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From: Ben Myers on 28 Jul 2010 22:16
On 7/28/2010 8:27 PM, Nick wrote:
>
> On Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:53:18 -0400, in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell, Christopher
> Muto<muto(a)worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>
>> the caveats of windows 7 64 are most commonly lack of compatibility with
>> older printers (must check the availability of drivers for your
>> make/model printer or simply resign to buying a new one)
> <snip>
>
> One thing for the original poster: if the driver for your printer isn't
> included in your Win7 installation, you may be able to find one by letting
> Windows go online to get a more complete listing of printer drivers: that's
> what I had to do.
>
> This was a couple of months ago and I don't remember the precise
> step-by-step, but it was something like this:
>
> When I tried to install my (very old) printer on Win7, Windows didn't
> auto-detect it. So then I tried to option to manually pick the printer from
> a list of printers in order to install the driver, but mine wasn't on the
> list.
>
> There was an option in there to download a complete up-to-date list of
> printers from Windows Update, so I used that. Took a few minutes to
> download the entire list, but once I did I scrolled through it and found my
> exact make and model of printer in the updated list.
>
> Once I installed the driver from the updated list, the printer worked fine.
>

Postscript printer support is a no-brainer with Win 7 or ANY operating
system, as long as it is true PostScript licensed from Adobe. All you
need is to install the PPD file for a printer.

A last ditch possibility for getting a printer operational has worked
for me, at least with the HP family of inkjet printers. Most, but not
all, HP inkjets use a variation of HP's printer control language (PCL),
derived from the DeskJet 500C among others. The trick is to simply
ignore the printer model, which ain't supported by Win 7 anyway, and
install the driver for an older printer in the family. The results may
not be as beautiful (especially for photo printing), but this allows you
to use the printer which is not yet obsolete despite HP's (or Lexmark's
or Canon's or you-name-it's) collusion with Microsoft to make it
happen... Ben Myers
From: Christopher Muto on 28 Jul 2010 22:19
ahall(a)no-spam-panix.com wrote:
> Christopher Muto <muto(a)worldnet.att.net> writes:
>
>> ahall(a)no-spam-panix.com wrote:
>>> I am thinking of getting a Dell Latitude 6510 for my
>>> son's college computer.
>>> Would there be any serious downside to buying a student
>>> version of Win 7 64 bit?
>>> Are drives a problem with the 64 bit OSs? Would I be able
>>> to get the needed post install drivers from Dell? Would it
>>> be a problem for printer drivers for a simple all-in-one
>>> printer?
>>> I have never installed an OS from scratch. Any questions
>>> I should be asking?
>>> Thanks in advance,
>>>
>> it is probably a good idea to contact your sons college and talk to
>> the college store or computer center. they often have package deals
>> that are very complete machines with full warranties for students.
>> most colleges align themselves with a particular vendor or two which
>> often means they have an on site tech with replacements parts at the
>> ready which greatly reduces down time.
>
> I have done that, they have no special deals, and do not favor macs
> or PCs. I did get a deal through one of the other kid's college.
>
>> the caveats of windows 7 64 are most commonly lack of compatibility
>> with older printers (must check the availability of drivers for your
>> make/model printer or simply resign to buying a new one) and with
>> certain vpn software products (vpn is used to connect remote computers
>> to other networks, ie office working connecting to office) but you
>> probably don't have to worry about that.
>>
>> not sure why you are asking about the operating system and installing
>> it... dell doesn't sell any latitudes without operating systems.
>
> I can only find media in the case of buying Win 7 32bit with a XP
> downgrade option. I believe that means the computer ships with XP
> installed, and one does an install if one wants Win 7.
>
> As I would prefer 64 bit for Peter, I had thought of getting a student
> discount upgrade version of Win 7 64 bit, but I am told that you cannot
> upgrade to a 64 bit OS from a 32 bit OS (contractually).
>
> So I checked out pricing for retail Win 7, and it is about 150, but they
> noted that the disc comes with both 32 and 64 bit version of Win 7. So
> I wondered if the Dell media also comes in both flavors, then when I installed
> Win 7 I could select 64 bit (but that seems a bit too good to be true).
>
>> but you should go for the academic pricing on office...
>> http://www.microsoft.com/student/office/en-us/
>
> Yes, that is where I will get him office.
>
>> here's a good deal on the e6510
>> http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=blcyy3y&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04
>
> Thanks, I will check it out.
>
> Thanks again for your (and that of others) time,
>
>

you may also want to look at shopping dell via this link to their higher
education division. i have not shopped there is some time and generally
found it more expensive than just buying from small business, but this
division does have the distinction of selling academic versions of the
software which can amount to considerable savings and one stop shopping.
they also give more options with regards to choice of os, including 32
and 64 bit versions of 7, xp, and even vista. but no media. the
systems do allow you to create your own media but I don't think it is
like a full retail edition of windows.
http://www.dell.com/us/en/highered/notebooks/ct.aspx?refid=notebooks&s=hied&cs=RC956904&~ck=mn
ps. i would stay away from the i7 in a laptop unless it is going to be
continuously doing some intensive work (video editing). they are hot,
expensive, and for the most part don't make things faster unless you are
pushing the system hard. the i5 provides an impressive user experience.
From: Al Dykes on 28 Jul 2010 23:12
In article <I_udnXFFf7GneM3RnZ2dnUVZ_gCdnZ2d(a)speakeasy.net>,
Christopher Muto <muto(a)worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>ahall(a)no-spam-panix.com wrote:
>> Christopher Muto <muto(a)worldnet.att.net> writes:
>>
>>> ahall(a)no-spam-panix.com wrote:
>>>> I am thinking of getting a Dell Latitude 6510 for my
>>>> son's college computer.
>>>> Would there be any serious downside to buying a student
>>>> version of Win 7 64 bit?
>>>> Are drives a problem with the 64 bit OSs? Would I be able
>>>> to get the needed post install drivers from Dell? Would it
>>>> be a problem for printer drivers for a simple all-in-one
>>>> printer?
>>>> I have never installed an OS from scratch. Any questions
>>>> I should be asking?
>>>> Thanks in advance,
>>>>
>>> it is probably a good idea to contact your sons college and talk to
>>> the college store or computer center. they often have package deals
>>> that are very complete machines with full warranties for students.
>>> most colleges align themselves with a particular vendor or two which
>>> often means they have an on site tech with replacements parts at the
>>> ready which greatly reduces down time.
>>
>> I have done that, they have no special deals, and do not favor macs
>> or PCs. I did get a deal through one of the other kid's college.
>>
>>> the caveats of windows 7 64 are most commonly lack of compatibility
>>> with older printers (must check the availability of drivers for your
>>> make/model printer or simply resign to buying a new one) and with
>>> certain vpn software products (vpn is used to connect remote computers
>>> to other networks, ie office working connecting to office) but you
>>> probably don't have to worry about that.
>>>
>>> not sure why you are asking about the operating system and installing
>>> it... dell doesn't sell any latitudes without operating systems.
>>
>> I can only find media in the case of buying Win 7 32bit with a XP
>> downgrade option. I believe that means the computer ships with XP
>> installed, and one does an install if one wants Win 7.
>>
>> As I would prefer 64 bit for Peter, I had thought of getting a student
>> discount upgrade version of Win 7 64 bit, but I am told that you cannot
>> upgrade to a 64 bit OS from a 32 bit OS (contractually).
>>
>> So I checked out pricing for retail Win 7, and it is about 150, but they
>> noted that the disc comes with both 32 and 64 bit version of Win 7. So
>> I wondered if the Dell media also comes in both flavors, then when I installed
>> Win 7 I could select 64 bit (but that seems a bit too good to be true).
>>
>>> but you should go for the academic pricing on office...
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/student/office/en-us/
>>
>> Yes, that is where I will get him office.
>>
>>> here's a good deal on the e6510
>>> http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=blcyy3y&c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04
>>
>> Thanks, I will check it out.
>>
>> Thanks again for your (and that of others) time,
>>
>>
>
>you may also want to look at shopping dell via this link to their higher
>education division. i have not shopped there is some time and generally
>found it more expensive than just buying from small business, but this
>division does have the distinction of selling academic versions of the
>software which can amount to considerable savings and one stop shopping.
>they also give more options with regards to choice of os, including 32
>and 64 bit versions of 7, xp, and even vista. but no media. the
>systems do allow you to create your own media but I don't think it is
>like a full retail edition of windows.
>http://www.dell.com/us/en/highered/notebooks/ct.aspx?refid=notebooks&s=hied&cs=RC956904&~ck=mn
>ps. i would stay away from the i7 in a laptop unless it is going to be
>continuously doing some intensive work (video editing). they are hot,
>expensive, and for the most part don't make things faster unless you are
>pushing the system hard. the i5 provides an impressive user experience.

I'm very happy with ny $600 Dell 1464 system running 64 bit
windows. (i3 330 CPU, 4GB ram.) It edits huge images in Photoshop and
PSE just fine.
--
Al Dykes
News is something someone wants to suppress, everything else is advertising.
- Lord Northcliffe, publisher of the Daily Mail

From: Hank Arnold on 29 Jul 2010 05:06
On 7/28/2010 9:53 PM, Daddy wrote:

>> However, you can accomplish what you want by clean-installing Win7
>> from the
>> upgrade media. See
>> http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp .
>>
>> Back in December the student versions of Win7 were $29, so I was
>> upgrading
>> a whole bunch of XP and Vista computers for students using Thurrott's
>> method.
>>
>>
>
> Don't misrepresent. Starting with Windows 7, you can no longer install
> an upgrade version of Windows on a blank hard disc.
>
> Used to be, you could install an upgrade version of Windows on a blank
> hard disc, and during the install Setup would ask you to insert a disc
> for a qualifying earlier version of Windows. No more.
>
> Now, you have to have a qualifying earlier version of Windows installed
> on the hard disc. When Setup sees a qualifying earlier version of
> Windows on the disc, it will allow you to erase the disc and install
> your upgrade version on the now-blank disc.
>
> And it's not the 'Thurrott method' -- that's how Microsoft designed it.

If you read dg1261's posting, you would see that it is entirely possible
to install from an upgrade CD onto a blank drive. In fact, Microsoft has
stated that this is a supported process. It's the honor system as to
your having a valid license for a Windows OS.


Regards,
Hank Arnold
Microsoft MVP
Windows Server - Directory Services
http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/personal-pc-assistant/
From: Daddy on 29 Jul 2010 09:43
On 7/29/2010 5:06 AM, Hank Arnold wrote:
> Microsoft has stated that this is a supported process.

"Microsoft has stated that this is a supported process.."

..../if/ the blank disc previously held a qualifying earlier version of
Windows. See, for example:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7

"Custom. This option replaces your current version of Windows with
Windows 7, but doesn't preserve your files, settings, and programs. It's
sometimes referred to as a clean installation for that reason."

"If you're using an upgrade version of Windows 7, don't use a program
from another software manufacturer to reformat your hard disk before
installing Windows 7. Instead, follow the instructions in this section."

"If you're using the upgrade version of Windows 7 on a computer without
an operating system installed, you might not be able to activate this
type of installation. The upgrade version requires Windows XP or Windows
Vista to be installed on the computer to activate Windows 7."

See also:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Windows-7-activation-error-invalid-product-key

"If you receive an error indicating that your product key is not valid
when installing Windows 7, it could be for the following reasons...

....The product key is for an upgrade version of Windows 7 and a previous
version of Windows wasn't on your computer when Windows 7 was installed.
To install an upgrade version of Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP
must be installed on your computer. If you formatted the drive before
starting the installation process, you won't be able to use the upgrade
product key to activate Windows 7. To activate Windows 7, you'll need to
install your previous version of Windows, and then reinstall Windows 7."

--
Daddy
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