Can't run Electrum (different versions)

[aarge]

You were already given the solution.

Stop using an incredibly insecure outdated operating system which has reached its end of life already and even before that date was the least secure operating system.

The upgrade to windows 10 is still free. There is literally not a single good reason to stay with windows 7 instead of windows 10.

You could have simply used the time you already wasted on trying to get electrum running on your outdated os, to upgrade windows.

My hardware is too weak to  migrate to 10. (And, by the way, why to do it if my current system is working quit well, except this little one trouble.)

[1715250165]

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[1715250165]

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[HCP]

My hardware is too weak to  migrate to 10. (And, by the way, why to do it if my current system is working quit well, except this little one trouble.)

Generally, the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is fairly apt... however Windows 7 is "broke"

Honestly, it's purely from a security standpoint... Windows 7 has a number of unpatched security vulnerabilities that will never be patched because Microsoft stopped official support for it on January 14th 2020.

Keeping that machine connected to the internet... and using it for cryptocurrency tasks is asking for trouble. The sooner you can get yourself some updated hardware and update to the latest version of Windows the better.

Alternatively, you'll probably find that Linux runs quite nicely on any machine that runs Windows 7 as the hardware requirements for Linux are generally a lot lower (for instance, I can run Linux quite happily in a virtual machine that only has 2 cores and like 4 Gigs of RAM). Something like Ubuntu 18.04 would be sufficient and would run Electrum fine.


Anyway, do try running from the python source and see if it works... in any case, be sure to update this thread with your results, as it might assist someone else who has a similar issue and finds this thread

[NotATether]

Ubuntu also made blog about it, Why you should upgrade Windows 7 to Ubuntu
Additionally, Ubuntu have lighter version such as Kubuntu and Lubuntu

Few people also made tools to make Windows 10 slightly lighter (such as https://github.com/Sycnex/Windows10Debloater and https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10), but there are risks it could break Windows 10 itself.

It is not the so-called "bloat" that makes Windows 10 heavier than 7, it's the fact that Microsoft completely redesigned the kernel and OS services in Windows 8 & 10 such that the base system has twice as much memory usage as Windows 7. Transitioning from 32 bits to 64 bits further increases the memory usage.

Where Windows 7 x64 requires 512 MB to boot successfully, Windows 10 x64 requires 1GB for the same, because the kernel now uses more memory.

I'm going to guess that OP's system has 2GB of RAM in it since the Windows 7 home basic OS was likely preinstalled by the manufacturer and considering that Windows 7 x64 was actually popular among manufacturers at launch, the fact that OP's system has 32-bit Windows 7 on it hints that the vendor was dumping their inventory of old outdated hardware components on low-spec systems like this.

Kubuntu has about the same memory requirements as Windows 10.

I'd argue not to use Windows at all period. Anyone with Visual Studio can write a program that monitors the clipboard and replaces addresses with their own, without any vulnerabilities required. They can bundle it with some popular adwares up for download at CNET.com to get victims easily.

[aarge]

Keeping that machine connected to the internet... and using it for cryptocurrency tasks is asking for trouble.

Alternatively, you'll probably find that Linux runs quite nicely on any machine that runs Windows 7 as the hardware requirements for Linux are generally a lot lower (for instance, I can run Linux quite happily in a virtual machine that only has 2 cores and like 4 Gigs of RAM).
[/quote]
Hm, I can'st say that 2-core proc with 4 Gb RAM is light hardware requirements. And, nore important, the Linux still user-hostile -- their programs not ever bother to put shortcuts on the main screen. (And the common practice when you need to manually edit config files with a little idea where all that stuff is hidden, and a need to type a multi-linear command to start a program -- and with mistyping type it again... Bgg.)

[NotATether]

@aarge, did you manage to install and run a Python interpreter successfully?

[bob123]

My hardware is too weak to  migrate to 10. (And, by the way, why to do it if my current system is working quit well, except this little one trouble.)

Your system is not working well.
It is completely broken and unsecure. Any script kiddie with 5 minutes of spare time could compromise your system and steal all of your data.

Hm, I can'st say that 2-core proc with 4 Gb RAM is light hardware requirements.

Linux runs with as little as 300MB RAM.
Depending on the desktop environment this obviously gets a lot more.

And, nore important, the Linux still user-hostile -- their programs not ever bother to put shortcuts on the main screen.

Do you really need so much clicky-pointy that you can't even put the shortcunts on the screen yourself?

Btw, there are dekstop environments which allow you to make a tick to have the shortcut on your screen...

[aarge]

Finally, I have installed python 3.6.1. And overhelmed all non-obvious obstacles to try to start Electrum (which requires installation of different additional packages and copy-renaming files).

As a result I got the same error (BEX) as before with only difference that now it flags python itself.

I can't figure out what line(s) of script(s) causes that error 'cause I'm not familiar with programming. All I can say that without pgqt5 package the Electrum's daemon has started but then quit with an error something about that package is not installed and after I have installed it the BEX occurs.

[HCP]

In that case, it seems that no amount of fiddling is going to get the newer versions of Electrum running on your current OS.

Can you try installing and booting Linux as a LiveOS from a USB drive... and test Electrum on that. Alternatively, you'll need to find a different wallet application.

Hm, I can'st say that 2-core proc with 4 Gb RAM is light hardware requirements.

What hardware are you attempting to run Windows 7 and Electrum on?

[aarge]

In that case, it seems that no amount of fiddling is going to get the newer versions of Electrum running on your current OS.

Yeah, it seems so. Shit happens...

Can you try installing and booting Linux as a LiveOS from a USB drive... and test Electrum on that. Alternatively, you'll need to find a different wallet application.

I tried it on Win 8.1 64 bit and it crashes too. But because it crashes on exit I don't bother.

What hardware are you attempting to run Windows 7 and Electrum on?

1-core Celeron at 2 GHz with 3 Gb RAM (some of RAM is used by onboard video card).

[NotATether]

Finally, I have installed python 3.6.1. And overhelmed all non-obvious obstacles to try to start Electrum (which requires installation of different additional packages and copy-renaming files).

As a result I got the same error (BEX) as before with only difference that now it flags python itself.

I can't figure out what line(s) of script(s) causes that error 'cause I'm not familiar with programming. All I can say that without pgqt5 package the Electrum's daemon has started but then quit with an error something about that package is not installed and after I have installed it the BEX occurs.

I think I found the root cause of your problems. It has something to do with the 32-bit Qt5 installation that Electrum (and PyQt5 module) use. They both build their programs with using MinGW libraries instead of as a native Windows program (see Qt installer fails on Windows 7, exception Code: c0000005 and Qt4 and Qt5 Segmentation faults).

It is caused by the way the Qt libraries are packaged and there's nothing you can do to change that unfortunately.

As a corollary, this means all programs that use Qt and were compiled with MinGW will similarly crash like this too.

[HCP]

I tried it on Win 8.1 64 bit and it crashes too. But because it crashes on exit I don't bother.

So, you've found a "workaround" by using Win 8.1? It installs and runs "OK", but then crashes when you attempt to exit the application? If so, I guess that's better than nothing

1-core Celeron at 2 GHz with 3 Gb RAM (some of RAM is used by onboard video card).

OUCH!!?!

I'm honestly surprised that Windows 7 runs on that hardware... hopefully with the increase in value of BTC you could upgrade your system

[NotATether]

1-core Celeron at 2 GHz with 3 Gb RAM (some of RAM is used by onboard video card).

OUCH!!?!

I'm honestly surprised that Windows 7 runs on that hardware... hopefully with the increase in value of BTC you could upgrade your system

Hehe, back in the day, I used to run Windows Vista 32 on an AMD Sempron and 1GB memory stick. Innocent times...

Windows doesn't need too high a clock speed to run on its own, the issue is when you multitask by running different programs on it. That will really hurt performance.