Mazak Data Transfer on Windows 7 "XP" mode?

[pontiacg5]

Our laptop we used to transfer programs just crapped out and we're looking for a new one, but there are practically no XP machines out there anymore and I've been told Mazak Data Transfer doesn't work on Windows 7. But the upper end versions of windows 7 are supposed to have a XP compatibility mode, but I would guess that it is software emulation only and I don't think that will work needing a serial cable and all. The problem is I would need a laptop with the "high end" version of windows 7 on it to test it out, and if it doesn't I would need to return the laptop (and pay all of those restocking fees!)

What I was hoping to find was someone who has tried this or someone that actually has something like this running.

Anyone?

[Philabuster]

Cheapest solution would be to find a used laptop loaded with XP and call it good.

When my personal home PC died, I had many programs that did not play nice with regular Win 7 and I was considering the same thing you are now--buying a new, expensive computer with Windows 7 pro and hope it works.

Long story short, I went to a local used computer store (along with a coupon I downloaded off his Craigslist ad) with my old hard drive in hand. The guy showed me several computers, I picked one, he installed my hard drive as a slave, checked the install (worked great), and I paid him my $108, and I was out the door in less than 5 minutes!

I still am a happy camper 6 months later.

These places have laptops too.

[pontiacg5]

I ended up buying a Dell laptop with a serial port, it has vista but I can revert to XP easily. I have a license for a copy used to upgrade the laptop that just conked out.

I could have got a used laptop, but our shop really needs a reliable way to move programs so a used one would be more of a risk. Replacing parts in a desktop is easy, but the only thing you can replace in a laptop is the hard drive. If anything else goes that's pretty much the end for that laptop. Besides at the current rate you won't be able to find a new laptop with a serial port for much longer so the most up to date laptop with a serial port seems like a good idea.

For anyone else contemplating this situation a dual boot system would work, that is a copy of XP and 7 on two partitions of the same hard drive. However you would still need to wipe the hard drive clean to do that, and most computers don't come with a full install CD anymore anyway. Besides, who wants to use 7 anyway?

[mcphill]

FWIW, XP under Windows7 is not a emulation, it is the "real" thing running in a virtual machine. I don't know if the serial port is accessible, but I bet it is. I do know that USB port items are accessible to XP. I use several programs in XP on my computer that do not work in Win7. I have had no issues with any of them in the XP virtual machine. Also note that you can do the same thing in "lower" versions of Win7, but you need to have your own license of XP. Win7 Pro and Ultimate include an XP license, so you don't need an "extra".