New Win7 laptop won't run a very needed program!

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by RASelkirk, Apr 10, 2011.

  1. RASelkirk

    RASelkirk MDL Senior Member

    Feb 4, 2010
    266
    13
    10
    Hi All,

    My new Toshiba L675 laptop came with Win7 Home Premium. I tried formatting and loading my old 32-bit XP Pro (and it actually loaded) but my dated (Stomp) backup program refused to work so I was in the "start over" boat anyways. I went back with the Win7 and have since found that my $4500 Roland vinyl printer/cutter is no longer compatible. Neither the program nor the drivers will load. I've tried all kinds of compatibility stuff and nothing...

    Would I be better off trying Win7 Pro's XP mode or going for a dual boot?

    Would either of these options even let me load my program/driver on a 64-bit system?

    Thanks!

    Russ
     
  2. ZaForD

    ZaForD MDL Expert

    Jan 26, 2008
    1,212
    200
    60
    I'd go with XP Mode.
    Because it works in the background yet the devices (USB and Serial) and their software appear as though there installed.
    Where as with multi-boot you always seem to be in the wrong OS.

    BTW, there will be a performance hit.
     
  3. RASelkirk

    RASelkirk MDL Senior Member

    Feb 4, 2010
    266
    13
    10
    #3 RASelkirk, Apr 10, 2011
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2011
    (OP)
    So you think this stuff will install if I'm in XP mode? I've never fooled with it before...

    Hey, I just remembered I have a desktop with 32-bit Win7 Pro. In tried the install on it and it appeared to work, so I'm guessing the "64-bit" is the problem... New question: Can I somehow convert or rollback the 64-bit on my laptop to the 32 bit version? It has a 64-bit processor, is the "bit" of the OS something I can control or does MS make that (yet another) choice for me?

    Russ
     
  4. urie

    urie Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 21, 2007
    9,039
    3,388
    300
    You can't rollback you need to do fresh install of x86 version.
     
  5. ZaForD

    ZaForD MDL Expert

    Jan 26, 2008
    1,212
    200
    60
    Yeah, it works well, slow in alot of cases.
    And its limited to Serial and USB devices, not LPT.
     
  6. RASelkirk

    RASelkirk MDL Senior Member

    Feb 4, 2010
    266
    13
    10
    Got it to work!

    I ended up with a dual-boot Win7/XP machine. Only a few small snags, my 'puter is an AMD x64 Turion so XP doesn't recognize some devices and no drivers are available for them. But I have enough functionality to run my printer and that's what matters.

    I do have another question though... XP will bluescreen every time unless I "flip a switch" in my BIOS that sets my SATA controller to "compatibility" mode. I haven't really seen a change in Win7 when it's like this, but I'm surely taking a performance hit. Is there a program that I can write into a shutdown/startup batchflie that will flip the BIOS bit so I don't have to keep remembering?

    Thanks!

    Russ
     
  7. urie

    urie Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 21, 2007
    9,039
    3,388
    300