Hi, I have (unfortunately) Windows 7 Home on a new HP laptop, and I'm using the trial version of Microsoft Streets and Trips. As I recall, before my XP laptop broke, XP SP3 did not have this problem. I'm by myself, driving a motorhome, and can't fiddle around while driving.

I have tried this a number of times, and the Screensaver is NOT disabled. I had to set the Screensaver Properties to None to keep the map displayed.

Any suggestions?
tia, Ron

Have you tried setting Streets&Trips to "Run as Administrator"?

...ken...

Thanks for the reply Ken,
I'll try that, as well as "Run in compatibility mode" as XP SP3. I haven't tried either of those.
I wouldn't think i would need either of those settings.

I'll report back,
Ron

Yeah, it's not the sort of thing you would normally associate with those two settings. But I've found even stranger things fixed by using one or both of them.

...ken...

I tried Run as Admin, and this does disable the ScreenSaver. I have not tried Run in XP compatibilty mode, since the other works. Does this mean Streets & Trips was not fully tested with Windows 7, I wonder?

But now I get the nag popup everytime I start Streets & Trips, as I do with quite a few of my "legacy" programs. I hesitate to downgrade the "built-in security" to not get the popups!

I think this W7 is going to be returned, and I'll buy an XP laptop while I still can.

Thanks again for the suggestion. Perhaps a sticky might be in order for some of the quirks with Windows 7 & Streets and Trips.

Ron

If you are considering going back to XP, why be concerned about UAC; XP didn't even have it. Why not just disable it in Win 7 and you won't be any worse off.

Terry

Yes Terry I could do that.

There are lots of other things I don't like about Windows 7, including but not limited to:

1. In Windows Explorer there is no Top Tool bar with ways to do a Edit/Select All of files in a folder, so I can delete them all with 1 click. Yes I know--I can highlight the top file, and Shift Highlight the bottom and they are all selected. But that's not the point.

1A. I have not found a way to keep a default "view" (I want Details to ALWAYS be shown) for all folders. I must "Customize" every folder to be a Document.

2. I am the only user on this computer, and I am an Administrator, but I am still restricted from being able to look in folders, as in Documents and Settings.

3. I want my Show Desktop Button on the left side, next to the Start button--not the extreme right corner. Yes I have downloaded a similar functioning "Desktop button", but sometimes it doesn't work. When I'm using a mouse it's not too bad, but when I'm using the Touch Pad--it's a real PITA!

4. I'm told by a friend--once I get home and connect this Windows 7 laptop to my XP Ethernet linked Desktops (home office network)--I'll have difficulty getting it to work, as he did. I hope that's not the case!

Some Programs don't seem to work, Mozilla Backup/Restore for Sunbird as an example.

These are just a few of the things I don't like. I am on the road in a motorhome, and I just don't have time, nor the desire to find ways to make changes so they work as they have. For my use, XP SP3 was a very stable, easy to navigate & change OS.

I know this is a thread about Streets & Trips not Windows 7, so I'll take my frustrations elsewhere.

Again Terry--thanks for the reply,
Ron

So, you have other reasons to go back to XP while you are still able. I'm all for that! I suspect there are work arounds for the other annoyances and I'll take networking in Win 7 or Vista over XP any day (I don't use Homegroup or whatever it is called though). I also have the advantage of an assortment of computers running XP win 7 and even one with Vista.

Comfort level is very important.

Terry

I understand the frustration with networking in Win 7. If you get lucky and get it set up right from the start it's really a lot better than XP. But it's nearly impossible to avoid screwing it up if you really don't know what you are doing to start with and don't know what to watch for .. or miss it anyway, even if you were watching for it.

There is that innocent dialog during installation that asks if you want to connect to a home network. Almost anyone with a home network will click Yes. And they're screwed. Because that sets them up as part of a Homenet rather than a Workgroup.

You need to know that. And even knowing it, you need to recognize the dialog when it comes up. And you need to know what to do and not to do when you see it.

It took me three reinstallations to get it right on my first Windows 7 PC. The first time it took me three days to figure out what the problem was and how to avoid it. I could not find any way to switch the PC from Homenet to a Workgroup. So I had to reinstall. And I missed the darn dialog and messed it up again. So I had to reinstall a third time.

That Homenet nonsense is one of the dumber things Microsoft has come out with. Not as bad as BOB, but right up there.

Having said that, once you get it set up properly it's sure sweet.

I also agree with Ron's frustration at Win 7 not allowing you to look at some folders even when logged in as the Administrator. And even though there is a way to force all folders to have the same view, it's not nearly as easy as doing it in XP.

...ken...

I had already read about Homegroup and knew I didn't want anything to do with it. Just choose work and your laughing (after you get by the sharing security thing). I am sure it simplifies the set up for someone as I read enough wonderful reviews about it. I don't know who it applies to though!

Terry

Thanks guys for the info on networking W7. This laptop has WiFi, so I may just use that with our currently installed router. All the XP computers have static IP adys, so I'll have to figure out how to set the IP adys for this--The W7 Help says DO NOT USE STATIC IP adys.

Maybe it would be easier to fix the charging circuits in my Toshiba A75! This HP dv6 is sure much faster than the Tosh--probably due to the 5400rpm SATA hdd.

I have never had a problem setting up the standard "Home Workgroup" network in XP. And it works just fine with a shared printer, Internet Connection, etc.

Ron

The problem I have with XP networking is not related to printers etc. It is the time it takes to locate other shared computers on my network. Vista and Win7 are almost instantaneous whereas XP can take up to a minute depending on the machine. I share most of the drives/ partitions on my network to make finding where I have a copy of a file easier. It also helps me save various types of files to specific computers, no matter where I am working (playing).

If you like static IPs, Win 7 works fine with them just as Vista and XP do.

Terry

The Tosh is a reasonable P4 machine but light on memory (512M) and a really slow 4200 rpm drive. If you do decide to fix it consider upgrading the memory to 1G and update the hard drive.

The HP is an AMD Turion II so I don't know how the processor compares (newer, so probably faster) and it has 4G memory and a 7200rpm disk. For the money, I'd learn how to make Win7 work for you.

Terry

What Terry said about speed of network "discovery" with Win 7. It's hugely quicker than XP, which is very frustrating to wait for if you haven't accessed one of the other computers for awhile.

But it's not without its flaws. My Win 7 computer out in the workshop uses a WiFi card to connect with the house router over wireless. I allow it to hibernate when I'm not using it. Whenever I wake it up it can't find the other computers on the network unless I reboot it. The stupid thing can find the router and the wireless repeater and the network but it forgets about the computers that are connected and can't relocate them without a reboot ... most annoying.

If you don't want to use a static IP on your laptop, just make sure your router is set to do DHCP dynamic address assignment. That's usually the default on most consumer routers.

...ken...

Hi--i just want to close the loop on my network setup. I had absolutely no problem getting my Windows 7 Laptop connected to the rest of the my XP "Home" networked computers. Once I set my static IP ady in the Windows 7 computer--it just connected. I did not use any Wizard in Windows 7, so perhaps that's why I avoided some the problems Ken & Terry mentioned. As Ken has found, sometimes when I close the lid, then reopen it, the WiFi is not connected. But it always reconnects when I push the button (probably a "software button) to turn it on. It is because when it goes into Sleep or Hibernation, the WiFi is turned off--but sometimes it restarts by itself. The wonders of Windows 7!

AND, I have decided to keep this Laptop. today is my last day to return it to Costco. It is a very nicely configured laptop, 4 USB 2.0 ports with one of them being eSata too, a Firewire, 72oo rpm disk, and an Intel i3 processor. it is noticeably faster than either of the 2 older desktops. I am learning to live with the "shortcomings" (IMHO) of Windows 7.

Thanks much for the help,
Ron

An article I read recently suggested using 'Classic Shell' a freeware add on from SourceForge to restore some of the xp functionality to W7 start menus and explorer. I do not speak from experience though.

Welcome to Classic Shell

Terry

Glad it's working, Ron, and thanks for the update. It's always helpful to know how folks got things going. Sometimes the workarounds are ugly but at least it helps to know there's a way to get something working, even if it's with a crowbar.

I'm in a bit of a pickle right now. I just returned from a trip to find one of my desktop computers won't start back up. Tomorrow I'll crawl under the desk to liberate the tower and drag it out to the shop to troubleshoot it. It's an old P4 Intel motherboard that has been giving me increasing grief over the past couple of years so I won't be surprised if the mainboard is finally toast. But if it is, then it comes down to a question of whether to rebuild it or put the rebuild money, plus my existing laptop, into a new laptop. ... Or since it's spring maybe I'll just say to heck with it and put the money into a new set of golf clubs.


...ken...

Ken, thanks for the reply. lets hope your "fix" is as "simple" as mine was. Laptops are cheap right now, and getting cheaper by the week. Coscto has some nice Intel i3, 5, or 7 series nicely configured now.

I'm using a very effective, OLD firewall which every time there is a new program installed and it tries to access the inet, it asks you to either Deny or Allow, and if you want to save the setting. I noticed today when i tried to get the construction update a red arrow flashed across the Firewall "shield" --indicating a Deny. After that the fix was simple.

Good luck,
Ron

The 2nd paragraph should not have been posted in the thread. but i'll leave it here otherwise folks won't know what Ken is talking about. You already don't know what i'm talking about.

Sounds like you're using ZoneAlarm firewall. I think it's still just about the only firewall the protects outbound stuff rather than just inbound.

...ken...

That's not on, Ken, this Laptop GPS World; we're not allowed to talk about towers and stuff.

LOL, I think the "allowed" words do include PC, Mac, laptop, netbook, notebook, tablet, UMPC, and CarPC.

Hey SpadesFlush,

What if I said I was planning to turn it into a CarPC???

...ken...