HP and Windows 7 from Microsoft

[OldMiller]

Thanks a lot PCTester.  I already ended up sorting out my problems, but goodness! if anyone had told me that installing Windows 7 would require driver updates by hand for just about every chip on my Motherboard, plus my printer, my scanner and my router (all of which were new within the past 4 years) I'd have stayed with XP!  I still have intermittent failure of internet connections about one reboot in 3, and need to reset my router yet again.  I feel my problem could have been solved if Microsoft's 'check your computer for Windows 7 compatability' gave more honest answers.

Meanwhile there's a clear problem that affects the majority of posters on this thread.  I'm appalled that HP has given such abysmal service to purchasers of computers supposed to get free upgrades to Windows 7.  I have developed a grudging respect for HP in recent years.  How many other manufacturers provide instructions with videos on how to dismantle and repair their products?  

[jplot]

I bought another new HP computer in July of 09 and choose HP because of their previous sound service.

Now I have waited ever since win 7 came out to recieve my win 7 disc, and here after two months, I still have no word except that I have been vilidated. Very dissapointed in HP with the slow service. I am going crazy with this lousy operating system Vista and Microsoft and now HP lets me down.

Is there no justice?

j. plottner

[Chaosdivine]

This is a reply to OldMiller. I had the same Internet connection problems and it seemed that Windows 7 was "double connecting" to networks preventing me from accessing the Internet. I tried to delete both connections but it would not help as buttons were "greyed out". I did some Googling and found out that Apple's Bonjour service needed to be set to delayed start in the Services list on Windows. This solved my problem and I was able to get Internet access once more. Here is the fix that worked for me:

Go to Control panel ... then administrative options.

Then "services".

Scroll down and find a service named "Bonjour service".

Double click on this service, then disable it. Now choose "automatic (delayed start)".

Click OK then close everything and reboot, when you do, your network and internet connection should be fine...

From the original article I read:

Takes a lot to explain the problem but it is a service created by Apple that is commonly used in several applications to get your network card to configure itself automatically to work with certain services. It does not play well with windows services as a rule, and delaying the auto start gives the windows services time to start prior to its activation at reboot. The so-called "Bonjour service" is often erroneously named "##Id_String2.6844F930_1628_4223_B5CC_5BB94B879762##" in the service list (which causes it to be right at the top of the list, at least).

So if you see this instead of the actually named Bonjour Service, guess what...you too have it installed. Do the above procedure on this id string and you should be good to go.

Message Edited by Chaosdivine on 11-27-2009 02:50 PM

Message Edited by Chaosdivine on 11-27-2009 02:50 PM

[OldMiller]

To ChaosDivine,

A big thank-you, though I need to reboot to see if your suggestion works.  It sounds almost surreal!  If this turns out indeed to be the answer then, for the average user, Windows 7 has to be a potential nightmare.  I'll come back and say whether I have a successful net connection in a short while. 

[OldMiller]

My goodness!  Yep, that's it, Chaos Divine.  You have removed my fear of rebooting, the need to reset routers, download endless drivers and the rest.

I remember, many years ago, hearing one person say of another 'They're so refined it's a miracle they can speak.'  Maybe the same now applies to operating systems such as Windows 7.  The sheer incongruity/specific amazingness/who-would-ever-have-thought-of-that nature of your solution suggests there is just so much complexity behind a current operating system that it's a near miracle any part of it works at all.  I shall be disseminating this problem and your solution to a lot of colleagues who just say 'if it works why fix it', on which basis I'd have stayed with XP and never have bothered with Win7.  Now I'll try to focus on the positives.

Thanks once again! 

[Chaosdivine]

You are most welcome! I too was thrilled to be able to connect to the Internet once more...Glad to have helped you out OldMiller.

Yes I do think this "Feature" will sideline a lot of folks who upgrade to Windows 7. It's not HP's fault though. It is a combination of poor design by Windows and pesky, almost spyware like software from Apple.

I myself am miffed at HP for not allowing their Vista drivers to work with Windows 7 directly. Their .EXE's check what OS version you are using (was Vista) and would not work in Windows 7 (gave me errors all the time and would not let me install them). For this reason I will never buy an HP machine again and I will steer any of my friends and collegues away from purchasing HP machines for work, home or pleasure use. For them to cut off support for something as simple as drivers from Vista to 7 is unacceptable. The thing is, once I did a direct Windows 7 upgrade instead of a clean install, all HP drivers work without problem. Clean installs will not let me install the drivers. I've learned my lesson, albeit painfully...if HP would support their customers properly, I'd have nothing but positive things to say about my computer purchase because the machine itself is awesome. It's just this "upgrade" experience and lack of support by HP tainted me for life and I will tell all that I can about my experience to prevent dollars from going in their pockets. 

I should be clear and state that the solution I provided was not my own but was copied from another forum that had the solution. True thanks should go to the original poster but I can not remember his name or the URL of the original thread.

[jimmy1one]

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Chaosdivine wrote:

You are most welcome! I too was thrilled to be able to connect to the Internet once more...Glad to have helped you out OldMiller.

Yes I do think this "Feature" will sideline a lot of folks who upgrade to Windows 7. It's not HP's fault though. It is a combination of poor design by Windows and pesky, almost spyware like software from Apple.

I myself am miffed at HP for not allowing their Vista drivers to work with Windows 7 directly. Their .EXE's check what OS version you are using (was Vista) and would not work in Windows 7 (gave me errors all the time and would not let me install them). For this reason I will never buy an HP machine again and I will steer any of my friends and collegues away from purchasing HP machines for work, home or pleasure use. For them to cut off support for something as simple as drivers from Vista to 7 is unacceptable. The thing is, once I did a direct Windows 7 upgrade instead of a clean install, all HP drivers work without problem. Clean installs will not let me install the drivers. I've learned my lesson, albeit painfully...if HP would support their customers properly, I'd have nothing but positive things to say about my computer purchase because the machine itself is awesome. It's just this "upgrade" experience and lack of support by HP tainted me for life and I will tell all that I can about my experience to prevent dollars from going in their pockets. 

I should be clear and state that the solution I provided was not my own but was copied from another forum that had the solution. True thanks should go to the original poster but I can not remember his name or the URL of the original thread.

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Warning this comment is probably going to get me booted. You guys are truly amazing, if I said funny it would not be strong enough. Bonjour screwed up your internet connection but you blame MS and HP. I believe Apple bears the responsibility here it's their "software". Since when is it true that the OS manufacturer has to make it's OS compatible with a program and not the reverse, truly an interesting concept. Chicken Little is alive and well dwelling here hiding in plain sight. You all received the upgrade kit who have upgraded, yet you insist on doing a Clean install when the instruction sheet and the Windows 7 instructions tell you it's not recommended. Did you let that stop you, of course not. You just had to push ahead with your CLEAN install because the "know it alls" on the web say "I recommend a Clean Install"

Following instructions is passe only for the ignorant not the experts who regurgitate their recommendations having never performed the HP Upgrade and in most cases do not own a HP system. You did not follow the instructions and you had a problem what a surprise! The sky is falling YOU must tell the king.You'd do well to remember the true is out there, just don't expect to find it on the internet. Could the upgrade have been handled better, you know you're right. It's just possible it's the Fox in this case you who caused the problem and you have only yourself to blame.

[jim603]

I did get windows 7 in the mail the other day and installed it , I told it to wipe the hard drive and install ,but it didn't do that even though it asked.

The drivers ..... My printer still does not work with it . it is (Vista 2 ) i don't care what Microsoft is trying to sell the are just re introducing vista in a new package. None of my XP drivers are working , the brain dead Zombie at Microsoft didn't fix the Vista issues. the just renamed the program.

I will be formatting out the drive and installing XP on this machine if I can if not I will sell it . HP does no have any drivers for my machine on their site no Windows 7 section even listed .Had I not trusted HP I could of taken the machine back but since they took so long getting w7 I am stuck with it .

[jimmy1one]

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jim603 wrote:

I did get windows 7 in the mail the other day and installed it , I told it to wipe the hard drive and install ,but it didn't do that even though it asked.

The drivers ..... My printer still does not work with it . it is (Vista 2 ) i don't care what Microsoft is trying to sell the are just re introducing vista in a new package. None of my XP drivers are working , the brain dead Zombie at Microsoft didn't fix the Vista issues. the just renamed the program.

I will be formatting out the drive and installing XP on this machine if I can if not I will sell it . HP does no have any drivers for my machine on their site no Windows 7 section even listed .Had I not trusted HP I could of taken the machine back but since they took so long getting w7 I am stuck with it .

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Like I said truly amazing. They sent you an Upgrade Kit but there are are no drivers for your machine, simply incredible. You told it to wipe the HDD and they TOLD you the XP drivers would not work or did you miss that part? Here's a tip we all received the same instructions and we were told what to do and at what point to do it. It's really hilarious for you to claim there are "no drivers" for your machine almost a month after the kits were sent out yet you received a kit in the mail.

[Chaosdivine]

Jimmy1One, If I didn't feel truly sorry for you I probably would have ignored you completely because I resent feeding trolls like yourself. But I couldn't just stand by and not suggest that you leave the conversations on these forums to us adults. Go play in busy traffic or something because you have not added any worth to this thread what so ever. In fact reading all your posts you seem to have a very negative and self-absorbed attitude to you. Please do us all a favor and either READ the posts properly so you obtain the correct information before spouting off like a fool, help out people who request help, or go away. I am sure there are better places on the Internet where you could waste your time.

Just so you know, I came to my opinion about HP and their "upgrade" policy based on the fact that I used both a boxed retail install disk of Windows 7 Home Premium as well as HP's "upgrade media" on the second go round which, in either case, does not allow their drivers to be used with Windows 7. They also have no intention of releasing Windows 7 drivers for my machine. But you wouldn't have known that would you...you were too busy mouthing off and trying to be cool. 

Ta Ta little boy!

Now for the rest of us in this forum, I am sorry I had to put that Troll in his place, please forgive me...

Message Edited by Chaosdivine on 11-28-2009 03:45 PM