tango uniform and refuses to boot, then there are loads of DOS based disk recovery tools that allow me to rescue my work off C. IME it's rare for the disk hardware to fail - only had 2 fail like that in 30 years. What normally happens is the windows hive or security data gets damaged/corrupted and then the wretched thing won't boot. I recon it's because the sectors containing the critical windows data get hammered over and over again and eventually wear out. If/when that happens, it's relatively easy to just clone the C partition containing my data onto a new disk and start again without losing anything. I've got a box of about 30 hard disks from over the years with faulty windows sectors.

SSD's worry me. They won't wear out mechanically in the same way as a magnetic platter hard disk. When they do go, they'll probably take all your data with them regardless of how they're partitioned.

dave the builder · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 July 2018, 15:14:58 »

Quote from: LC0112G on 22 July 2018, 15:00:10

I always partition C and D.

C gets 32GB-FAT32 and I install DOS7 first on that. Windows when goes on D. All programs get installed on D, and all my work/files go on C. For multi-boot I have all my work on C, and then multiple windows installations (Win2K-32, Win7-32, Win7-64, Win10-64), all in their own separate D partitions.

I'm sure with Ron's wealth of knowledge and experience of all things computer , he will have all that done in a few clicks of his mouse

or,
he could upgrade to win 10 ,back up his data on DVD ,flash drive or get an enclosure to re-use the drive from his d̶i̶f̶f̶e̶r̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶e̶n̶g̶i̶n̶e̶ xp machhine $:-\$

zirk · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 July 2018, 16:12:04 »

Quote from: Bigron on 20 July 2018, 17:21:01

Thanks, I will go searching. I do so hate the term "dongle"; it must be a yank term - the septics are SO babyish!
Is there a proper technical term, like Firmware key?

Ron.

Close Ron, the original term Dongles were a device that you attached to one of the Com Ports as a Security Key to a Specific Software, ie the Software wouldn't run or be limited without the Dongle in order to stop Copyright Infringement,

As for putting you Programs on the D drive Partition, not really worth doing if youve got 500gb to play with, but if you want to do that you will need to to set it up before hand and tell the installer where to install to each time, personally I wouldnt bother but you could store additional Data on the D Drive.

As for Partitions, Im a great fan of them, yea, there all on the same hard Drive end of the day, but makes it so much easier for doing Back Ups, System Image, Partition Copies, System Recovery and Disk Cloning or Disk Upgrades. Example on my Lappy, Ive got 2Tb Hard Drive, but my main C Drive (Windows System) is only around 100gb, like LC0112G says in his post, just before my C Drive Ive got a few Gb hidden away for Boot Utilizes if and when required, all my Data, Docs, Downloads, Pics, Images etc are set to be stored on D Drive, about 400gb, My E Drive (about 1TB), I use for Vidoes and Music, which leaves me 500gb F Drive for C Images Partition Copies and Restore Back Ups, yes I know its on the same Drive but they get backed elsewhere or copied elsewhere, point being at any point if I get a sudden Bad Windows problem, I can recover My C drive System Image within mins whilst away from My other Back Up solutions without having to worry about my other Personal Data.

Bigron · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 July 2018, 17:14:20 »

You have summed me up quite well, Dave!
Zirk, back when I was in gainful employment, in College, I used a printed circuit designing programme which had to have this Key plugged into its rear somewhere before it could even be opened. Some silly colleagues insisted on calling the thing a dongle.
Now, as I am likely to have a lot of photographic images to store and/or manipulate, would the D partition be a suitable place to keep them?

Ron.

dave the builder · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 July 2018, 17:28:42 »

Quote from: Bigron on 22 July 2018, 17:14:20

You have summed me up quite well, Dave!
Zirk, back when I was in gainful employment, in College, I used a printed circuit designing programme which had to have this Key plugged into its rear somewhere before it could even be opened. Some silly colleagues insisted on calling the thing a dongle.
Now, as I am likely to have a lot of photographic images to store and/or manipulate, would the D partition be a suitable place to keep them?

Ron.

just back up files like you always have Ron

Bigron · « **Reply #21 on:** 22 July 2018, 17:34:10 »

Rods2 · « **Reply #22 on:** 23 July 2018, 11:30:42 »

I'm sure Ron also got a paper tape splicing, manual punching repair kit with the paper tape reader at the car boot sale for those manual error detection and correction running repairs.

aaronjb · « **Reply #23 on:** 23 July 2018, 11:42:46 »

Quote from: Bigron on 22 July 2018, 12:07:31

One day you will approve of whatever I have, TB!

TB approves of nothing! Nothing, I tell you!

Bigron · « **Reply #24 on:** 23 July 2018, 11:43:40 »

Thanks for all your helpful comments, gents - you really are showing your age with those antique references to equipment from my grandad's era!

Ron.

TheBoy · « **Reply #25 on:** 24 July 2018, 19:27:36 »

Quote from: aaronjb on 23 July 2018, 11:42:46

Quote from: Bigron on 22 July 2018, 12:07:31
One day you will approve of whatever I have, TB!

TB approves of nothing! Nothing, I tell you!

I base my approvals (and disapprovals) base on the amount of shite that gets dumped round my place with post-its on reading "can you look at this please?"

I approve of most things I've owned for any period... ...as my possesions I disapprove of tend to end up in many, many pieces

Bigron · « **Reply #26 on:** 24 July 2018, 20:13:50 »

And then you destroy my confidence in and appreciation of my new acquision!

Ron.

dave the builder · « **Reply #27 on:** 24 July 2018, 20:16:56 »

Quote from: Bigron on 24 July 2018, 20:13:50

And then you destroy my confidence in and appreciation of my new acquision!

Ron.

have you windows 10'd it Ron ?

Bigron · « **Reply #28 on:** 24 July 2018, 21:29:32 »

No Dave, I can't even get online with it until my hardware key arrives from Ebay!
Then I'll ask Mr. Google if I can still get a free upgrade.....

Ron.

zirk · « **Reply #29 on:** 25 July 2018, 13:07:48 »

Quote from: Bigron on 24 July 2018, 21:29:32

No Dave, I can't even get online with it until my hardware key arrives from Ebay!
Then I'll ask Mr. Google if I can still get a free upgrade.....

Ron.

No Free Upgrades anymore, but if you hunt carefully you should be able to get a proper Win10 licence for around 10 to 15 quid.

Personally 10 is the way to go now, at this stage in the game no point in learning win7 now might as well jump straight in with 10.

News:

Author Topic: At last I have Windows 7 on a PC! (Read 3738 times)

aaronjb