[Bob La Londe]

I was thinking of trying upgrading to 9 Pro, but I am a hard corps XP Pro users. On another group I read one nuser complained that they were having problems installing V9 Pro on their XP box, but that it installed on their Win 7 64 bit box just fine. They also claimed it said V9 would run under XP ont he VC website. Has anybody successfully installed V9 Pro on a Windows XP or XP Pro box?

All my computers except for 2 Linux boxes are running XP Pro. I didn't see anything I liked in 7 to make me want to upgrade, and some of the PC Gurus are saying Windows 8 is the worst Windows release ever. One even went out of his way to say, "Even worse than Vista." Hence why there is an Windows 8.1 already out to bug fix, and they announced the work on Windows 9 early to keep people interested in Windows.

Anyway, who has V9 Pro installed on an XP Box and working? Anybody?

I sure miss DeskView...

[ger21]

.............and some of the PC Gurus are saying Windows 8 is the worst Windows release ever.

I've read some that say it's the best Windows ever. Or it would be if they got rid of the touch interface, which I've read that 9 may do.
I still use XP as well (until I get a new PC in a few months), but Windows 7 is MUCH better, especially with more modern programs. If you have PC's that are maybe 2 years old or newer, I'd switch to Windows 7 Pro x64. You can get it for $140 at Newegg.

Sorry, but don't have any info on your ViaCAD question.

[rfenn]

I understand that if you get used to something like XP then the familiarity is a huge plus but I must say that I really haven't had any issues with Windows 7 Pro. I had also moved from a Vista laptop but get used to all of them after a bit of use. A vendor has to move on to keep up with the latest application technology and retain reasonable support models. There is no way I would go back to XP, especially with my CAM package which loves the multithreading. I say, just take the implant - the assimilation only hurts a little bit!

[Bob La Londe]

Well, thank you for the Pro Windows prop, but I want to know if anybody has made a good installation of VC9 Pro on an XP box.

And yes, I have been using Windows since 2.0. Actually had the chance to see 1.0 in the lab, and I still have the same thing to say today as I did back then. The more I learn about Windows the more I like DeskView. I am familiar with the Windows model. Make crappy software. Make it almost good, then stop fixing it and sell everybody on how the next version fixes all the old problems (while whispering, "and creates whole new ones.")

And I do have software that multi threads under XP. I also have business critical software that runs under XP. Solid bulletproof reliable software. An upgrade on some computers to 7 (yes I have played with the XP Emulator plug-in which was totally dropped in Win 8) would cost a lot more than the cost of Windows. The time alone to upgrade some machines would be exorbitant, and the software cost of multiple upgrades makes it outrageous. Add on the headache of simultaneously maintaining multiple platforms. Yuck!

I've been playing with computers for a while... since the late 70s when I wrote game programs for the Commodore Pet 2001 and the Heath Zenith H89a.

Of course that makes me a dinosaur. LOL. I actually have a couple DOS boxes on the bench still that I occasionally need to power up to service and program hardware for long term clients....

So regardless of how wonderful 7 or 8 is or is how wonderful it is perceived to be I am not resisting out of "fear" or comfort. I troubleshoot problems on some Windows 7 boxes from time to time and computer service isn't even my main day job. I was appalled at how 7 was market as having better security, and was instantaneously exploited upon release. Almost like the exploits were written by people who had the source code...

I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS MADE A SUCCESSFUL INSTALLATION OF VC9PRO ON AN XP PRO BOX BEFORE I TRY IT.

[mmoe]

Even if it installs and works, you're probably going to get a buggy experience. These applications are just not being written for Windows XP anymore since it's not officially supported by Microsoft either. It's just not possible to write software as complicates as 3d CAD software (which relies HEAVILY on hardware and drivers) to work with Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP in both 32 bit and 64 bit flavors. They already made products for Windows XP, which you already own, so they have to keep moving forward as that's what the rest of the industry is doing. Again, my guess is that it might run, but I wouldn't expect it to work 100% properly.

I started programming on a Texas Instruments TI-99 in about '83 or so, so I've been using computers for a long time as well, but I really have never felt any desire to stick with the old any longer than it is practical. Hardware and software continue to improve by so much that you really can't stand still for too long. I try to stay with the same software for about 5 years at a pop with some strategic upgrades as possible, just so I can stick with the same hardware as well, but every time I get new software after that kind of time I end up having to make significant hardware upgrades as well.

I still drive an '89 Saab 900 SPG (turbo) and love it, but I would be a fool not to admit that my wife's late model Saab Aero turbo isn't a whole lot more car in so many little ways that it would have to be considered superior. I still prefer the '89 for a lot of reasons, but technology does continue to improve things in ways that are not insignificant and I may eventually have to just let go and modernize. The same is true for software/hardware. Windows XP is just getting to the point where it is no longer going to be viable for most CAD/CAM applications produced today. I would avoid Windows 8 for CAD/CAM applications, but Windows 7 Pro 64 bit is truly as good as it gets for stability in 3d modeling applications written today. If the fix some of the Windows 8 issues for CAD/CAM, it is supposedly the best for memory management and would be of even greater benefit to CAD/CAM, but the graphics problems seem to persist for many applications while they are fine in Windows 7.

[Bob La Londe]

So, rfenn ger, and mmoe do not know.

I did look up the specs on the Punch site and here it is:

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Windows®: Recommended Requirements: Microsoft© Windows® XP Home/Pro SP3, Windows Vista® SP2, Windows® 7, Windows® 8, Intel® Pentium® or AMD® Athlon™ class processor, 4 GB of hard disk space, 1 GB of RAM, Video card, Mouse Pointing Device (wheel button recommended), DVD-ROM Drive. Macintosh®: Recommended Requirements: Macintosh® OS 10.5 or higher, Intel® Mac®, 4 GB of hard disk space, 1GB RAM or greater, Mouse Pointing Device (wheel button recommended), DVD-ROM Drive.

So is the other user whose experience I mentioned atypical of installing on XP?

I ask one more time, has anybody actually installed V9Pro on an XP Box successfully?

[TOTALLYRC]

Hi Bob,
Let me see If I can do it tonight. All of my cnc computers at this point run XP so it should be an easy test.

Mike

[mmoe]

So, rfenn ger, and mmoe do not know.

I did look up the specs on the Punch site and here it is:



So is the other user whose experience I mentioned atypical of installing on XP?

I ask one more time, has anybody actually installed V9Pro on an XP Box successfully?

I guess I have to wonder why you don't just give it a try? Viacad installs very cleanly separately from other Viacad versions, so you shouldn't have any problems with it breaking your current configuration. If it doesn't work well, you have your answer. Between betas and my own licensed copies, I've had up to 4 different Viacad versions installed concurrently, and you can even run them concurrently without any issues. Once I un-install them, there have been no problems relating to the un-install process either (such as a lost activation on my licensed versions).

[Bob La Londe]

Anyway, it looks like the INSTALLER/REGISTRATION software is not XP compliant. Here is what the other guy I know who tried it had to say:

As for punchcad, nothing back yet. They filed a report, and the software guys didn't believe it wouldn't work. They asked for a screen shot of the error. I sent them that and they said "Thanks", and I haven't heard anything since. (Probably realized the didn't actually test it on XP!) Via CAD will run on XP, their registration DRM software/code will not. Which means that it doesn't matter if it runs or not on XP, you can't turn it on!

I did Talk with the support guy, and he said XP is supposed to be supported. Also, he is concerned that the DRM to register the program needs the internet. This means two things, if you don't have a networked PC (lots of people do) you're currently screwed (He had a lot of support issues filed for that one) Also, if the company folds, and you need to re install, you're screwed! The guy I spoke with was still waiting for an answer for the offline computer registration question. No answer on what happens if they go bankrupt or something similar.

[TOTALLYRC]

Hi Bob,
Just tried in and it installed just fine. I drew some simple shapes and then extruded them along with some push pull once extruded. P4 2.ghz, 1g ram Dell SFF computer.
This was V9 pro Beta
Mike

[Bob La Londe]

I just installed it on my 32 bit XP box and had absolutely no issues. Installed, and activated seamlessly. Whatever problem there was before was cured by the tiem they shipped my disc.

Holy crap is it big though. Came on a DVD, and I left to start a job in the shop while it was installing. It was still installing when I came back.

[TOTALLYRC]

Hi Bob, I installed mine via usb stick and it took about 5 minutes to install. Well worth the wait IMHO.

Mike