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Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question?

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Ryan P. wrote:
> On 7/11/2011 1:15 AM, mike wrote:
>> Ryan P. wrote:
> 
>> Update the hardware is not a realistic expectation.
>> I've got hardware that predates windows 95. The functionality
>> no longer exists at a rational price. The drivers know how to work
>> the hardware...it's windows that can't talk to the drivers.
>> There's a HAL, why the heck can't the HAL make the legacy hardware
>> work seamlessly?
>>
>> I'm sure somebody had very good reasons for making it incompatible.
>> But that's no consolation when my PAL programmer don't work. I've got
>> GPIB interface cards that require ISA slots. Nothing that can't be fixed
>> with (lots of) money. It's cheaper to keep another machine around
>> with ISA slots and running an older OS.
> 
>  Sounds like you have some pretty specific requirements.  I completely 
> understand why you'd rather keep the older hardware running as long as 
> possible.
> 
>  I am familiar with the legacy hardware conundrum...  I recall spending 
> a long time figuring out how to get an old plotter to work for a small 
> construction company...  Short answer is, it wouldn't work with their 
> brand-spanking-new Windows 8 server.  I had to install it on an old XP 
> machine, and then make it a shared printer that everyone else could 
> access through their terminals.
> 
>  The hours I spent working on it were a LOT less expensive than paying 
> $5,000 for a new plotter.
> 
>> My test system has plugin drives and runs multiple operating systems.
>> It's getting to the point that I can't have a single set of hardware
>> that's fully compatible with different OS's.
> 
>  I'm insanely curious... 

That sound serious..

What types of environments are you using all
> the legacy hardware in?  I'm picturing driver computers for industrial 
> machinery and similar applications?

Nothing so complex.  Just a bunch of hobby stuff that got started
on a VIC-20 and got ported over the years to different hardware.
Only machine I have is a Dremel mounted on a 3-axis positioner.
Last time I ran it was on a 286 with DOS.  Would be interesting
to see how jerky it gets on a multi-tasking OS.

It's not that I can't make stuff run on newer hardware and OS.
I have a choice:
1)plug it in and turn on the switch
or
2)Port it yet again and require dotnet and who-knows-howmany-gigabytes
of additional bloat will be required on the system to run it.
I choose 1.
There's a lot to be said for a single executable that will run on
ANY windows computer.  I've got a bunch of legacy laptop stuff that
won't support enough ram to run XP, much less win7.

But, realistically, most of my real problems went away when I found
a dirt-cheap National Instruments GPIB card with PCI and XP drivers.
Haven't tried it on win7 yet, but I can't afford another win7 license
anyway.

I try to keep my hardware and software at least 5-years behind the
state of the market.  Does wonders for costs.
> 
>  I worked on a Xerox printer (4096) that was being driven by a computer 
> running Windows 3.1 with a custom shell overlay about a year ago...  The 
> hardware dongles were all ISA, come to think about it.  The company had 
> at least been prudent enough to have lots of spare parts to keep that 
> computer running.  Xerox would happily come in and provide new dongles 
> and controllers...to the tune of LOTS of money, of course.

That's one of my issues.  I'm buried in spare parts.
If there's ever an earthquake, I'll be killed by all the computer
stuff falling thru the ceiling.

My estate sale will be run by a museum.

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Thread

Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? "ghelf" <ghelf@sbcglobalDeathToSpam.net> - 2011-07-09 17:55 -0700
  Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? Pen <nospam@spam.none> - 2011-07-09 22:28 -0400
    Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? Bob Villa <pheeh.zero@gmail.com> - 2011-07-09 21:27 -0700
    Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? BillW50 <BillW50@aol.kom> - 2011-07-10 12:14 -0500
  Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? lmarco@panix.com (Lou Marco) - 2011-07-10 04:44 +0000
    Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? lmarco@panix.com (Lou Marco) - 2011-07-10 04:46 +0000
  Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? "Ryan P." <rdeletepaque@wi.rr.comm> - 2011-07-10 00:43 -0500
  Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? mike <spamme9@gmail.com> - 2011-07-10 00:22 -0700
    Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? Bob Villa <pheeh.zero@gmail.com> - 2011-07-10 05:09 -0700
    Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? "Ryan P." <rdeletepaque@wi.rr.comm> - 2011-07-10 17:39 -0500
      Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? mike <spamme9@gmail.com> - 2011-07-10 23:15 -0700
        Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? "Ryan P." <rdeleteyannewguy@gremovemail.com> - 2011-07-11 12:45 -0500
          Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? mike <spamme9@gmail.com> - 2011-07-11 21:01 -0700
  Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? Tazz <dmswaine@gmail.com> - 2011-07-10 23:57 -0300
  Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? "ghelf" <ghelf@sbcglobalDeathToSpam.net> - 2011-07-10 22:18 -0700
    Re: Installing Window 7 on a 4 year old laptop question? mike <spamme9@gmail.com> - 2011-07-10 23:49 -0700

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