Tag Archives: Windows 7

Upgrade to Windows 7 for Under $1

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There are still a lot of people using XP, especially businesses. We wanted to make it less expensive and easier than ever to make the move. So right now, if you choose PCmover Windows 7 Upgrade Assistant for your “in-place” upgrades, you can get it for under $1 a license. Check out the offer here.

We are also hosting a webinar on August 10th that will talk all about this campaign and how you can make the move to Windows 7. Register for the webinar here.

Don’t put off the transfer to Windows 7 any longer, let us help you make the move now!

“File Storage Device” Migration

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We got a great question the other day on twitter from @jethrosan and had to share it with you. He asked the following:

We sure do, it can be done with PCmover® using the “File Storage Device” migration option. So, if you are wanting to conduct an in-place upgrade of your existing PC to a CLEAN install of Windows® 7 here are the steps to complete this type of migration:

Step 1) Select “Migration”

Step 2) Select “OLD computer” (Generally we suggest you start with the NEW computer, but not in this scenario!)

Step 3) Select “File Storage Device” and click Next

Step 4) Select “Skip this step. Do not use a snapshot.”

After you complete these steps, continue through the rest of the wizard and pack up your “moving van” to the storage device you are using. After this is complete you can install Windows 7 however you would like. After the installation of Windows 7 is complete, re-install PCmover and go through the wizard again selecting the “File Storage Device” migration. Select the folder that PCmover created on your storage device and it will then “un-pack” all of the programs, files and settings you previously selected and place it where it needs to go. Voila, you are finished! Let us know if there are any other questions and we’ll have one of our technical guys get on here and answer some questions.

A Closer Look…

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So by now you have heard all this hype about some mysterious Lenovo ThinkPad Edge laptops that we are giving away next month. Now is the time to give you more information on these amazing machines. We have been testing one of them out since we got them and here is a small list of some of our Favorite features.

Neil (Marketing Manager)

  • New keyboard style
    • This makes typing on the keyboard really comfortable, and I am not constantly pressing the wrong keys.
  • Screen resolution
    • The resolution of the screen is great! I don’t have to squint to see small print.
  • Durability
    • I feel like I could throw it across the room and still work on it. (I might test this, stay tuned for a video of the test.)

Josh (Marketing Analyst)

  • WiMax
    • This feature shows the proximity of wireless networks and the strengths of each one.
      • Makes it really easy to select the best one to use.
  • Battery Life
    • It seemed like the battery lasted FOREVER!
  • Multi-touch pad
    • The 2 finger scrolling and pinch zoom worked great.

Ralf (Graphic Designer)

  • Lightweight
    • It was like carrying around a feather!
  • Boot-up speed
    • I like that I didn’t have to wait a long time for it to boot up; everything is up in under a minute.
  • Open screen to lay flat
    • I think it is cool that you can open the screen so much that it will lay flat. Don’t know how or when I would use it, but I think it is cool none the less.

Andy (PR & Marketing)

  • ThinkVantage
    • This built in tool has:
      • Password Vault
      • Easy location for updates and driver downloads
      • Power Manager
      • Airbag protection: Protects the hard drive when dropped etc.
  • 3 USB slots and HDMI!!!
  • The laptop comes with Windows 7 Professional, not Home.
    • This means that you can use Media Center to record TV and have a central location for all of your favorite multimedia content.

These are some of the features that we like most about these SWEET laptops! What do YOU think? Sound like something you wouldn’t mind winning for FREE??

Hard Drive Hero

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Laplink has solved another major problem that technology advancements have created, it goes by the name of PCmover Image Assistant, and we just released it. To date disk imaging software has fallen short. As technology has advanced, more operating systems (Including Windows 7) have arrived. When Windows 7 was released and integrated into nearly every new PC on the market, everyone’s old disk images were rendered useless. This is because if you use imaging software to restore say an XP image to a Windows 7 PC, the software will overwrite your new OS with the old one making your purchase a complete waste of money (Who wants to explain that to their spouse?…). Not to mention, you have now lost all of your programs, files and settings on the new PC. PCmover Image Assistant solves this dilemma and will calm the worries of many PC users.

The software has two key abilities that cannot be found elsewhere. First is what we call Operating System Independent Restore (say what?). Second, it will rescue your hard drive from a non-working PC. Let’s talk about the Operating System Independent Restore first shall we as it sounds the most confusing (but I assure you that it’s not)?

All computer users need an image or complete backup of their computer. PCs get stolen, lit on fire and get run over every day and yours could be next. Creating an image protects you against these unforeseen data loss scenarios. However if you try to restore an XP image to a Windows 7 PC, your new OS will be overwritten by the old one. Using PCmover Image Assistant you can restore XP images to a new Windows 7 PC without overwriting it. All you do is mount your XP image to your new Windows 7 PC and use PCmover Image Assistant to suck out and restore the programs, files and settings you want. Not quite as confusing as you first thought eh? There is one caveat though; the programs you wish to restore must be compatible with Windows 7. If you happen to be running Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate or Enterprise you’re in luck, you have XP mode. That way you can still run programs that aren’t compatible on your new PC. Sorry Home Premium users, that feature is not available to you, so take extra care in checking for Windows 7 compatibility.

PCmover Image Assistant will also rescue a hard drive from a non-working PC. We are human, by nature we can’t predict the future, and PCs ultimately decide when they want to turn against us. We also never know when a catastrophe will strike. Thanks to the advancements in hard drive technology, when a PC crashes the hard drive is usually still readable. Even if the OS has been corrupted and will no longer boot, PCmover Image Assistant can access its programs, files and settings and restore them. All you have to do is attach the hard drive to your PC and Image Assistant will do the rest. Just make sure to keep your drives away from large animals, they have a tendency to step on things.

These two abilities qualify PCmover Image Assistant as the ultimate PC recovery tool aka Hard Drive Hero. No longer are your past, present and future disk images rendered useless and your hard drives will live forever. And it’s really something you can’t afford to miss out on, unless that is,  you want to lose all of your data.

Sounds pretty cool huh? We think so too. Leave a comment and tell us what you think about it and we will email you a coupon code good for 25% off Image Assistant.  (Must add a valid email address to the comment. Offer Expires 6/9/10)

Disk Imaging Technology Timeline

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Remember when making a back-up of your data meant calling in a scribe and dictating for hours to the rhythm of a quillquill scratching on parchment? Well. Maybe not. But imaging technology has come a long way since the dark ages of quill8-bit graphics and floppy disks. Evolving since the early 90s, disk imaging technology has made three prominent leaps of progress over the last two decades, resulting in the imaging software we’re familiar with today.

Join us now, won’t you, for a journey along the Disk Imaging Technology Timeline:

511076668_b651d4e444_tEarly to mid 90s: Disk imaging and cloning technology becomes readily available to consumers, but is fairly limited in function. Users may use software to create an image of their PC, but that image is tied to the computer – images can only be restored to the same PC. The process requires a large number of floppy disks; tempers flare.

cdLate 90s to 2009: New developments give disk imaging products the ability to create an image of a PC, and then restore that image to any other PC. However, limitations are still present: an image is tied to its operating system. An image of a PC running Windows 95 can only be restored to a computer running that same operating system. The total incorporation of compact discs (CDs) soothes the hearts and souls of the frustrated floppy-disk generation.

harddisk2010: The release of Windows 7 triggers the need to update PCs from XP or Vista. Imaging technology, as it was previously, is unable to restore users’ images of old XP or Vista PCs to new Windows 7 PCs. However, with the creation and release of PCmover Image Assistant, by Laplink Software, this gap in imaging technology is closed. The first and only software to restore images across different operating systems, PCmover Image Assistant completes another turn in the evolutionary path of disk imaging technology.

Be sure to check out next week’s posting about how the disk imaging process actually works.

PCsync Q&A with Laplink’s CTO

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Q&A with Laplink’s Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Jack Wilson:Laplink CTO, Jack Wilson

What’s new with PCsync 6?

Of course the biggest change in PCsync is the ability to connect, transfer, and synchronize files with a Mac.  However there have also been many changes to PCsync to allow it to work faster and better than ever before between PCs.

What goes into the development of a product like PCsync?

What’s a typical day like in software development?  One of the biggest challenges in developing a software product like PCsync is ensuring the compatibility across the many different connection types (network, USB, and local devices), and the many combination of operating systems. For example, there are 6 versions of Windows 7, plus 32 bit and 64 bit versions. A lot of time was spent determining how best to communicate between the Mac file system and the PC. Modifying PCsync so the USB cables also worked on a Mac was also a challenge.  Not too many people realize the amount of testing involved in all that.

Who should buy PCsync?

Since PCsync can be used as both a file transfer and a synchronization product, anyone who is challenged by trying to connect and transfer files between PCs will love PCsync.  More and more users are confronted by this as having multiple PCs in the office or household is becoming more common.

What makes PCsync better than other competing products?  How is it better than Sync Center in Windows 7?

PCsync is by far the easiest way to synchronize files from PCs to PCs and PCs to Macs.  Try using Sync Center to connect to a Mac or XP!  Sync Center is mainly geared to network servers, not desktop to desktop computers.  Also certain features of Sync Center don’t even work on the ‘Home’ versions of Windows software.  

Any other exciting news from Laplink’s development team?

Of course the Laplink development team continues to work on updated versions of our PCmover product, especially features for our corporate users.  We are also looking at new innovative methods to make communication between your computers even easier.  Take for instance our Laplink Everywhere product.  With that product I can get to my work or home computers from any computer with a web browser, even Internet mobile devices like cell phones and PDAs.   What other product can you remotely access a PC from an iPhone, search for a file on that computer and then e-mail it as an attachment to anyone in the world?  All securely without having to setup complicated servers, VPNs or special firewall rules.   Now as far as PCsync is concerned, did I hear anyone say “What about Linux”?

Comparison Series – PCmover vs. Windows Easy Transfer

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We get tons of questions about how PCmover compares to other utilities out there and so we are starting a comparison series. The first in the series is PCmover vs. Windows Easy Transfer.

PCmove VS. Windows Easy Transfer

In comparison to PCmover Professional, Windows Easy Transfer (WET) provides an incomplete migration experience and does not transfer everything you need from your old PC.

WET is a migration utility that can be downloaded for XP and is available on Vista and Windows 7. With this tool, users can move limited types of files and settings stored on their computers. It provides an incomplete migration experience as it can only transfer certain Windows settings and data files.

PCmover is a complete and precise migration utility. It allows users to move entire applications, documents, settings, user profiles and folders. Through a step-by-step easy to use migration wizard, PCmover will automatically move your entire “PC personality” from one computer to another. PCmover will not affect the source computer and will only copy what the user wants from the source PC. If you forget to move something over, go back and undo the migration and bring over everything you want.

PCmover also has compatibility with all Windows based operating systems back to Windows 95. For example, PCmover provides an upgrade path from Windows XP to Windows 7. It can migrate from 32-bit operating systems to 64-bit operating systems.

Allowing PCmover to move all your applications documents, settings, user profiles and folders will save you time and money.

Features PCmover Professional Windows Easy Transfer
Migrates Applications Yes No
Migrates all PC user profiles at once Yes No
Migrates Settings Yes Yes (limited)
Multiple Connectivity Options Yes Yes
“Undo Migration” feature Yes No
Application Selectivity Yes No
Migrates files and data Yes Yes
Supports direct upgrade path from XP to Windows 7 (both in-place and PC-to-PC upgrades) Yes No

Top Problem With Windows 7 – Upgrading

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IYogi, one of the largest on-demand technical support providers says that the number one complaint they receive relates to upgrading and deploying the new Windows 7 operating system.

“Most of the problems that customers have with Windows 7 have to do with installation, or application and data migration,” said Vishal Dhar, co-founder of iYogi told CNN. “These are all fixable problems, but they’re annoyances and they’re time consuming.”

Maybe the reason he’s so confident IYogi can fix those issues are because they use PCmover for online migration services. IYogi offers vary levels of migrations service including a free service. Check it out here. Their top level of service offers a full PCmover powered migration which includes transfer of files, settings, and applications.

Top 7 Windows 7 Complaints
Problems with installation

31%
Missing applets of components

26%
Aero theme is not running

14%
DVD drive not found

8%
Hidden extensions

6%
Too many minidumps

6%
Aero snap problems

3%

For the most part though, Windows 7 has received far less criticism than previous operating systems and sales of the new operating system have been brisk thus far.

Laplink Partner Program

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Microsoft created a giant migraine headache for consumers when they decided not to offer a direct upgrade path from just about every operating system they sell (check it out). What do people do when they have questions? What do they do when they can’t figure out how to upgrade their system without losing all the information they have on their old PC? Microsoft’s answer comes in the form of a note that accompanies their boxed copies of Windows 7 (seen here).Upgrade From XP to Windows 7

Option A) You will need to find an external storage device and all your installation discs for any software you want on the new PC. Then run the Windows Upgrade advisor to see what will run on the new PC and what won’t. After that save all your files to and settings to an external storage device using the Windows Easy Transfer program. Microsoft then advises you to reinstall all your applications on the new PC. Finally, you will need to do a custom installation of Windows 7. Needless to say, a lot of work!

Option B) Contact your local retailer or PC service provider, you pay them a small fee and they do it all for you.

In order to keep up with the increased demand for Windows 7 upgrade solutions on PC service providers and hardware integrators across the world, Laplink has created new tools and incentives for partners to take advantage of. Not only will Laplink Partners be able to offer a solution that Microsoft doesn’t provide (transferring files, setting, profiles and applications), they will be able do it quickly an easily.

Laplink PCmover Partner Program Highlights

  • The PCmover Partner Program provides an easy and cost effective way for IT resellers, service providers, system builders, and VARs to offer PC migration services.
  • Resellers can offer a complete migration solution for customers upgrading to Windows 7 with PCmover, while also increasing PC sales and migration service revenue.
  • The program includes extensive rebates and discounts for PCmover licensing, up to 50% off retail pricing.
  • IT Resellers and Service providers will gain access to valuable training and marketing materials, making it easy to begin offering Windows 7 upgrade services.

How to Join the Laplink PCmover Partner Program

The Laplink PCmover Partner Program is available for businesses to sign up and join online at http://www.laplink.com/partners/pcmover/.

Read our press release about the new Laplink PCmoverPartner Program

The Solution for “Tricky” Windows 7 Upgrades

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As some of you might know, PCmover is the world’s top selling migration program.Upgrade to Windows 7

With the launch of windows 7, a lot of XP users will need a way to move all of their programs, files and settings over to the new OS. PCmover addresses all of the 66 Windows upgrade scenarios and more as outlined by Microsoft. PCmover also performs an “in-place” upgrade if you choose to stay on the same computer while updating to Windows 7.

There are several cool features that you will not find with any other programs. PCmover takes all of your contacts and files from your XP mail clients to Windows 7. It also makes moving from a 32 bit OS to a 64 bit so easy that it may seem like magic. The simple wizard allows you, with a few clicks, to move everything you need over to your new computer and even comes with an undo button to quickly reverse the entire migration should you need to. With 100 million users forecasted to move to Windows 7 within the next few years PCmover is the most convenient way of making this chore a breeze.