Getting New PC with 7 Home Ultimate - Gotchas please 1

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Since I am unfamiliar with 7 ( long time XP user, a little Vista exp.) I just wondered what the biggest changes/surprises/gotchas I am likely to face with 7 and a new PC.





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[tf1]

I find it strange that the official MS policy for Office 2010 (their first release of a true 64-bit Office package) is to stick with 32-bit Office unless you need to create Excel spreadsheets larger than 2GB. This makes me suspect that there maybe all is not roses running 64-bit Office.

The only problem I have seen posted with 64-bit O2010 has been related to printing: that may be more likely a problem with the 64-bit printer driver and was in a beta version of O2010 - so it may have been resolved.

I've toyed with the idea of switching to 64-bit Win 7, but so far cannot find a compelling reason. Even Photoshop runs more than happily in a 32-bit environment with a Core2 Quad processor and 4GB memory. Is it worth the pain to be a pioneer?!


Regards: Terry

 

[ArizonaGeek]

I am with tf1 on the ol' 32 bit vs 64 bit debate. Unless you're running more than 4gb of RAM I see no real reason to make the 64 bit leap. At least not yet. I know Microsoft and the PC makers are pushing for 64 bit but until the rest of the world catches up I see no reason to make the move. It always seems like it is more hassle than it's worth when I get to the one or two programs I really need to run, that has an issue with 64 bit.

At this point, I don't NEED 6 or 8 gigs of RAM (or more) and at least in the foreseeable future I will never make a 2 gig Excel spreadsheet.

If anyone can give me any compelling reason to move to 64 bit I will. But until then I am sticking with 32 bit, less hassle.

Cheers
Rob

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Thank for the thoughts on 64-bit, but I expect this to be the last PC I buy and wanted to keep ahead of the trend as far as possible
( although there are really only 2 kinds of computers: Under development and Obsolete )

The new machine has 8Gb of memory a v7 Intel processor and a 1Gb ATI video card along with 1Tb storage capacity - I do use Poser Pro Animation software so the extra preocessing power may come in handy even now.





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[ArizonaGeek]

The new machine has 8Gb of memory a v7 Intel processor and a 1Gb ATI video card along with 1Tb storage capacity

Drrroooolllll.....


Cheers
Rob

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[Nocandu]

Hi

I would recommend going with 64 bit unless you have really old apps.

The only recent program that wouldn't run on my 64bit computer was Indesign CS2. It just isn't compatible and I had to upgrade to CS4.

But even my old Tomb Raider Games run fine.
I didn't have any driver problems except with my scanner and I found a application that would run that too.

My computer has 8 gigs of ram so I didn't really have any choice but it has been a easy transition.

Mike

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Thanks, now if it will only work!

Since I already had a very good monitor and speaker system ( from my dear departed Dell XPS 700), I was able to move up in power for a reasonable price - the Dell Studio XPS 8100 seemed like a good buy.





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[kjv1611]

Turkbear, if you want to make sure to stay ahead, and/or stay up with the curve with this machine, I'd suggest picking up an SSD, and move the system to that. Then keep your data files, only, on the 1TB drive. Ah, that'd be nice. But you're talking $200 to $300, minimum for a good/decent SSD.

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Thanks, I'll look into that, Meanwhile:

The PC cannot get through to the internet - Dell support has tried all its tricks and no luck..It sees the network as an unknown network and has to internet access, although it can 'see' one other PC on my home network.

Tried most of the obvious, bypassed the router and connected directly to the cable modem, connected using an existing connection that is working for a PC in the same room, as well as all the software and hardware stuff ( disable card, enable it,various ipconfig steps) - no luck..

Oddly, the network map shows the PC as being attached to a switch which then attaches to my router ( with our network name shown) while one of our wireless devices ( running Vista) is shown connected to the router ( with the network name).

A tech is coming out to replace the hard drive and see if that helps ( for some reason, even restoring the original configuratiin and restarting from scratch had no impact!)


Geesh



To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[Turkbear]

YEA!! Its up and running..

A previous Network Management program, which I thought I had disabled, had set MAC address restrictions in the router - once I reset the router, all got well!


Thanks all,





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[Nocandu]

Hi

Make sure that you do not have Bonjour Services installed on your new computer!

It is installed on the sly by ITunes, and some Adobe software and will give you all kinds of network headaches.

I have had to remove it from 3 different Windows 7 computers.

Mike

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
That was one thing the Dell tech had be check for, not there and it was not in the services but I will check for it periodically.


Thanks

BTW, Do the Microsoft Security Essentals include a firewall? The Windows one seems very intrusive when programs like Real Player want to access the net.









To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
I found out that it does not, so I'll learn more about outbound traffic rules...



Thanks all...



To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."