Computer Help and Support

Paper Roses

(7,504 posts) Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:11 PM Dec 2020

For this old timer, my Christmas present of a MacBook Pro is giving me a headache, stressing me out.

I just talked to my computer guru about my situation. He is not making house calls now and suggested that I keep using my desktop(Win10) and laptop(Win7). He has done all the service I have needed for years and advised me that the change from a PC to a Mac is probably a little too much for me. He and I both know my limitations.

My Problem: I want to post things on Facebook using my old digital camera. I am moving and want to sell some good stuff. I have a desktop that works fine but I can't use the digital camera with it. Cannot find the installation disk for that camera. My old laptop has a dead battery. I can get a new battery but the laptop is still Win7. If I plug it in, all is fine. I asked if I could still use it to post to Facebook and was told that it was OK. I would not use the laptop for anything else.

I know some of you still use Win7. Do you feel comfortable posting on Facebook with Win 7? I can plug in the computer and perhaps shortly buy a new battery. My concern is using 7.
Do you who still use Win7 feel this is OK? I can get a battery cheaply by way of a suggestion from A DU member. I just don't want to make myself vulnerable to some awful event.

My wonderful family thinks they did me a favor since I have an iPhone and thought this would be easier for me.
Yikes. At my age, this change is too much without help that I cannot get at the moment.
I would appreciate any advice from Win7 users.

Thank you for any advice. I've tried the Apple tutorials but am still lost. Don't laugh, I'm 78 years old!

11 replies

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Highlight:

For this old timer, my Christmas present of a MacBook Pro is giving me a headache, stressing me out. (Original Post) Paper Roses Dec 2020 OP

I feel your pain. bottomofthehill Dec 2020 #1

Ask your grandkids for help calguy Dec 2020 #2

Are you able to take pics with your iPhone, and forward them in an email? Blue Owl Dec 2020 #3

Here's my suggestion: Fiendish Thingy Dec 2020 #4

That should work. Flash drives are handy tools. I still use a digital camera... brush Dec 2020 #8

I'm Faux pas Dec 2020 #5

take the memory card OUT of the camera and put it in one of these, CurtEastPoint Dec 2020 #6

Get cloud based storage. You can access and/or save files from any device or platform. Dream Girl Dec 2020 #7

So the issue is a lack of a camera driver and software for your Mac? JDC Dec 2020 #9

Thanks friends, I just wanted to know if it was safe to use Win 7 until I can get a tutorial. Paper Roses Dec 2020 #10

In general, it isn't safe to connect to internet with old operating system intrepidity Dec 2020 #11

bottomofthehill

(8,791 posts)

1. I feel your pain.

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:12 PM

Dec 2020

I am an old PC guy, whenever I find myself on one of my kids macs I want to tear my hair out

calguy

(5,752 posts)

2. Ask your grandkids for help

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:13 PM

Dec 2020

Blue Owl

(54,592 posts)

3. Are you able to take pics with your iPhone, and forward them in an email?

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:17 PM

Dec 2020

Most phone cameras these days are as good as digital cameras... Just an idea!

Fiendish Thingy

(18,196 posts)

4. Here's my suggestion:

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:23 PM

Dec 2020

1. Plug in and boot up your old laptop
2. Click on the folder that contains the photos you want to move to your Mac -
3. find out what total size is; if you don’t want to move all the photos in the folder, select and drag the photos you want to move to a new folder on your desktop (I’m assuming you know how to create a new folder)
4. Click on the new folder to determine the total size of the files
5. Insert a USB flash drive of the appropriate size (2GB, 8GB, 16GB, etc)
6. Drag the folder with the photos you want to the flash drive
7. Eject the flash drive
8. Insert flash drive into your new Mac
9. Drag folder with photos to your desktop, or alternately, to your photos app
10. Viola! You should be able to select photos from the folder to post to Facebook!

Good luck! Hope this helps!

brush

(57,232 posts)

8. That should work. Flash drives are handy tools. I still use a digital camera...

Reply to Fiendish Thingy (Reply #4)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:54 PM

Dec 2020

to photograph art work (have had it for years) and I use a flash drive adapter with several memory chip sizes to move photos to my Mac.

Faux pas

(15,292 posts)

5. I'm

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:26 PM

Dec 2020

sure someone here can help you, sorry that it can't be me.

CurtEastPoint

(19,138 posts)

6. take the memory card OUT of the camera and put it in one of these,

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:38 PM

Dec 2020

which will be plugged into a USB port on the computer:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Veni-All-in-1-USB-Card-Reader-for-all-Digital-Memory-Cards/998237328?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=8509&&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=aud-1025747331336:pla-51320962143&wl5=9010957&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=115787209&wl11=online&wl12=998237328&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxf8jILbh7g-Ei5jbphi78yoaLSXYWZn6VZ9FjkBLXGqJL4DZRyWpIhoC-MAQAvD_BwE

Dream Girl

(5,111 posts)

7. Get cloud based storage. You can access and/or save files from any device or platform.

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 01:45 PM

Dec 2020

Plus you don’t need to fool around with USB. It’s pretty easy. I recommend Dropbox.It’s free but You can purchase more space if needed. Regarding learning to use Mac. I am oldish and didn’t fine the move from PC to Mac all that difficult, but I did it in a work environment so there were people I could ask for help. For me, learning the function keys (control vs.command) and short cuts was the trickiest part.

JDC

(10,474 posts)

9. So the issue is a lack of a camera driver and software for your Mac?

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 02:14 PM

Dec 2020

Because you can't find the disk?

Or your Mac only comes with USB-C ports?

Or both?

You might be able to find that at the camera manufacturer's website. They often don't include disks any longer anyhow. Everything is downloaded from support sites.

They make dongles for USBC to USB 3.0 that can readily be found on Amazon and the likes. Very inexpensive.

Paper Roses

(7,504 posts)

10. Thanks friends, I just wanted to know if it was safe to use Win 7 until I can get a tutorial.

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 02:56 PM

Dec 2020

I am a simple user and although I appreciate all the suggestions, I'd like to use the digital camera on the Win7 laptop until I can have an 'at home' visit from my computer expert. My digital camera is old so I can't use it on my desktop (Win10) because I cannot find the installation disk. Also, I can't understand many of the suggestions you fine folks have provided.

A word of advice, "don't get old!"
Thanks for any ideas. I may try some of them but my real long term plan is to use my iPhone camera on the MacBook. I'll figure it out yet!

intrepidity

(7,862 posts)

11. In general, it isn't safe to connect to internet with old operating system

Reply to Paper Roses (Original post)

Wed Dec 30, 2020, 08:28 PM

Dec 2020

Unless Win7 is still supported and updated, which I don't know. If Win7 still gets security updates and you keep it (and the software you use, browsers etc) updated, then no worries.

Best would be to use the Win10 PC.

Have you ever tried connecting camera to desktop? Win10 should have most hardware drivers already.

If not, Google your camera model and "driver download" (or go to camera mfg website) -- almost all such software that used to come on CDs is available to download. Somewhere.

You can do it! People here will help.

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