I just got a new computer

- Collapse -

I know nothing!

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Dec 30, 2011 9:19PM PST

We've all been there Diana and as you have likely found already, Windows 7 is quite different from XP. I think you're going to have fun!

Tell us more about this favorites file. Did you "Export" it from the old XP system's IE? If so it should have created a .htm file, {eg somename.htm} and saved it somewhere on the XP hard drive. Then you copy that to your external hard drive. Is that what you did?

If so, try copying that file off the external drive to your new Windows 7 hard drive. I would use the Desktop folder as a good temporary location, (drag it from the external drive location onto the Desktop).

Then open IE on this new system and Import that file.

Does that work? if not, where does it fail?

You will like Windows 7, honest! And welcome to the 21st century. Only 12 years late.

Mark

- Collapse -

My son says my old computer is about 25 years late.

by Diana Forum moderator Dec 31, 2011 10:02AM PST

But I think he was exaggerating.
I didn't do anything as logical as exporting the favorites. I just copied the whole (or most) of the hard drive to the external one. Right now I'm just opening the favorites folder and opening the websites I want and saving them to the new computer's hard drive. Can I export the favorites file on the external to a file and import it to the internal? I'm not even sure how to do that. Can I just overlay the old one over the new one? It seems like that's what I did before but that was a few years ago.
I haven't even tried to work on outlook express.
I have installed Quicken and Office and AVG. I'm still confused about what is on top of internet explorer but I'm working on it.
This week has been rough anyway. I have a new schedule at work, my shoulder still hurts from a fall, one doctor wants to do a cat scan and another an MRI. My cat died Friday and I came down with the first cold I've had in years.
At any rate, I've been sleeping a lot. It's a hell of a way to end a year.
Happy New Year.
Diana

- Collapse -

Just

by samkh Dec 31, 2011 3:41PM PST

copy the entire contents of C:\Documents and Settings\<your user account>\Favorites from the XP machine to C:\Users\<your user account>\Favorites on the W7 machine.

Start learning the directory organization of W7 and their equivalent in XP and the puzzles will be solved. Good luck and HNY!

- Collapse -

Nobody told me I couldn't get Outlook Express on 7

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 1, 2012 12:47AM PST

Now what I do? What is replacing it? I have several years of emails on my external hard drive.

- Collapse -

Ouch, another W7 gotcha!

by samkh Jan 1, 2012 1:26AM PST

Well known, so forums have lot of suggestions re OE replacement.

- Collapse -

No Outlook Express

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Jan 1, 2012 5:59AM PST

Sorry, it got removed with Vista and replaced in Win 7 with Windows Live Mail.

I'm told that WLM is very similar to OE. There are differences but users get used to that.

WLM is part of Windows Live Essentials, available from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-live-essentials . I am not sure if you can download it's Mail component, (Windows Live Mail), separately, or if you need the whole package.

Mark

- Collapse -

I was able to import my saved emails

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 1, 2012 8:03AM PST

to Windows Mail, I think. I don't see my folders. The pictures don't show up in the emails. How do I get it to use html?

- Collapse -

Figured out about the html

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 1, 2012 8:51AM PST

and found my folders. Now I get to redo my messages rules.

- Collapse -

That's great

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Jan 1, 2012 7:18PM PST

on both counts.

How are you enjoying your new Windows 7 experience?

Mark

- Collapse -

I'm just wondering what other surprises

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 1, 2012 9:11PM PST

it has in store for me.

Diana

- Collapse -

UAC might come as a surprise, if you've not encountered it

by Steven Haninger Jan 2, 2012 4:46AM PST

That stands for "User Access Control". Windows 7 likes to think that all users are potential hackers with criminal intent. You might want to adjust your security settings to convince Win7 that you are not a threat. Other than that, most of what you were accustomed to with XP is still there with Windows 7 but everything has been either renamed, reorganized or both. This causes confusion for those who are creatures of habit. I strongly suspect that rearranging everything was handled by an all female team.

- Collapse -

Women tend to be practical and

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 2, 2012 7:09AM PST

pragmatic. We do what works and is easy.

- Collapse -

I agree with

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Jan 2, 2012 5:16AM PST

everything Steven says.

Well, everything but his last comment. I'm not the suicidal type!

I've gotten used to UAC and it doesn't bother me. I know why its there and that's why I let it pop up every now and then.

You will see "Libraries" in the system. Documents and Settings has gone and been replaced by "Users", but you may find some folders that look ordinary, but when you attempt to add files to them, or delete or move files from them, you will get an Access Denied message. That's fine because these are what is called "Junction Points". They are not real folders at all, but types of shortcuts to other places. That's because some older software will want to install files in the old Documents and Settings folders. As these no longer exist, Win 7 provides these Junction Points to allow the install to proceed.

Aero? Do you have a Win 7 version where Aero works? That's cool, and useful.

Mark

- Collapse -

(NT) Okay, what's Aero?

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 2, 2012 7:07AM PST

- Collapse -

LOL

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Jan 2, 2012 7:43PM PST

It depends which version of Win 7 you have. From Microsoft;

The following editions of Windows 7 include Aero:

Windows 7 Enterprise

Windows 7 Home Premium

Windows 7 Professional

Windows 7 Ultimate

Aero is not included in Windows 7 Home Basic or Windows 7 Starter. You can find out which edition of Windows 7 you have on your computer by opening System in Control Panel.

It might be easier to show you, the video here;
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/aero

And more about it in their net page here;
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/What-is-the-Aero-desktop-experience

It's a "man thing" Diana!

Mark

- Collapse -

It's home premium

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 2, 2012 8:46PM PST

I'll check out the videos at home. They won't allow videos at work.

I know it's a guy thing. I watched Home Improvement.

Diana

- Collapse -

Aero (besides what Mark said)

by Steven Haninger Jan 2, 2012 9:58PM PST

It's unnecessary glitz. It's design is to distract you from realizing when you're having a terrible time trying to get anything done by providing pretty pictures to look at while you seethe with anger. Call it MS Valium.

- Collapse -

Compared to what I was working with

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 3, 2012 6:58AM PST

It is extremely speedy. I just have to figure out where everything is.

- Collapse -

(NT) BTW, this worked, thank you.

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 1, 2012 12:48AM PST

- Collapse -

Ohh dear

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Dec 31, 2011 9:48PM PST

I'm really sorry to hear about all your problems Diana. I hope 2012 proves to be a better year for you. (Apart from Armageddon of course!)

If the suggestion from samkh works for you then that's great.

If not, any chance you can still access the old XP machine and export those Favorites that way?

25 years late! Son's are like that aren't they, mean!

Mark

- Collapse -

It depends on what version of IE you are using.

by The Masked Villain Jan 6, 2012 10:36AM PST

Of course, I am assuming that you are using IE 8. If you are, mount your external hard drive, so the computer sees it as just another hard drive. Your backup software should help you with this. Then copy the favorites folder from the external hard drive, and paste it to your internal drive. In the proper directory of course. IE 9 excepted this like a champion. I did this with the help of a great file manager called EF Commander. It's not that expensive, in fact, they offer an older version for free. Good luck with your new PC. I hope you will have as much fun with yours, as I'm having with mine.

- Collapse -

I did get my favorites over doing just what you said

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 6, 2012 9:23PM PST

Now I would love to know how to copy my message rules and address book from my old outlook express to the new windows live mail.

- Collapse -

Yep

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Jan 7, 2012 4:16AM PST

With a brand new Win 7 system it was likely pre-installed.

The address book should be able to be exported and imported, but I'm not at all sure about message rules. I'm guessing that will have to be done again.

Mark

- Collapse -

Fun conversation

by trilldax42 Jan 7, 2012 7:31AM PST

Unfortunately, I have nothing constructive to add to this conversation. I have had my Win7 computer for about a year and I love it! Like, Diana I'm sometimes still figuring things out.

But I wanted to say that this thread has been the most entertaining thread I've read on learning Win7

- Collapse -

Yep, we do

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Jan 7, 2012 7:24PM PST

try to be professional here!

Mark

- Collapse -

Okay new question on Windows LiveMail

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 8, 2012 9:02AM PST

I've resigned to replacing all my message rules but where is the address book. I can't even right click and have the sender added to the address book.

- Collapse -

Another question

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 8, 2012 9:29AM PST

Is it possible to get the simple games I enjoy and I don't have to think real hard about. You know the games like Solitaire and Freecell. All I'm seeing are games I can play online and I have to think too hard to play them. These games were something to destress, not have to think.

- Collapse -

Now that's strange

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Jan 8, 2012 7:41PM PST

I've still got those Diana, in Start > All Programs > Games.

The path is C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Games

That said, in Start, right hand side of the menu is a link to Games.

The games I have, (pre-installed) are;

Chess Titans
FreeCell
Games Explorer, (the Windows Explorer window showing all the games installed which is what you see with the link I mentioned above)
Hearts
Internet Backgammon
Internet Checkers
Internet Spades
Mahjong Titans
Minesweeper
More games from Microsoft
Purple Place, (children's game and Yes, I have played it)
Solitaire
Spider Solitaire

However I might have installed a couple from the "More Games" link

Mark
(I see the jury's still out! LOL)

- Collapse -

(NT) Thank you

by Diana Forum moderator Jan 9, 2012 8:14AM PST

- Collapse -

Address Book

by MarkFlax Forum moderator Jan 8, 2012 7:30PM PST

The XP style Address Book expired, sadly, with Vista and Win 7.

Instead there is now a "Contacts" folder in Windows Explorer, and the path for that is;
C:\Users\{YourUsername}\Contacts

I made a shortcut of the folder and placed it on my address book, (right click the folder "Contacts", then "Send to - Desktop (Create SHortcut)".

I did that because I use Thunderbird for my email and not WLM, but I am assuming that WLM will have a Contacts icon anyway. Whether that is linked to the Windows Explorer contact or not, I don't know.

You can Import the old Address Book file into this Explorer Contacts folder. I (also) assume you can import that address book file into WLM's Contacts. But hopefully the discussion in the link below will help clarify.

How's your Win 7 experience so far?

Mark

CNET Forums

Other Forums

Forum Info