Computer advise needed

[Phill05]

Looking to setup a new Win 11 computer but the problem I have is most of my design software is old it runs great on Win 7 no problems, so was thinking keep both computers what would be the best way to use / link to use win 11 online Win 7 off line without much messing about with mem sticks or ssd's.

 

[niemeyjt]

Windows 10 perhaps - if you must use Windows - if that will run your Windows 7 software - it is a bit more forgiving and stable than 11.

Linking - set up a share and connect both to same WiFi.

 

[AndyMc]

You can run Win7 within a hypervisor.on Win11, e.g Hyper-V, VirtualBox or VMware Workstation Player

 

[niemeyjt]

As I read it - he is keeping old PC - and a hypervisor will normally need a fresh install of Windows - at least I never got the virtualisation tools to work for me.

 

[AndyMc]

Yep, a hypervisor is more to run on the new hardware only. Plenty of free P2V utilities out there to convert the existing physical PC to a VM. Win7 licensing may need attention depending on how the original PC was licensed.

You could also use RDP or VNC to connect to the first PC over the network, but that doesn't mitigate the risks of keeping an old unsupported OS on the network. A VM means you can keep it off the internet but still access it.

 

[Phill05]

Thanks guys, At the moment I design a project in Win 7 save the design and G-code in Dropbox, 60 plus miles away that code is entered into Win 7 on the cnc press a button and away she goes.

Now Dropbox is stopping use on Win 7 so how to get that code to cnc?

I have been told could not do it with VNC but if I share on a network my two computers and I will have to share another 60 plus miles away it should work, emphasis on Should ( Win 7 to Win 11 to Win 7) what do you guys in the know think.

Only other option is new computers new software where does it all end, yes I understand it ends with Win 7

 

[John Brown]

You could use Google Drive instead of Dropbox, but as I read it, Dropbox are ceasing support for W7, but it'll most probably still work - just no updates.

 

[Spectric]

Windows 11 also requires your system to have the trusted platform module (TCP) working so if being brave and going W11 then best check first.

 

[Southdownswolf]

Could you not use something like a WD My Cloud storage? Any files specifically for the CNC could be stored on it, then accessed from either computer via Web login.

 

[Phill05]

Could you not use something like a WD My Cloud storage? Any files specifically for the CNC could be stored on it, then accessed from either computer via Web login.

That is good thinking will look into this.

 

[HamsterJam]

Thanks guys, At the moment I design a project in Win 7 save the design and G-code in Dropbox, 60 plus miles away that code is entered into Win 7 on the cnc press a button and away she goes.

Now Dropbox is stopping use on Win 7 so how to get that code to cnc?

I have been told could not do it with VNC but if I share on a network my two computers and I will have to share another 60 plus miles away it should work, emphasis on Should ( Win 7 to Win 11 to Win 7) what do you guys in the know think.

Only other option is new computers new software where does it all end, yes I understand it ends with Win 7

Do Dropbox have a web portal?
It might be possible to access that using a browser on Win7.
Doesn’t help with security and update issues on an aging Win7 platform.

 

[Phill05]

Do Dropbox have a web portal?
It might be possible to access that using a browser on Win7.
Doesn’t help with security and update issues on an aging Win7 platform.

Yes they do but it's not as easy to save a file to the web it seems, download is better.
Had a look at the WD cloud storage that looks promising been talking to a tec guy and he's invited me over to have a look what could be done.