Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Basic install questions

First question is, where can I find this online? Surprisingly, I can't find it at Best Buy, Amazon, etc.



Second, I ran the installation compatibility check for an older computer. It says it failed because the graphics chip won't support Aero. But my understanding is Home Basic doesn't use Aero. So, can Home Basic still be installed on this computer, or will all versions simply fail to install? thanks

Hello and welcome Jeff mate some system specs first would be really handy mate and I think you are far better off with Home Premium my friend the Starter for example is just that a "starter" pretty basic and I personally think Home Premium is the base level anyone should have.

Having said that anything is better than Vista - but the specs mate really important to what you should load / install.

Did you even read what I wrote?

As per Wikipedia, Windows 7 Home Basic is basically a stripped down version of Windows 7 Home Premium that is distributed in so-called "emerging" markets. Judging by your timezone, fluency in English, and mention of Best Buy and Amazon, "emerging market" does not constitute the USA or Canada and you thus won't be able to obtain Home Basic through standard means.

As for the actual installation, Windows 7 will simply turn Aero off automatically if it detects you don't have sufficient hardware for it. As ICit2lol suggested, I would also suggest you go with Windows 7 Home Premium.

Oh well you can please some of the people some of the time....

You did ask if all versions could be installed and your reference to an older computer and some chip on which computer I am not sure being the problem I found very odd to say the least.

Apologies for confusing you.

I don't think it was very odd - I ran the Windows 7 Installation Adviser or Upgrade Adviser, whatever it's called, and it put up a red flag saying that Windows 7 Aero was incompatible with the video chip. That's all it said. Knowing that Windows 7 Home Basic does not include Aero, I wondered if Home Basic would install. Or, if all Windows 7 versions would simply fail to install (which is what the wording of the Adviser error msg implied). I don't want to buy a version of Windows 7 to find out the answer to this on my own and not be able to return it.

When registering on this forum, it requires us to enter system specs along with our name. That might not be such a good idea, because most people will assume all questions relate to that system. I'm sure most people like me nowadays deal with several computers.

Anyway, I didn't see the point in listing all the system specs for the other computer, since I already ran the upgrade adviser to check the hardware, and already looked at the system requirements for Windows 7. My confusion was about the red flag over the video chip. It is the Intel 82845G/GL, but again I didn't see much point in mentioning it, since the adviser already said it wasn't compatible with Aero.

I see, that makes sense. That explains why I found it on an Indian site, with a price being in what I assume was rupees! So you're saying despite the flag from the upgrade advisor, I will still be able to install Home Premium, but Aero will simply be disabled. Sounds fine - thank you.

Enjoy!