# Upgrading windows xp



## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

If I put my windows 7 disk in my windows xp computer will it upgrade to 7 ?

We have an old emachine that has windows xp on it. I was trying to add a printer and it was missing a driver. Went to microsoft and that system was no longer supported. It would sure be handy to be able to add the printer to it.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Even if you could upgrade to 7 and the reason is about your printer. 
I doubt if you still could get that printers driver. 
These old printers the drivers are just not available anymore. And if there isn't one for XP there sure won't be one for newer Windows versions, for that printer. And as inexpensive as printers now are, a new one is in your future.
And being a old machine this may be the downfall to upgrade to 7. The bolded part. below.
Windows 7 system requirements
If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:

1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
*
1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)*

16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

My printer is only a year old. It's the computer that needs upgrading.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

When I had that computer reformatted a couple years ago the computer guy said it had plenty room to put windows 7 on it. I should have had it done then.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Ah I read to fast I guess. No Driver for that computer with XP on it. Well I guess a upgrade to 7 is the way to go then.
You see I had a old printer that no driver would be for XP I had to get a new printer. Not the same thing as you have.

You have to upgrade your system to a newer version of Windows, and I had to upgrade to a new printer to use on XP. LOL

No matter how you look at it, they (MS) will get you one way or another. LOL


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

If your Windows 7 CD has not already been installed in another computer, then it should work. The problem, as I understand it, is most Win 7 CDs are tied to a particular computer as they come bundled together. You can't use them twice.


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## NRA_guy (Jun 9, 2015)

Read this:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7#T1=tab01

Nothing related to changing operating systems is ever simple.

Watch the video.

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Introduction

To upgrade your PC from Windows XP to Windows 7, you'll need to select the Custom option during Windows 7 installation. A custom installation doesn't preserve your programs, files, or settings. It's sometimes called a "clean" installation for that reason.

A custom installation is more complex, and it can sometimes take a couple of hours to complete. We created this five-step tutorial to help guide you through the entire process each step of the way.

What you need

An external hard disk. You'll need to move your files off of your PC before you install Windows 7. To make this easier, we recommend a free download called Windows Easy Transfer, which will require an external hard disk. They're readily available at electronics and office supply stores, and they provide an easy way to add additional storage space to your computer.

The original installation discs or setup files for the programs that you want to use with Windows 7. You'll need to reinstall your programs by hand after installing Windows 7. When you run Windows Easy Transfer you will get a report that lists the programs that you are currently using with Windows XP.

32-bit or 64-bit: Which version of Windows 7 to install?

Both 32-bit and 64-bit installation discs are included in the Windows 7 package. 64-bit operating systems can handle large amounts of memory&#8212;typically 4 gigabytes (GB) of random access memory (RAM) or more&#8212;more efficiently than 32-bit operating systems. However, not all computers are 64-bit capable. For more information, see 32-bit and 64-bit Windows: frequently asked questions and 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7.

You'll probably need the 32-bit version, but to make sure, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

If you don't see "x64 Edition" listed, then you're running the 32-bit version of Windows XP. Step 1 of this tutorial will show you how to run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, which can let you know if your computer is capable of running the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

If "x64 Edition" is listed under System, you're running the 64-bit version of Windows XP and can run the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

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Here is the upgrade advisor they recommend you download:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/Download/details.aspx?id=20

Good luck.


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## Declan (Jan 18, 2015)

Look to see if you can find a work around for that specific printer. I had to do that when I went from XP to 7 or 98 to XP, i forget which. I find some tech blogger that had a step by step when there was no driver by MS or the manufacturer.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Printer drivers tend to have some play in them. If you try the driver for the earlier model of the printer it may work fine. In general, if you stay within the manufacturer, something will work. Also, if you contact the manufacturer and get to talk with a real tech, there are often work-arounds.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

If the poster would have gone to the printers website instead of Microsofts maybe there is a driver for that printer, that MS doesn't know about or can link to. You get drivers from the printers site not MS.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

arabian knight said:


> If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:
> *
> 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)*


It'll be a dog unless you have at least 4 GB RAM


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

I agree but it will work. The first thing I did with this iMac is bump it to the Max. I went from 2 gig to 8 and for only 47 bucks, The best thing I ever did. With most all OS now days IMO one should put in as much RAM as the computer can handle, as it is very inexpensive to do.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

When you buy a printer, look for one that is supported under linux. Linux support for drivers tends to last longer, especially if its a linux community written driver. The company written proprietary drivers tend to not get updated when linux moves to newer kernel. Same as when M$ discontinues support for one of their systems. Or look for an office printer, usually better driver support for operating systems into future. Buisinesses are concerned about usable life of hardware and software they buy. Where consumers arent trained to think into the future, just grab for cheapest price or shiniest object. Interestingly commercial type hardware also tend to have linux drivers.... Its the cheap consumer stuff that loses driver support quickly. Models that have short sales life and company doesnt upgrade drivers once they stop selling it. Contrary to popular belief, its the companies that manufacture the hardware that supply windows drivers for that hardware. Some companies now provide linux drivers, but usually linux drivers are reverse engineered from actual hardware and written by linux supporters, with little to no help from the company. I have one old scanner that ONLY had drivers for win95 and win98 and company went out of buisiness. For long time I had special small partition with win98 just to be able to use that scanner occasionally. Finally win98 no longer would run natively on pc and I didnt want to run it virtually. So just got another cheap old scanner, though made sure this time, it was one that had a linux community supported driver. Win98 era scanner, doesnt even run on XP, but will still work on latest kernel Puppy Linux.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

I did go to HP website FIRST, it said my computer did not support that driver. I don't know what the number of an earlier version of that printer is. It's just a cheap HP psc model from Wal Mart. I'm trying to get it hooked up to my hubby's desktop computer. About all he does it check e'mail and copy stuff he checks prices on. 

It is already loaded into my windows 7 laptop, and my daughter's windows 8 laptop. I just don't want him to have to use mine when I need it.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Ruby said:


> I did go to HP website FIRST, it said my computer did not support that driver. I don't know what the number of an earlier version of that printer is. It's just a cheap HP psc model from Wal Mart. I'm trying to get it hooked up to my hubby's desktop computer. About all he does it check e'mail and copy stuff he checks prices on.
> 
> It is already loaded into my windows 7 laptop, and my daughter's windows 8 laptop. I just don't want him to have to use mine when I need it.


 Apparently several models of HP psc printer. Noticed at least couple of them (maybe all??) supported by linux. Can just have him boot from a FREE live linux cd when he wants to print. It can use the printer and see/find any files you want to print from the XP partition. Use live cd version of linux well supported but not gigantic, something friendly like Puppy, Ubuntu, PClinuxOS, or Mint. Save buying new computer or making a large donation to M$, just to support a cheap printer...


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Ruby said:


> When I had that computer reformatted a couple years ago the computer guy said it had plenty room to put windows 7 on it. I should have had it done then.


It's not so much about "room", it's about hardware compatibility. The thing is that a lot of older machines have hardware in them that Windows Vista and newer drivers were never developed for. In other words, you might install Windows 7 but your sound board, video adapter, or network adapter might not work. To find that out, Microsoft has a tool that will scan your computer to see how compatible your machine is with Windows 7. Just download & run the Upgrade Adviser and it will provide you with a report.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20

The thing is that there is no financial incentive to use a machine that won't run Windows 7 well. For $50-$75 you can get a used laptop at eBay with an Intel Core 2 Duo and 4 GB memory that will run Windows 7 64-bit very nicely.


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