# Windows 7



## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

I need a new computer, My computer is 10 years old and has been update, as much as it can be. Heres the question, If I buy one now I will get Vista, if I wait to next year I will get Windows 7. I use my computer mostly for gaming. So, what do you think I should do? Thanks


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

I'll tell you my experience to see if it will help you decide. 

I started shopping for a new computer in 2007. I just happened into a store on the day Vista was released to the public. While I hadn't planned on buying the day I was looking around there was such an attractive offer on a Vista installed computer that I couldn't pass up the deal. Several hundred dollars off as the company wanted to get Vista system in use and before the public in order to garner more future sales.

If it were me I'd wait to buy a computer equipped with OS7 or try to find a deal on a Vista machine after OS7 is released.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

airotciv said:


> I need a new computer, My computer is 10 years old and has been update, as much as it can be. Heres the question, If I buy one now I will get Vista, if I wait to next year I will get Windows 7. I use my computer mostly for gaming. So, what do you think I should do? Thanks


If you've got a 10 year old computer then you would be delighted with a P4 Windows XP machine. You can get a 2 to 3 GHz P4 case with Windows XP for about $150 that you can use your existing monitor, keyboard, and mouse with. Use that for a few years until you feel you need another upgrade. Dual core processors will be really cheap by then.


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

Nevada said:


> If you've got a 10 year old computer then you would be delighted with a P4 Windows XP machine. You can get a 2 to 3 GHz P4 case with Windows XP for about $150 that you can use your existing monitor, keyboard, and mouse with. Use that for a few years until you feel you need another upgrade. Dual core processors will be really cheap by then.


My computer has been up graded to these specs. I can't up grade anymore.  My video board is a 5500 series and I can't up grade that, and I really need something more. But do I want windows 7 or Vista? thanks


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## jesuisdiana (May 24, 2004)

I had to order a new computer just days after they announced about free Windows 7 upgrades, ck this site http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/offers/upgrade.aspx for a list of upgradeable units, I also resorted to contacting hp about a specific one I ended up buying from Office Depot (only credit card we have here) to make sure.

Diana


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

airotciv said:


> My computer has been up graded to these specs. I can't up grade anymore. My video board is a 5500 series and I can't up grade that, and I really need something more. But do I want windows 7 or Vista? thanks


Personally, I'd hold out for Windows 7. Don't expect a legitimate beta test though, since Microsoft has learned that their paying customers don't mind being beta testers after they buy the product. If history repeats itself Windows 7 will be somewhat unstable until the first service pack, but you'll probably be better off in the long run than with an upgrade from Vista.


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## Mechanic Intern (Jun 10, 2007)

I don't recommend staying with windows, I will always recommend going to LINUX. *takes a bite of scrambled egg* Now, that's just me; I've tried win 7, and it's slow, crashy, and very buggy for my purposes. Then again, it's just vista with a new coat of paint, so what else need I say?


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

Thanks, everyone. You brought up eveything I'm afraid of, "Vista with a new coat of paint". Windows 7 with all the problems that will come with it. As a gamer, we know, we will be the Beta tester for every new game we install and all the headaches that come with it.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Actually, if you buy one around now, you will get a free upgrade to Windows 7.

While I'm most definitely NOT a Windows fanboy - owning two Macs and having troubleshot Windows OS's for YEARS has ensured that - Windows 7 isn't just Vista with some bells and whistles. I've had the RC of Windows 7 running on my laptop for about 2 months now, alongside Vista, and while I wholeheartedly support MI's choice to migrate to Linux, I have to disagree that it's slow, buggy, etc. It's not crashed once and it is noticeably faster than Vista.


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

Thanks Kung, I'm glad to hear that Windows 7 isn't just a remake of Vista. I wouldn't mind going to Linus, but I'm not the only one that uses this computer. Everyone has a better computer than mine, but everyone uses mine, for my printer.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

I do want to add that yes, it does share the Vista underpinnings. Then again, XP shared Windows 2000's underpinnings, and almost EVERYONE I know agreed that XP was loads better than 2000.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Kung said:


> , and almost EVERYONE I know agreed that XP was loads better than 2000.


Not when it first came out - people hated it just like they hated Vista and they will hate W7

Long about the time SP1 comes out MS's new operating systems are worth buying


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## Kari (Mar 24, 2008)

Originally Posted by Kung 
and almost EVERYONE I know agreed that XP was loads better than 2000.



mnn2501 said:


> Not when it first came out - people hated it just like they hated Vista and they will hate W7


In a sense I disagree with this. In the corporate world I dwell in, most businesses went from NT workstation to Windows 2000 Professional (which is rock solid IMH0) Win 2000 Pro and Server was a big step up from the archaic world of NT Workstation and NT Server.

Those who skipped 2000 and went to XP instead were actually very impressed with XP in regards to stability, features and most importantly USB support which NT did not have....

With XP, once you trim out all the unnecessary software baggage (especially disabling unneeded services), runs extremely well and after 6 years of heavy XP, I have yet to personally have a BSOD on my pc's and our clients who run XP and which number over 6,000, I have also yet to see a BSOD. Worldwide, I know it does happen but the occurrences are very low.

For those who went to Vista....well it is a mixed bag and I must say I am not enamored with it. However after a few weeks of on hands and heavy testing of Windows 7 Beta/RC, I must say that I like what I am seeing so far.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

mnn2501 said:


> Not when it first came out - people hated it just like they hated Vista and they will hate W7


Yes, but there are some BIG exceptions.

If you follow the stats as far as adoptions a year after XP came out, you will find that they were MUCH higher than the adoptions of Vista a year after it came out. It says something that the newest OS from Microsoft after XP came out seven YEARS later; while the latest OS after Vista is coming out a mere 2.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Karihwanoron said:


> In a sense I disagree with this. In the corporate world I dwell in, most businesses went from NT workstation to Windows 2000 Professional (which is rock solid IMH0) Win 2000 Pro and Server was a big step up from the archaic world of NT Workstation and NT Server.


That I will agree with. I didn't mean to give the impression that Win2K 'sucked.' It was MUCH better than NT. It simply was improved upon vastly by XP.



> With XP, once you trim out all the unnecessary software baggage (especially disabling unneeded services), runs extremely well and after 6 years of heavy XP, I have yet to personally have a BSOD on my pc's and our clients who run XP and which number over 6,000, I have also yet to see a BSOD. Worldwide, I know it does happen but the occurrences are very low.


I will agree with that; I had several on my own PC, but that was usually because I was doing stuff to it that was bleeding edge.  Other than that it was pretty stable. I spent a lot of time supporting upwards of 1500 clients, and 99% of the time, the culprit of a BSOD was a poorly written printer driver or something like that.


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## BeaG (Aug 21, 2008)

Nevada said:


> If you've got a 10 year old computer then you would be delighted with a P4 Windows XP machine. You can get a 2 to 3 GHz P4 case with Windows XP for about $150 that you can use your existing monitor, keyboard, and mouse with. Use that for a few years until you feel you need another upgrade. Dual core processors will be really cheap by then.


Hi Nevada.

This is an older thread, I know, but sometimes I just look around at older questions when I have a problem. That way, I don't duplicate questions and information already put out. 

I have a friend who is going to be shopping soon for a new computer, and who wants some help from me, and I saw your note about the 2 to 3 GHz P4 with Windows XP at such a great price. 

The old computer being replaced is really old (more than 10 years), and still on Win98, so what you describe would be a welcome replacement, I think. The only problem would be whether it would support some form of video conferencing, because that is the purpose for getting a newer computer.

What do you think? I am pretty sure Windows XP is the correct operating sytem for this person, but should we go for a brand new computer? 

Thanks.


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

Wait until Window 7 comes out . Get the 64 bit OS , it is backward compatible to 32 bit software . Get corsair DDR 3 *1066* memory (the speed of memory is getting less important ) , get Intel for processor (more money , but better for gaming) , Power supply that is gear toward gaming (yes there is difference now in power supply ). Finally , do your home work on cooling . video cards out today get really hot .


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## BeaG (Aug 21, 2008)

Thank you for your reply, Drew. I have heard good things about Windows 7, and I know that Win XP cannot be updated to Windows 7, but I do not think that my friend is going to be able to wait until January of 2010 to get the new(er) computer. Your comments about the Intel processor and the cooling system are well taken, however. I appreciate that feedback. It all helps.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

BeaG said:


> I do not think that my friend is going to be able to wait until January of 2010 to get the new(er) computer.


Why not get a decent XP machine for the time being? They aren't expensive. Here's an example.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=D220MT-P424-RCD-R&cat=SYS

That machine comes with XP Pro installed and should be a good workhorse for the next 5 years. XP will still be supported for that long. Not bad for $129.


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## BeaG (Aug 21, 2008)

Thank you Nevada. Yes, this is more like what I was thinking. I put an icon on my desktop to the link you gave me. I'll show that to my friend. I would just want to be sure that we could hook up with others for the video conferencing. I'm pretty sure that is just some additional hardware and software. It does not have to be fancy.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

BeaG said:


> Thank you Nevada. Yes, this is more like what I was thinking. I put an icon on my desktop to the link you gave me. I'll show that to my friend. I would just want to be sure that we could hook up with others for the video conferencing. I'm pretty sure that is just some additional hardware and software. It does not have to be fancy.


As 32-bit XP machines go, a 2.4 GHz processor has plenty of power.


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

Thanks everyone, I'm felling better about waiting untill Windows 7 comes out. Sorry, it has taken so long to get back, but my poor computer doesn't work well in 100+ degrees (that was in the house). BeaG, your friend will be very happy with an older computer. I have been very happy with mine for the last 10 years, until games outgrew my computer.


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

Here is the thing MS will not support Window XP much longer. If you are not gamer you might think of getting vista 64 bit for now then upgrade to Window 7 64 bit . I have not hear anything about Vista 64 bit (bad or good) . Its not a good idea to keep your computer for more than 6 years . Unless you don't mind losing data or can't patch your computer to protect it from virus , etc . I'm waiting for the next usb version to come out and the first service pack for window 7 before i jump . Also , MS laid off all it flight sim people. If MS flight sim is a done deal then i won't need as fancy of new computer.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Drew Cutter said:


> Here is the thing MS will not support Window XP much longer.


Microsoft will support XP at least through 2014, so support is NOT an issue.
About the only support people use for XP is patches but you have at least 4-5 years before you have issues. Dont worry about XP. Windows 7 isnt out and will take a few years before it hits mainstream. VIsta was a joke and few corporate users went to vista but instead stayed with XP.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Gary in ohio said:


> Microsoft will support XP at least through 2014, so support is NOT an issue.
> About the only support people use for XP is patches but you have at least 4-5 years before you have issues. Dont worry about XP.


Yes, that's true. The real issue will be compatibility, not update support. As many of us remembered from trying to hang-on to Windows 98 SE as long as we could, software developers stopped creating applications with Win98 in mind. Even though Microsoft was supporting security updates for Win98 we still had to migrate to XP for compatibility reasons, since most newer applications would not run on Win98. I suspect that will also be the case with Windows 7.

Moreover, I believe that the compatibility issues will be even more severe this time, as software developers create more and more 64-bit applications that will not run in a 32-bit environment.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

compatibility can be an issue but that is not a support issue. Lots of factor can drive an update, support for the OS in this case is not one of them.


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

One of reason why you might go to Vista 64 OS is the ability to upgrade to window 7 64 bit . You can not go from xp with your old stuff (apps) to window 7 . Not sure why . Because window 7 64 bit can run 32 bit apps . Yes vista 32 bit is a joke .


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Drew Cutter said:


> One of reason why you might go to Vista 64 OS is the ability to upgrade to window 7 64 bit . You can not go from xp with your old stuff (apps) to window 7 . Not sure why . Because window 7 64 bit can run 32 bit apps . Yes vista 32 bit is a joke .



While upgrades are nice I personally would recommend A fresh install if you do go to windows7 from vista.


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

I'm going to have to do a fresh install because i'm going from xp to window 7 . 

Problem is the MS stop working on FSX flight sim . Unless MS start to work on FSX , you are almost going backward on processor and video card . DirectX 9 .


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Drew Cutter said:


> I'm going to have to do a fresh install because i'm going from xp to window 7 .
> 
> Problem is the MS stop working on FSX flight sim . Unless MS start to work on FSX , you are almost going backward on processor and video card . DirectX 9 .


Then consider FlightGear. It's an active project so it should keep up.

http://www.flightgear.org/


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

I may go this way . Flight gear . Wait and see . Non of the option are as well develop as FSX . I got heart set on learning how to fly a quest kodiak . I know of few people who either work for quest or been involved .


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## Wis Bang (Feb 20, 2009)

Drew Cutter said:


> Wait until Window 7 comes out . Get the 64 bit OS , it is backward compatible to 32 bit software . Get corsair DDR 3 *1066* memory (the speed of memory is getting less important ) , get Intel for processor (more money , but better for gaming) , Power supply that is gear toward gaming (yes there is difference now in power supply ). Finally , do your home work on cooling . video cards out today get really hot .


My future SIL has a big gaming setup, his video card has it's own cooling fan...


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

You also need an exhaust fan as heat build up , inside the case . With window 7 you will need a motherboard that is 2 years min if you do an upgrade . Also , with window 7 you have touch screen and virtualization ability . I was happy to find out that i can upgrade from window XP to win 7 . Now their is going to be 6 version of window 7 .


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Drew Cutter said:


> .......with window 7 you have touch screen and virtualization ability .


windows 7 doesnt magicly make your machine a touch screen. Thats a hardware function. As for virtualization, you can do that with XP as well.


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

Gary i knew it was hardware (i have not seen a moniter that says , touch screen ready) . But this is a tread MS is pushing . Killing the mouse ? The virtualization according the article was related to the motherboard.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

BeaG said:


> Thank you Nevada. Yes, this is more like what I was thinking. I put an icon on my desktop to the link you gave me. I'll show that to my friend. I would just want to be sure that we could hook up with others for the video conferencing. I'm pretty sure that is just some additional hardware and software. It does not have to be fancy.


If your friend hasn't ordered a system yet, I just got a promotional offer for this system.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=DC5000SFF-CEL28-MAR-B&cat=SYS

If you enter the promotional code FREEMP3 when you order it, the system is only $99.99 and you get a free 2 gig MP3 player. I'm sure that your friend will find a 2.8 GHz Celeron to be more than satisfactory for his purposes.

The FREEMP3 offer is good through 8/31/09.


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## BeaG (Aug 21, 2008)

Nevada said:


> If your friend hasn't ordered a system yet, I just got a promotional offer for this system.
> 
> http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=DC5000SFF-CEL28-MAR-B&cat=SYS
> 
> The FREEMP3 offer is good through 8/31/09.


Thanks for thinking of us, Nevada. Sorry I did not get back to you sooner. The last couple of weeks I've been fighting a nasty allergic reaction to something that bit me in my garden. 

Anyway, what we did about the computer: I printed out the page from the link you gave me previously. Then we took the printout to a local shop where the technician/owner provided a very similar refurbished box, and transferred in all the data from the old computer. The extra cost that he charged was only for some extra memory (we got an extra gig), an enhanced video card (because of the video conferencing requirement), and his labor to transfer the data. His labor was very reasonable, ($39.95, I think). I liked the "local" idea, because it is easier to get service if needed on the guarantee.

My friend is exceedingly pleased. I would not have known where to start with requirements or pricing, without your assistance.


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

Anyone try a beta of Google's Chrome OS?

I would suspect it does not have any of the baggage of MicroSoft's Legacy OS's to slow it down. But what will it run?


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Been trying to find a D/L of it but am unsuccessful as of yet.


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

Drew Cutter said:


> Gary i knew it was hardware (i have not seen a moniter that says , touch screen ready) . But this is a tread MS is pushing . Killing the mouse ? The virtualization according the article was related to the motherboard.



What? You mean like a big iPod? That's nothing new.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Kung said:


> Been trying to find a D/L of it but am unsuccessful as of yet.


The Pirate Bay is down. It may never come back up. I heard it was sold and I don't know what the new owner's plans are. They may have bought it just to bring it down.


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## satlizard (Aug 28, 2009)

FYI: My son is professional geek of fairly high level programming and he works with other professional geeks. He says that several of his brother geeks have installed Windows 7 Beta and they are happy. They are also happy when a traffic light changes and grass grows.:viking:


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