Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Rant

windows xp to windows 7

Aug 21, 2014 12:44PM PDT

first of all, we were forced to go to windows 7, now people like myself have a number of windows xp cds/dvds that we cant use on a windows 7 computer. secondly, when i go to my camp i dont have an internet connection there so what kinds of things can i do with my computer now that i cant even use my windows xp material..

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
what's wrong with it?
Aug 21, 2014 6:30PM PDT

what exactly is it you worry won't work in W7? What camp? Maybe time to take a break from computer and enjoy your time at camp instead?

- Collapse -
Re :xp
Aug 21, 2014 6:44PM PDT

XP is safe to use without Internet, so get your old Windows XP laptop and enjoy all that CD's/DVD's, that (according to you) you can't use in Windows 7.

Kees

- Collapse -
No one was forced to leave XP.
Aug 21, 2014 9:11PM PDT

It's sort of like when GM dropped Pontiac didn't mean all Pontiac owners had to buy another type of car. The biggest issue with XP software not working in Windows 7 doesn't have anything to to with WIndows 7 and all to do with 64 bit versus 32 bit. XP 32 bit software will work Windows 7 64 bit but 16 bit probably won't. Now if you have Windows 7 pro and above you can run XP mode seemlessly and run those 16 bit programs.

- Collapse -
Have you actually tried
Aug 21, 2014 11:07PM PDT

Have you actually tried any of these programs that you claim don't work? Have you used the compatibility modes that have been part of Windows since like XP SP2? What's stopping you from upgrading to Win 7 Pro and using XP Mode? You'd be amazed at the number of people I've run into who just assume this or that program isn't compatible, without so much as a single attempt at running it. Programs written for Windows 95 should still work more or less perfectly well with XP as long as the developer stuck to the Win32 API. The further they deviate from that, the more likely something won't work right, but it's their own fault really. That's the whole point of an API, is that if you stick within those bounds, things are pretty much guaranteed to work.

orlbuckeye pegged the single biggest reason programs don't work: You're using ancient 16-bit programs. These programs should have been phased out over a decade ago. Without getting into CPU design theory, 16-bit programs have the capability to crash any program running on the computer at any time. If you want more details google "protected mode operation" and you could spend the rest of your life reading about that one topic. The 64-bit versions of Windows, including Windows XP x64, don't have a 16-bit subsystem. It's time to let those programs go, or to learn to run them inside a VM where they can only take down apps inside the VM, not the rest of the system.

Then assuming "camp" was a typo for "comp", it sounds like a driver issue. The kind that happens when you rush into an OS install. Since you clearly have access to another computer that can access the Internet, use that to try and find a Windows 7 driver for your networking equipment. If not, you get to buy a new one. Chalk it up as tuition for learning to never just throw a Windows upgrade disc in the drive and let it run assuming everything will be fine. Also known as the suck-it-and-see approach. It has a tendency to blow up in your face more often than not, especially on a rather large leap like XP to Windows 7 considering the fairly massive changes to the core of the OS that were introduced with Vista and made it possible -- along with being the whipping boy/scape goat for people too lazy to look past the surface -- for Windows 7 to be so popular.

Assuming this wasn't just an emotional rant/tantrum, you're going to need to be more specific if you want anyone to be able to help. The part in red right above the submit button on every post would be a good place to start: If you're asking for technical help, please be sure to include all your system info, including operating system, model number, and any other specifics related to the problem.

- Collapse -
Who is forcing you?
Aug 31, 2014 10:00PM PDT

Windows Xp support has been pulled back by Microsoft. That does not mean that you should not use it or you can't use it. Who is forcing you to switch to windows 7. And even if you want to, what's the problem. You are not very clear about this problem.