"PcAnywhere" functionality in Windows 7?

[papadba]

My wife and i recently installed a new Windows 7 system for her Mom (who lives about 200 miles away). We are her "support".

Is there anything built-in with Windows 7 that would allow us to connect to her system and look at / fix "things"?

We'd porefer Not spending the $ for PcAnywhere.

Thanks

 

[vacunita]

Depending on the Version of Windows 7 (Home, Home Premium, Professional .. etc..) Remote Desktop, or Remote Assistance may be available.

http://windows.microsoft.com/is-IS/...puter-problem-using-Windows-Remote-Assistance

You'll need to set it up before hand, so when she needs some help she can send you an invitation to connect to her PC.

http://windows.microsoft.com/is-IS/...-Remote-Assistance-frequently-asked-questions

----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[xit]

Go here and read about this, it works and is free.

http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx?pid=google.tv.s.us&gclid=CMKXkejx07MCFSemPAodiXkAyQm

Have fun!!!!

 

[DSummZZZ]

I use LogMeIn for personal and UltraVNC for work. They both do quite well, and they're both free:

http://logmein.com

http://www.uvnc.com/

-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.davesummers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[linney]

What E-mail program did you set up for your mother-in-law? If you used Windows Live Mail, then you may be familiar with the Windows Live Essentials suite which includes Windows Live Messenger, which itself allows for communication between parties including Remote Assistance.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows-live/essentials-home

 

[papadba]

Thanks for all the replies! Guess what i'll be doing this weekend . . .

"What E-mail program did you set up for your mother-in-law"
She uses the e-mail from her service provider (AT&T). When i set up the new machine, i gave her a direct link into her e-mail.

She's used this (AT&T e-mail) for many years, so i made what she sees as much as posible like her previous pc's. We wanted to change her e-mail when we installed the first laptop 6 or 7 years ago when we replaced the desktop, but when we showed here a couple of things, she wanted what she was used to<g> I suspect this is ok as she'll be 93 in January. Still is on the internet a few hours every day!

 

[goombawaho]

I use LogMeIn for personal and UltraVNC for work. They both do quite well, and they're both free:

LogMeIn slows your computer down and is always running. VNC requires Firewall/Router port opening. Not really novice stuff.

Doesn't Team Viewer time out after a certain amount of time and say "buy me".

I vote for RDP or RealVNC (or another VNC) if you can set it up.

 

[xit]

goombawaho, I have used this many times and never got "buy me" but that means nothing as I have not used it in a while, but it was excellent previously, I will check it out.

 

[goombawaho]

Or else it crapped out during the connection and didn't actually say "buy me". That's what I experienced and it wasn't a connection glitch. Haven't tried it for a year or so.....

 

[BadBigBen]

Goom,

no and no... TeamViewer will only popup at the end of the connection, asking if you liked it to buy it, this is not a must but a little annoyance.
To get you to buy it, if you click it away nothing detrimental happens...

As to crapping out, well that could be related to where it connects to it's servers, e.g. let's say the US server is not reachable,
then it will connect to the German (Home) server and all traffic goes overseas then back to the US...

There is an alternative called CrossLoop, which is also free to use...
though I haven't used it in ages...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[goombawaho]

Hmm. So that would be the first time I've been wrong in 2012...... I bookmarked Crossloop about 5 years ago and never even tried it.

 

[cdogg]

I've worked with a lot of companies that use LogMeIn for support. I was skeptical at first, but I must say I'm convinced that it's a great tool. The ease of use on both ends makes it a winner in my book.

For work, we have used UltraVNC in the past but are currently using DameWare. RDP works fine too and is already included. However, some visual effects, video, and other multimedia content are usually disabled during your connection (this is by design) - even with all the high-end settings turned on. Often as a result, I can't see what I need to see remotely using RDP, but your experience may vary. Plus, the end user can't see what you're looking at while you're connected.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[goombawaho]

LogMeInRescue is great for remote support, but you have to pay for it.

Plus, the end user can't see what you're looking at while you're connected.

Yes, for RDP you can't see the error they are seeing or do the stupid thing they are doing to CAUSE the malfunction!!!! Plus it scares some people because you could be looking at their STASH of naughty stuff and they wouldn't know it (bootleg music/movies, questionable JPG content).

 

[strongm]

>Plus, the end user can't see what you're looking at while you're connected

Remote Assistance, mentioned aerlier, which uses the same underlying technology as the Remote Desktop Client, does allow you to share the desktop

 

[goombawaho]

Yes, but I've had a murderous time trying to get little old ladies to get the Remote Assistance started. Too much for them to do. The best method is an always ready solution with no user intervention/action required.

 

[strongm]

But things like LogMeInRescue require a client applet to be installed. If you can talk someone through that, then you can talk them through Remote Assitance. And if you are suggesting that you preinstall the client app so as to avoid that, then it is just as easy to stick a Remote Assistance shortcut on the desktop ... heck, if I can talk my mother through it, then it can't be that hard ...

 

[EmuDan]

[link join.me]join.me[/url] is another one that's decent and offers a free (Basic) option. It's very good for viewing the other person's screen and there is an option where you can have control (but apparently it doesn't work in full-screen mode).

Dan

When in doubt, just keep upgra.. er..downgrading! LOL