How to decide: should you upgrade to Windows 8?

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  1. Posts : 12,177
    Windows 7 Ult x64 - SP1/ Windows 8 Pro x64
       #30

    So your statement is based on your 'feeling' and you have never tested or timed any OS boot up, well OK, then it is your opinion.

    It is a strong statement to base on 'feelings', since they have been tested before with different results.
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  2. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #31

    This is the best option in my book.

    If it ain't broke, don't fix it. When it's time to do an operating system reinstall, then consider Windows 8 (but buy it now, while it's on sale).
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  3. Posts : 4,751
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32-Bit - Build 7600 SP1
       #32

    King Arthur said:
    I came to that conclusion owing to the fact operating systems were inherently simpler back then. They simply had less stuff that needed loading on startup. Assuming newer hardware like today's CPUs and HDDs worked with Windows 9x, which from their POV are magnitudes faster than hardware of their era, Windows 9x probably will smoke Windows 8 in a head on bootup match.

    Both my Windows 7 machine (in my system specs) and my Windows XP machine running on a Pentium 4 2.66GHz and 1GB RAM boot up in at least under 20~30 seconds from the feeling I get with daily use, I admit however that I never actually timed them with a stopwatch. I might do that some time if I don't feel lazy about it. :P

    Both Windows installations (both HDD-based by the way) also have a couple non-essential stuff that I have set to run at startup for convenience reasons, but otherwise they're both well-maintained and fast as ever to the point I don't notice too much of a difference with my dad's Windows 7 desktop which uses an SSD.

    Of course, YMMV and factors like older or underpowered hardware will definitely negatively impact Windows bootup times. I just wanted to point out that the perk of of Windows 8's fast boot times that everyone is touting around isn't something that is unique to Windows 8 alone. Regardless of HDD/SSD, all versions of Windows (even Windows ME and Vista!) can achieve fast boot times and answer one's calls for performance if they're taken care of properly. :)
    I started posting my disagreements with the above, but it was taking up a lot of space since there are many, many, so I stopped.....................
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  4. Posts : 925
    Windows 10 Pro
       #33

    I have a 3 1/2 year old laptop, which has a 5400 RPM HDD do you think I should upgrade the HDD to a SSD or 7200 drive ? It still runs fairly well, my opinion is "yes", just thought of asking :) It's a Core2Duo.
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  5. Posts : 4,751
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32-Bit - Build 7600 SP1
       #34

    JerometheGiraff said:
    I have a 3 1/2 year old laptop, which has a 5400 RPM HDD do you think I should upgrade the HDD to a SSD or 7200 drive ? It still runs fairly well, my opinion is "yes", just thought of asking :) It's a Core2Duo.
    It would have to have SATA hookups. If it does get a SSD. It will make the Core2Duo fly.
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  6. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #35

    JerometheGiraff said:
    I have a 3 1/2 year old laptop, which has a 5400 RPM HDD do you think I should upgrade the HDD to a SSD or 7200 drive ? It still runs fairly well, my opinion is "yes", just thought of asking :) It's a Core2Duo.
    Absolutely. I put SSDs into a couple of laptops from 2007 and it is a world of difference. They are now faster than 2012 systems with spinners.
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  7. Posts : 271
    Windows 8 Pro x64; Win 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 on VirtualBox
       #36

    JerometheGiraff said:
    I have a 3 1/2 year old laptop, which has a 5400 RPM HDD do you think I should upgrade the HDD to a SSD or 7200 drive ? It still runs fairly well, my opinion is "yes", just thought of asking :) It's a Core2Duo.
    I have a laptop about the same years old and with a Core2Duo also. I'm also considering if I should upgrade it to an SSD. The problem is there's a problem with the electrical stuff, I've gone through two dead batteries and now it has no battery at all. Maybe when SSDs get even cheaper, but now, I don't think it's worth it.
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  8. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #37

    McDougal said:
    JerometheGiraff said:
    I have a 3 1/2 year old laptop, which has a 5400 RPM HDD do you think I should upgrade the HDD to a SSD or 7200 drive ? It still runs fairly well, my opinion is "yes", just thought of asking :) It's a Core2Duo.
    I have a laptop about the same years old and with a Core2Duo also. I'm also considering if I should upgrade it to an SSD. The problem is there's a problem with the electrical stuff, I've gone through two dead batteries and now it has no battery at all. Maybe when SSDs get even cheaper, but now, I don't think it's worth it.
    If you never owned a SSD, you really don't know what it is. After I bought my first SSD, I went out and bought 5 more for my other systems - and that was years ago when they were still expensive. Would not want to live without them. And now they are cheaper than ever.
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  9. Posts : 271
    Windows 8 Pro x64; Win 7 Home Premium x64 SP1 on VirtualBox
       #38

    Very true. After installing an SSD into my new desktop, it's the fastest computer I've ever owned. But the main reason why I don't think my laptop is worth it (although I'm pretty sure the performance would be greatly improved), is the fact that I don't use it much anymore. It really is just a backup PC in case something goes wrong with my desktop.
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  10. Posts : 5,941
    Linux CENTOS 7 / various Windows OS'es and servers
       #39

    Hi there

    Just want to add this Caveat about SSD's. - Remember this thread is about should you upgrade to Windows 8 -- not whether an SSD is good or bad.

    I've often posted about the biggest single bottleneck in Home computers was abysmally poor I/O from disk devices -- at least SSD's show people that I/O bottleneck was indeed the biggest hindrance to getting decent computer performance (always assuming you didn't have a really stupid small amount of RAM installed)..

    BUT : Don't let's get carried away here -- If you can get a SATA controller with an XP driver an old PENTIUM IV XP machine will really fly as well !! probably faster than a 2012 Laptop with a slow 5400 r.p.m spinner in it !!

    Don't upgrade just because you can use an SSD -- you can use an SSD in earlier OS'es too --with dramatic effet -- in some cases even more of a performance gain than on some modern hardware !!.

    If you ARE updating buy an SSD anyway but don't use an SSD as your reason to upgrade to Windows 8.

    Cheers
    jimbo
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