Xp Replacement

[phattanglo]

I have an Asus eee pc1001px netbook which to be honest I forgot I had. it has Stellarium, Registax  and Collimate03 ? installed

For telescope maintenance, Polar aligning and the little bit of wecam imaging I do It's quite sufficient.

Regarding XP I am obviously concerned about the security aspect and have considered  installing a newer version of Windows.

But then I wondered if I could install a Linux system to do the same job.

I am absolutely not a techie but any advice would be appreciated.

[phattanglo]

Forgot I've got Sharpcap installed as well so if I go down the Linux route I would want to continue with the same or similar.

[happy-kat]

If it doesn't go on the internet it isn't at risk.

[Pan Euro]

Sharpcap is as far as I'm aware Windows only and its next version will not be supporting XP. I Would seriously consider upgrading to Windows 10

I am sure there is imaging software in Linux but I have no personal experience of them. I'm sure others of greater experience will provide more detailed information.

[phattanglo]

The Asus has fairly limited performance, wouldn't it struggle with Windows 10.

[Ibbo!]

I would be tempted to leave it esp if you do not go on the internet with it.

My obs pc runs XP and copes well with my kit and will continue to do so till it fails or an upgrade forces a change.

[ChrisLX200]

A clean install of Win7 would probably run faster than an older version of XP, old installations collect garbage that slows the whole system down. Trouble might be finding a version of Win7 to buy since it was discontinued (but still supported). I wouldn't touch Win10 with a barge-pole.

ChrisH

[michael8554]

If you want to install addition software you can always download it on one of your other "Internet-Safe" computers, and transfer it using a memory stick.

Keep copies of the XP installation files should you ever need to re-install and the XP version is no longer available on-line.

Still on XP for the observatory operations, but eventually I will obtain some item that won't run on XP I guess.

Indoors it's W7 64 bit for stacking etc.

Michael

[Ibbo!]

If you want to install addition software you can always download it on one of your other "Internet-Safe" computers, and transfer it using a memory stick.

Keep copies of the XP installation files should you ever need to re-install and the XP version is no longer available on-line.

Still on XP for the observatory operations, but eventually I will obtain some item that won't run on XP I guess.

Indoors it's W7 64 bit for stacking etc.

Michael

Same here Michael

and controlled from here(office/man cave)via teamviewer

just got to remeber to clear stuff on the obs pc as it is limited on storage capacity and also have a cloned copy on another donated PC :icon_biggrin:

[perfrej]

I have Windows 10 now on my balcony obs PC (a tiny little brick thing). It runs very well and every piece of software I have tried so far has worked fine. Performance appears to be slightly better than W7, but I have not measured it. Software on it:

- CCD Inspector

- Pinpoint

- CCD AutoPilot

- Nebulosity

- ACP

- ASCOM 6.2

- MaximDL

- CCDSoft

-Tons of my own software

/per

[phattanglo]

A clean install of Win7 would probably run faster than an older version of XP, old installations collect garbage that slows the whole system down. Trouble might be finding a version of Win7 to buy since it was discontinued (but still supported). I wouldn't touch Win10 with a barge-pole.

ChrisH

As I say I'm a non techie, I have windows 7 on a laptop could I get a copy of the installation files from that and if so how?

[pete_l]

A clean install of Win7 would probably run faster than an older version of XP, old installations collect garbage that slows the whole system down.

If the box won't ever be connected to the internet, you can remove a load of stuff. Or do a fresh install of XP [ SP 4 + necessary bug fixes ] All the security patches and anti-virus software can go in the bin. It's amazing how fast a PC can be without the extreme burden that all those "features" add.

[ChrisLX200]

I have Windows 10 now on my balcony obs PC (a tiny little brick thing). It runs very well and every piece of software I have tried so far has worked fine. Performance appears to be slightly better than W7, but I have not measured it. Software on it:

- CCD Inspector

- Pinpoint

- CCD AutoPilot

- Nebulosity

- ACP

- ASCOM 6.2

- MaximDL

- CCDSoft

-Tons of my own software

/per

Yep, MS knows what you have on there... :-)

ChrisH

[kev]

Hope the following helps....

Last week I ended up doing reinstalls at work for some laptops.   Softwaregeeks has downloadable iso files of Win7 Pro 32 and 64 bits, or the Home Premiums.

Buying an unused legitimate license for Win7 if you have to is easy enough if you google.

I had to do this because the work idoit that had the laptop left, and didnt leave us with a working non virused Laptop or the install files or the COA etc.

As for XP, as folk have pointed out, if its not going on the web, providing its firewalled if its on your net, why worry?

We have plenty of standalone Laptops at work that are XP because the firmware utilities we use on Scanner/Scales need a 32bit environment that is Xp/Win7, and most of the XP laptops have a biult in COM port. Otherwise I tend to use a basic laptop with W7 32 on it with an Easy Sync adaptor (

http://www.easysync-ltd.com/product/526/es-u-1001-r10.html)

which turn around fast enough for firmware loads, and use well tried and trusted FDTI chips.

[Oddsocks]

Had an interesting conversation with someone from my banks fraud department last week, they are very concerned about the security of Windows 10, with the built-in URL and key logging facility of the Edge browser, reporting back to Microsoft everything you type on every webpage it seems an open invitation for hackers to grab your bank login details as HTTPS may not be as secure as everyone thinks.

Any normal HTTP page you go to and login from the Edge browser will be logged back at Microsoft.

According to the person at RBS there have been complaints to MS about this and MS have not chosen to reply so now a complaint has been raised with the EU, be interesting to see what the outcome is.

In the mean time the bank is reviewing possibly removing automatic loss repayment in fraud cases where the user logs in on a Windows 10 computer using the Edge browser!