Posts by Keith Bennett38

Roger Brown50 said:It starts extracting and then just cuts out at the end

Is your HDD using a FAT32 file system? You probably need to convert it to NTFS.

http://www.cdrom-guide.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=234933

Carl Brown4 said:Thanks, looks like I can find it.

I see they have VUP and ROW versions listed. I get that VUP means VUP version upgrade, but what's ROW? 😕

Here's the Retail version:



The prices are... interesting, to say the least. 🙂

Carl Brown4 said:Hey,
I'm looking to grab Windows 7 Pro, but I want the option to install it on more than one machine. That means I need the "Retail" version instead of "OEM," since OEM stays tied to just one PC. The thing is, I can't find anyone in any online shops here in Washington, D.C. offering both versions—it seems like everyone just sells OEM...

Any idea where I can find "Retail"?
😕

I'm not sure what you mean by installing it on multiple PCs???
It's one license per computer. With Retail, I guess you can move it to a different machine, but only if you uninstall it from the first one first. 🙂

bluetinker17 said:so this is what the advisor sent me, http://www.easy-share.com/1912266071/untitled.JPG . It says at the top I can run Windows 7, but I don't get this "custom installation required" part :/:/ . Why couldn't they just say yes or no? :S

From what I can tell, your PC meets all the requirements for Windows 7, and the OS should have all the drivers you need for your build.
They're suggesting a clean install (wiping the C: drive 🙂), rather than an upgrade, since you'll probably run into issues with existing software.
It's really up to you if you want to wipe the partition and go with a fresh Windows 7 setup.

PS: Maybe use Tinypic next time? Having to wait two minutes just to download a single image is a bit much 😢

bluetinker17 said:I mean, that's why I asked :/:/ . . . . looks like I might just stick with my old XP setup . . . also, if I do eventually move to XP, what's actually the difference between SP3 and Service Pack 2 for Windows XP?

Maybe just grab the Windows 7 upgrade advisor and run it on your PC. It'll check your hardware and let you know if any drivers might be an issue before you commit to installing Windows 7. 🙂
After that, you can decide if you want to jump to 7 or just stay on XP.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/e...displaylang=en

Besides the graphics, you might want to grab the Taskbar software too; I guess it helps those colored function keys actually work 🙂
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...15867&sw_lang=

Thomas Green96 said:So, basically, I'm not trying to mess anything up, I just want to download the program first to get things started, right? Or am I totally off base? And then I'll just grab whatever else I need through them?

Maybe give it a shot. That's how I handle things on my HP. The software usually picks up your laptop automatically and shows you all the latest drivers and software available, so you can just pick what you actually need.
I usually install pretty much everything except for BIOS updates. My rule of thumb for the BIOS is: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 🙂

Thomas Green96 said:yeah, maybe a Compaq Presario CQ71 or something like that, but do they actually have issues with it? I might give it a shot tomorrow since I'm on my PC right now, so I'll let you know...

If it's an HP's laptop, I'd suggest using the Softpaq download manager. It should grab all the drivers you need and install them automatically.
http://h20331.www2.hp.com/Hpsub/cach...0-225-121.html

There's some software out there that can fix function keys. If you let us know which laptop model you're using, maybe we can help you out!

Thomas Green96 said:Can someone explain how to dim the screen on Windows 7? It’s an American menu, I've looked everywhere but can't find it. Is there a keyboard shortcut? Also, how do I get better resolution?

Screen brightness? You talking about a laptop?
Maybe try hitting Fn + those keys with the little sun icons on them.
If that doesn't work, you probably need to grab the specific software for your laptop to make it happen.

@Lawrence Doyle7/">@@Lawrence Doyle7
I guess I wasn't being super clear about that OEM software stuff. I was talking about the pre-installed versions that come ready to go on a machine—you know, the kind big manufacturers like HP, Lenovo, Acer, or Toshiba get at a discount.
eMachines is actually an Acer brand, just their budget line meant to compete with those cheap off-brand PCs.
Customer support is probably best over at Lenovo (since they took over IBM), mostly because they bundle a ton of useful tools, like that System Update utility that handles all your drivers and software updates automatically. That said, ThinkPad prices are way higher than other brands with similar specs.
Anyway, thanks for the offer to sell me a rig, but I actually ended up grabbing an HP Probook 4510 (Intel Dual Core, 4GB RAM, 500 GB HDD...) recently. It’s decent enough, though the build quality doesn't quite hit the level of a ThinkPad. (It was about $667 cheaper than a comparable ThinkPad.

Taylor Morales31 already broke down why one laptop beats another 🙂
I guess I can explain the difference between an OEM license and a Retail one. An OEM version is tied specifically to the computer you bought it for and usually costs around $133. Technically, you should be able to move a Retail license from one machine to another, though it’s a bit more complicated in practice. Every time you try to move the installation to a different PC, you have to reactivate it. Usually, it'll tell you the serial number is already in use. Then you end up having to call Microsoft to get them to authorize it again, and you just have to hope they take your word for it that you wiped it from the old machine. 🙂
In ten years, Microsoft will probably release three new versions of Windows and stop supporting Windows 7 altogether, so there's not much chance you'll still be running Windows 7 a decade from now. (Just my two cents!) 🙂

PS. Once you pick up a ThinkPad and compare it to other laptops, you pretty quickly notice how it stacks up against the competition. My R51 is still running like it did on day one after five and a half years, even if time has caught up with it. It's a snail compared to modern machines, but it still works perfectly. It came with Windows XP Pro pre-installed. I messed around with trying to install Windows 7 on it, but the lack of graphics drivers was a dealbreaker. Like I said, time just caught up with it. 😢

@Lawrence Doyle7/">@@Lawrence Doyle7

Those apps you're talking about are just the software that comes bundled with your laptop (like Camera or the launch manager...). You'll probably need to reinstall them once you're done setting up Windows. They're mostly there to handle things like volume controls, screen brightness, or getting the webcam to work.
Good luck with the install.
Honestly though, I'd never recommend picking up an eMachines laptop if you can help it. They're pretty bottom-of-the-line. You really should have looked for something like a Lenovo ThinkPad, an HP Pavilion, or maybe a Toshiba... plus, if you'd spent a little extra, you probably would've had Windows already pre-installed instead of having to pay full price for it now. 😢

Joshua Garcia3 said:Man, you're making installing Windows 7 sound like a PhD thesis. I don't mind you asking, but... it's kind of like when you go to the bathroom—do you grab one square or take the whole roll? Just start the install; you'll be fine. If you get stuck, just ask. 🙂👍

I always keep the whole pack by the toilet, just in case. 🙂
The guy's never done this before, so he's a little nervous... can't really blame him. 😁

Laptops don't really have a restart button. On almost all laptops and newer desktops, you just force a shutdown by holding down the power button for about 5 or 6 seconds.
Regarding drivers, Windows 7 is pretty much a polished OS that comes with most drivers built-in. For anything it's missing, it usually grabs them easily through Windows update or by letting you point it to a specific folder to pick the right one. (Windows 7 is smart enough to find the right stuff; if it can't find a match or if they're only for Windows XP, it'll just tell you nothing compatible was found at that location.)
It might give you a warning about a driver not being digitally signed, but I'd say just ignore that and let it install. If it still doesn't work after that, you could always try again using a different version or a different folder. You aren't really going to break anything this way.
It’s probably best to have an Ethernet cable plugged in during the process so it can grab whatever drivers it needs from the web right away. Then you can just manually add whatever it couldn't find on its own (if there's even anything left to do). Since you're working with a Dell machine, there's a decent chance something might stay uninstalled. 😢
For those drivers you downloaded, if there's a Setup.exe file in there, that's just the executable you double-click to start the installation.
So, if you have a Setup.exe for your sound card, for example, you just double-click that setup to get the audio drivers installed.
Installing Windows 7 itself isn't too hard; there are tons of tutorials online with screenshots that walk you through the whole thing step-by-step.
If things get messy, just shut it down, reboot, and start over. 🙂
You can always find someone who knows their way around a PC to do it for you. But if you ask me, you should just give it a shot—it's not like it's rocket science. 🙂

Lawrence Doyle7 said:I wish it worked that way for me too, but I doubt it—especially since sites like eMachines list drivers that Windows 7 supposedly doesn't include. I'm not really sure how Windows 7 would even find or install them on its own, though maybe it can. Again, I'm just wondering how you actually install drivers if Windows 7 doesn't download them automatically. If anyone knows, let me know. I'm about to go dive into a Microsoft-esque book on the subject to see if that helps. If I won't break anything, I might just try running the Windows 7 install and the drivers myself.

Don't worry, you won't break anything.
Here's the deal with installing drivers.
1. You just run the driver setup file if there is one and let it do its thing. Basically, just click Next, next, Finish. You might have to restart afterward.

2. If there isn't a setup file and you just have files like .inf, you go to Control Panel - System - Device Manager - (pick the device with the question mark that needs the driver) - and once that window pops up, you just point it to where the drivers are located and let it grab and install them.
That's a pretty simplified version, but honestly, it's probably best to just start the Windows installation and when you hit a snag with the drivers, ask a specific question here so we can help you out. 🙂

casualcrane43 said:Hey, looks like you guys are active here, so I figured I'd ask for some help.
My sound card drivers vanished and I need new ones. I don't have any CDs, and my motherboard is an
ASUS Motherboard. Does anyone know where I can download the drivers, please?

Is this your board???

http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Pro...uID=18&LanID=0

You should be able to find your board there and grab the drivers you need.

It’s pretty hard to go wrong with Logitech, I guess. 🙂

Douglas Garcia52 said:I’ve got a bit of a situation here, though this is mostly for you computer wizards

I picked up some TV tuner card, but there isn't a single clue about the manufacturer anywhere on it.
The card just shows this stuff:

S800 VER 1.3 2005.1.12
MRH1S801BISC051110595

DOES ANYONE HAVE A CLUE HOW TO FIGURE OUT WHO MADE THIS OR WHAT THE ACTUAL MODEL NAME IS?
I really need to find the drivers for Windows 7.

Is this mission impossible?
👍

Maybe it's this

http://xpdrivers.es/conexant-analog-...load-3627.html

though I'm kind of worried the card might be too old for Windows 7 😢

Douglas Garcia52 said:I think I fixed the system for now, but if it starts acting up again, I might just reinstall everything.
👍

If Aero was working before, it really should be working now. Maybe check under Windows Update to see if there are any graphics drivers waiting in Optional Updates. It feels like this is probably just a driver issue. 👍