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ucodegen.
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February 7, 2016 at 6:40 PM #794091February 7, 2016 at 6:48 PM #794092
spdrun
ParticipantThere should still be a key sticker on the laptop if it was bought from the factory with Win 7. Look under the battery for the sticker.
If someone installed Windows 7 and it’s a legal copy, use something like Magical Jelly-Bean Keyfinder to save the key for future use.
Keyfinder sometimes doesn’t work on factory installs due to them using some sort of generic key, but if it was installed by an end-user, it should work.
https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/
You might have to disable any security software to run Keyfinder, but it’s legit, not a virus.
M$ took down the downloads of the actual install DVDs last year, but they were fortunately mirrored and are available to Torrent. Untouched and perfectly legal to download if you’re licensed to use the software.
February 7, 2016 at 6:58 PM #794093bearishgurl
Participant[quote=spdrun]There should still be a key sticker on the laptop if it was bought from the factory with Win 7. Look under the battery for the sticker.
If someone installed Windows 7 and it’s a legal copy, use something like Magical Jelly-Bean Keyfinder to save the key for future use.
Keyfinder sometimes doesn’t work on factory installs due to them using some sort of generic key, but if it was installed by an end-user, it should work.
https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/
You might have to disable any security software to run Keyfinder, but it’s legit, not a virus.
M$ took down the downloads of the actual install DVDs last year, but they were fortunately mirrored and are available to Torrent. Untouched and perfectly legal to download if you’re licensed to use the software.
http://mirror.corenoc.de/digitalrivercontent.net/%5B/quote%5DI’m pretty sure the key sticker is on the back. I’ve already replaced the battery, power supply and hard drive. I was just wondering if its Win 7 license key would still work if there comes a point where MS no longer wants anyone to use Win 7.
I hope my (main) Win Vista computer won’t be forced into Win 10. I doubt it could run Win 10. It’s only a Pentium D 940 (circa fall 2006). Of course, Win XP is no longer supported on my older desktop (a Pentium III 850 Mhz with dual processors) so I’m not worried about that one.
February 7, 2016 at 7:11 PM #794094ParticipantVista is ineligible for a Win 10 upgrade, so it won’t.
Win 7 is supported till at least 2019, so the activation will work until then. But I suspect it will work much longer, since AFAIK, they still allow XP activations. When it doesn’t, you can always get a crack.
February 7, 2016 at 7:22 PM #794095Participant[quote=spdrun]Vista is ineligible for a Win 10 upgrade, so it won’t.
Win 7 is supported till at least 2019, so the activation will work until then. But I suspect it will work much longer, since AFAIK, they still allow XP activations. When it doesn’t, you can always get a crack.[/quote]Good to know, spd. I like things just the way they are, thank you (incl my circa 2010 3G phone with the minimum 300 mb data plan for $3 mo just so it will work, since I don’t use data, lol). The phone was “free” from one of my kids, hence I haven’t been under contract with a cell phone carrier since 2006. My kid wanted me to learn to text :-0
February 7, 2016 at 10:16 PM #794099temeculaguy
Participant[quote=paramount]I do like Apple for tablets and phones – I don’t see any reason though to buy a Mac desktop.
I buy off lease PC’s off of ebay for $100 bucks or so and install a decent video card.
However, Mac Laptops even a few years old still have value. Most PC laptops have already been e-recycled.
[/quote]I agree about Mac laptops. I have one kid who just finished college and one midway through. I bought the first one two pc laptops at about 500 each. Kid 2’s pc laptop ($500 costco hp) had a crappy hinge and had been repaired at a shop with bolts and some other repairs for $100. Now she cant move it or it craps out. I am typing this on a macbook air I bought used at DC computers (off lease, great shape) in 2013 for a 2012 model i7 for a bit under $1000. Still perfect, I never touch my Dell desktop that cost $700 about the same time. Mac is still as fast as when I got it and has a resale value on e-bay about $500. I know this because I’m thinking about buying kid #2 the same model. So if I had originally bought each kid a $1000 Mac laptop at the beginning of college, they would still have a viable laptop at the end of college with a value of 500. Instead I have a few $500 doorstops.
While its the exception to the rule, going cheap cost me in this area and I regret it.
February 7, 2016 at 10:36 PM #794100ParticipantLenovo. Not their consumer grade rubbish, but their X and T-series laptops. Typing this on a X201 that’s probably from 2010-11 and lightning-fast with an SSD.
February 7, 2016 at 11:28 PM #794101Participant[quote=temeculaguy][quote=paramount]I do like Apple for tablets and phones – I don’t see any reason though to buy a Mac desktop.
I buy off lease PC’s off of ebay for $100 bucks or so and install a decent video card.
However, Mac Laptops even a few years old still have value. Most PC laptops have already been e-recycled.
[/quote]I agree about Mac laptops. I have one kid who just finished college and one midway through. I bought the first one two pc laptops at about 500 each. Kid 2’s pc laptop ($500 costco hp) had a crappy hinge and had been repaired at a shop with bolts and some other repairs for $100. Now she cant move it or it craps out. I am typing this on a macbook air I bought used at DC computers (off lease, great shape) in 2013 for a 2012 model i7 for a bit under $1000. Still perfect, I never touch my Dell desktop that cost $700 about the same time. Mac is still as fast as when I got it and has a resale value on e-bay about $500. I know this because I’m thinking about buying kid #2 the same model. So if I had originally bought each kid a $1000 Mac laptop at the beginning of college, they would still have a viable laptop at the end of college with a value of 500. Instead I have a few $500 doorstops.
While its the exception to the rule, going cheap cost me in this area and I regret it.[/quote]My kid(s) had/have the MacBook Pro during college. Still going strong lo-o-o-ong after graduating! A PC laptop is okay for me because it is not my main computer and therefore gets only light use. The original battery in it lasted ~6 years before I had to replace it. However, it is a heavy, multimedia laptop that college kids wouldn’t want to carry around on their backs.
February 8, 2016 at 10:36 AM #794107ParticipantAs I said, business-grade Thinkpads are bad ass.
February 9, 2016 at 10:44 PM #794171ucodegen
Participant[quote=spdrun]
It is my understanding that Microsoft will be FORCING Windows 7 users to update to Windows 10!!!
Nope. They may force download of this item of spyware as an update, but installation would still require some sort of manual intervention. 7 is supported until at least 2019.
A truly automated update process would result in a lot of software that would suddenly not work and lawsuits. (e.g. any Quickbooks older than 2015)
Also, there’s an easy way to block Win 10 installation entirely — GWX Control Panel which can be downloaded here:
http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/
In short: shove Windows 10 up your raw arsehole, Satan Nadella. I’ll update when I’m good and fucking ready.
Oh, and my next “upgrade” will be to Ubuntu if/when Win 7 is no longer supported.[/quote]
The GWX Control Panel does work.. except some of Microsoft’s patches actually reset the flags to ‘resurrect’ the Windows 10 update. There is also a registry entry that you can set to help stop the update to Win10. At this point, I would recommend imaging your system drives because it is hard to anticipate what Microsoft is going to come up with next in their effort to push the update. Ok, quick list;
1) Disable auto updates. Review your updates before applying (regularly).
2) Check sites that are monitoring Microsoft’s patch lists for Win10 update gotchas.
3) Do not install the following patches: KB3022345, KB2952664, KB3021917, KB3035583, KB3068708, KB3075249, KB3080149, KB3102429, KB971033 – This is my present list that I use for ‘hiding’ patches. It does include Microsoft ‘Telemetrics’ patches (snoopware).
4) Set the following keys;
set “HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionWindowsUpdateOSUpgradeAllowOSUpgrade” to (DWORD)0 . You may need to create the key folder ‘OSUpgrade’. You can use regedit to do this.
set “HKLMSOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsGwxDisableGwx” to (DWORD)1.So far, I have not gotten the Win10 nag, I am running Win8.1 with ‘ClassicShell’ to get the menus back.
Linky notes:
http://www.pauby.com/blog/block-windows-10-upgrade/By the way, if you want to run RedHat equivalent OS, you can resort to CentOS. You can download the ISO across BitTorrent. This is also true with other versions of Linux.
February 9, 2016 at 10:53 PM #794172Participant[quote=bearishgurl]My kid(s) had/have the MacBook Pro during college. Still going strong lo-o-o-ong after graduating! A PC laptop is okay for me because it is not my main computer and therefore gets only light use. The original battery in it lasted ~6 years before I had to replace it. However, it is a heavy, multimedia laptop that college kids wouldn’t want to carry around on their backs.[/quote]
When I buy a computer or digital camera as well as some other things, I plan to buy one and keep it for a long time. The approach has served me well compared to going cheap. My current laptop cost me a bundle, but has many things I was looking for. I don’t need a desk side. The last time I bought a laptop was somewhere around 2000 (Dell M60). I still use it and it is very quick on Linux, less so on WinXP. An interesting note is that the last Microsoft OS that was truly certified by the gov is WinXP. Win2k was allowed, but not certed. Win7 and beyond are not really certed (Microsoft Telemetrics are problematic for Government offices). -
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