Question for the REAL IT folks out there. I have received Kamala's new laptop and been able to remove the HD. It is easily replaceable and the replacements are fairly cheap. The factory HD's on laptops have a hidden partition with the faulty backup images on them in a hidden partition. I am not sure I trust this hidden partition since it seems to be tied into the bios so that the computer can be reset to the factory settings easily. If the computer has programs to silently access it what else is it doing with it. I'm not certain, so I would like to replace it and eliminate that variable. The factory HD would be available in a worst case scenario to make the machine run again in a pinch if necessary.
I can do the replacement but that means I have to buy a new OS license as well. With this I can do a 100% clean install and set up her account as user instead of admin so that internet programs will not automatically install themselves QUITE AS EASILY . I'll partition it into two partitions, one for data and one for OS so when the OS goes bad again we can just format over that partition and keep the data. The new machine only has drivers for Windows 7 available. I can buy a 3 pack of XP for about $112 and she knows how to use XP. I can maybe use another license on her current machine and it does have XP drivers available.
Here are the questions:
1) Does anyone know if the generic drivers supplied with XP generally work with all products? Can I expect the generic drivers to more or less work on the new machine?
2) What advantages does Windows 7 have over XP? Would it be better to stick with Windows 7 and why?
thanks
BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH...Had and Having computer problems....
Started by
WreckWench
, Feb 10 2011 08:23 AM
17 replies to this topic
#17
WreckWench
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Posted 18 February 2011 - 01:30 PM
Thank you Scott! If all things are equal I have gotten used to win7 so don't mind staying with it. Having said that I like your plan so far. Pls let me know what we need to do next. And 
to all the IT folks out there who might be able to help us finish out this project. Kamala
p.p.s. and thanks to greg@iphil for letting me use his computer before the show starts today!
to all the IT folks out there who might be able to help us finish out this project. Kamalap.p.s. and thanks to greg@iphil for letting me use his computer before the show starts today!
Contact me directly at Kamala@SingleDivers.com for your private or group travel needs or 864-557-6079 AND don't miss SD's 2018-2021 Trips! ....here! Most are once in a lifetime opportunities...don't miss the chance to go!!
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#18
shadragon
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Posted 18 February 2011 - 02:06 PM
Will try to answer before a real IT guy comes along and contradicts me. heheheHere are the questions:
1) Does anyone know if the generic drivers supplied with XP generally work with all products? Can I expect the generic drivers to more or less work on the new machine?
2) What advantages does Windows 7 have over XP? Would it be better to stick with Windows 7 and why?
1) To a point, yes. Any piece of hardware that exists on the official Microsoft hardware compatibility list will load without fuss. Anything else that is "non-official" (Meaning they have not paid MS tons of money) then probably not unless you have them to hand on a disk or USB key. HCL is here: Do an inventory of the hardware in the Device Manager before formatting the driive and download anything not on the HCL beforehand unless you have a second PC with Internet.
2) 7 handles more addressable memory and supposedly has cleaner code (It is essentially Vista with all the annoying bits removed), but it does have incompatibilities with older software. From a user perspective there is no real difference beyond file locations on the HD. XP is certainly still viable as an OS so if you have a license, use it.
The hidden partition will be useless if you use a non-OEM version of the OS anyway so you may as well delete it. As a tip, if you do reinstall, dump the i386 directory from the XP install disk onto the root of the blank D: drive (Data) then run it from there and install the OS onto the C: drive. Makes running SFC (System File Checker - Most under-used MS tool ever) a LOT easier as all the paths are already set from day one and if you ever have to reinstall you do not have to hunt to find the CD.
Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...! 
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Tech Support - The hard we do right away; the impossible takes us a little longer...
"I like ponies on no-stop diving. They convert "ARGH!! I'M GOING TO DIE" into a mere annoyance." ~Nigel Hewitt
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