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bilgladstone

Windows 7

25 posts in this topic

I am contemplating my options in upgrading my computer. I've pretty much maxed the hardware and this PC is a few years old and getting a teensy bit buggity. A new PC? A new Mac? Yeah, both more expensive than I want to go at this moment.So I'm thinking maybe Win7 could be good. I'd need to do a fresh install coming from XPpro, so I am told, so I might lose the odd program for which I no longer have a disk.Has anyone here gone 7 from XP? Is the transfer utility very good?Your thoughts are invited...Bil :sun: I am not a geek, just a little geek...ish ;)

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I just installed Windows 7 doing an upgrade from Vista on my 3-year old PC. It went flawlessly but I prep'd my system beforehand using Microsoft's Compatibility Checker as a guide. So I updated my drivers and software. Deleted some really old stuff. Windows 7 is not a huge departure from Vista with the exception of it being more stable and having a few new cool features.You are correct that you cannot upgrade from XP to 7 and have to do a clean install. This is advantageous as you get rid of all the old junk that gets collected over time, especially in the registry. I recommend getting an external hard drive (USB) and backing up all your files to it, before doing anything. Radio Shack (The Source) has 1 terabyte drives for $100 (ya... that's 1,000 GB). If you have ghosting software you can make an image of your current system and put it on the external drive. If anything goes drastically wrong, you can restore everything exactly as it was. But that may be overkill.I do find Windows 7 faster than Vista and it takes less memory in its workings. The new taskbar is really good and definitely a keeper.- Tom

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I personally love Windows 7, and have been using it since last January (beta). It definitely runs faster than Vista, and is quite stable. I would potentially go so far as to say that it can grab more drivers automagically from Windows Update than vista could, meanign you turn on your computer after a fresh install, and a few hours later, you actually have all the drivers set up for you.As far as upgrades, yes, you'll have to do a clean install from XP, but I have never had any luck doing an in-place upgrade, and so it always ends up as a fresh install.As Tom said, an external hard drive is a good way to do a quick back-up of your files. However, the second computer I installed 7 on, I realized that it didn't even have to format the hard drive, so all of the files were still sitting around (After spending a few hours waiting for files to transfer to an external drive. Sigh). With this fact in mind, the install requires practically no skill at all, and can easily be done by anyone with a little bit of confidence.All in all, I highly recommend doing the upgrade.

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Honestly Bil, I would just do a fresh install of XP Pro to clean things up and not bother with the upgrade to 7 on your old hardware. Save your money for when you do eventually buy or make a new system. There are actually a lot of good deals out there on systems which are preloaded w/Vista but come with a free upgrade to 7. Just keep an eye out for deals... Saying that, I'm running 64 bit Win 7 on a new system and a do quite like it and agree with Tom on the taskbar. I just won't be upgrading any of my older hardware unless there is a compelling reason for doing so (having Vista might be a compelling reason to do so, but XP Pro is pretty solid).cheersgarth

Edited by garthD

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I'm running Vista Ultimate 64 bit, and at this point, I don't see any real compelling reasons to upgrade - especially considering the high cost. I'll wait until my next hardware upgrade. Aside from minor system changes, some user interface eye candy, and of course built in touch screen capability, I'm not aware of any compelling justifications for the cost of the upgrade (at least over Vista anyway).I think given the age of your current computer, it would be a better idea to go for a new computer with Win7 pre-installed.... Or you could get a Mac ;-)

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You're right, of course, no real reason to upgrade an existing piece of hardware from Vista, simply because it is Vista. A fully patched Vista is far less objectionable than the originally released version, which drove so many of us back to XP, Linux, or Mac. Windows 7 really isn't a new OS either, just Vista with most of the annoying issues worked out and a few new features...if the Vista name wasn't such a marketing black hole, it might have been called Vista SE. Of course, M$ will be happy to take your money...

Edited by garthD

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I'm going Apple next time. These IBM clones suck arse.

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It's worth getting a Mac IMHO for the simple fact that they aren't loaded up with crippling crapware that stretches your systray out across half the screen and makes every PC out of the box virtually completely unusable with "Free trial software".-Iain

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I run Vista premium now with my newest computer.Didn't Vista only just come out though? I find vista is WAY to confusing for a simple end user like me, and I'm always pressing "apply" or "allow" or "deny" to get anything done!It really sucks.I found XP easy to get virus or spyware problems and after a while it would slow down on me.I have also had windows 3.1, windows 98, and windows xp in the past , and they all get to complicated as they "improve" the next model.will I get windows 7 ..........NO, I think windows sucks big time, but it comes with all the computers I ever buy. Next time I will try a mac

Edited by Coast Steve

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Anyone remember DOS? That's the last time I was comfortable in a PC environment. DELETE *.*

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It's worth getting a Mac IMHO for the simple fact that they aren't loaded up with crippling crapware that stretches your systray out across half the screen and makes every PC out of the box virtually completely unusable with "Free trial software".-Iain

This is why it is so much better to just install Windows yourself, rather than buying it preinstalled at a Future Shop/Best Buy/Gougetown. It's not complicated to install, and the time spent installing it yourself is usually shorter than the time necessary to track down and uninstall all of the garbage that they give you.EDIT: Also, if you have some confidence, you can always save a ton on a new computer if you just buy the parts and cram them together yourself. Edited by FlossyTheSmart

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This is why it is so much better to just install Windows yourself, rather than buying it preinstalled at a Future Shop/Best Buy/Gougetown. It's not complicated to install, and the time spent installing it yourself is usually shorter than the time necessary to track down and uninstall all of the garbage that they give you.EDIT: Also, if you have some confidence, you can always save a ton on a new computer if you just buy the parts and cram them together yourself.

Even if you buy a Dell, Hp, Acer, etc. pre-installed, I'd always recommend installing a fresh copy of the OS to get rid of the bloatware. I generally agree that money can be saved by putting together a system DIY, but in the past year or two I've really noticed that the price of these pre-assembled systems have really bottomed out and it is sometimes tough to match the price that they are offering when you price the components, let alone factoring in the OS and your labour.As for Macs, they are always rolled out as a better alternative but that really isn't always the case. They are pricey to buy, expensive to upgrade, and their reliability ratings aren't in line with the premium that you pay to buy one. Yes, they are usually a little more stylish and, yes, I quite like using them but...kinda sounds like a certain little car...

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I'm running Windows 7 on both my Dell XPS, and my Macbook using Parallels. Ironically, it runs faster on my Macbook. It's not hugely different than Vista for those that run that OS. It's faster somewhat, and has a couple of nice features. It's really what Vista should have been. Cheers! Dang

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I must be old?I refused too upgrade to XP until i absolutely had to and I run it in classic mode.I still don't even like xp but i won't upgrade till everything stops working and hopefully by then i can afford a Mac Pro.

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iMac for Christmas for us. My son bought his mac a year before we bought our Dell and its still performing nicely. Our (my) Dell-windows98 has gone completely to hell, and actually started that journey within a couple of years of purchase. Our (Lillian's) mac book from 02 is just great.Carl

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I sure wish Mac have a few more choices and was a bit more affordable!I don't want a computer that is fully contained within the monitor and i can't afford their Mac Pro...sux too be me i guess.

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I sure wish Mac have a few more choices and was a bit more affordable!I don't want a computer that is fully contained within the monitor and i can't afford their Mac Pro...sux too be me i guess.

mac mini?

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naw. the mini just doesn't do it for me.Mac needs too come out with a cheaper version of the Pro that is still a component interchangable system...some day I hope?

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I don't want a computer that is fully contained within the monitor

Why? You like clutter? :)It still amazes my friends when they come over and say "THAT'S the whole computer?!". Grin.-Iain

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