Correct Corel draw version?

[John Lifer]

OK, with me possibly purchasing new laser, and I will be having to obtain new pc to use with it.
Now most if not all new computers that run Windows will be using Windows 10 (I'll skip 8 if offered).
Should I go with the latest version of Corel draw- version X8? Or step down and use earlier version with a Chinese laser?
What are you guys using? Upgraded recently? Issues?
I've got to relearn whatever I get, this is of no consequence.

[Bert Kemp]

Do you have a version of corel now? If so why not just use what you have. Do you need the latest and greatest? How proficient are you with what you have. I got x5 when I got my laser and still use it , and for me I don't think I'll ever need more. I know others here are using older version like x3 and even 9 , So if you don't need the latest go with what you have or what you can find cheap on the net. JMO

[Gary Hair]

If you want to eliminate odd problems and have a working, reliable machine, go with Windows 10 and X8. As long as the computer has enough horsepower (CPU, Memory, Graphics card) then you'll be very happy with that combination. I'd highly suggest an SSD drive - I just upgraded both of my primary machines to SSD and the difference is amazing!

[David Somers]

I agree with Gary! Do an SSD. It will make a huge perceivable difference in the speed of the machine. You can do a 1TB SSD for $300+ now? Also, if you can afford it, go with a 4 core I7 processor. Many of them are only 2 and there is a visible difference there as well. If you have to, take the model number of the processor and just type it in a google search. You will get a number of links that will tell you how many cores it has. Type it is as I7 "model number." Corel is not a memory hog like Adobe Products. I would still go with a minumum 8GB of RAM though, preferably 12 to 16. Especially if you like to keep lots of things open at one time. I have never been sorry I had too much disk space with a fast disk, too much RAM, or too fast a processor. The software will catch up to them eventually and if you overbuy you essentially extend the usable life of the machine. That is to a point though. An extra year out of a computer may not be worth the extra dollars in higher end components. You have to balance that out.

Although I hate it, I would also do Win 10. I still have Corel X7 but X8 seems to be quite stable now and I will probably upgrade just because. 7 is fine though. Older version of Corel are also fine as Bert said.
I agree about skipping Win8. Avoid it like the plague. Win 7 is fine and very stable, but it will sunset in the relatively near future. Go with Win10. It is also much safer for being on the internet in terms of resisting hacking and virus's and malware. Combined with a decent Anti Virus package and a Malware Package. The Windows Firewall is fine.

Do you need to move the PC around? Use it inside the house and also down in the basement? If yes, you will want a laptop. You may as well get something with a UHD screen. That is a high resolution screen that will give you a res of 3840 x 2160. Then get a nice large external monitor to match it. You can probably do a Samsung 27" for less than $250 with that res on it. Really nice to work on. If you can, get a second one so you can work comfortably in both places. Otherwise, a desktop is normally significantly cheaper and you can upgrade its parts over time much longer than with a laptop.

[John Lifer]

Dang it David, my wife will kill me! No guys really didn't know how well an earlier version works with Windows 10. I probably can't buy a new computer w/o Windows 8 or 10 and 8 is not an option. I'd do 7 before 8. Actually like 7 over 10. The desktop is upstairs and I can't use it as it is more my wife's. My old laptop has issues but I will use it till I decide on desktop and then I'll make software decision.

[Robert Tepper]

I run Corel 7 and it has more capacity than I understand. I am very happy with it and also running windows 10.

Robert

[John Lifer]

Thanks Robert. I'm expecting most any version of Corel will work with both laser and Win 10. I've had a few issues with my older HP laser printer that made me a bit leary of just getting first copy I could find and then having issues. But really I wouldn't be using Corel to drive the laser either, would I?

[Nicolas Silva]

I ran X5 for the longest while with no problems or issues. I was forced to upgrade to X8 and hate everything about it.

[John Noell]

...really didn't know how well an earlier version works with Windows 10.
Nothing earlier than X7 will work on the latest version of Win10 (without breaking parts of Win10). I prefer X4 to my X6 and X7, but unless you want to run a virtualized XP or Win7 inside Win10, figure on using X7 or X8.

[Kev Williams]

I have a different tack on this--

If the computer is only going to be used for Corel and to run the machine, and not be put on the internet, find someone around your neck of the woods to sell you a rebuilt 5 or 6 year old Dell computer with a 2-core processor, 4 gigs of ram and install a 32bit XP Professional on it. I pay $75 for such computers.

For Corel, I bought X4 online about 3 years ago for $35, probably can get it cheaper than that today, and it's all I'll ever need.

A fresh installed XP pro and Corel X4 on a proprietary computer minus all unnecessary firewall or anti-virus crap will run faster than any computer you've ever owned, with zero surprises or upkeep. And you'll be all in for less than $150...
:)

[David Somers]

Hey Kev!

If it isnt going to be on the internet and it is primarily a machined used with Corel I would certainly agree with your approach.
For me though this is my only machine right now and it serves a lot of purposes (including reading your post of SMC! <grin>) So in that case I tend to keep up with the hardware and OS and software versions. Much as dealing with Windows drives me crazy.

[Brian Leavitt]

I run X8 on one Windows 10 computer, and X5 on another Windows 10 computer. They both work without any issues. I also run X5 on three crusty, old Windows XP machines and it works fine on them as well.

[Gary Hair]

Nothing earlier than X7 will work on the latest version of Win10 (without breaking parts of Win10). I prefer X4 to my X6 and X7, but unless you want to run a virtualized XP or Win7 inside Win10, figure on using X7 or X8.

Explain this then... It's a clean install of Win10 and a clean install of X5. I also have X6 and X8 on the same machine, all three work fine. Nothing "broken" in Win10.

[tony lisnak]

If you go to Corel's website and research Windows 10 and Coreldraw, only X7 and X8 are garanteed compatible.

http://www.corel.com/us/corel-and-windows-10/

[John Lifer]

Thanks guys. I THINK it all is due to the various machines Win 10 is installed on. Like I said earlier, I have a great big Old HP 4100TN that worked FINE under Windows 7 on my desktop. And I could print thru network from other machines. Desktop installed Win 10 while I wasn't looking... Yes, I had told it to ignore, but little good it did.
We were in the moving stage and I couldn't roll back and after 30 day it won't anyway.... My printer is installed ok, and prints. Shut down PC, Turn back on and printer is 'there' but is offline. No way to get online other than uninstall and reinstall it. Works till I cut it off again. POS! And this is a known type of issue. So Some computers will work with corel X5 or X6 and others will choke on those versions......

[John Lifer]

oh, and I LIKE Kev's idea. I might install to work with internet. Would be a good bit easier to move stuff to the machine... but still, don't put anything but the minimum on an older machine. Shame I don't have one:) Thanks!

[Gary Hair]

If you go to Corel's website and research Windows 10 and Coreldraw, only X7 and X8 are garanteed compatible.

http://www.corel.com/us/corel-and-windows-10/

Lemme translate that for you - "if you call us for support and you have anything other than X7 or X8 then we will point the finger of blame on whatever you say you have whether that's it or not." That doesn't mean it won't work fine, they just won't spend any of their time troubleshooting it.

[John Lifer]

Well, got to ask you guys a question. Those of you who are using 7x, from what I read, you HAVE to be logged in to the software thru the Internet in order to use full version. So if I don't have Internet connection it won't work? Confirmation on this if someone can tell me. If that is right, I'll drop back to older version.

[Bert Kemp]

I don't think thats true, you can buy x7 box version and install it on your computer just like any version before.
You might be able to subscribe to the cloud , you would have to be logged on to get up dates but not to just use the design software.


Well, got to ask you guys a question. Those of you who are using 7x, from what I read, you HAVE to be logged in to the software thru the Internet in order to use full version. So if I don't have Internet connection it won't work? Confirmation on this if someone can tell me. If that is right, I'll drop back to older version.

[Kev Williams]

you can run any Corel on any computer without any internet.

They WANT you connected to the internet so they can invade your computer with pop-up ads to try to get you to buy the newer version. ;) (<--- tongue in cheek, but it's true)

[John Lifer]

Ok, you guys are the users.. I've read two reviews that said that you have to be logged in and internet capable, I know that was threatened with other software in the past. I just didn't want to buy and not be able to use easy. Thanks

[Brent Franker]

No guys really didn't know how well an earlier version works with Windows 10.

I've run Corel 10, X3, and X6 on Windows 10 and haven't noticed any issues FYI.

[John Noell]

Uhh Gary, where are the menu items? :) Nothing broken you say? :) I definitely broke my Win10 with X4 and worried that the lack of menus might not be the only think 'not quite right' in X6. AFAIK, Corel says only 7 and later work. (However, on the computer that runs my laser I have Win7 and X4 by preference.) YMMV!!

[Gary Hair]

Uhh Gary, where are the menu items?
Corel, in their infinite wisdom, neglected to follow the Windows conventions with regards to menu color schemes and made up their own. This caused them to disappear in Windows 10 because it forced programs (apps) to follow their conventions without any exceptions. If you hover over the menu bar you can still see the menu items. This is a Corel problem, not Windows.


:) Nothing broken you say? :) I definitely broke my Win10 with X4 and worried that the lack of menus might not be the only think 'not quite right' in X6.
Win 10 isn't broken from installing Corel, Corel appears to be broken, however, as I already explained, it only appears this way because they were sloppy with their programming.


AFAIK, Corel says only 7 and later work. (However, on the computer that runs my laser I have Win7 and X4 by preference.) YMMV!!
Again, Corel "SUPPORTS" X7 and later on Win10, they make no mention that anything earlier "won't work"

[Curt Harms]

Dang it David, my wife will kill me! No guys really didn't know how well an earlier version works with Windows 10. I probably can't buy a new computer w/o Windows 8 or 10 and 8 is not an option. I'd do 7 before 8. Actually like 7 over 10. The desktop is upstairs and I can't use it as it is more my wife's. My old laptop has issues but I will use it till I decide on desktop and then I'll make software decision.


If you prefer Windows 7, you might check if this applies to you:

https://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/downgrade_rights.aspx

It's fairly simple and legal to download Windows 7 install disks from Microsoft. I don't use Windows much, prefer Penguins but Windows 10 seems pretty usable if you're able to get past the amount of data including personal information sent back to "the mother ship" and lack of control over updates.

[John Lifer]

Yeah, in looking at a few refurbished machines for sale, a LOT have 7 reinstalled and would provide for an additional fee the actual license. For this particular machine, I may very well not hook it up to the internet. It would require me adding another router to get decent wifi or running a hard line. (might be easier). Just use my regular machine to obtain any customer designs and d/l onto a flash drive. That way there is no temptation to clutter the darn thing up with non laser related junk.

[John Noell]

Well, I have not seen X4 on Win10 that did not cause the "modern" apps and the search to break. Here is someone else's experience:
"The 3 machines I tested this install on broke the start menus. I preformed a system restore to rollback before I installed CorelDraw to get up and going again. ... WARNING, when installing CorelDraw in Windows 10, be prepared for it to BREAK the Modern Apps and the Start Menu. I just did this and it broke Windows 10."

YMMV but this what happened to me as well. :)

[John Lifer]

Update on my question.
Got my refurbished Computer yesterday.

Ended up getting a Lenovo i7 3770, 3.4mhz 8g memory, 250gb HD, with a optical drive. Plenty of 3.0 and 2.0 USB ports so I can connect a bunch of external drives and 'things'.

Had issues with video, thought it was DEAD, but it had a separate HD video board installed that was overriding the motherboard video.
Only a DVI and a monitor HDMI connector and I don't own a that type of HDMI or any DVI cables.
So, I pulled that board to check if it would output video. Yes!. I'll get me a cheap cable when I buy a better monitor, using a 16" TV that is worse than my daughter's laptop.

They sent a mouse with it, but shorted me a keyboard. Dang it!
I had a bunch of stuff stolen a few years back and one of the batches of items was a monitor and keyboards. Not a spare in the house. So, a quick trip to Walmart to get a cheap keyboard. Dang it, I'm not paying $20 for a DVI cable either! That'll have to wait.

So got everything up and running, Windows 10 Pro.

Installed a bunch of the graphics programs I had and the new things I'd recently downloaded.
Draftsight, Inkscape, OpenScad and then Corel X7 that had arrived the other day.
Got it running and licensed. Then I installed RDWorks this morning. Figured out the macro plug ins, Oh, and the Autocad 2002 version I had sitting around WON'T work with RDWorks :-( It said 2004 and later versions and I guess it is right!

Had to figure out the toolbars, Corel wanted to put the RDWorks icons on separate bar.
Imported and then sent to RDWorks. Perfect. Opened a different item and sent it also. Perfect.
So, at least for me Corel X7, Windows 10 Pro, and RDWorks V8.01.18 are working together.
Thanks guys!
Now to learn Corel!!