Upgrade from XP to Windows 8

Gene E. Bloch wrote:
On Sun, 21 Sep 2014 21:19:46 -0400, . . .winston wrote:

Gene E. Bloch wrote:
On Sun, 21 Sep 2014 11:14:05 -0700, Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

On Sun, 21 Sep 2014 09:48:14 -0500, Gordon
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Sep 2014 09:59:38 -0400, Big_Al wrote:

What do you use the PC for?

I don't use this computer very often but I have some old genealogy
information and also some old MS Word documents on it that I like to
take a peek at from time to time. I have transferred these to my new
computer but I like to go back to the old copies sometimes if I think
maybe there is an error in the revised version of any of these
documents.

If that's all you use the computer for, you don't need an extra
computer for it. All you need are those old files. Put extra copies of
them on your new computer and never modify those extra copies, Or copy
the files to CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc.

That's what I thought when I tried to install and run software for a
couple of A/V remotes on this W7 system and its Vista precursor.

I ended up with a VM running XP.


Yes, the suggestion to just copy files over without an applciation
capable of opening them is often overlooked....but if the person is
actually editing and revising documents then it would appear that
software does exist since the original document (as far as I can see)
was revised. Though, it wouldn't be the first time that newer later
version software couldn't open older earlier version same software
documents.

Sorry - I didn't mean to imply that it was a universal truth. I should
have indicated only that it's not a 100% failsafe operation. Then I
would have saved you the trouble of correcting me :-)

My particular problem applications are not all that common :-)


I wasn't trying to correct you but only adding to the quagmire of
possibilities sinking in quick sand.

Isn't this all moot (though we can probably think of more things to add
to the quick sand) especially when hardly any route really exists for an
aging pc valued at $20 for installing Windows without having or a desire
to have a valid Windows install media and product key.

If the Lone Ranger shows up with a silver bullet solution I'm all ears.


--
...winston
msft mvp consumer apps

On Mon, 22 Sep 2014 23:56:59 -0400, ". . .winston"
wrote:

[...]
You've an old pc without the need or desire to reinstall XP, you don't
have a valid license and product key for any later operating system that
you are willing to use, and the pc you are struggling with is worth
about $20 and probably more deserving of being recycled than anything else.

The only economically sane thing to do is try a free operating system,
and if that doesn't work or is not to your liking, abandon it. Face
the fact that some things don't last forever.

Rod.

Nor is any operating systems with a valid license and product key free.

So use one that doesn't need a licence or a product key.

There are plenty to choose from, which you can download perfectly
legally at a cost to you (unless you're being pedantic and including
things like the cost of electricity) of absolutely zero. They really
are free, which makes them ideal to try on an old computer you would
otherwise be throwing away.

Rod.

.. . .winston wrote:
Roderick Stewart wrote:
On Sun, 21 Sep 2014 21:14:52 -0400, ". . .winston"
wrote:

[...]
You've an old pc without the need or desire to reinstall XP, you don't
have a valid license and product key for any later operating system that
you are willing to use, and the pc you are struggling with is worth
about $20 and probably more deserving of being recycled than anything
else.

The only economically sane thing to do is try a free operating system,
and if that doesn't work or is not to your liking, abandon it. Face
the fact that some things don't last forever.

Rod.

Nor is any operating systems with a valid license and product key free.


http://www.extremetech.com/computing...9-inch-devices

What the article doesn't point out, is the software sales
through the Microsoft App Store, help make up for the "loss".

Microsoft makes more when a manufacturer puts Android on a device,
as they have their patent tax for each one sold. The combination
of taxing the other guy's OS, plus selling their own OS for free,
is supposed to give them more price leverage. In an attempt
to stop ChromeBook etc.

Paul

Roderick Stewart wrote:
On Mon, 22 Sep 2014 23:56:59 -0400, ". . .winston"
wrote:

[...]
You've an old pc without the need or desire to reinstall XP, you don't
have a valid license and product key for any later operating system that
you are willing to use, and the pc you are struggling with is worth
about $20 and probably more deserving of being recycled than anything else.

The only economically sane thing to do is try a free operating system,
and if that doesn't work or is not to your liking, abandon it. Face
the fact that some things don't last forever.

Rod.

Nor is any operating systems with a valid license and product key free.

So use one that doesn't need a licence or a product key.

There are plenty to choose from, which you can download perfectly
legally at a cost to you (unless you're being pedantic and including
things like the cost of electricity) of absolutely zero. They really
are free, which makes them ideal to try on an old computer you would
otherwise be throwing away.

Rod.


Ideal for an old computer, Yes..though it doesn't look like the op is
jumping through any hoops to do so.

--
...winston
msft mvp consumer apps

On Tue, 23 Sep 2014 03:31:49 -0400, ". . .winston"
wrote:

[...]
You've an old pc without the need or desire to reinstall XP, you don't
have a valid license and product key for any later operating system that
you are willing to use, and the pc you are struggling with is worth
about $20 and probably more deserving of being recycled than anything else.

The only economically sane thing to do is try a free operating system,
and if that doesn't work or is not to your liking, abandon it. Face
the fact that some things don't last forever.

Rod.

Nor is any operating systems with a valid license and product key free.

So use one that doesn't need a licence or a product key.

There are plenty to choose from, which you can download perfectly
legally at a cost to you (unless you're being pedantic and including
things like the cost of electricity) of absolutely zero. They really
are free, which makes them ideal to try on an old computer you would
otherwise be throwing away.

Rod.


Ideal for an old computer, Yes..though it doesn't look like the op is
jumping through any hoops to do so.

It would appear not. At the risk of misjudging him, this does look
like yet another case of somebody asking a question but not wanting
the answer they don't want, even if it's the best one. There may be
more of a human problem than a technical one.

Maybe a lot of people would like to continue to use XP, for it to be
as secure as it's ever been, and for it not to cost anything, but if
that's not possible, it's not possible, and it just has to be faced.

If at first you don't succeed, try something else.

Rod.

On Tue, 23 Sep 2014 09:40:56 +0100, Roderick Stewart
wrote:

It would appear not. At the risk of misjudging him, this does look
like yet another case of somebody asking a question but not wanting
the answer they don't want, even if it's the best one. There may be
more of a human problem than a technical one.



I don't know whether it applies to him, but it's unfortunately often
true that someone will ask a question with the hope of getting
confirmation of the answer he already believes to be correct.

If he gets that answer, he's happy and says (at least to himself) "I
knew it" or "I told you so." If he gets a different answer, he often
doesn't believe it's correct.

On Tue, 23 Sep 2014 07:18:26 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

On Tue, 23 Sep 2014 09:40:56 +0100, Roderick Stewart
wrote:

It would appear not. At the risk of misjudging him, this does look
like yet another case of somebody asking a question but not wanting
the answer they don't want, even if it's the best one. There may be
more of a human problem than a technical one.



I don't know whether it applies to him, but it's unfortunately often
true that someone will ask a question with the hope of getting
confirmation of the answer he already believes to be correct.

If he gets that answer, he's happy and says (at least to himself) "I
knew it" or "I told you so." If he gets a different answer, he often
doesn't believe it's correct.

I have been rather negligent in responding to these posts but I'm
still floating around in empty space, so to speak. I can't make up my
mind what I should do with the old computer. My wife and I use it from
time to time to download stuff that might be threatening to our
regular computers. We have our client software installed and it seems
to work under the new Windows 8 setup but I'm sure the new Windows 8
will balk in a few more days.

We both want Windows 8 on this old computer because we use it on the
other computers and my wife also uses it on the computer where she
does volunteer work.

I guess I should go down to the local computer store and buy a whole
price new DVD box and so a re-install with the new Product Key.

Gordon

On Tue, 23 Sep 2014 00:07:19 -0400, . . .winston wrote:

Sorry - I didn't mean to imply that it was a universal truth. I should
have indicated only that it's not a 100% failsafe operation. Then I
would have saved you the trouble of correcting me :-)

My particular problem applications are not all that common :-)


I wasn't trying to correct you but only adding to the quagmire of
possibilities sinking in quick sand.

Isn't this all moot (though we can probably think of more things to add
to the quick sand) especially when hardly any route really exists for an
aging pc valued at $20 for installing Windows without having or a desire
to have a valid Windows install media and product key.

But sometimes it's just fun to get the thing to work to prove you can do
it, or for the satisfaction of solving a problem, or because your TV
isn't working today, so you're bored :-)

If the Lone Ranger shows up with a silver bullet solution I'm all ears.

:-)

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

Gene E. Bloch wrote:
On Tue, 23 Sep 2014 00:07:19 -0400, . . .winston wrote:

Sorry - I didn't mean to imply that it was a universal truth. I should
have indicated only that it's not a 100% failsafe operation. Then I
would have saved you the trouble of correcting me :-)

My particular problem applications are not all that common :-)


I wasn't trying to correct you but only adding to the quagmire of
possibilities sinking in quick sand.

Isn't this all moot (though we can probably think of more things to add
to the quick sand) especially when hardly any route really exists for an
aging pc valued at $20 for installing Windows without having or a desire
to have a valid Windows install media and product key.

But sometimes it's just fun to get the thing to work to prove you can do
it, or for the satisfaction of solving a problem, or because your TV
isn't working today, so you're bored :-)

If the Lone Ranger shows up with a silver bullet solution I'm all ears.

:-)

I wholeheartedly agree that the challenge can provide satisfaction yet
the only route appears to be the availability of a free (non Windows) or
licensed/product key (Windows) operating system.

I always keep some extra versions of retail and NFR software (Vista
Ultimate, Win7, Win8, Office 07, 10) around in case friends need them
(donate, trade/exchange for something) many collecting dust until the
need or opportunity arrives. Last winter I traded a retail Win7 Pro SP1
with a wine store owner for a bottle of 2010 Chateau Lascombes Margaux.



--
...winston
msft mvp consumer apps

On Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:19:27 -0500, G. Morgan
wrote:

Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2014 18:45:06 -0700, Franklin wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2014 18:19:16 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Like every other version of Windows, the rule is quite clear. It's one
copy (or one license) for each computer.

There's nothing new here. This is exactly the same rule that's been in
effect on every version of Windows starting at least with Windows 3.1.


Oops. How about "Windows 7 Home Premium - Family Pack, Upgrade 3 PC's
for a SPECIAL price" One product key, three computers.


Yes, that was a special sale package. But for regular sales, what I
said was correct: it's one copy (or one license) for each computer.


I've got keys from MSDN that are good for four PC's. I have 5 keys for
each version of 7 & 8 (including Home, Pro, N, etc..) that lets me
install 20 of each version.


Yes, MSDN is very different. But that's not what the subject was
about.

On Thu, 25 Sep 2014 21:55:22 -0500, G. Morgan wrote:

Gene E. Bloch wrote:

Closer to the article, you often hear people misspeak and then correct
themselves, whereupon the other person says "That's OK, I knew what you
meant".

I often say, "I meant what you knew" to lighten up the mood. When the
other person hears you blatantly make a "mistake", it makes them feel a
little better. Thereafter, communication can flow freely without anyone
being uncomfortable.

That approach is worth remembering :-)

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)