Windows 7

[Mike Fishwick]

Has anyone managed to load the BMW ETK and TIS programs onto Windows 7? I tried the emulation option, but didn't get anywhere, though that may be me.

Any ideas?

[OldskoolRS]

I''ve ordered a new laptop due later this week (to save getting into bother using this work one on line ) so I'll have a play when it arrives if no one else has responded by then and report back.

[TitanTim]

Don't get me started on Windows, its rubbish, I'm forever getting updates which messes up my laptop and takes it over

Apple next time around.

Tim.

[OldskoolRS]

I was looking at Apple, but the laptop I was looking at was near £1,500 which I couldn't justify. One thing I have used previously on my PCs that I've built is Norton Ghost: You take an 'image' of your C drive then if there is problem (or even if you want to use a trial software more than once ) then you can 'reset' the PC back to it's previous state. I usually install Windows, then certain 'known good' updates and the appropriate drivers and base software for my use, then back that up. Trouble is I think the version I have of 'ghost' is out of date and would need a new version.

It's better to store data on a separate drive/partion if using this approach though as a 'reset' will lose data if it's on the C drive...

[Robert T]

Not tried it yet, Mike, but as the last version of the ETK I have seemed to be Java, it ought to work whatever the OS - it may be that the version of Java you have installed is too new for it. It does use a "funny" database though, so this may have a disagreement with Win 7.

@OldskoolRS - with the size of hard drives these days, backing up the whole machine is not a option - unless you reduce C: to the OS and a few core applications, it is a problem of where to keep the Ghost images.

I solved the problem for work by going virtual - my laptop can run several VMs at the same time as Win 7 - that way I don't have to keep installing and uninstalling stuff into Win7, which is what slows it down. I use VMWare, but there are free virtual machine packages out there and this might be an easy way to get the ETK/TIS working on any OS (including Apple).

As for updates - not had any problems with Win 7 updates at all - McAfee on the other hand is driving me nuts as it thinks it owns the machine!

Cheers R.

[OldskoolRS]

I suppose I don't overfill my C drive and partion the disc anyway so that the 'My Documents' is relocated onto another drive (physical or virtual/partion). I think my last Ghost was about 2Gb when compressed down, but it only had Office, a few of my son's games, DVB viewer (the main reason for Ghost as it was so tempremental!) and some photo/video edtting software. I'm hoping this new laptop doesn't give me too much grief setting it up as the days of me spending all weekend fiddling with OS issues have long gone. Thankfully I don't have to do it for customers anymore either (especially ultra fussy Pharmaceutical clients ).

[TitanTim]

I was looking at Apple, but the laptop I was looking at was near £1,500 which I couldn't justify. One thing I have used previously on my PCs that I've built is Norton Ghost: You take an 'image' of your C drive then if there is problem (or even if you want to use a trial software more than once ) then you can 'reset' the PC back to it's previous state. I usually install Windows, then certain 'known good' updates and the appropriate drivers and base software for my use, then back that up. Trouble is I think the version I have of 'ghost' is out of date and would need a new version.

It's better to store data on a separate drive/partion if using this approach though as a 'reset' will lose data if it's on the C drive...

Unfortunately the Apple MacBooks are expensive but I'm definitely going to go for the MacBook Pro 17" next time around, I'm saving up for one. I love my current DELL Studio XPS, great laptop, very sturdy and well made which is spoilt by Windows. I'm using Norton 360 which I'm not sure helps. I don't understand why I seem to get alot of windows updates but just prefer Apple and no antivirus to mess around with. Love my iPad but still prefer a laptop for extended usage.

Tim.

[Bonzo]

I wish I knew what you lot are talking about.

Ah well! Cheers, Bonzo.

[BladeRunner919]

Don't buy an Apple. Their products become obsolete too quickly.

For example, go and buy a new iPod. You'll need the latest iTunes to use it. Which will need the latest MacOS. Give up in annoyance, dig out your Windows XP machine, and off you go.

Want to run a current version of Flash on your machine? 4 year old Mac - no chance. Needs OSX 10.6. 10 year old PC with Windows XP? Certainly, sir.

I have a Mac network an work, and they are no better than Windows machines in any way. Stability is no better, parts are all proprietary etc, etc.

Just avoid Windows Vista (go XP or 7) and you'll be fine.

[chrisp_1]

I wish I knew what you lot are talking about.

Ah well! Cheers, Bonzo.

me too

I do however recommend a few posters look at Panda Cloud antivirus - has been brilliant since a friend recommended It to me, no interference at all and very low demand on your PC. Previously he gave me a version of NOD32 which was way better than the Norton I had before. I'd definitely recommend the Norton removal tool

Another friend running McAfee also uninstalled his and ran Panda after I told him - he said it made his machine run much better.

[wonderloaf]

I wish I knew what you lot are talking about.

Ah well! Cheers, Bonzo.

me too

I do however recommend a few posters look at Panda Cloud antivirus - has been brilliant since a friend recommended It to me, no interference at all and very low demand on your PC. Previously he gave me a version of NOD32 which was way better than the Norton I had before. I'd definitely recommend the Norton removal tool

Another friend running McAfee also uninstalled his and ran Panda after I told him - he said it made his machine run much better.

+1 for Panda Cloud Antivirus, been using the free version for a year or so now. Because it's 'cloud' based think it automatically updates in the background, but it certainly doesn't affect anything I do.

[houdini2005]

if you have an desktop pc then do what I did and fit an extra drive or partition (drive is easier) then install winxp or linux etc then use easy bcd free version non commercial to choose on boot up which drive/ partition at boot up, you can get from here http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/#comparison and might do the trick

[Robert T]

I used to dual-boot my machine, but it is a right royal pain when the stuff you want right now is in the other partition. Having a VM with XP in it for just the stuff that won't run in Windows 7 makes more sense, particularly if you have one that pauses rather than shuts down, as you don't have boot XP, only resume it. You can then swap between reading your email and doing whatever in XP by simply switching windows. I use this approach to develop in Windows and Linux simultaneously using just one machine - something I really couldn't do by dual-booting.

Cheers R.

[Jonttt]

First thing I always do with a new machine is deinstall all the "free" software especially anti virus software such as norton and macfee.

Put panda cloud on (make sure you specifically search for the free version) and your machine will run a lot better / faster.

I use to use ghost years ago but there are too many better options now from 1tb USB powered small external drives & microsofts own image software to cloud based backup such as skydrive (I do both) as my business machine has my life on it.

I do run Solid state main drives though so have limited internal capacity but external / cloud based bacups is so cheap now it's no problem. Skydrive is great as all my files are mirrored on the fly as soon as I've got an Internet connection.

[Bonzo]

My thoughts exactly!