I've got a few questions regarding networking in general and then some issues that have popped up since upgrading (in place) to Windows 7.
1) Generic question: If I were to install a Wireless N router would the wireless network default to the slowest connection on the network? For example, if I had two N wireless adapters and one B adapter would the entire network run at B speeds? If so, would a dual band router allow me to circumvent the issue?
2) Generic question: Would the same issue as outlined in #1 be a problem in a wired network? Can I mix 10/100 and gigE on the same wired network and achieve gig speeds between gig-enabled devices?
3) Specific: I have an HP dv9500t that I upgraded to Windows 7. HP has not released Windows 7 drivers for this machine but I have been able to work around the few issues that I encountered. However, my wireless connection to my Linksys AP (Wireless-G broadband router WRT54G2 with up-to-date s/w) seems to be dropping and recovering on a regular basis. I have not seen the issue on any other wireless network. If I am downloading a large file (say 1G) the d/l will proceed at full speed for ~45 seconds and then drop to zero for ~45 seconds. I'll usually get the "limited connectivity" alert but then the link will restore itself and begin transferring again.
I've run some of the Linksys diags when it is down and it usually tells me that the default gateway is unavailable and resets my wireless adapter and the whole routine starts again. Quite frustrating. I've worked with Linksys tech support (they claim no known issues with Windows 7) and their supposition is that it is an interference issue and they suggest I change wireless channels.
I've tried 6 different channels and the issue does not change. I have tried upgrading the adapter drivers the the latest available from HP (Vista drivers, not Windows 7) and have also tried drivers from the adapter manufacturer (Intel Wireless WiFi link 4965AGN, Win 7 drivers) but the issue is still there. I have also rest my AP back to factory defaults to no avail. It certainly could be that I have burned through yet another wireless AP but before replacing it I wanted to see if anyone might have suggestions.
4) Since, as far as I know, Homegroup cannot be used unless all of the PCs on the network are Windows 7 I am trying to utilize Workgroup settings to config my network. The problem is that my wirelessly connected laptop does not seem to have access to my wired workgroup unless I set the SSID of the AP to the same name as my workgroup. Is this normal operation or is there a good tutorial around showing me how to set this up?
Which should I do. Its my home office computers. I'd like to be able to access files between both machines. Doing this, what precautions should I make that noone can get into my system? I'm a little hesitant to share ALL files on both computers between each other. But i'd like to!
I'm playing with Sharing now but i'm noticing that sometimes when I save a file on one computer it isn' accessible to the other computer until I right click and SHare it. I thought by sharing the folder it would just share every new file. Is there a way to do that?
Anyways I've used windows xp happily for years, but I want to make the switch from windows 7 being in a slow, sluggish, crappy virtual pc to being setup as a dual boot. I've never set this up before so I have a few questions.
Firstly I've been trying to use gparted, but its not working. I know how set up an iso for burning and all, thats not the problem. Yes my computer is set to boot from cd first, I know that! But I don't understand why its not working.. Anyways for those that have used it, I've heard that you keep all your files on the hard disc when partitioning? Is this a load of crap? Or do you really? And if I can't get this to work what other program should I use?
Secondly whats the best way to back everything up. I did a complete backup using the backup utility, but at the end it said something about it could make an ASR because I don't have a Floppy Disc. I read online that all that does is help me boot the computer right into the backup incase something major goes wrong. If I ignore this then I will just have to install XP again and then back everything up?
Really know nothing re Drivers, except that it is apparently a good idea, always, to use the latest.
Anyway, was thinking of possibly downloading the latest drivers for my Radeon graphics card from the ATI site.
(But my questiosn really relates to any drivers, not just those for my graphics card)
My understanding is that one is supposed to delete the present drivers from the control panel prior to downloading and installing the new ones.
BTW: I looked in "Control Panel," but it is not clear to me how one deletes, safely, the present drivers for a particular program. How is this done, please ?
So, what happens immediately after the deletion of the present drivers before any new ones are installed ?
Will my graphics card (or any other program where I have removed them) still function even without "any" drivers at this point ? How is it possible ?
If someone could explain this for me, would be appreciative.
Also, I read that one should use in addition a "driver cleaner".
Why is this (also) necessary ?
What would be your recommendation for a good free or inexpensive one that is
I am on Vista Home Premium at present. I bought the upgrade to Windows 7. I have two questions:
1) Is it true that when you upgrade from Vista to Windows 7, all of your installed programs basically remain intact and working, or do you have to re-install everything again from scratch? I believe that the documentation in the box said that if you are on XP, you would have to reinstall MS Office and some other programs. What is the situation in upgrading from Vista?
2) Partly in order to find out the answer to the above, I decided to upgrade my laptop first because it has relatively few installed programs on it compared to my PC. I tried on three separate occasions to do the upgrade. On each occasion, it went all the way through to the very end, completing all of the listed steps. However, it then stated that Windows 7 could NOT be installed on this computer and then unwound the entire thing, leaving me with Vista again.
Why, is a mystery to me because when I ran the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, it did not highlight any problems that would prevent the installation. Yes, it did point out one printer driver which might not work after the upgrade and advised me to uninstall it (which I did NOT do - might that be the problem?), but apart from that it seemed to be happy with the situation.
3) Do I really need a skilled technician to do this upgrade or can I not just do it all myself? If some major backup and re-installation of complex drivers is necessary, then maybe I need one. But is this really going to happen, or is the whole thing as self-explanatory as it seemed while doing it on my laptop?
I've upgraded all of my computers to Windows 7. Including my wife and children's older computer. I build all of my desktops myself so there's no particular model number or brand name for any of the desktop computers. After loading Windows 7 on my wife's machine I noticed that Windows 7 still seemed a bit sluggish. This is due to the fact that all of the hardware in it is pretty old.
So here are my questions. Is Microsoft going to give me a hard time for upgrading this computer after only a month of 7 use? Or am I going to be able to upgrade motherboard, cpu, graphics and memory with no trouble?
I should add that Windows 7 was installed using an Upgrade DVD if that helps.
On my laptop i have a limited amount of HD space i currently have 37 gb free of a 160 gb drive. After i upgrade to Windows 7 is there any way i can delete my old vista files? and if so where would they be located and is it safe to delete them?
I am going to dual boot Windows 7 (Home Premium) using a separate new Hard Disk Drive, with XP already installed on the old existing Hard Drive and using the instructions in this link:-
Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP
As it is the first time I have tried something like this could someone answer a couple of questions for me?
1: The XP drivers (Chipset, Graphics, LAN, Audio etc.) and an Antivirus, together with any required software/programs, are already installed on the original XP HDD.
When I have installed Windows 7 on the second/new HDD, do I then boot the Windows 7 OS and install the Windows 7 drivers (Chipset, Graphics, LAN, Audio etc.) and an Antivirus together with any software I want to run on Windows 7 (even if that software was already installed previously for XP?) It seems funny having two sets of drivers (XP & Win 7) and Antivirus on the one machine.
2: XP runs all the programs that I need and I am just trying out Windows 7 at the moment so Win 7 restore points are not very important to me.
If that is the case, can I just ignore the fact that XP may delete the Win 7 restore points, in a dual boot, and not bother with the procedure (explained in the above link) to prevent this from happening?
To stop XP from deleting your Windows 7 System Restore Points everytime XP is started, then see System Restore Points - Stop XP Dual Boot Delete to hide Windows 7 from XP. I intend to drop XP and move over to Win 7 eventually so this will just be a temporary setup. Many thanks for any replies.
D:/ - Data (files.....pictures, documents, programs i've d/l etc) around 80Gb of data
E:/ - Recovery partition (Vista HP x64 factory recovery, as the laptop came supplied)
If you run the Windows 7 system image only backup and do all your HDD's and partitions can you restore individual files from that image?
Or do you have to do the data backup of all drives and tick the system image tickbox as well and then still you can only pick from the files you chose to be backed up from under the data backup?
If you understand that.
Basically can i back it all up and choose what i want to re-install upon recovery eg booting from the Windows 7 DVD and choosing repair?
Also i have a netbook with Windows 7 Ultimate RC installed, trying to back up to my laptop over the network it still asks for a username and password when setting it up (OK box is greyed out otherwise) but i dont have a username or pw (single user so didnt input a pw). what do you do in this case?
I just a purchased a brand new laptop. I have had it less than a week and qualify for the windows 7 upgrade. I would prefer to do a clean install, but not wish to lose certain programs that came default on the laptop (ex: powerDVD for playing blu ray, will cost $160 to replace).
Questions:
1.) With my Vista install as fresh as it is ,will upgrading to 7 be that much worse than a clean install?
2.) If I choose to clean install, is there a way to recover the programs without a repurchase (some way to back up an installed program on a flashdrive in a way that it can be moved or installed on the new OS)?
3.) If i have to upgrade instead of clean install, will running a registry cleaning program like "Clean My Registry" clean out the goop left behind by Vista? Or will it likely cause more issues?
When a link is launched from IE9 and needs to open in a different application, then a couple of security questions are presented before launching it for the first time. How can I reset these questions? (the selection made) Preferably, just for that type of link. Or alternatively, for all such questions.
I currently have an old P4 running 32-bit Windows 7 RC. I don’t think I can put 64-bit on that machine, but I am considering 64-bit on the retail version when it is released in October. I tested about thirty 32-bit shareware and freeware applications on 32-bit Windows 7 RC and they all work well. My questions concern 32-bit drivers and unsigned 32-bit and 64-bit drivers on Windows 7 64-bit retail.
I have seen references to a BCedit command. I ran Bcdedit /set Bcdedit nointegritychecks ON on my Vista SP2 machine and it ran successfully. I have not tested what it will let me do as I now have no Vista driver issues. Here are my questions:
Which of these is the correct command to disable the signature check on Windows 7 RC?
bcdedit /set loadoptions DISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
bcedit –SET TESTSIGN NO
Is there any reason to use the correct command rather than using F8 during the boot process?
Does the correct command work for both unsigned 32-bit and unsigned 64-bit drivers on a 64-bit Windows 7 system?
Is the correct command useful on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 for driver signing issues generally?
I assume the command works for only 1 boot cycle. Given that, is there any reason to run a command to re-enable the driver signing check if one reboots again after the driver installation?
Is there any other solution other than third party software, which I would prefer to avoid as I don’t expect to run into a driver issue frequently?
What is a decent estimate of how many of my 32-bit applications that work well on 32-bit Vista SP2 will install and work well on 64-bit Windows 7 retail, assuming I use the correct command to disable the signature check?
i was really hesitant since XP worked what i at least THOUGHT was well. But Windows 7 is so much quicker and seamless. Anyways, 1st question is on XP i would drag a shortcut to the taskbar and it would then be usable and work as the original shortcut did. With windows 7 it doesn't wok.
For example, i have a text file that i keep on another drive and i put a shortcut to it on my taskbar. In XP i'd click it and the file would pop up as you'd expect. On windows 7 if i drag that text file to the taskbar, when i click the resulting shortcut instead of the file i just get a new empty notepad.
If i right click it (i THINK it was by R/clicking) then a list of various notepad files i've viewed pops up and i can choose it from there. But i just want it to be a shortcut to the particular txt file. Is there a way? second, i see shortcuts don't have the file's pathway or "address" if you will in them. I miss that for a number of reasons such as being able to tell where the file it's pointing to is, or adding switches in the target line etc etc. Is there a way to make them show the pathway?
My 350 gig HD has 7 partitions. C: is Vista (186 GB) D: (87GB) is HP factory image. The others have most of my programs, files, photos, etc. I have avoided installing most of the larger important programs on C: and they are on other partitions. I plan a clean install of 7 upgrade on C: (also considering 64 bit as my comp qualifies). By "clean" I assume that you and I both mean that partition C: has been formatted prior to inserting the 7 DVD to begin installation.
First, am I correct with this assumption? Second, if only C: is going to be affected by the formatting and installation of 7 is there any mandatory reason to backup all of my programs and files that reside on the other partitions? (other than just being prudent, that is). Also, how much can I reduce the size of C:, as it currently has 132GB free? I also intend to empty D: when this is over.
1) I currently am running Vista on a laptop on which it is the only OS. I want to install 7 on a second partition for dual boot. However, to keep things tidy, I would like to make Windows 7 Drive C: (which currently contains Vista). Is there a way to image the hard drive then reload it onto drive D: after I install 7 on C:?
2) I guess my other option is to install 7 on the formatted HD, then create a D: partition to run the Vista recovery disks on at least that would restore my drivers, etc. But I really wanted to keep my current configuration around for those programs that are slow to catch on to the new OS. (Or do I even have to worry about this?)
3) If all this dual boot stuff is too complicated or if I really don't need to worry about the driver/software compatibility, I might just do away with that idea and clean install it on the C: drive and forget about Vista. (reluctant to do so since I rely on this computer for school). I will be keeping my C: drive image that I took yesterday so taht I can recover to Vista if need be.
Edt: 4) I just had anther thought. If I install Win 7 clean could I then take my Vista hard drive image and make it into a VHD? that would pretty much solve all my troubles I think. Unless I would need to reinstall Vista onto the VHD.
I set up my 7 machine on an XP network. The 7 machine sees the shared folders, and I can get to them with no problem. When I try to look at the 7 machine from the XP side, it asks for a user name and password. I never set one up, because I would like to run an open network. (I live a mile down a limerock road with no close neighbors.) Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Why in the world did Microsoft change the default network name?
I have a new PC running Windows 7 RC, but I can't get it to find the shared folders on my Macs, nor can my Macs see the shared folders on the PC. Any ideas how to get at least one way working?
I'm running 10.5.7 on the Mac, and if I "Connect to Server" and dial in smb:// and the PCs IP address, I get a login window, but it won't let me log in. It says I have incorrect user name or password. But I have no password on the PC.
Also, I followed the advice in another post, Accessing Mac and windows 7 on same network - Mac Forums), but it didn't make any difference.
Right. First off i admit to not knowing a lot about networks but im sure this isnt right. I have a wired network at home and on it i have a Popcornhour media streamer.
With XP as soon as the OS has loaded i can go to the Network browser on the PCH and it sees my work group and the PC and i can access my shared folders. Same thing the other way around. If the PCH needs a re boot its all up and running agin within a min or so.
With Windows 7 7068 i have to wait anything up to half hour before my PCH can see my work group.
Same router, static IP addresses and DHCP server turned off.
They have a peer to per network, formerly with two windows XP computers. On the main computer, they have their main accounting program, which runs on a DOS version of Lotus Works. It's old, but she knows it so well, and it does everything they need. She recently upgraded her main computer to Windows 7, and was able to get Lotus Works running, and, with the LW folder shared, they can actually open Lotus Works from a second computer (running Windows XP) just fine. There is no local copy of Lotus Works on the Windows XP computer, it simply starts the program from a shortcut targeting the LW.exe file as mapped. This has worked fine for quite a while.Over the weekend, they wanted to upgrade the Windows XP computer to Windows 7, (replacing it with a new computer) I was able to set up their peer to peer network, mapped the second Windows 7 computer to the LW share and tried to make a shortcut to the LW.exe file. (both computers are now running Windows 7 Pro, 64bit version) I realize I'm going to have to change compatabilty mode, but the problem is getting a working shortcut on the desktop. UAC is off on the second computer, but I get the following message when trying to make a shortcut.:"Windows cannot create the shortcut check to see if the disk is full" The machine where I need the shortcut is running AVG 2012 Free edition and Windows Security Essentials. What would be preventing me from being able to create a shortcut?
I have three PC's all on Windows 7 running on a home network. I have a good PC which has been replaced, which I would like to put on the network with four hard drives, I would like to backup the data from each PC onto its own HD in the PC.
I have looked at several programs to effect a real time backup system but need some advice at to which to use. (preferably a freeby as being retired money is short) If possible I would like to be able to restore each program data seperately if required, rather than have to restore all the backed up data to a certain PC as one file. Any help gratefully rec'd.
Microsoft had tried to get its "Castle" networking scheme into Windows Vista, but the feature will finally appear in Windows 7 as HomeGroup. Essentially a combination of workgroup networking with file and media sharing, HomeGroup makes it easier to create a home network where PCs share pictures, music, videos, documents, printers, and other resources with each other.
I am running Windows 7 RC 7100 (of course) and I'm wanting to get a network setup between two computers over two routers. Here's my story:
I just moved in with two of my friends and we have 6 computers (3 laptops and 3 desktops) and we have 2 360s and 1 ps3. So needless to say my friends 5 port router wasn't enough for all the equipment so we decided to use my router with his.
Now after a day of configuring we have it running smooth and playing games with no troubles but there is one problem we want to access media on the ps3 from all the computers. I can access my media from the ps3 no problem since I'm on the same router as it but I can't access my friend media because he is on the 2nd router.
We have two belkin routers the main one has my friends PC, his 360, his ps3, and my router connected to it. My router has the remaining two pcs and my ps3 connected to it. Does anyone have a solution to this problem? I have tried putting the systems on one work group but that failed.
I also tried connecting to one homegroup but I can't detect his group and vice versa. If anyone could tell me how to set this up I would be grateful. My friend thinks it's might involve the routers DHCP but I'm not sure.
So I want to network my OLD Vista laptop and my NEW 7 desktop. Both are named Chase-PC. I open Networks (on the desktop) and open Chase-PC and it opens my desktop files, not the laptop. If I go to my mothers vista it opens my vista laptop..
I tried to read the tutorials from this forum regarding networking. I am too dumb to understand. They are all Greek to me.
Is there a " How-to for Dummies " instructions for connecting my 2 laptop computers ? Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit SP2 Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1
They are both wireless enabled, but because my Vista computer battery refuses to charge, it is always plugged in. ( $124 for a battery replacement ? No way. ) In fact both my laptops are plugged in all the time. ( don't laugh ).
I have a Gigabit router, a Gigabit Ethernet Card and all my cabling is Cat5e, my runs are all less than 50' and it still says I'm connected @ 100Mbps. Is there something special I need to do to get 1Gbps?
It seems that sharing files between win 7 and xp is quiet the common problem. However, I am not finding a clear answer. I read through a lot of posts on different forums, and tried many of the suggestions.
I am running win 7 pro on my laptop, and win xp pro on my desktop. I have both machines in the same workgroup. I ran the wizard for file sharing on the XP machine, and it can succesfully see my other XP home computer on the network. On the win 7 laptop I went through the set up for sharing as outlined in the forums. So basically network discovery etc is on, im not using home groups etc.
If i look in my network folder, I see no other computers, except of course for my own shares. I installed a fix on the XP machine which was suggested, called the link layer something ( i forget the name now, I could look it up). Still nothing.
Here is the twist. If i type in ipadress then I can access the XP machine shares without ANY problems. (copied some files jsut as a test). Similarly, I can access the Win 7 shares from XP using the above method.
Now, how do I get the computers to pop up in my network window, so I can actually view which computers are available and select my shares?
Oh, and I dont believe that I have to wait 15 minutes for the computers to actually get discovered. That would be a pretty big mistake on the part of windows 7, given that Xp discoveres without delay.
My main server at home runs Win 7 Pro (64). I configured its sharing so that another one of my PCs that runs XP Home (32) can access public shares on the server and access a shared printer on the server...and life is good. I can access those shares and the printer without a username and password.
The problem - another desktop that I have running Win 7 Home (64) cannot access those shares without entering the credentials for the server Win 7 Pro server.
I am confused. How can the XP server access the files without any username/password but another client running Win 7 Home is required to enter a username/password?
