New Computer

[SirSnookalot]

During the recent slowdown in access to the BR site I took the opportunity to research then order a new computer and backing up my data. What is annoying me to end me is how windows 7 will not allow the use of older spreadsheets (lotus 1.2.3), I've got my entire personal and business life on them. It's seems hundreds of people have the same complaint, or so I've read on line trying to get around this problem. I have read many fixes that don't really work, at least not to my satisfaction, like openoffice.org and lotus symphony. I do believe I have found a way around the problem but very time consuming. Had I realized that win 7 home does not support virtual xp mode, I will have to use Zintsall and or buy office suite or excel 2010. A slim chance that one of my present programs will work (I give myself a 1 out of 10 shot).

A big thumbs down to Microsoft for creating a situation for so many people that should have been avoided.

[Sam]

Do you think it would be to your advantage to hire a computer guy to get the issue straight?

The major problem is the knowledge level of the guys who profess to be computer experts.

I am strongly considering going back to Mcintosh but I don't want to spend $10,000+ for two Macs at this time.

Sorry to hear about your problem and hope you can get it corrected soon.

[Stringjam]

Have you considered running XP in a virtual machine (Virtual Box, VMware, etc.)?

[GrundleLove]

Have you considered running XP in a virtual machine (Virtual Box, VMware, etc.)?

That's what I would do.

It's a shame you got 7 Home so you cant run XP mode.

I think its just a simple registry hack and a file download to enable it, i may be able to dig that up for you.

My clients have this issue all the time and we always make them get Pro ( pretty much need it anyway to connect to the domain). I believe that we created a workaround for the older Lotus programs for some of our clients, I will ask my co worker if he still has the fix and will gladly foward it your way and even do a remote session to get it set up if you like. I will report back

32 bit or 64 win 7

[clayton86]

Man am I glad I don't have a computor and don't plan on getting one my android phone is the closest I get. Iv never even owned a computor most 24yr olds have several or have had several but not this guy to much of a head ache.

[CFFF 1.5]

The problem isn't Microsoft. The problem is you are using a legacy program and should have updated years ago. You do understand that it isn't microsofts responsibility that legacy programs work with it's new operating system. If Lotus 123 wanted you to use it's program on windows 7 then they should have either offered an update or released a patch for Windows 7. Either way a quick google search and I found the following.

Lotus 123 is now a part of Symphony, which is owned by IBM, Symphony is a suite of programs so there is also a word processor. Fortunately, it is a free program. I don't know for sure that it works with Windows 7, but it works with Vista, so it will probably work with 7. Here is a link to the free download;

http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotus/symphony/home.nsf/home

Google is your friend.

[SirSnookalot]

Been there and done that with symphony both 3.0 version and 1.3, no go.

I like my lotus spreadsheets and prefer to stick with it.

I also have Corel spreadsheets that I have in case of lotus failure for back up, it's very very similar to excel so I have some basic knowledge. The plan is this, as everything I want is already in Corel, I can save each file as a .xls file (which I have already done and loaded on to a disk). I have been able to open those files using excel viewer so I'm fairly confident I can paste the data into excel, that's the plan at least.

Yes a shame I didn't upgrade to professional win 7 to use the xp mode, but being totally unfamilar with windows 7 I'm not sure how to utilize it. As my unit hasn't been shipped I may call and see if they can still upgrade me, it would save me a lot of time.

Hours of google research has led me to believe there many people that feel the same as I do about Lotus 1.2.3 and are trying to get around this. Ain't no doubt in my mind I'll get it solved.

[GrundleLove]

If it has not been shipped i would absolutely see if they could upgrade to Pro.

BUT

if it is 64 bit its still a no-go on lotus. There is no patch/hack in the world that will make it work. If Windows 7 is 32, xp mode will work. You better find out and pray you got 32 bit

[CFFF 1.5]

If it has not been shipped i would absolutely see if they could upgrade to Pro.

BUT

if it is 64 bit its still a no-go on lotus. There is no patch/hack in the world that will make it work. If Windows 7 is 32, xp mode will work. You better find out and pray you got 32 bit

If you can get your files in .xls then you don't want the 32 bit windows 7, but upgrading to pro is still recommended. There are many benefits to using a 64 bit operating system of the 32 bit version.

Also can't you use your old computer to convert the files to .xls?

[SirSnookalot]

My new computer will be windows 7 64 bit. I have already converted my files to .xls and saved them to disk. I will have to get office suite 10 which contains excel.

[GrundleLove]

I said that if he got the 64 bit OS of win7 pro, then even XP mode will be 64 bit. Meaning he could not reinstall lotus even though he has xp mode installed.

[SirSnookalot]

I've pretty much resigned myself that I won't be using Lotus 1.2.3 spreadsheets, not that I won't be trying like hell to use it. Excel is ok, I'll just get used to it, luckily I'm not longer in business and my usage is not near what it once was.

[Hyrule Bass]

kinda like what i went through at work when excel stopped allowing you to Save As: .dbf(dbase4) format. i have two computers at work, one with excel 2003 and one with 2010. the 2003 will allow me to save as .dbf if i need to. i work in printing and mailing and handle mailing lists. i find that microsoft office 2010 is kinda unstable at times. if i save huge files with like 200,000 addresses excel will start the save, then say not responding, then if you dont start clicking all over it will complete the save(successfully). the major advantage of the excel 2010 is it holds more than 65,500 something rows of data. But most all of the postage software and database management software i use wants files in a .dbf format

[SirSnookalot]

Getting the new computer Thursday, luckily I somehow managed to save what I wanted to and will be able to load it all in, except an old Lotus phone book. Those numbers hadn't been used in years anyway so it's not a hardship.

Fortunately my business life is over and my world does not revolve around a computer. My first computer was purchased in the early 90's, to be honest it only complicated my business life and slowed me down. I was smart enough to back up everything, as I did prior to being computerized, in a loose leaf binder, best system I ever had, lol, those older systems did crash.

In all fairness, the best feature was being able to get on line and find new markets for some of my scrap metal items, but word of mouth from people I knew in the biz was still more beneficial.

I became very nimble navigating my way around on my older puters, but I have let time and technology get away from me and I'm way behind the curve now.............THANK GOD !!!!

[Redlinerobert]

I just picked up a new Lenovo Tower for my home office. paired with a Samsung 27" LED flatscreen, all I can say is I am totally impressed with the set up.

[SirSnookalot]

I got the computer, set it up all non stop and was blurry eyed for a couple of days. I called H/P back to upgrade, wouldn't let me do it unless I canceled order and rewrote it, so I said no to windows 7 professional, something I didn't need anyway. I did order microsoft suite 2010 as I was informed my corel would not work, wrong it does work, so H/p refunded my $$. Only snafu was the spread sheets needed a tweek (runtime error)that I was able to accomplish in seconds after finding out what to do.

As fast as this computer is and should be because it's brand new, it falls a bit short to my old favorite I had in 1998, a Micron with win 98, I never had a better and easier computer. I have a 21" wide screen and I did like my standard 19" more, I'm getting neck strain, but all in all it's a good purchase and the price was real right. Now I'm off to buy my wife a new laptop.

[bilgerat]

Our next computer will be a laptop for our daughter who is going into high school. We're buying it from a local tech who started his business repairing them and has since branched into selling new ones.

He did right by us when we had issues in the past with our home 'puter. No hard sell, upsell, tech babble, etc. How nice it will be NOT to have to talk to someone on the other side of the planet if/when an issue comes up.