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Downeaster

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I have an ancient copy of AutoCAD that I like to use to create dimensioned drawings on occasion. I learned to use it nearly 30 years ago, and the version I have was released in 1997.

It's a 32 bit program so it flat will NOT run on a 64 bit machine. I had an old XP box that it ran fine on, but it finally croaked. After rummaging around for alternatives, including fixing or replacing a 32 bit machine, I decided to try installing a Virtual PC and XP Mode on my 64 bit WIN7 machine.

I've been at it all freakin' day, overcoming various glitches. I FINALLY got Virtual PC to work and started installing XP Mode and it looked good right up to 98% complete, then it crashed. Twice. Turns out, I have the ONE processor, an AMD A8 "Bulldozer" that is incompatible with XP Mode software.

Thought I was screwed and was more than a little pissed after spending hours getting that far.

Then my other brain cell woke up for a minute. I'd bought a licensed copy of XP to install on a new drive (which is what I thought was wrong with my old box...it wasn't, or at least not the only thing...) and I could fire up the Virtual PC and install the full version of XP on it! Doh!

Worked too, and AutoCAD is installed and working.

Oh well, it ain't like I had anything else to do today...
 
Making Lemonade - I put that new drive I bought hoping to fix my old computer ($19.99 for 120GB!!!) in my "new-ish" computer and used it to create a backup.

I've been out of the 'puter game so long, I had to search the innerwebz to find out how to make Win7 recognize and format the new drive...
 
Making Lemonade - I put that new drive I bought hoping to fix my old computer ($19.99 for 120GB!!!) in my "new-ish" computer and used it to create a backup.
I've been out of the 'puter game so long, I had to search the innerwebz to find out how to make Win7 recognize and format the new drive...

Hi DE,
back when I accepted my employer's offer (move to Missisauga,
swallow ~$100K extra mortgage and be low man on the Union totem pole OR take early retirement with a year's pay as a bonus)
a copy of AutoCAD somehow came with me when I quit. Along with Machinery's Handbook 24th Edition.
Machinery's is still a valuable resource. Alas that 22 years later I've forgotten how to drive AutoCAD.
 
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