Good day fellow Surveyors. I am looking to upgrade my computer (and software, of course). Currently running a 10-year-old HP running on Windows 7 (7GB internal memory w/ 2TB external hard drive) which I LOVE. It's not slow, has everything I need and I suppose I am in the "why change if it ain't broke" wagon. HOWEVER, I have to upgrade to Carlson running in AutoCAD 2020. Our small survey business completes on the average 50 projects a year, mostly boundary.?ÿ So here are my 2 main questions:
1) what brand/model of computer are you using
2) would you recommend it?
Exciting, nerve wracking and eager all at the same time.?ÿ
FWIW I actually really like Windows 10.?ÿ Liked Windows 7, too - but I had to use a system with it the other day and it now feels ancient compared to my 10 machines.
I have found the more you embrace the way Microsoft want things to be done the better the experience is going to be.?ÿ I bought a Surface book for personal use when they first came out, and it still works like new.?ÿ No mind-blowing specs.?ÿ Core i5, 16GB ram, but it runs my personal install of Carlson with IntelliCAD better than my brand new Dell Precision laptop with 32GB Ram and a core I9 can run Civil 3D '19.?ÿ Which isn't all that surprising C3D is rather bloated.
I like that the Surface line comes with no bloatware (Dell support hub, HP printer companion, etc, etc).?ÿ and I've noticed things seem to work better if you get apps from the Microsoft store.
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Pretty much how I feel. If I can spend a little more and get something I would enjoy more, seems like money well spent to me. The Microsoft Surface line definitely feels "premium", and worth the cost.
Arrrggh - I've just been "upgraded" to win10 at work
Only four major items not working
Including Email, 12D surveying software and the connection to the TSC3
Here goes another three days.
Would have been nice if they had warned me beforehand
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That's what I did. My old XP desktop works great with my legacy programs, including my AutoCAD 2005, and my new fast HP laptop with Windows 10 talks to the Internet. Very happy with both.
If you use Windows Mobile Device Center to transfer data to and from equipment you'll have to install a virtual machine running 7 on 10.?ÿ I use Oracle VM VirtualBox.?ÿ Free, pretty easy to do. Kinda cool that you can run other older software off it as well while having the speed and functionality of a new machine and new OS.
@david-drahn
> If you use Windows Mobile Device Center to transfer data to and from equipment you'll have to install a virtual machine running 7 on 10
F*ck that for game of soldiers!
"There has to be a better way " to quote The Who
Its being done by my colleagues.
Breaking bluetooth file transfer was only to be expected 🙁
I used Windows Mobile Device Center on Win 10 regularly, but it's slow and making connections could be problematic.?ÿ There's a better way:
http://www.mochasoft.dk/freeware/ftpd.htm
Can even use it on the road, connecting laptop and collector thru cell phone hotspot.
As far as a new PC, I agree with building your own.?ÿ There's a bunch of on-line help available.?ÿ
I like AMD products, and they're substantially less expensive than Intel.
@david-drahn
Not true, my Trimble dealer sent me registry patches and I use WMD center on Windows 10. Don't have them anymore...or I'd send them.
Yay for BeerLegers
The registry hack mentioned in this discussion
sorted both my Windows Mobile Device Center and bluetooth issues.
Normal service has been resumed - back to the grindstone
Just upgraded my HP laptop by doubling the RAM to 16G and installed a SSD 2T hard drive. What an amazing upgrade! Only cost a little over $100.
Now I'm wondering if I should screw things up and upgrade my Windows 7 to Windows 10?
Now I'm wondering if I should ... upgrade my Windows 7 to Windows 10?
The main reason to do so would be web security. The upgrading itself should be painless. You may find that certain things (Activesync, aka Mobile Device Center) don't work afterward. I'd go for it, nevertheless.