I haven't tried this yet Larry, but being a computer guy, maybe it's something you use, or are familiar with. I'm not really into spending big bucks on software either, only to have it redundant in a few months, or requiring more expensive updates.
As I've said, I always used Macs in the past, had a couple PCs now, but after using Firefox for several years, and on different platforms, I like the free open source stuff. Maybe I'm just getting cheap in my old age, but gotta save where I can for porsche parts. lol. Have a look at this and let us know what you think?? http://www.openoffice.org/product/ I'm fiddling with old HDs in an external box later tonight. All small steps towards my master plan of getting everything onto external drives, then switching over to new computers in the future hopefully wont' be the pain it has been with these last couple!! Ed 300E 2009/6/20 LarryT <l02tur...@comcast.net> > OK, here's what happened - > > I have tried everything. Formated a new HD (after trying the old HD), but > Win did not recognize *either* drive present. I used the both drives in an > ext enclosure without problem. Did a full format and tried again - same > problem. checked the BIOS instructions and there is *no* switch for OS - no > mention of anything OS related. I did a LOT of research while > looking...hoping it would be that easy. > > Toshiba is no help at all. I went to Intel to find the proper HD Driver > and then used nLite to integrate the driver into my XP install discs. Still > did not recognize the HD - same problem, no change.. Maybe Intel gave me > the wrong driver? Anything is possible. > > I am slowly getting used to using Vista - it is slow and cumbersome - "used > to" is not the same as "liking it". > > I'm beginning to think I have what Dave Walton referred to << non-standard > drive controller, you are screwed > until they come out with drivers for XP.>> Why would they develop drivers > for XP? MS doesn't even support it anymore. > > It's a Toshiba Qosmio F45 Laptop. It's not a bad machine - 500GB HD and 2 > GB RAM but Vista is like an anchor around its neck. > > Part of the problem is MS wrote the backdate to XP specifically hard to do. > When drivers are needed you must press F6 (no problem so far) but then you > must install the HD Drivers from a *floppy* drive. How many people have > floppy drives? A USB will not work nor will a CD. Only a floppy. > > Tell me MS didn't do that on purpose? They are so friggin arragant that > they decide what OS I must use - no matter what I want. Then they put > roadblocks up to prevent using what I'm happy with, and educated on. > > Just found out yesterday Vista Ultimate is not compatible with my full > versions of Roxio or Nero! 2 more programs (that were not cheap) I would > have to buy *new* versions of if I wanted to be where I was before buying > this POS. > > As I work to get my Acer (with XP) back up to speed after being repaired, I > plan to save all of my stuff, wipe the disc and install Vista to it's "out > of box" state - then sell it on eBay. Maybe this won't be a total loss. > Luckily I can use my SATA ext. enclosure to cut/copy/paste anything needed > to my Acer. The biggest problem is the SATA 50GB HD will not fit in my Acer > - it has ATA conns. I can use it as an ext storage device but that's it for > now. > > Next time I need a laptop I will look at Macs as suggested - as long as > they run Win PC software or have an equivilent. I refuse to buy new SW just > because a sw designer adds some bells and whisltles. Especially after > spending hours reading a manual that looks like a dictionary. Don't need to > go thru that pain again. > > Not even going to consider Win7 next year - too irritated with the way I > was treated - no matter how good it is supposed to be. > > Thx for letting me vent ..... > > LarryT > > > "How come the proposed > 'univ health care' > excludes congress?" > ----- Original Message ----- From: "LWB250" <lwb...@yahoo.com> > To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 4:03 PM > Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT Win 7 FWIW > > > > Now that I think about this it sounds bogus. We were using HP desktops > downgraded to XP a year ago that had SATA drives in them. > > Have you low level formatted the drive and started from scratch? > > Dan > > --- On Sat, 6/20/09, Barry Stark <barryst...@roadrunner.com> wrote: > > From: Barry Stark <barryst...@roadrunner.com> >> Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT Win 7 FWIW >> To: "'Mercedes Discussion List'" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> >> Date: Saturday, June 20, 2009, 3:58 PM >> Larry - >> That seems strange to me as my 3 year old Dell desktop has >> a 320Gb SATA hard >> drive and I just recently purchased an OEM copy of XP pro >> and installed it >> without incident. Could it have something to do with the >> laptop BIOS somehow >> not being compatible with XP or driver problems? >> >> Barry >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com >> [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] >> On Behalf Of LarryT >> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 12:24 PM >> To: Mercedes Discussion List >> Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT Win 7 FWIW >> >> The Toshiba Laptop I bought in late march has Vista >> Ultimate. I have been >> trying to install my copy of XP Home wince early April when >> I decided the >> "improvements' MS made when creating Vista made it >> impossible for me to live >> >> with Vista. Since then I have been progresively moved >> up the Help Chain >> getting more and more experienced (and less and less >> knowledgable) >> "experts". None seem to know how to install XP onto a >> SATA Hard drive - >> even the *new* 500GB HD I bought specifically for this >> purpose. >> >> Absolutely no luck in getting XP running on a SATA HD - so >> don;t believe the >> >> salespeople who tell you XP can be installed easily. Even >> using nLight to >> integrate the drivers into the XP install discs have not >> worked. Will try >> it again just to be sure. I'm pretty computer >> literate but when they start >> offering instructions it's like they are speaking another >> language - one >> *they* don't understand either.... >> >> I installed Vista in my new HD hoping it would be easier to >> work with if it >> were installed with *my* specific wants considered from the >> get-go. No such >> >> luck - >> >> I finally found out how to install XP as a second OS - but >> it's not very >> easy to work with.... >> >> Not much fun so I've gone back to my Acer with XP Home.... >> >> Good luck - >> LarryT 91 300D >> >> "How come the proposed >> 'univ health care' >> excludes congress?" >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Loren Faeth" < >> lfa...@leadingchange.com> >> To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> >> Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 8:16 PM >> Subject: [MBZ] OT Win 7 FWIW >> >> >> > According to Redmond Magazine today, M$ will allow >> buyers of "higher end" >> > versions of Win 7 to downgrade to XP at no extra >> charge. >> > >> > By Doug Barney >> > Editor in Chief, Redmond magazine >> > >> > <http://www.1105newsletters.com/t.do?id=2828309:1060387>Windows >> 7: You Can >> >> > Go Back >> > When Vista came out, many new users clamored for the >> right to move back to >> >> > XP. Unfortunately, going back wasn't always easy and >> wasn't usually free. >> > With that lesson in mind, Microsoft >> > <http://www.1105newsletters.com/t.do?id=2828310:1060387>just >> announced >> > that new Windows 7 customers will have a >> year-and-a-half to move back down >> >> > to XP or even Vista (however, the plan only applies to >> high-end versions >> > of Windows 7). >> > >> > While this is a nice gesture, I think downgraders will >> be few and far >> > between -- maybe just those who depend on that random >> app that Windows 7 >> > chokes on. What would make you want or need to go back >> to XP? And would >> > there ever be a reason to move from Windows 7 to >> Vista? Answers readily >> > read at dbar...@redmondmag.com. >> > >> > >> >> http://redmondmag.com/blogs/doug-barney/2009/06/windows-7-you-can-go-back.as >> px >> > >> > Personally, the more I use OSX, the more i like >> it. No 64 bit migration >> > problems. It has always been 64 bit. >> > >> > >> > Loren Faeth -------------- next part -------------- >> > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> > URL: >> > >> < >> http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090619/f2 >> 7eed77/attachment.html> >> > _______________________________________ >> > http://www.okiebenz.com >> > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com >> > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> > >> > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> >> > > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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