Should I switch to Windows 7

By CactusZac098
in Microsoft (Windows)

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CactusZac098

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I want to upgrade, but I'm not sure if I should. I have XP right now.

If I do decide to upgrade, should I do a clean install or upgrade to Vista and then to Windows 7?

I don't want to lose what I already have on my hard drive and have to reinstall a bunch of stuff.

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hairbawl87

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I want to upgrade, but I'm not sure if I should. I have XP right now.

If I do decide to upgrade, should I do a clean install or upgrade to Vista and then to Windows 7?

I don't want to lose what I already have on my hard drive and have to reinstall a bunch of stuff.

I always recommend a reinstall...not an upgrade as there have been issues with this method (drivers, non-functioning software bits, etc.) not to mention it can be slow...So basically from just reading your last sentence, I don't recommend that you switch to Windows 7 if you're reluctant to put alot time and effort into it.

What are your hardware specs anyhow?

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Night Prowler

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Posted
I want to upgrade, but I'm not sure if I should. I have XP right now.

If I do decide to upgrade, should I do a clean install or upgrade to Vista and then to Windows 7?

I don't want to lose what I already have on my hard drive and have to reinstall a bunch of stuff.

Use PCMover to do an upgrade from XP to Windows 7. This is the ONLY program I know of that will migrate ALL of your XP settings and files after a clean install. PCMover is equal to the Easy Transfer that is used to migrate Vista to Windows 7.

Grand Master

redvamp128

Posted
Posted

Though you probably should run the upgrade adviser -

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displayLang=en

Make sure your hardware supports it though fully- No sense wasting a bunch of money when your hardware limits you-

That is what a friend suggested....

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CactusZac098

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I always recommend a reinstall...not an upgrade as there have been issues with this method (drivers, non-functioning software bits, etc.) not to mention it can be slow...So basically from just reading your last sentence, I don't recommend that you switch to Windows 7 if you're reluctant to put alot time and effort into it.

What are your hardware specs anyhow?

Specs:

Intel Core 2 CPU 6400 @ 2.13GHz

GeForce 8800 GTS

4GB DDR2 Ram

Enthusiast

hairbawl87

Posted
Posted
Specs:

Intel Core 2 CPU 6400 @ 2.13GHz

GeForce 8800 GTS

4GB DDR2 Ram

That looks fair.

I would recommend Win7. I was a stiff XP user 'til the public beta of 7 (curiosity got the best of me) and dual booted between the two until I found myself neglecting XP. I have fewer 3rd party programs now and 7 requires much less upkeep...I think I had over a thousand tweaks to XP...or it seemed like it.

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sullysnet

Posted
Posted

what I did was keep my old OS in the last few moves to another OS in the event I wanted to move back. I made and image of XP and I may still have it :laugh: and now I have a backup of Vista as well.

I am sticking with Win7, I used Vista and it was good that I did because it was easier to go from XP to Vista to Win7 than to go from XP straight to Win7 :)

Hard drives are cheap :)

Grand Master

capr

Posted
Posted

i would also recommend you switch because there are certainly a lot of ease of use and convenience benefits to 7 that weren't even in vista. back when i had xp i used 2-3 applications just to make the taskbar act the way i want it to, but 7 is already there. which brings me to the next part of your question.

upgrading usually doesn't work well and you are better off starting with a clean system. it really doesn't take that long to reinstall everything you NEED. you will find out as the case was for me with these taskbar apps that a lot of applications i ran on XP were no longer needed in 7 and it would have been a waste of space to transfer them over not to mention they would have simply not worked. so just back up your stuff and do a clean install. I like to download and save everything i need before i do the reinstalling. that way i spend a few days preparing for the transfer and only an hour installing and moving everything back.

Mentor

Night Prowler

Posted
Posted
i would also recommend you switch because there are certainly a lot of ease of use and convenience benefits to 7 that weren't even in vista. back when i had xp i used 2-3 applications just to make the taskbar act the way i want it to, but 7 is already there. which brings me to the next part of your question.

upgrading usually doesn't work well and you are better off starting with a clean system. it really doesn't take that long to reinstall everything you NEED. you will find out as the case was for me with these taskbar apps that a lot of applications i ran on XP were no longer needed in 7 and it would have been a waste of space to transfer them over not to mention they would have simply not worked. so just back up your stuff and do a clean install. I like to download and save everything i need before i do the reinstalling. that way i spend a few days preparing for the transfer and only an hour installing and moving everything back.

There is no upgrade from XP to Windows 7. It does require a fresh install. Use PCMover and transfer all your files and settings. I have completed over a dozen XP to Windows 7 installs and it has worked flawless in every instance. Amazing program.

BTW; Upgrding a stable Vista to Windows 7 is by far the best that Microsoft has made available to those that want to follow that path, to date. It just works.

Grand Master

still1

Posted
Posted

I would recommend windows 7 specially with machine like yours... you have a nice spec pc...

here is some tip...

manually(or software) backup the data to an external hardrive or a different drive(D:\ , E:\ etc)...

you can only do a clean install since u r upgrading from windows xp.

I usaully do a clean install once in 4 months so i know some settings which needs to retain like itunes playlist,IE fav ect

back up those settings and do a fresh install of windows 7 and restore all the settings to 7..

Its just a one time deal.... To have a better performance do a clean install....

Apprentice

JessicaD

Posted
Posted

CactusZac098,

When migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 you will not have an "in place upgrade" option. You will however have the option to select "custom" install when prompted. The Windows 7 install process will then copy all of your data in "My Documents" over to a Windows.old folder within Windows 7 itself. All applications and documents stored in other locations will have to be reinstalled / transferred manually.

For more information on the Windows 7 Upgrade, please go here: http://bit.ly/3DvynK

For additional assistance with the migration of Windows XP to Windows 7, please go here: http://<< spam >>/mhbep4

Jessica

Microsoft Windows Client Team

Collaborator

frbubba

Posted
Posted
That looks fair.

I think I had over a thousand tweaks to XP...or it seemed like it.

My experience exactly. I have even less tweaks than when I was running Vista plus it uses about 10% less RAM than Vista even though it does the same things I want it too. I would recommend Windows 7, bite the bullet and do a fresh install. Using a migration program is not a bad idea.

Veteran

neo158

Posted
Posted
You have a very good system for it. First backup all documents and setups to another drive. I will also recommend going for 64 bit. Just download all drivers before you install Windows. (Y)

You beat me to it, I certainly recommend going 64-bit with Windows 7, it just feels...well....faster and more stable than the 32-bit version, even though thats probably not true.

I won't be going back to 32-bit...ever.

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