OK. My fault, but who would have known.
My 4 year old daughter poured "bubbles" on my running laptop the day after Christmas, totally cooking it. After having 3 PC guys look at it and tell me not only is the laptop a loss (I believed that, since I could literally smell that is was done), but all of my data is gone too. Long story short, I pulled the HD out of laptop, connected as a slave to a desktop and was able to access all of my data.
Now, here comes the fun part and I am not going to detail how to fix everything, as I don't even remember where I found half the info I found on this. Which by the way, is entirely a million percent more than I ever wanted to learn about VISTA and XP. First, off, to get certain data (mostly anything associated with a User Account in XP) to be accessible on any other PC is tougher than I ever thought, well, if you don't know how to do it. Which I had to search and search for, and then search with the exact search term I needed to find the info. So that's done. I recover my data and it is all thier for me to access and use. I buy a new laptop with VISTA, as that is all I am told you can get, even the DELL Laptops with XP deal was over. So no choice, have to go with VISTA. (I am since told you CAN get a Dell with XP).
So, first thing I figure out is basically nothing I use or own software-wise, will work in Vista. I am a programmer by education and profession, so I obviously use my laptop for a lot of different things. On top of this, I integrate all kinds of systems from Residential HVAC systems, to pools, to lighting control systems, music servers, even septic systems and generators, so I have to use some legacy stuff and connections as well. No way this stuff is going to work in Vista. I checked , and tried anyway, even though "it" said it wouldn't work. It doesn't.
What would any computer "professional" do, setup a dual boot system to use both VISTA and XP or just install XP on the new laptop. I own it, why not. After multiple attempts, about 1 day each, I just cannot get it to work. Finally after checking the HP website, and calling HP, manufacturer of my new laptop, I find out they are using new hardware that there are no drivers for XP. No way to get them, XP is just not going to work on this laptop. Wow. What a dilemma. I have software from Quickbooks, to DTools and other specialized business software I have purchased over the years to the tune of $1000s, and most of it I am finding does not work with VISTA. Just figuring this out in itself, took about 2 weeks to totally figure out.
So, what is one to do. Buy a MAC BOOK some might say. I checked into it, which by the way, I think is a GREAT alternative to a new laptop with VISTA, and you can run XP native on the MAC BOOK, however;
the MAC is about 2X as much as the laptop I have, feature for feature, screen size, memory, chipsets, RAM, etc.
Second, some of the specialty software I use, that cost the most of all the software we own, ofcourse, is MS Certified/Partner product and is not supported in a MAC, even if running on XP. Some of this software is tricky anyway, so not worth the hassle, when dealing with lots of data.
So, finally I find out that Microsoft makes something just for this migration issue called Virtual PC, that is designed to run in VISTA, and run a Virtual XP or other MS OS on the same laptop. Pretty nice, except I find out that the Virtual PC software only runs on VISTA Ultimate, which ofcourse is not what is installed on most laptops for sale. So I am having to upgrade from VISTA Home Premium to VISTA Ultimate. I'll let you know what happens, AFTER I get the VISTA CD , which you have to order to install Virtual PC, since no one gives you the VISTA CD when you purchase a new laptop. More brilliant hassles. Hmmm.
My advice. Wait for Windows 7, or get a MAC and run XP on it.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
HD DVD on it's way out!
I've said for sometime this Beta vs VHS war would come to an end. In the HD-DVD vs Blueray wars, it's coming to a head. Fortunately, for my record, I've been predicting that BlueRay would win out for some time now. Well, the news is looking grim for HD DVD as of today.
As reported in Residential A/V Magazine with a headline that reads "Dark Clouds ahead for HD-DVD". While at CES last week, Warner Home Video announced they were abandoning the HD-DVD format. This means a huge loss for HD-DVD in the form of quantity of movies available. Regardless, there is an existing solution. An excellent HD-DVD/BlueRay combo DVD player that also plays standard DVDs is and has been available from LG for sometime now. Going for between $600-$1,000 depending on when, where and how you purchase, it is actually a pretty good bargain to be able to play all the formats on a single player.
As reported in Residential A/V Magazine with a headline that reads "Dark Clouds ahead for HD-DVD". While at CES last week, Warner Home Video announced they were abandoning the HD-DVD format. This means a huge loss for HD-DVD in the form of quantity of movies available. Regardless, there is an existing solution. An excellent HD-DVD/BlueRay combo DVD player that also plays standard DVDs is and has been available from LG for sometime now. Going for between $600-$1,000 depending on when, where and how you purchase, it is actually a pretty good bargain to be able to play all the formats on a single player.
2008 Consumer Electronics Show - Day 1
Attended the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to see the latest in new toys and electronics.
Saw only a few new "breakthroughs" during the show. A Few of the cooler products I saw related to wireless technologies, which I am NOT a big fan of, due to failure rates, security issues and complexities in setting up. I have said for years we won't have wireless video for a decade, ofcourse it's been almost that long since I first started saying that, but I may yet eat my words there.
I saw LG and others had Wireless HDTVs that included the wireless transmitter that sends the video to the Plasma or LCD up to 65 feet away. I saw first hand 3 different sized TVs in each Plasma and LCD receiving a 1080P signal wirelessly. There are some caviats. The boxes are designed to only work within a room and they are linked/married to one TV. So you cannot steal your neighbors signal (see what he's watching) and there is some setup involved and I imagine risk of lockup or signal failure as with most wireless products these days. These are really designed for hiding the wires in the room, not necessarily for sending wireless video, albeit a first step.
This still doesn't solve the problem of the electrical wire. Our view is that if you buy a plasma, figure out how to, or hire a reputable systems integrator or installation company to install it correctly and you won't see any wires, since a pro will hide them in the wall and properly route them. If you are building a house, of course prewire it so the electrical and A/V cables come out where you want your TV(s) hung.
Another cool new wireless device is a new bluetooth headset that works up to 300' from the source with built in noise cancellation and great quality sound. The product is an CEA Innovations Award winner and was featured on the show floor. Called the Dragon, it's from a company called CallPod (uhuh), and they make a few other cool products that allow for charging multiple devices of a single power source. One device uniquely called the ChargePod, kind of looks like an octopus with connectors for most cell phones, MP3s, PDAs, and other personal electronics. Cool concept, especially since using a single power source is also a GREEN way to go. I suggested the CallPod guys hookup with another exhibitor down the hall, V-Dimension who makes several version of solar backpacks, briefcases and other devices designed to charge laptops, MP3 players and more from a solar panel built into the case. The CallPod guys said they had spoken and would talk more. Pretty cool. Could be great together. Battery technology is advancing, but not quite as fast as our consumption rates and electronics propagation, so small solar case embedded chargers could be a great asset to today's "man/woman on the street".
I'll report in on what I see on Day 2 and 3 later in the week.
Saw only a few new "breakthroughs" during the show. A Few of the cooler products I saw related to wireless technologies, which I am NOT a big fan of, due to failure rates, security issues and complexities in setting up. I have said for years we won't have wireless video for a decade, ofcourse it's been almost that long since I first started saying that, but I may yet eat my words there.
I saw LG and others had Wireless HDTVs that included the wireless transmitter that sends the video to the Plasma or LCD up to 65 feet away. I saw first hand 3 different sized TVs in each Plasma and LCD receiving a 1080P signal wirelessly. There are some caviats. The boxes are designed to only work within a room and they are linked/married to one TV. So you cannot steal your neighbors signal (see what he's watching) and there is some setup involved and I imagine risk of lockup or signal failure as with most wireless products these days. These are really designed for hiding the wires in the room, not necessarily for sending wireless video, albeit a first step.
This still doesn't solve the problem of the electrical wire. Our view is that if you buy a plasma, figure out how to, or hire a reputable systems integrator or installation company to install it correctly and you won't see any wires, since a pro will hide them in the wall and properly route them. If you are building a house, of course prewire it so the electrical and A/V cables come out where you want your TV(s) hung.
Another cool new wireless device is a new bluetooth headset that works up to 300' from the source with built in noise cancellation and great quality sound. The product is an CEA Innovations Award winner and was featured on the show floor. Called the Dragon, it's from a company called CallPod (uhuh), and they make a few other cool products that allow for charging multiple devices of a single power source. One device uniquely called the ChargePod, kind of looks like an octopus with connectors for most cell phones, MP3s, PDAs, and other personal electronics. Cool concept, especially since using a single power source is also a GREEN way to go. I suggested the CallPod guys hookup with another exhibitor down the hall, V-Dimension who makes several version of solar backpacks, briefcases and other devices designed to charge laptops, MP3 players and more from a solar panel built into the case. The CallPod guys said they had spoken and would talk more. Pretty cool. Could be great together. Battery technology is advancing, but not quite as fast as our consumption rates and electronics propagation, so small solar case embedded chargers could be a great asset to today's "man/woman on the street".
I'll report in on what I see on Day 2 and 3 later in the week.
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