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Windows 8

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  • Member since
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  • From: Big Blackfoot River
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Posted by Geared Steam on Friday, February 1, 2013 6:12 PM

Soo Line fan

You have a registry problem now. Tell your gradson to download a free program called CCleaner. Run the program first to remove unused files and then reboot. If you still have pop up messages, run the registry cleaner part of the program. Make sure you select the back up registry option and save the backed up copy. This may just clean up the rest of your issues.

This very good advice for everyone, CC Cleaner keeps everything in top shape, is very quick, and free. I have been using it for years, and run it once a week. I have saved several friends computers over the years by simply running this program. 

It cleans out the junk you collect by surfing the web, and it keeps your registry in order. There is another feature so you can pick and choose what cookies you wish to keep (like from model railroader.com), so when you run the cleaner it will preserve the "good" cookies and delete everything else. 

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/

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Posted by DigitalGriffin on Friday, February 1, 2013 12:57 PM

cuyama

DigitalGriffin
Per Microsoft: All support for XP ends this year. 

The date is April 2014 on MS's website.

Quite right.  I thought it was April 2013.  My brain is playing tricks with me with all the software we are upgrading to be windows 7 compliant by April.

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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Posted by Soo Line fan on Thursday, January 31, 2013 7:59 PM

samgolden

Hi to all:

After we (my grandson and me) the computer would boot but we still had problems. so we restored it back to the oldest "restore point" we could find that worked, and it cleaned up most of the problems. 

When it boots now---there are some (4) windows that pop up that say they can't find a file, but I just X the out and all they are is just a nusence now.

You have a registry problem now. Tell your gradson to download a free program called CCleaner. Run the program first to remove unused files and then reboot. If you still have pop up messages, run the registry cleaner part of the program. Make sure you select the back up registry option and save the backed up copy. This may just clean up the rest of your issues.

Jim

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Posted by CSX_road_slug on Thursday, January 31, 2013 7:15 PM

I barely missed a chance to buy a brand new laptop with Windows7 on it.  My old Dell Optiplex desktop with XP, which had served me faithfully since 2005, finally died in early December.  All the Windows7 machines were gone from the stores by then, and I'm not 'geek' enough to attempt to install it myself,  So I gritted my teeth and agreed to buy an HP Pavilion laptop with Windows8 on it.  Luckily somebody told me about Stardock Start8, a very cheap ($5) but powerful tool that restores the Start menu to Windows 8.  That eliminated a lot of the pain since I didn't have to waste time learning the newfangled interface.

All that remained was I wanted to be able to use DecoderPro (JMRI) and XtrkCAD with it, and I found versions of both that were Windows8-compatible.  So I've gotten used to it.  Still wish I could've gotten one of the last OEM-installed Windows7 HP laptops, though...Sigh

-Ken in Maryland  (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)

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Posted by ckbigboy on Thursday, January 31, 2013 3:15 PM

Bought my wife a new HP computer with windows 8. For a touch screen computer it may be a fine system to use, but for anything other then that not really. The idea of "aps" instead of a loaded up desktop just is not user friendly at this time. Im far a computer guy, but if something works like windows xp system, why switch?

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Posted by cuyama on Thursday, January 31, 2013 2:56 PM

DigitalGriffin
Per Microsoft: All support for XP ends this year. 

The date is April 2014 on MS's website.

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Posted by samgolden on Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:32 AM

Hi to all:

I have the computer running OK now.  The Jump Drive was BAD.  Tried it on another computer and couldn't do anything with it.  It didn't screw up the computer though.

After we (my grandson and me) the computer would boot but we still had problems. so we restored it back to the oldest "restore point" we could find that worked, and it cleaned up most of the problems. 

When it boots now---there are some (4) windows that pop up that say they can't find a file, but I just X the out and all they are is just a nusence now.

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Posted by DigitalGriffin on Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:18 AM

ChadLRyan

Although this is off topic a bit, I support Law Enfocement SWare, & Win 7 had some initial issues.
This L.E. SWare makes Exchange Support look easy.

You have my sympathies.  Government installs and support can be the worst.

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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Posted by DigitalGriffin on Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:14 AM

chochowillie

One other consideration... some of your existing software may not run under window 8. It is also a huge operating system by the way. Just something to think about.

Dennis

This is quite true.  Windows 8 does NOT support 16 bit applications (windows 3.1 apps). 

Also DEP is forced on by default for ALL programs (this is a safeguard against hackers)  There are tons of common programs that are NOT compatible.  (ie: Borland Database)

Some programs need access to directories that are now protected under Vista/7/8.  So they will fail when they try to read some files.

And even some newer .NET programs may not work if they were tested in a 32bit environment with 32bit dll imports and suddenly tested in a 64 bit environment if Windows 8 or 7

Microsoft has a complete list of known major programs that will not work on their website. 

Luckily JMRI is safe....even if I hate Java's insecurities...It's quickly becoming a love fest target for hackers.

 

 

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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Posted by DigitalGriffin on Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:00 AM

Do not revert back to XP.  You will be sorry

Per Microsoft: All support for XP ends this year.  That includes bug fixes to protect you again malicious hackers, as well as free anti virus support.  Support for internet explorer 8 (Windows XP's last version) is also being dropped by a number of websites.  You'll have to use Firefox or Chrome to stay up to date if you stay on XP.

Windows 7 is your best bet.  It doesn't have the learning curve of Windows 8.  Although I do like booting in windows 8 in less then 10 seconds.

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

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Posted by joe323 on Thursday, January 31, 2013 7:37 AM
Actually my win 8 laptop does what it needs to do and seems more stable then the win 7 PC at work but I got to agree about endless updates on both. Then again the updates to the apps on my Iphone are endless too.

Bottom line use what you are confortable with.

Joe Staten Island West 

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Posted by LNEFAN on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 11:24 PM

I switched to iMac, iPad and iPhone. I was so tired from years of glitchy Windows stuff in any version, viruses and endless updates. I haven't looked back. 

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Posted by NP2626 on Saturday, January 26, 2013 4:15 PM

NittanyLion

NP2626

I've had two lap tops and neither lasted very long.  So I feel the longevity of a lap top is suspect.  Why don't people want desk top computers?  To say that "nobody" want's them certainly makes me feel all alone!

A sample size of two through one user is extremely unreliable data.  Part of that is moving them around and the wear and tear that comes from that.  Like I said before, if you just dock one and run a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to it, you'd never know it was a laptop.  They've made enormous strides in hardware durability and performance in the last five years.  The market doesn't want a device that they can't take with them on the plane or on the couch.  Desktops are for, well, sitting at a desk and people just don't want to do that when they're not at work.  Or even when they're at work.  You can get the same performance out of a laptop as you can from a desktop for a lot less nowadays too.  The desktop is rapidly becoming a specialty piece of equipment, for when you need massive power, like heavy duty CAD work.  Desktop sales have been slumping something like 25% of the last four years.  Laptops are up in the 10% range and tablets are obliterating everything at triple digit growth.

You can say that of the two I've had, having problems with both is meaningless to you. However to me it is extremely pertinent!  Yes, I hauled them around, I mean after all isn't the portability supposed to be one of the perks of having a lap top? 

However, I will give you that maybe they have (hopefully) improved since my last one crapped out. 

Look, for me, this isn't about my not keeping up with the times, it's about choices!  I like my desk top and I know that over the rest of my lifetime, a desk top is the route I would prefer.  However, in today's day and age, it is all about "Follow the Leader" and choice is out the door.

The above is my opinion, for which I am entitled.  You are entitled to yours and opinions are like what?

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

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Posted by tgindy on Saturday, January 26, 2013 3:28 PM

Dr Gonzo

Godmode works fine on my (already mentioned earlier) new Win8 Laptop's "Win7 desktop" and the Acer "desktop" running Vista -- This article + video is a good one.  Once completed, you can drag&drop your new Godmode folder to your preferred location.

Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956

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Posted by NittanyLion on Saturday, January 26, 2013 2:22 PM

NP2626

I've had two lap tops and neither lasted very long.  So I feel the longevity of a lap top is suspect.  Why don't people want desk top computers?  To say that "nobody" want's them certainly makes me feel all alone!

A sample size of two through one user is extremely unreliable data.  Part of that is moving them around and the wear and tear that comes from that.  Like I said before, if you just dock one and run a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to it, you'd never know it was a laptop.  They've made enormous strides in hardware durability and performance in the last five years.  The market doesn't want a device that they can't take with them on the plane or on the couch.  Desktops are for, well, sitting at a desk and people just don't want to do that when they're not at work.  Or even when they're at work.  You can get the same performance out of a laptop as you can from a desktop for a lot less nowadays too.  The desktop is rapidly becoming a specialty piece of equipment, for when you need massive power, like heavy duty CAD work.  Desktop sales have been slumping something like 25% of the last four years.  Laptops are up in the 10% range and tablets are obliterating everything at triple digit growth.

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Posted by ChadLRyan on Saturday, January 26, 2013 1:23 PM

Although this is off topic a bit, I support Law Enfocement SWare, & Win 7 had some initial issues.
This L.E. SWare makes Exchange Support look easy.

A couple of the simplest tricks in Windows 7 are to;  (in a testing Environment)..

Enable the Adminstrator Account & Sign in as the 'REAL' Adminstrator.
Disable UAC (bring the slider to 'Never Notifiy', Yes, Reboot..
Disable 'Services' Windows Defender, Windows Firewall..  (Also requires a rebbot, not on-the fly)
(In a business Protected Environment).

These Simple changes will allow other SWare installs to go smoothly & allow testing as appropriate.
Once that is done you can turn them back on & see what no longer works & adjust as neccessary going forward.

I have not had the "*" pleasure of trying to configure Win8 so far.

Personally, I am an XP laptop user & have had excellent results with my choice of HWare & SWare...  

Just FYI..

Chad L Ryan
  • Member since
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  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
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Posted by selector on Saturday, January 26, 2013 12:54 PM

Medina1128

Soo Line fan

Sounds like your O/S is corrupted or else you have a virus.

You can try a restore and if that does not work boot into safe mode then try it. If you do not understand what I am referring to, have it looked at by somebody.

Back up you files now because eventually it may not be possible.

Many times tracking cookies just choke the life out of your browser speed. Personally, I use an anti-spyware/malware program called "SuperAntiSpyware" and it finds a lot more garbage than AVG or Avast. You should run it at least once a week.


I paid for the pro prescription for superantispyware two years ago, and it starts up my computer from sleep mode, where I leave it all the time, and does a scan automatically at 0200 hrs every morning.  It finds pretty near everything.

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Posted by Dr Gonzo on Saturday, January 26, 2013 12:53 PM

HarryHotspur

Good stuff, Dr. Gonzo.  But what is God - mode?  Admin, maybe?  Just wondering in case I need to know.

It is just like control panel, but gives you access to all the subfolders and menus in one. It is also very searchable which means if you don't know where to look, type in some keywords and you'll be on your way very quickly.
Here is a link that explains what it is and how to activate it.
Cheers!

Dana

Two seasons in my Canada, Modelling and Paintball.

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Posted by jasperofzeal on Saturday, January 26, 2013 12:00 PM

BrianinBuffalo

Download a Linux Live install disk ( Ubuntu is pretty seamless) from Distrowatch or any linux site like that.  If your computer boots up its the software not the hardware.  If you like it use it its free.  JMRI is supported on Linux.Star

The OP's computer wasn't booting up, just hangin.  I've had a hard drive go bad and that's the same thing that would happen when windows would try to boot, it would just hang and the HDD was making a lot of noise.  The OP never did answer my questions but I think the main problem was he had a USB bootable device plugged in while the OS tried to load.  The computer was trying to load from the USB device and not from the HDD.

To the OP, how is the computer running now?

TONY

"If we never take the time, how can we ever have the time." - Merovingian (Matrix Reloaded)

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Posted by Medina1128 on Saturday, January 26, 2013 8:17 AM

Soo Line fan

Sounds like your O/S is corrupted or else you have a virus.

You can try a restore and if that does not work boot into safe mode then try it. If you do not understand what I am referring to, have it looked at by somebody.

Back up you files now because eventually it may not be possible.

Many times tracking cookies just choke the life out of your browser speed. Personally, I use an anti-spyware/malware program called "SuperAntiSpyware" and it finds a lot more garbage than AVG or Avast. You should run it at least once a week.


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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Saturday, January 26, 2013 7:48 AM

Motley
Microsoft's sales for Windows 8 is worse than there Vista sales. Go figure. Trying to shove it down everyone's throat and having the manufactures only providing Windows 8 on new machines is retarded.

I have to agree with that assessment. It reminds me of the plan to make CD's popular. Store shelves were packed with them. At the same time every single record that had been in stock vanished! And for some reason cassette recordings of NEW music were nowhere to be found. If you wanted the new music you bought CD's, plain and simple. Last time I looked at the OS software available at the Wal-Mart here I saw ONE package for Win7 and that was an upgrade. The other packs were ALL Win8. I don't know about other locations but that was here. Even if I had wanted Win8 I couldn't afford it. It wouldn't like my computer anyway. 32 bit with WinXP. I couldn't afford to buy that either. I found an unopened WinXP Upgrade pack at a yard sale for $10.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
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Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
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beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by Motley on Saturday, January 26, 2013 7:12 AM

Get a new laptop/desktop and install Windows 7.

I'm also a computer geek, been working in IT for 15 years.

Me, along with all the other geeks, can't stand Windows 8.

Its made for touch screens, tablets. The GUI looks like its designed for a 3 year old, with all the big brightly colored icons. They took away the Start Button! Huh?

Microsoft's sales for Windows 8 is worse than there Vista sales. Go figure. Trying to shove it down everyone's throat and having the manufactures only providing Windows 8 on new machines is retarded.

Michael


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Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

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Posted by HarryHotspur on Saturday, January 26, 2013 1:37 AM

Good stuff, Dr. Gonzo.  But what is God - mode?  Admin, maybe?  Just wondering in case I need to know.

- Harry

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Posted by THayman on Friday, January 25, 2013 9:21 PM

Save yourself all this trouble, and just switch to a Mac Wink I got my first Mac about 6 years ago, and now can't stand any PC I've had to work on :P

On a more practical note, shouldn't operation on the forums have more to do with your internet browser rather than your OS? I would imagine that running a browser like Firefox or Google Chrome would avoid any of the  issues with Internet Explorer, regardless of which version of Windows it came with.

-Tim

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Friday, January 25, 2013 8:12 PM

I've had a couple of laptops, supposedly high quality one. Neither of them was satisfactory. I was already spoiled on the speed of my desktop, which I built myself to my own specs. I haven't seen a laptop yet that can match it and my niece and her husband have a couple of really good ones. No contest, my desktop smokes them both. And IF I ever do get another laptop or a notebook it WON'T be one from Dell. My mother bought a notebook from them some time back for her income tax work. She volunteered doing taxes with the AARP. It has a Celeron D dual processor. Slowest thing on the planet if you ask me. The US mail is faster. By the time it starts up and gets to the password screen my system is up, running, online, Firefox up and all tabs loaded and ready to go, easy. I've also worked on several Dell desktop systems. I'll never own one if I can help it. By the way, the Dell notebook? We still have it. It makes a great paper weight!

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by NP2626 on Friday, January 25, 2013 7:56 PM

I've had two lap tops and neither lasted very long.  So I feel the longevity of a lap top is suspect.  Why don't people want desk top computers?  To say that "nobody" want's them certainly makes me feel all alone!

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

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Posted by NittanyLion on Friday, January 25, 2013 7:06 PM

NP2626

As a customer, using and buying computers for more than 25 years, I still want a desk top computer, who is telling the manufacturers that we don't want Dek Tops anymore?  I'm tired of this merry-go-round, maybe it's time to consider getting off!


Who is telling manufacturers?  Sales numbers.  No one buys desktops anymore.  

Get a laptop, shove it inside an empty tower case, hook up a monitor and keyboard, and you'd never know the difference.
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Posted by wetidlerjr on Friday, January 25, 2013 6:23 PM

I use Windows 8  with no problems on this or any other site.

Cool

Mischief

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

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Posted by NP2626 on Friday, January 25, 2013 5:33 PM

Dr Gonzo

DOS Rules! We don't need no stinking Windows!

Windows 3.1 does everything I want it to. Why do I need Windows 95.

Windows 95 is great and although networking capabilities aren't built into it, I don't need Windows 98 as the internet is just a fad.

(Sorry, I have no excuse for Windows ME. Move on.)

Windows 98 is works. Windows 2000 is for businesses. Why would I need that at home?

XP? Its just a Fischer-Price interface on 2000. Who Cares?

(Sorry, I have no excuse for Windows Vista. Move on.)

Windows 7? Well, okay, God-mode and Dockable minimized windows really make life eaiser... but....

WINDOWS 8! Who moved my Cheese!

Carry on. As you were.

Full Disclosure: Former IT Geek, Programmer and worked at MS for a while.

Been through DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, 98, XP and 7.  Everyone says that XP was the best, and I have to agree; but, leaving well enough alone, doesn't sell new software; or, hardware, does it?

I don't type well with my fingers, let alone with my thumbs!  However, in business, maybe we'll have to go back to typewritters, if all that's available is smart phones an Mini Pads!

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

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