Should I upgrade to Win7?

[antares]

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 PC. Yes, it's old, a 2002 PC, but rock solid. I've been running WinXP and it has behaved very stable, very rarely did I cope with a BSOD, in very particular instances like a bad sector in the HD (only once in 8 years) or a corrupt printer driver. The PC has 2GB RDRAM and a P4 3.06Ghz HT CPU. For the sake of curiosity I tested Win7 installing it in a separate drive. It boots/shutdowns much faster than XP and the feel is real smooth, I feel it opens programs faster. Except for the sound card that has no Win7 driver (Voyetra Turtle Beach Santa Cruz) , all of the PC's internal hardware is Win7 compatible. I rarely use the sound card though as I use a Plantronics USB headset most of the time, and it's Win7 compatible. I also have an old HP printer and scanner that lack Win7 drivers. I can handle these non Win7 devices by creating a dual boot XP/7 system. The question is...is it worth it? Will Win7 offer advantages on this platform to justify the shift from XP? Thanks.

 

[Pixelpro]

I would say yes, it isnt as bad as vista or xp... it has more features leaving it faster and more reliable then most others.

 

[CassieFWinTeam]

Really the choice is yours! I will say that I have an XP laptop and I prefer my boyfriend's Windows 7 desktop. There are a lot of new features in Windows 7 that are fun (and useful) - Windows 7 features - Microsoft Windows.

Cheers,
Cassandra
Microsoft Windows Outreach

 

[whs]

One day or another you will have to get off XP anyhow. Whether that is with Win7 or Win8 is only a matter of time. On the other hand, if your current system does everything ou want to do, there is no rush.
I am not a big friend of dual boots. I would buy an extra disk for $50 and install Win7 on that (disconnect the XP disk during installation). Then you can switch between the two with the BIOS boot sequence. I have this setup with Vista and Win7 and that works flawlessly. I also made a seperate data partition (should be from XP) and included the folders into the Win7 libraries (really easy). That way you don't have to sync the data.

 

[antares]

...I would buy an extra disk for $50 and install Win7 on that (disconnect the XP disk during installation). Then you can switch between the two with the BIOS boot sequence...

The BIOS boot sequence in my Dell only gives you the option to either boot from the main hard drive (and of course the CD/DVD drive), it does not give you the option to choose among the 1st or 2nd hard drive if both are connected. So how can I control the boot drive from the BIOS?

 

[whs]

...I would buy an extra disk for $50 and install Win7 on that (disconnect the XP disk during installation). Then you can switch between the two with the BIOS boot sequence...

The BIOS boot sequence in my Dell only gives you the option to either boot from the main hard drive (and of course the CD/DVD drive), it does not give you the option to choose among the 1st or 2nd hard drive if both are connected. So how can I control the boot drive from the BIOS?

Hmm, that is strange. Maybe it does not show any other drives because you only have one (internal) drive - or do you have 2 internal drives?

 

[darkfriday]

I say yes. I had XP from 2001 until last October and I just went out and got a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate and put the DVD in and let it do its thing........less than an hour later 7 was up and running great. One glitch with my SB driver that was a quick fix and its been smooth sailing since. I don't have the most powerful or newest PC on the block but it runs Windows 7 and all the Aero goodies at full speed! rb:

 

[antares]

...I would buy an extra disk for $50 and install Win7 on that (disconnect the XP disk during installation). Then you can switch between the two with the BIOS boot sequence...

The BIOS boot sequence in my Dell only gives you the option to either boot from the main hard drive (and of course the CD/DVD drive), it does not give you the option to choose among the 1st or 2nd hard drive if both are connected. So how can I control the boot drive from the BIOS?

Hmm, that is strange. Maybe it does not show any other drives because you only have one (internal) drive - or do you have 2 internal drives?

I use my PC with only the main drive. But I do have other drives that I use as 2nd internals. Even if they are installed as I said, the BIOS only gives you the option to boot from the 1st main drive, not the 2nd internal (I'm talking about the Boot Sequence section of the BIOS). Remember that the PC is from 2002, maybe at that time this feature in the BIOS was not available.

 

[whs]

I guess you are right. My oldest PC is from 2007 so I am not too familiar with "vintage gear" - LOL.

 

[devildog93]

In my opinion, yes!

I find multi-tasking with Win7 MUCH better than trying to mutli-task with Vista, which in my opinion is better than XP.

The drag of the windows to top or side of screen alone, for me, makes it so much faster.

Of course, XP has it's advantages over Vista, but I feel that Win7 is VERY stable....something Vista lacks, to say the least. I found about every 3rd or 4th update, with Vista, was creating some kind of problem. I have had no issues, as of yet, with Win7 updates.


I would suggest disabling Homegroup, and sticking with the Workgroup setup, if you do go with Win7.
That of course is up to you.....just my preference.



DOOOOOOO IT!

 

[Valor D]

I wouldn't if I were you. Better to get a new pc with the hardware specs made to handle Windows 7, as Win 7 is much larger than XP, and requires more memory and RAM to function properly. I used XP for years, and loved it. In some ways, I would have to say that XP was, in fact, better than Win 7. Although Win 7 does have its advantages, for sure.

 

[whs]

I would suggest disabling Homegroup, and sticking with the Workgroup setup, if you do go with Windows 7.

That's what you do if you want to share between mixed operating systems. But with all systems being Windows7, Homegroup is the easier deal.

 

[devildog93]

I would suggest disabling Homegroup, and sticking with the Workgroup setup, if you do go with Windows 7.

That's what you do if you want to share between mixed operating systems. But with all systems being Windows7, Homegroup is the easier deal.

Oh, yes good point. Should read OP a little better.

I disabled it as I don't need it in my situation, and completely comfortable with sharing via workgroup.

 

[LegendaryU2K]

Buy a prebuilt rig for Windows 7 and use the Pentium 4 with XP.
Unless you have a powerful video card, i wouldn't bother upgrading.
My secondary rig is a Intel Pentium D 805, and i have a 9800gt for it, so it works perfect in Windows 7.

 

[CommonTater]

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 PC. Yes, it's old, a 2002 PC, but rock solid. I've been running WinXP and it has behaved very stable, very rarely did I cope with a BSOD, in very particular instances like a bad sector in the HD (only once in 8 years) or a corrupt printer driver. The PC has 2GB RDRAM and a P4 3.06Ghz HT CPU. For the sake of curiosity I tested Win7 installing it in a separate drive. It boots/shutdowns much faster than XP and the feel is real smooth, I feel it opens programs faster. Except for the sound card that has no Win7 driver (Voyetra Turtle Beach Santa Cruz) , all of the PC's internal hardware is Win7 compatible. I rarely use the sound card though as I use a Plantronics USB headset most of the time, and it's Win7 compatible. I also have an old HP printer and scanner that lack Win7 drivers. I can handle these non Win7 devices by creating a dual boot XP/7 system. The question is...is it worth it? Will Win7 offer advantages on this platform to justify the shift from XP? Thanks.

If your system is working well --stable, fast, etc-- there is very little incentive to upgrade it.

Windows 7 does offer a lot of very interesting eye candy; I seriously like the new UI... but in terms of performance, stability and certain characteristic behaviors it is actually no better than XP. In fact, if you are doing a lot of networking (LAN) or playing demanding multimedia files (FLAC audio, 1080p Video etc.) XP remains the operating system of choice according to many audiophile cites, and according to my own experience, having just returned my HTPC to windows XP Professional.

Take a look at the issues raised on this website... there are repetative themes clearly in evidence. The new Windows7 networking does not work anywhere nearly as well as XP's Workgroup networking. There are constant issues with time sensitive hardware such as WiFi, sound cards and some printers. People are having problems with wireless and mutimedia in Win7 that never came up in XP or Win2000.

On the other side of the coin XP is two generations old. Hardware support is beginning to dwindle as some new products no longer include XP drivers. Soon there will be a change in Hard Disk formats that will require a rather nasty fix under XP to make them compatible. Age is catching up to it and the day will come when there is no longer much choice... switch over or retire the box.

My best suggestion right now is that you stay with your already working system until such time as you can afford new hardware and go win7 with the new machine.

 

[devildog93]

I guess that is where CommonTater gets his "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" from.


And he is right, I suppose. I personally love Win7, but I had Vista on my machine to start, and .................many of us know how that fiasco went, so Win7 is a GOD-SEND to me.


I have a very basic setup, with only a laptop, sharing to PS3 via PS3MediaServer, and an X-Box360, that rarely gets used and no sharing to it, just gaming.
I may run into probs later, when I try and add more devices, PC's etc. But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
And that is all I'll say, so as not to sway you based on my expeience alone.

Some very good points in this topic, either way.

 

[whs]

I had Vista on my machine to start, and .................many of us know how that fiasco went

Sorry to hear that you had problems with Vista. I love Vista. Run it on 4 systems and never had any serious problems - just little quirks. I always bail myself out because I do frequent imaging with free Macrium and Ghost.

http://www.vistax64.com/software/261727-image-your-system-free-macrium.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

 

[SIW2]

For me Vista is and always has been truly excellent.

Strange to hear some peole say otherwise.

There are plenty who are having issues with 7 - as you can see on this forum and others - so ya never know.

I did a liitle non scientific survey recently.

I asked everyone i didn't know ( at the gym and various other places ) if they had Vista.

30 people had.

There was one who mentioned UAC being a little annoying - all the others were very happy with it.

Some were curious as to why I was asking. They had not seen the negative nonsense promulgated about Vista.

Therefore they liked it.

Think about it.

 

[tw33k]

For me Vista is and always has been truly excellent.

Strange to hear some peole say otherwise.

There are plenty who are having issues with 7 - as you can see on this forum and others - so ya never know.

I did a liitle non scientific survey recently.

I asked everyone i didn't know ( at the gym and various other places ) if they had Vista.

30 people had.

There was one who mentioned UAC being a little annoying - all the others were very happy with it.

Some were curious as to why I was asking. They had not seen the negative nonsense promulgated about Vista.

Therefore they liked it.

Think about it.

Absolutely agree with you. Vista was very good. I know people who claim Vista sucks and they've never even used it!

 

[devildog93]

For me Vista is and always has been truly excellent.

Strange to hear some peole say otherwise.

There are plenty who are having issues with 7 - as you can see on this forum and others - so ya never know.

I did a liitle non scientific survey recently.

I asked everyone i didn't know ( at the gym and various other places ) if they had Vista.

30 people had.

There was one who mentioned UAC being a little annoying - all the others were very happy with it.

Some were curious as to why I was asking. They had not seen the negative nonsense promulgated about Vista.

Therefore they liked it.

Think about it.

Absolutely agree with you. Vista was very good. I know people who claim Vista sucks and they've never even used it!

Well I did use it and I hated it with a passion. Slow, unresponsive, crashed all the time. One Dell I had calved in about 6 months after purchase, and lost valuable data, got choked hucked it out my 4th floor apt. window, and went down and picked up the pieces. Then I got this Acer, with Vista Home Premium, and all the problems, returned as soon as I started doing updates.


I am saying my experience. And my experience, and I will point this out..... SO FAR, Win 7 has been a superior, more stable, faster, and better multi-tasking OS than Vista.

I have only had 2 crashes that I know of, and they were after messing with some dll files, that I quickly remedied.

All these people claiming it sucked without trying it, yeah, rip on them, but I hated Vista and SO FAR, love Win7.