The computer that runs the clock, salaries and banking under XP went belly up. BSOD, no explanation given. Tried replacing and relocating RAM and other stuff, including video drivers and antivirus removal but to no avail. Eventually, even the keyboard stopped working. FUBARED all the way.
A new machine is brought to the scene but it won't install OS older than W10. Try not to rush things but everybody wants to go home cash in pocket.
W10 does not support older PCI LPT and serial card. No drivers at the manufacturer's site. No card, no clock.
Bank says their salaries program will not run under W10, same bank that kept bitching XP was too old and insisted on an upgrade. Strike two
Our ancient accounting program does not run under anithing newer than XP since it works with Access.
Royally porked if you ask me.

I'm taking a deep brwath and trying not to think about this mess until the next year. Will have to install W7 and hope it will somewhat allow me to transition in betwee version until a long term solution is available.
More than anything, the timing sucks.

Happy New year MS

0-0

Hopefully you can run the box with W7 and run XP mode and get your devices to pass through.

XP Mode, is essentially a VM, and I used it a few times for some legacy apps many years ago, but some devices/adapters would not always work.

I realize you have issues with imports of tech items, but if you need anything, (older hardware) let me know and I'll try and help if I can.

Virtualization may be the answer to your problems.

Run Virtual Box under Win10 (or ESXi), then install one or more Windows guests at whatever version you need.

There are USB -> LPT or USB -> COM adapters that will help with integration of legacy printers.

Sorry, 0-0, but this is most definitely not Microsoft's fault.

Microsoft Windows XP support ended nearly four years ago (April 8, 2014). Anybody that was still running MS-Win XP, particularly a business, gets what they deserve.

The business should have been looking for an upgrade strategy at least five years ago. It should have had that in place NLT MS-Win XP's EOL date.

The IT Dept. for which I used to be the Senior Admin ceased support for all MS-Win XP installations on the date it EOL'd, and blocked all machines running XP from Internet and email access, to mitigate against them being exploited. We also removed all MS-Win XP support from the internal servers.

I feel bad for the employees that can't get paid, but I have zero sympathy for the employer. They have behaved in an astoundingly irresponsible manner, IMO.

A business running XP for a mission critical app? The mission critical app running on top of Access? Wow, what a recipe for disaster. SigMonkey's suggestion of running W7 in XP mode sounds like your best shot.

It's been a few years since I had to make an XP VM so I can't say for sure, but you might be able to create a VM from the old hard drive, thus not having to re-install/restore any software or data.

As others have stated, ultimately, management needs to understand ditching XP is a priority.

Whole country is way behind when it comes to hardware and software.
I'm the IT guy and am guilty of solving problems with hard work when investment is a negative number.
When I find the money to buy machines to replace older ones someone comes along and requisitions them to create new work posts but never finds the time to put hardware requinements into their expansion plans.
Next week I will be turning my computer in so I can have a spare to work on.

0-00

quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:
Whole country is way behind when it comes to hardware and software.
I'm the IT guy and am guilty of solving problems with hard work when investment is a negative number.
When I find the money to buy machines to replace older ones someone comes along and requisitions them to create new work posts but never finds the time to put hardware requinements into their expansion plans.
Next week I will be turning my computer in so I can have a spare to work on.

0-00

As bad as it makes it for you, sometimes it takes a hard down/outage to get the bean counters to open the purse strings! It shouldn’t have to come to that, but there it is.

If you are running XP for mission critical programs then you are the dumb ass (I say affectionately ) not Microsoft.
I don't care where you live.
If you are the man in charge then figure it out in advance and have an alternative aka "plan B" ready.

I remember hearing about a Formula One racing team this past year that had some critical software that would only run on one particular laptop that was even older than Windows XP.
The McLaren F1 supercar can only be serviced with this ancient Compaq laptop

I wouldn't work too hard on it. Let it die and people not get paid, you will then get the funds from all the hate mail the company will get to purchase the new system that you apparently need. It definitely sucks, but they either need to properly fund IT or switch back to a pad and No. 2 pencil.

quote:

I remember hearing about a Formula One racing team this past year

While the car model is "F1" it's not a Formula One car, and this is the road car division of McLaren. Still pretty surprising.

Been struggling hard for years to get enough funds to keep a less than obsolete hardware inventory but no matter what I do, whenever I get the boxes someone with higher rank comes along and borrowes it forever. If I get the money, I lack the proper support and understanding of what my mission is and how it meeps all the rest working.
As an example, today another consultant programmed the delivery of our new servers. It had been entirely handled by him and delayed for three month and this dude decided, without asking me , that I should handle the reception.
Told him that I simply would not and it was not a suitable date. If anything was wrong there's no way on Earth anybody will solve a problem on friday, much less on the last day of the year. I said if you want me to take delivery and handle my agenda ask me first and we'll talk. He replied he did not manage HPs delivery dates. I said then reschedule or take delivery yourself and dwal with the missing items. Suddenly, rescheduling became an option again.

I guess next year I'll have a more open mind but right now this is raining on my parade.

0-0

email inbound 0-0

back in the 90s my work was still using DOS when every one was using window 95 or 98

quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:
A new machine is brought to the scene but it won't install OS older than W10. Try not to rush things but everybody wants to go home cash in pocket.

Find a slightly older computer - the newest CPUs will not allow pre-W10 installation. Look for a system with a processor earlier than Gen 6 (Skylake).

If you do decide to install this system for now - make it CLEAR to the company that it is only a temporary situation. That system no longer gets any patches or protection. If the system suddenly gets corrupted, the company is out of luck!

We have some software we run that interacts with some of our older manufacturing equipment that will not run on anything past XP.

We have Win 7 boxes running VMware. We run XP in a VM session to run the software. This has been a solid solution for us but it's a big difference between talking to the PLC on a 35 year old piece of manufacturing equipment and paying employee's salaries.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:
Virtualization may be the answer to your problems.

Run Virtual Box under Win10 (or ESXi), then install one or more Windows guests at whatever version you need.

There are USB -> LPT or USB -> COM adapters that will help with integration of legacy printers.

I can second this recommendation, currently I have XP running in a Virtual Box on a Windows 10/64 laptop and a Windows 8/32 desktop.

Getting Virtual Box up and running is actually pretty simple, what is a bit complex is getting Shared Folders up and running due to the poor documentation that is available.

Note, I am going on memory here so I may not get it exactly correct. However I should get you close enough so that with a bit or trial and error you'll be able to get Shared Folders installed and visible to both the Host and the Virtual Machine. BTW Shared Folders are the ONLY really efficient method to move files into/out of the Virtual Machine. The reason for this is because Oracle developed Virtual Box primarily to allow testing of really nasty viruses and to insure the host couldn't be infected by something running in the Virtual Machine they imposed some rather strict limitations between the Host and Guest.

First step you will need to download the Virtual Box Guest Additions ISO file and burn that to a CD. This will provide you with a CD that will properly install the Guest Additions. Once you have Virtual Box installed and running you then put in the CD and run the Install routine, note vague memory is you do this using the Host operating system. Second, to install the Shared Folder create a folder on the C: Drive of the Host using a name that will be easily remembered, I used Virtual Box Transfer as my folder name for the shared folder. Then start up Virtual Box so the Start Screen is showing. Then go to the very top and look for the tab for IIRC Machine. Under that tab you'll find a Shared Folders menu option. Click on that and find the Install Shared Folder button and you will be directed to locate the Shared Folder on the Host. Select that and start up the Guest operating system and it should show up. Note, no guarantee on this procedure being exactly correct, both times it was about 3-5 hours of poking and testing to get it right because none of this is actually documented.

Getting USB devices such as printers or scanners is actually a good bit easier. At the top of the screen there is a menu choice for setting up USB devices and some documentation on the Net for doing this. However you should expect it to require a bit of experimenting. I will also tell you I have not been able to figure out how to get Virtual Box to recognize a USB thumb drive or hard drive. If you have a USB printer simply put the Install Disk in the printer while your Guest operating system is running and install it. Same with a Scanner. Note, any USB device installed in the Guest will NOT be visible to the Host and trying to install something like a printer on both Host and Guest ALWAYS resulted in a conflict for me. If there is some way to get a printer to work for both that someone more familiar with Virtual Box can provide I would love to see it.

Perhaps I should stop using my Powerbook 180 from circa 1992 to do amortization schedules. But dang it, the software (TValue) does it so well. I also get a nostalgic rush when using System 7.

I occasionally virtualize XP on my Macs. Works quite well for playing Diablo II and other vintage Windows stuff. Hope you can get your payroll up and running before the staff shows up with torches and pitchforks.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Sorry, 0-0, but this is most definitely not Microsoft's fault.

Microsoft Windows XP support ended nearly four years ago (April 8, 2014). Anybody that was still running MS-Win XP, particularly a business, gets what they deserve.

The business should have been looking for an upgrade strategy at least five years ago. It should have had that in place NLT MS-Win XP's EOL date.

The IT Dept. for which I used to be the Senior Admin ceased support for all MS-Win XP installations on the date it EOL'd, and blocked all machines running XP from Internet and email access, to mitigate against them being exploited. We also removed all MS-Win XP support from the internal servers.

I feel bad for the employees that can't get paid, but I have zero sympathy for the employer. They have behaved in an astoundingly irresponsible manner, IMO.

You might be really surprised who was still running XP after that date. There was a reason XP was still supported (just not for the general public) for 2+ years after that date.

Migrating legacy systems is HARD. It's a universal ticket to fail.

That said, yes I agree it's a management failure. Emphasis on failure. I've worked for a small company that depended on a legacy software system that, had it needed to be replaced the cost would have put the company under. As in, out of business.

Proprietary abandonware, especially complicated highly customized very expensive proprietary abandonware, is *dangerous*. A company-killing risk.