Upgrading to Windows 7

[W1GUH]

Might be dependent on the machine, but...

I was unfortunate enough to have to replace my laptop just at before Windows 7, so I've got Vista. (Booo!!!)

Haven't particularly had any problems with Vista, but I keep hearing over and over that Windows 7 beats the pants off of it, so I'm thinking about upgrading.

Anyone do this? Difficult? Time-consuming? Easy? Or should I just forget about it?

Will also be surfin' to find comments about that concerning this Asus laptop. Which, BTW is just fine. No complaints whatsoever.

[WØTKX]

Vista was XP with enhancements. Windows 7 is definitely an improvement.

I did the online upgrade of one of my PC's from Vista to 7. Went smoothly. YMMV.

Make sure you gots lotsa RAM. :yes:

[K7SGJ]

I find it's easier to do certain things with Win7, and I haven't had any real issues on the Asuss (or is it Asusi) or the Toshibas. I understand 8 beta is coming out soon. Not for me, though. If you move up (or over) to Win7, I think you'll find it's worth the time and $$. All the machines I have switched to WIn7, I did with a clean install. Seems I had so much clutter and stuff I didn't use, it was just easier to start over and load the things I do use. I'm sure it is better a doing things that I'm not even aware of; but at my age, I'm not aware of much anyway, but that's another thread.

[W1GUH]

Thank for the info. Looks like it might be worth pursuing.

[WØTKX]

I strip the hell out of my Windows installs, and move most of my apps to another partition or physical drive. The OS lives in one place, the apps and data files go somewhere else. Then I set up a restore disk with Partition Commander for the OS portion.

Saved my ass multiple times.

[W1GUH]

Good advice.

[kf0rt]

Skipped Vista entirely here (and I do Windows stuff for a living, sort of). Actually bought a Vista license and ended up giving it to a friend.

Run Win 7 now at home, and it doesn't suck too bad. Moar better than XP.

Separating your data from the software is just good practice. With Windows, you need to just assume that any real failure will require an OS reinstall and that will require a bottom-up software reinstall (thank the registry for that). Think of burning forests and reseeding. Oh, never mind.

I figure it's good to "clean the pipes" once in awhile. But in general, the Win 7 box here hums better than the rest I use. Part of a home LAN; serves the printer and backups and I rarely reboot it. It runs 32-bit Win 7 Home.

Overall, I think Win 7 tops the charts, but none of this (including OSX, Linux) is without issues.

[W1GUH]

Just checked Microsoft & Asus about compatibility & both say I'm good to go. Might even get a new disk for it -- seems like the thing to do. Guess I'll sleep on it a couple of days and then decide.

Thanks for all the good intfo.

[K7SGJ]

Sounds pretty uncomfortable to me.

[VE7DCW]

I have an Acer netbook I just acquired that came with "Windows 7 starter" that to my understanding is a super scaled back version of Windows 7 that leaves one wanting for a little more pizzaz ......anyone know if it's doable to replace this dog version and replace it with a more usable version of the OS?

I'm finding this netbook has been extremely handy and I seem to be taking it everywhere I go ......one of the neatest purchases i've ever made :yes:

[W1GUH]

Sounds pretty uncomfortable to me.

I see a possible infinite time-sink. The choices are to either do a custom install on a new HD, safer but time-consuming replacing stuff or an upgrade and hope it turns out OK. Leaning towards the new HD option. I like the idea of leaving the old stuff intact.

But the fear is probably unfounded. My confidence in MS in stuff like this is pretty high.

[n6hcm]

anyone know if it's doable to replace this dog version and replace it with a more usable version of the OS?


sure--there's probably an application which will let you do the upgrade already installed on the disk. it's called "Windows Anytime Upgrade" and you can read more about it here (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/windows-anytime-upgrade)

[n2ize]

Is it true that Windows needs to be re-installed periodically in order for it to keep functioning properly ? This is what I have been told and the few people I know who run windows seem to tell me that it works for a while then rapidly deteriorates to the point that a re-install is needed.

[kf0rt]

Is it true that Windows needs to be re-installed periodically in order for it to keep functioning properly ? This is what I have been told and the few people I know who run windows seem to tell me that it works for a while then rapidly deteriorates to the point that a re-install is needed.

I think it's true for Windows XP -- best I've done there is 18-24 months. Windows 7 seems a lot better.

[PA5COR]

Running XP Pro on this lappie for over 3 years, doing the occasional clean up every monthh or so, dump unneeded programs, cleaning up the registry etc., never seen a problem, but it's maintenance prone.

[W1GUH]

Is it true that Windows needs to be re-installed periodically in order for it to keep functioning properly ? This is what I have been told and the few people I know who run windows seem to tell me that it works for a while then rapidly deteriorates to the point that a re-install is needed.

Do they change the batteries regularly? That usually helps.

[N1LAF]

I am experiencing software compatibility problems galore, and stuff that should not be a problem. This may be upgrade to the appliance users, but to the hard core commercial applications, it still is a problem. The only hope we have in correcting this MS problem is companies to withhold upgrading to Win7 UNTIL MS 'fixes' the compatibility problem. Compatibility seems like an after thought, it is ignored until it does serious damage to sales.

From Win 3.11
Win 95 - Problem until Win98 SE
Win ME - Rejected.
Win XP (Merger of consumer and commercial OS) Rejected until Service Pack 1A, Win2000 carried the load until well after SP1A
Win Vista - Rejected soundly
Win 7 - slow acceptance to reject. Pattern was skipping over every other release. Win 7 is what Vista tried to be.

We see this slow acceptance/rejection of Win 7 by the Microsoft announcement of extending Windows XP downgrade(?) rights until 2020


Computerworld - Just a day before Microsoft Corp. drops support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), the company announced on Monday that people running some versions of Windows 7 can "downgrade" to the aged operating system for up to 10 years.

The move is highly unusual. In the past, Microsoft has terminated downgrade rights -- which let customers replace a newer version of Windows with an older edition without paying for two copies -- within months of introducing a new operating system.

While few consumers may want to downgrade from Windows 7 to XP -- unlike when many mutinied against Vista three years ago -- businesses often want to standardize on a single operating system to simplify machine management.

Monday's announcement was the second Windows XP downgrade rights extension. Microsoft originally limited Windows 7-to-Windows XP downgrades to six months after Windows 7's release, but it backtracked in June 2009 after a Gartner Inc. analyst called the plan a "real mess."
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9179109/Microsoft_extends_Windows_XP_downgrade_rights_unti l_2020

[W1GUH]

Thanks, Paul. I probably wouldn't have been affected too badly, but since I'm not really having a problem now, why mess with the phantom.

[N1LAF]

Seems like MS has been working on compatibility issues. I did an install with Windows 7, and programs from previous Win7 that didn't run, install, now does.

There are some pretty start changes from XP to Win7, especially in Windows Explorer, some of the features were removed, and new features were added, which is actually a plus. There is a utility that will restore many missing features/options/selections in Windows 7: Classic Shell.

http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

You can customize and mix XP/Classic motif and Win7.

Windows 7 allows a more Windows Classic motif, I use it because it is fast, simple, and consistent with 10+ years of use habits. Using classic shell, I have the classic start menu on right-click, and the Windows 7 start menu on middle button click, so I have both start menus, and lose nothing.

[n6hcm]

... We see this slow acceptance/rejection of Win 7 by the Microsoft announcement of extending Windows XP downgrade(?) rights until 2020

the thing about downgrading is that microsoft doesn't write most of the device drivers for the various parts of the systems and the people who make new devices for computers don't want to write drivers for an operating system that isn't being sold anymore. so: folks who buy new computers can downgrade to winxp, they don't get any of the new hardware features ...

[N1LAF]

the thing about downgrading is that microsoft doesn't write most of the device drivers for the various parts of the systems and the people who make new devices for computers don't want to write drivers for an operating system that isn't being sold anymore. so: folks who buy new computers can downgrade to winxp, they don't get any of the new hardware features ...

I can understand that, but if the market base is still with XP, then the drivers will still be written for XP. Smart companies follow the consumer market first. Not doing so invites lots of returned merchandise and headaches/time spent on tech support.

Examples(high end):

Gigabyte motherboard: GA-X79-UD3 (rev. 1.0)
Operating System Support for Microsoft® Windows 7/Vista/XP
Most hardware/software vendors may no longer offer drivers to support Win9X/ME/2000/XP SP1/SP2. If drivers are available from the vendors, we will update them on the GIGABYTE website.


NVIDIA GTX590 Video Card
Operating Systems
• Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
• Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit)
• Windows XP (32-bit and 64-bit)
• Linux
• FreeBSD x86


As long as Win 7 is not highly supported, and the base for XP is significantly larger, support for XP will continue. But Windows 7 is getting better, much better than Vista, and being more compatible with existing software. When corporate makes the Win 7 shift, then support for XP will drop off. The reason XP support is extended because of the slow acceptance of Win 7.

[KA9MOT]

I have no complaints about Windows 7. It is the best version of Windows thus far. I still prefer Ubuntu, but that is just me. I am a cheap ass and enjoy being different from those around me. I feel like the computer expert I am not when my friends/family walk in the shack and see Ubuntu for the first time....now if I can just turn that into cash...... :lol:

[N1LAF]

I have seen this pattern before... tends to repeat.

I started with Windows 286, then to Windows 3.1, 3.11, and 3.11 WFW. All fine stuff back then.

Windows 95 came out, and nothing but problems. Stayed away until Windows 98 came out, then its successor, Win98 SE.

Windows ME - Big flop.

Windows XP, again, slow start, compatibility problems. It wasn't until Service Pack 1A that it became most compatible and best usable.

Windows Vista, flop

Windows 7, again slow start, and now is starting to become more compatible with programs from XP.

I am not one to quickly adopt OS's, in my work, they have to be workable. And when programs refuse to work on the OS, we stay with the older OS until MS comes around and fixes their short comings. And again, the pattern continues. I just don't have the time for green OS's.

[kb2vxa]

Skipping to the present I'm running Win 7 64 bit with XP SP1 32 bit on the VM with no problems at all. Now I hear rumbles about Win 8 but with everything going so well why bother?

[WØTKX]

What's kinda funny is Windows 2000 was pretty stable. I still use it on some older hardware, when I bother to boot it up.

[KC2UGV]

I'm a Linux guy through and through; so take this for what it's worth:

I like Win 7. Probably wont use it, until I get reimaged for work, and at that point I wont complain about it. If I get the choice, I'll install Linux, but if I must I wont complain about Win 7.

[N1LAF]

Windows 2000, meant for the business market, came out with/after Windows 98SE, and the two in many ways similar. I suppose NT 3.5 and NT 4.0 was the equivalent to Windows 95. XP was the point of convergence, and was slow to be accepted in the business world where Win2K dominated.

[WØTKX]

Actually, Windows 2000 was based on NT, NOT Windows 95. And it showed, as in stability... NT blue-screened less than 95/98, and Windows 2000 was better. You did have to watch your virus vulnerabilities, of course.

[N1LAF]

Actually, Windows 2000 was based on NT, NOT Windows 95. And it showed, as in stability... NT blue-screened less than 95/98, and Windows 2000 was better. You did have to watch your virus vulnerabilities, of course.

Equivalent was using the wrong word. Similarities because of the time frame of development. Win2K from NT, but NT was parallel with Win 95 to Win 98, and Win2K parallel forward of Win 98SE. There are similarities between Win2K and Win98SE as far as user interface was concerned.

[WØTKX]

Meh, never mind.

I don't wanna feel like I'm in the Global Warming thread. :roll:

[N1LAF]

Meh, never mind.

I don't wanna feel like I'm in the Global Warming thread. :roll:

This is not a global warming thread, and you are right in what you are saying.

[kf0rt]

Skipping to the present I'm running Win 7 64 bit with XP SP1 32 bit on the VM with no problems at all. Now I hear rumbles about Win 8 but with everything going so well why bother?

I've played with Windows 8 (Alpha or Beta; wherever it is now). It looks like a tablet adaptation of Win 7. Pretty frustrating on a regular computer, but I'm sure there are changes yet to be made. Like maybe "Windows 7 mode."

[WØTKX]

That would be "Classic Mode" Rob, the other is "Metro" for tablets and phones. Without a touch screen, Metro is a PITA. First damn thing I did is turn that off. One would hope that the release versions will not turn on Metro without a touch interface installed. Or at least ask during install. My trial version is about to expire.

That being said, I played with a Mango phone for a few minutes... and it was pretty intuitive. Microsoft may eventually compete better in the phone market, we shall see.

But the server products are poised to kick ass.

[n2ize]

That would be "Classic Mode" Rob, the other is "Metro" for tablets and phones. Without a touch screen, Metro is a PITA. First damn thing I did is turn that off. One would hope that the release versions will not turn on Metro without a touch interface installed. Or at least ask during install. My trial version is about to expire.

That being said, I played with a Mango phone for a few minutes... and it was pretty intuitive. Microsoft may eventually compete better in the phone market, we shall see.

But the server products are poised to kick ass.

I think in the server market Microsoft is going to be the future dominant source.

[KC2UGV]

I think in the server market Microsoft is going to be the future dominant source.

I don't think so. Windows makes a great OS, but their web servers have much to be desired, as do their app servers, etc etc. TCO tends to be much higher for a Winders box than alternative OS's.

[NQ6U]

I think in the server market Microsoft is going to be the future dominant source.

Then you haven't been paying attention! Microsoft has been losing server market share to Linux for years now. It's hard to beat free, reliable and secure with proprietary and swiss cheese.

[n2ize]

I don't think so. Windows makes a great OS,

i don;t consider it a great OS. It it perhaps Ok but not great. Then again the whole purpose of a computer is to do work.

[n2ize]

Then you haven't been paying attention! Microsoft has been losing sever market share to Linux for years now. It's hard to beat free, reliable and secure with proprietary and swiss cheese.

I thought Microsofty was catching up and surpassing opensource in the server market these days. Guess I am wrong.

[KC2UGV]

I thought Microsofty was catching up and surpassing opensource in the server market these days. Guess I am wrong.

The only people who are publishing those reports are those who are paid my M$ :)

[W1GUH]

Actually, Windows 2000 was based on NT, NOT Windows 95. And it showed, as in stability... NT blue-screened less than 95/98, and Windows 2000 was better. You did have to watch your virus vulnerabilities, of course.

And NT was a re-port of VAX/VMS to the wintel platform. Good job, MS! Even hired Gordon Bell to get the job done.

[WØTKX]

True dat... it was clunky at first... but NT worked pretty well if you could step outside of "arguing about the way other OS's do it".

Getting good at debugging BSOD incidents helped too. Almost every one I had to deal with in the NT server environment was bad hardware or a bad driver for same. Testing memory chips for a period of time before relying on them became SOP for me.