Replacement PC

[OzzieGeorge]

Ok so the disaster has finally happened. My laptop has died and as I still use DOS programs for such systems as the IVS and the AD8 (Cosessions), I have to decide whether to buy a used laptop that can still run Dos programs or try to come as up to date as possible.

There is a third possibility, and that is more radical as 9 months ago I lost my job (I was unfairly dismissed but I can't go into why for legal reasons (Gag order). I promised my wife that if I couldn't make it work in 12 months, I would give the trade away and take what I could get, anyway, long story short, the @r$e fell out of the economy here and whilst I have contributed to the family budget, I ain't exactly pulling my weight!

The question here is, should I outlay the cost of replacing a business laptop (when the business isn't making money) or just bite the bullet and look for a job in (for example) a hardware store? (I was born in 56 if that helps!)

Anyway, third option aside, does anybody have a suggestion for a Laptop that works for the industry?

 

[belevedere]

Sorry to hear about your plight. I too fell victim to a similar fate two years ago. 30+ years with NEC equipment 12 with NEC direct and 15 with the same interconnect afterward. As for your laptop issue I have done well with a windows 7 machine. MATWorX runs in XP mode. Cosessions works after you set up a virtual OS. Make sure the PC is capable of running a virtual partition. I had a 2 year old Lenovo that did the trick. The price of windows 7 machines has come down considerably. Good luck.

 

[OzzieGeorge]

Yeah!

I shouldn't bring my work problems here but as I spend so much time trying to help others, I sometimes wonder what I did wrong to deserve the treatment I am getting from the industry right now !

Ok so self pity aside, I have actually got Cosessions working on a windows 8.1 machine in the past (albeit in a virtual machine) so I am leaning towards a slightly older machine with windows 7 as the base operating system as I have a purchased copy of windows 7 Professional which allows the downloading of XP mode that should run just about everything I need, rather than go back to XP.

Has anybody had any problems with any of the MAT programs under Windowws 7?

 

[belevedere]

All of the PCPro programs work, along with the ICS/IMX/IPX 2400MAT, EXCEPT the older DOS MAT. I have not had any success with it on anything newer than WIN98. Usually those customers have a local MAT that can be used. If it has internet access then try

http://www.showmypc.com.

It's a free program that allows remote access.

 

[cayres1003]

I just wanted to comment encase anybody was still wondering about newer OSes. I am running PC Pro 8500,8300,8100, 9300, 9100, IPK SAT, The DSX platform Admin programs, and Matworx in windows 10. Now problems so far. I do have a virtual machine just for cosession - (can't get rid of those old voicemail systems).

 

[PFD45]

Back when I needed to, I had the older DOS MAT programs running on XP.

That laptop went Tango Uniform and now I'm on 8.1 and 10 but if I need to I can dig up how I handled starting ansi.sys and the other service in a DOS session if that would help.

 

[Sparky9898]

Does anyone do freelance SL1100 programming? I manage networks and software but don't know anything about the SL1100 and one of my customers is in desperate need of help. I think they purchased it thinking it would be easy to configure. We're in NJ and should be able to get the SL1100 on the network ready for a remote session.

Thanks in advance for teh help.

 

[OzzieGeorge]

Best to post a separate thread as people looking here won't be looking to answer your question!