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Computer Dummy Has a Question.................

meaux on Sat October 22, 2005 2:43 PM User is offlineView users profile

Dang! I just inherited my son's Computer, went and bought a 19" LCD, (my old laptop acts like it's on "dialup" all the time) and this thing has Windows XP on it. I can't seem to load my Quicken 3 on this new system, and the boy tells me DOS Programs won't work on XP.

My "question" is this: If I dump this XP Program, and reformat to Windows 98, what will I be giving up?

The boy just rolls his eyes when I ask him......I ain't in no mood to take Computer classes.....or discuss it any further with him.

Thanks.....................

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Lazy bum who lives off his wife.

01 BMW 530i Sport, 92 Porsche 968, 85 F150, 72 911, 08 GM SUV, 01' Ford Lightnin'

TRB on Sat October 22, 2005 2:53 PM User is offlineView users profile

Many will laugh when I say this but you have much more security and stability with XP. But any computer needs to be updated on a regular basis! Just fixed my nephew's XP Home version system after he download music and other stuff for a while. He had over 5000 spyware and virus errors on his system. But insists his buddies knew what they were doing when telling him it was okay to download that stuff. Anyway just drop $ 50.00 and get a XP version of Quicken as your data should be able to be imported into the new version without a problem. Just make a back-up on a disk and then use the import link within the XP version.

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When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
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TRB on Sat October 22, 2005 5:04 PM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: meaux
Dang! I just inherited my son's Computer, went and bought a 19" LCD, (my old laptop acts like it's on "dialup" all the time)


Might run Spybot Search and Destroy and Microsoft's spyware beta version on the notebook. I'm not a computer expert but do pretty good at fixing them and it sounds as though you have a spyware issue with the slowed speed. Also good to run Trend's online scan for virus and spyware.



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When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

NickD on Sat October 22, 2005 6:37 PM User is offline

The esoteric secret to learn if your software will run on a certain box is to read the system requirements printed on the box. One of my daughters purchased a new game she couldn't load on her Win98S box and came to me for help. Only could tell she has to buy a new computer with the requirements listed on the box with XP, an X amount of Ram, lots of HD space, and some kind of special video card.

I view software upgrades in the same light as how great it was to semi-retire my 1/2" wrench for a 13 mm wrench, not a darn bit better, but different with more bucks out of my pocket to do exactly the same thing. Tried a 30 version of Arcrobat 7.0 that only runs on an XP box, didn't do anymore than my old 3.0 version running on Win 3.1, but they changed the file format so files running on 7.0 won't run on even versions 6.0, 5.0, or 3.0 so you have to not only buy a new computer, but XP as well. They kind of got you by the spheres.

Ha, and a big ha, if XP is so secure, why did it let 5000 spyware and virus errors on his box? The security issues I have dealt with XP are keeping the legitimate owner from getting in his/hers own box, ha, a lot like automotive anti-thief circuits keeping rightful owners from starting their vehicles. I purchased a new box for XP, have to use it, no choice, but still keeping my Win98SE box alive, would cost a tad more than 50 bucks to replace all the software on it and like my 1/2" wrench, still very productive and useful. Also have a DOS 6.1 box, ha, the only box I have that can properly format a floppy to all the latest standards.

HerkyJim on Sat October 22, 2005 7:08 PM User is offline





...Ha, and a big ha, if XP is so secure, why did it let 5000 spyware and virus errors on his box?....

Yep, and I downloaded no less than 30 critical updates--post-service pack 2--for XP last night to rebuild my system after wiping the hard drive. Wonder how many non-critical updates there might be?

TRB on Sat October 22, 2005 7:17 PM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: NickD
Ha, and a big ha, if XP is so secure, why did it let 5000 spyware and virus errors on his box?

Mainly because the kid never ran a system or virus update. He also liked downloading music from sources like Livewire. Which just allows you to get every freaking virus the other million users have on that peer to peer network. Is it really a "secret" to look and see if a program will run on a computer. That's more like common sense in my opinion. Also one reason I don't try loading MAC software on my Windows machine. If you would have set an admin password/account and then created user accounts someone changing the admin account would never have happened. Can't provide any help on forgetting an admin account but I hear Ginkoba helps with memory loss! Remember an admin account is not suppose to be easy to get into if you don't have rights!

If all you hate Windows so much why do you keep using the product? Use something else or is it just the hip thing to complain about everything! I said more secure not completely secure! Meaux is seeking some help so how about providing some if you don't like my answer!


-------------------------
When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

MrBillPro on Sat October 22, 2005 9:44 PM User is offlineView users profile

Quote
Originally posted by: TRB

If all you hate Windows so much why do you keep using the product? Use something else or is it just the hip thing to complain about everything!


That is sort of like a Democratic attitude all those Windows haters have ha Tim? It works fine but they still will find something to dig up
to bark about.

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Don't take life seriously... Its not permanent.

NickD on Sun October 23, 2005 7:55 AM User is offline

Quote
If all you hate Windows so much why do you keep using the product?

Who said anything about hating Windows? The fact from Win 2000 and up, it is no longer backward compatible and we are forced not only to upgrade our hardware, but all of our software as well, this is not a complaint, but a fact. And if you don't like Windows, might as well just quit using computers, there is no other alternative if you have to communicate with industry. Like saying if you don't like the price of gasoline, use something else, what?

Some of these viruses and spyware are downright ingenious how they can take over ones computer and I find it difficult to believe some teenage kid is writing these programs. To learn the weak spots of a program, you have got to have the source code and only MS has that. So it is quite possible that someone from MS is leaking this code out or MS themselves are generating these programs to gain important marketing information.

Our government has literally thousands of forms on the net, sure you can download Acrobat Reader for free, fill and print out the forms, but you cannot save them, need Acrobat for that small tiny feature, but very disheartening to learn your version of Acrobat is obsolete and cannot even open these forms. Find one small error and have to redownload and type in the entire form again or pay the four hundred some odd bucks for an upgrade. Can't argue that they got you on this.

When I first opened my XP Pro box, there was no administrator inside so I guess that was me, while XP has a multiple use feature, no one uses my computer except me. If a kid starts searching for free music under their own user name, not only fouls up their portion of the box, but your portion as well. Some spyware will erase your passwords, so you can't get in, if you use XP, make sure you make a floppy backup of your password, that is, if your computer even has a floppy drive, they don't come with floppies anymore.

My suggestion to Meaux was to hang unto his old computers, still usable for what he is doing, but to stay current, gotta have XP, no choice.

While ebay may not be worth a darn to buy computer hardware, some very good software deals there.

Meaux can buy XP compatible Quicken for $13.94 including shipping and handling.

Here is one site:


Quicken

Takes quite a bit to learn how to use XP Pro, was able to dump the multiple user feature and make the screen look like Win 98 and why Bill has a bug to make explorer look like a web page is beyond me, with thousands of files to scroll through, don't need or want that, but you can work around that too.

With my youngest daughters box, taught her how to save her data to a partition away from drive C, so when she crashes, just reload drive C from Nortons Ghost, only takes a couple of minutes of my time and she is back in business finding more spyware to crash her box. Have to learn how to live with Windows.

Bigchris on Sun October 23, 2005 11:26 AM User is offline

Meaux, as you may already know, Quicken 3 is older than dirt, so old that it was designed for DOS before even Windows 95 came along. The older versions of Windows like 95 and 98 were based on DOS and so were compatible with most of the old DOS programs.

The sticking point that I see with Tim's suggestion is that the Quicken file formats have changed a number of times over the years and I'm not confident that a modern version of Quicken can import Quicken 3 files! That needs some careful research before buying something that may not work, although moving to a more modern version of Quicken is the best answer.

Another solution, if you have access to a computer geek kid, is to install a boot manager program and Win 98 which allows you to have both XP and 98 on the same machine. It's not diffficult for someone who knows computers fairly well and is easy to use once installed, but is probably more complicated than you'd want to undertake yourself. I suggest it only because removing XP is like throwing away $150, finding Win98 drivers for your son's machine may not be easy, and because you shouldn't even think about putting a Win98 machine on the internet because it is impossible to protect it from the nastyware that is out there these days. Running a Quicken 3 on a Win98 machine attached to the internet is just an open door to any hacker that wants to read your financial records! Security is what you'd be giving up.

meaux on Sun October 23, 2005 12:11 PM User is offlineView users profile

Thanks guys...So, this is my "plan"...I'm gonna load Quicken 2000 on the laptop, and Restore the Quicken 3 into that program, buy Quicken XP, and Restore Quicken 2000 on to that and then to the new computer w/ XP. Hope that works...Gotta a lotta years on Quicken 3, and it's funny to go back and compare...:-)

I've had Quicken 2000 for years but didn't like it, dumped it, (still have the CD) and I went back to Q3. I'm used to the "older than dirt" Quicken 3 because it's so dang simple, not alot of BS, all I really want to do is a few checkin accounts. My mind is still in Windows 3.1 mode...:-)

I forgot the Kid paid so much for XP, then had to buy it again for his new super computer...Theres the real ripoff, not bieng able to load XP on different computers in the same house...

Thanks again...if my "plan" dosen't work, I guess I'll reformat the laptop and just run Q3 only...and it will be "offline", and very secure...:-)

-------------------------
Lazy bum who lives off his wife.

01 BMW 530i Sport, 92 Porsche 968, 85 F150, 72 911, 08 GM SUV, 01' Ford Lightnin'

Edited: Sun October 23, 2005 at 12:13 PM by meaux

TRB on Sun October 23, 2005 12:48 PM User is offlineView users profile

Please no ebay links on this site!

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

Bigchris on Sun October 23, 2005 7:12 PM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: meaux
Thanks guys...So, this is my "plan"...I'm gonna load Quicken 2000 on the laptop, and Restore the Quicken 3 into that program, buy Quicken XP, and Restore Quicken 2000 on to that and then to the new computer w/ XP. Hope that works...Gotta a lotta years on Quicken 3, and it's funny to go back and compare...:-)

I've had Quicken 2000 for years but didn't like it, dumped it, (still have the CD) and I went back to Q3. I'm used to the "older than dirt" Quicken 3 because it's so dang simple, not alot of BS, all I really want to do is a few checkin accounts. My mind is still in Windows 3.1 mode...:-)
Sounds like a workable plan. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with Quicken 3 as your years of use have demonstrated. Personally, I preferred it too and hated to give it up, kinda like abandoning an old friend. But Mr. Gates had his way and the Quicken folks had no choice but to go along. I'm now using Quicken 2003 and thankfully it runs under Linux with the Wine emulator so I'm off that upgrade train for good.

TRB on Sun October 23, 2005 8:21 PM User is offlineView users profile

Here is an option other then ebay which you can look for items in your local area for a hands on approach before buying.

craigslist.org

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

JJM on Mon October 24, 2005 12:09 AM User is offline

Meaux, whatever you do, don't go backwards to any of the Win9x platforms (including ME). What you will be giving up, in answer to your question, is stability and reliability. Win9x also might not have the appropriate drivers for your newer hardware that is designed with XP in mind, so some hardware may not work properly, if at all (like a WinModem, for example).

I had to upgrade from CheckFree 3.0 for DOS to Quicken 2003, then Quicken 2005 and I hate all the BS too -- especially when it comes to my finances. The only reason I upgraded was because the CheckFree dial-up network was going to be shut down, and the only way to pay my bills through CheckFree -- which I've been using since 1989 -- was to upgrade. Before I upgraded however, on my Windows 2000 Professional box, I formatted the drive for FAT32 instead of NTFS, and created a "dual-boot" configuration. Upon boot-up, I would get a screen (through BOOT.INI) that allowed me to choose to boot to either Windows 2000 or DOS (or Win9x). If I did nothing, after 5 seconds Windows 2000 would automatically load.

The same can be done with Windows XP. Granted, FAT32 is not secure like NTFS, but is security really that important on a home computer? (In my opinion, NTFS offers little protection Internet wise.) Also, if you lose your Windows XP password, with FAT32 you can always boot to DOS and get a directory and easily retrieve data. Data recovery is also far easier with FAT32. Stability and reliability wise, I really cannot see much difference between the two file systems.

Joe

Bigchris on Mon October 24, 2005 4:26 PM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: JJM

The same can be done with Windows XP. Granted, FAT32 is not secure like NTFS, but is security really that important on a home computer? (In my opinion, NTFS offers little protection Internet wise.) Also, if you lose your Windows XP password, with FAT32 you can always boot to DOS and get a directory and easily retrieve data. Data recovery is also far easier with FAT32. Stability and reliability wise, I really cannot see much difference between the two file systems.
There is no difference in internet security between NTFS and FAT32. The only "security" in NTFS is that it is a little more robust in its ability to recover from errors than FAT32 is. The real advantage of NTFS is it is more efficient both in terms of speed and use of hard drive space. The other advantage is that it can handle much larger file sizes than FAT32. That gets useful if you want to download movies or burn DVDs.

If Quicken 2000 won't handle the Quicken 3 files and you've got both the Win98 and Win XP CDs then it would be reasonable to install W98 in a 2Gb FAT32 C: partition and Win XP in a NTFS D: partition that uses the rest of the hard drive. XP will setup the dual boot capability. W98 will only be able to "see" its own partition, but XP will be able to see and access both partitions.

The way to make W98 internet safe is simply do not set up a dial up connection in Win98 and if your machine has a network card for cable or DSL, disable the card in Win 98. Set those things up in XP and do all your internet accesses from XP.

meaux on Thu October 27, 2005 10:12 AM User is offlineView users profile

Well BigChris, the idea of installing both XP and 98 w/ a partition sounds like a grand idea to me...I'm gettin ready to re-format this thing and that would solve my Quicken problem, (I think) because, the way it works now, I can't backup the Q2006 to a single floppy, and besides using three floppys, I have to erase them berfore each backup...I keep gettin "disk is full" message. It dosen't want ovewrite the floppy like the Q3 did for years...I guess I'm gonna use the Q3 or Q2000 on the W98 side...which means I wasted $26+ on Quicken 2006...Or I could spend more money on a CD writer. I'm sure I'll be forced to do that in the very near future...

Well, here goes nothin....:-)

I do have 38GB total, so W98 on 2GB would be next to nothing....

-------------------------
Lazy bum who lives off his wife.

01 BMW 530i Sport, 92 Porsche 968, 85 F150, 72 911, 08 GM SUV, 01' Ford Lightnin'

Edited: Thu October 27, 2005 at 10:15 AM by meaux

TRB on Thu October 27, 2005 10:46 AM User is offlineView users profile

Back the file up to the hard drive compress/zip the file then move it to a floppy!

-------------------------

When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

Bigchris on Fri October 28, 2005 4:55 AM User is offline

The 2 Ggb W98 partiton should be the first one you make because anything DOS based (like W98) wants to be in that C: partition. If you use Fdisk from a recovery diskette to create the little C: and a big D: and then install W98 on C: followed by WinXP on D: , XP should set up the dual boot for you automatically so you'll have the choice each time you start the machine.

Once both are installed and running you can go into XP and setup which OS has priority when you power on and how long the machine waits for you to make a choice before it starts automatically. The D: partiton can be either FAT32 or NTFS but if you make it NTFS, Win98 will not be able to "see" or copy files to or from that partition, while XP will be able to access both C: and D:.

I think the Windows versions save much bigger backup files than the DOS versions which may explain why you're having problems with diskette full. Tim's suggestion might work but it would be a PITA to come out of Quicken to zip and then backup files. I break my backups into two year intervals and save just two years at a time on a diskette. That way it fits and if I need access to something that happened more than two years ago I just pop in the appropriate diskette and work from that. Including the last two digits of the years in the name of the backup file makes it pretty easy to figure out which diskette contains what.

Edit: BTW, XP might let you backup directly to a CD writer - I don't know because I've never tried it and don't have Quicken installed on XP. BUT - let me warn you now that CD writers are a slippery slope. There is an old computer rule that says "Data will always grow to fill the available space"! Two and a half years ago I installed my first CD writer so I could put 650 Mb on a disk. A year ago I installed a DVD writer so I could put 4.5 Gb on a disk. Saturday I'll be installing a Dual Layer DVD writer that puts over 8Gb on a disk and the next generation DVD writers will put 30 Gb on a disk. Once you start, there is no end to it!

Edited: Fri October 28, 2005 at 5:15 AM by Bigchris

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