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Author Topic: Windows 7 upgrades  (Read 6249 times)

Peter

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Windows 7 upgrades
« on: June 08, 2013, 02:11:25 PM »

As Microsoft are ending support for Windows XP next year I'm considering my options, not sure I can afford Windows 8 or if I'd like it in fact. So I'm thinking maybe an upgrade to Windows 7 and would appreciate any views, tips,costs and advice from others who have taken this step.

I've looked at the tutorial on doing it myself but think I'll leave the task to a very good local guy I know I can trust.

Regards,

Peter
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c6em

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Re: Windows 7 upgrades
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2013, 10:17:51 AM »

Can't really offer any help - as I'm in the same position and have the same opinions as yourself.
Hoping my present 8 yr old Dell will last until early next year when XP support ceases.
Then I'm thinking along the lines of building one myself with Win7 64 bit.
By then the new Intel Haswell processor will have come out (due about now) and will be reducing in price from the high initial launch prices.

I know no one locally or even that in this area there are such people/business anymore doing this.
Dell seem to have reverted back to being at their best on corporate stuff.  The days of when I could as an individual customise my own PC build with them have gone.
The other options are the likes of larger build to order online firms like PCspecialist, Cyberpowersystem and probably more I've never heard of: - but how many of these are in reality built to least cost is debatable and more over how many made get dropped and damaged in the "post" before they even get to you.
Then there are the "shed's" like Curry's etc.  Yes, there will be software bloat on them, yes they are engineered to low cost/quality.  But when you start to look at the prices for the components for a self build and then look at how much less in both £ and indeed aggro it would be to simply walk into Curry's and buy one there and then..........
No, they won't last long and cannot be easily upgraded as they will be special internals no doubt while if you build one yourself with a top range power supply it would last 10 years. But in probably 5 years let alone 10 years time our computing will be totally different.

So as usual I've "kicked it into the long grass"

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tonyappuk

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Re: Windows 7 upgrades
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2013, 11:41:42 AM »

When I decided to upgrade I took the belt and braces route and dual booted Win 7 with XP so that I could always go back to the old favourite if I got lost. It was a bit easier for me because I was already dual booting several varieties of Linux with XP and dual booting was not a frightening new experience. I took this step when I replaced my PC after a motherboard failure. Bought it from Novatech and loaded the operating systems myself. Any competent PC man could do this for you, Peter, and it shouldn't cost the earth.

Incidentally I only went back to XP a few times before I became comfortable with Win 7 but it was nice to have,
Tony
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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 7 upgrades
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2013, 12:34:41 PM »

Are you talking about a new system or upgrading the existing XP system?
W7 does need more resources than XP to run well though it's not as bad as Vista. Windows 8 seems to be much leaner and runs well on many old XP systems that meet the technical processor specs.

Personally I'd prefer W7 any day over W8, though W8 "can" be made acceptable. My main system is also dual-boot W7x64 and XP, though it was built and specified for W7 from new, it's not an upgrade.

Finally, obtaining a legal copy of W7 could be difficult....
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oldfogy

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Re: Windows 7 upgrades
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2013, 04:38:22 PM »

I have win7 on a dual boot system (thankfully), and I will say even after keep trying it for the last 2.5 years, 'I still don't like it'  there are several reasons one is mainly trying to find your way around the horrible changes in the Control Panel layout, but the main reason is that it is my computer and yet on occasions windows will not let me delete a file or folder, even though it's one I created, on one occasion I had to format a drive to get rid of a personal file, and as for constantly asking for permissions to do anything, well that takes the biscuit as there is only myself registered and windows will not always allow me to alter the permissions settings to allow myself saying I don't have permission.

So my suggestion if you like 'tinkering' (well just read the above again)
Then again if you just want to use it more for just office type work, then there is not a lot to say about that as you just create or/and open documents and get on with them.

Support or no support, I will be staying with XP for as long as I can.
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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 7 upgrades
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2013, 05:37:57 PM »

horrible changes in the Control Panel layout
  ???

It's very similar to XP though somewhat more logical, especially if you view by icons (large or small) not category. What's horrible?
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oldfogy

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Re: Windows 7 upgrades
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2013, 07:31:54 PM »

horrible changes in the Control Panel layout
  ???

It's very similar to XP though somewhat more logical, especially if you view by icons (large or small) not category. What's horrible?
One instance is the XP version of 'Add or remove programs' sorry I can't recall what it's called by in Win7, but certainly not Add or remove.

Maybe I just got too comfortable with XP and the distinctive changes were just too much to comprehend.
Then again similar comments were said about XP, when upgrading from Win 95 & 98, then when Vista was introduced.

Basically, you either, love it, hate it or get used to it, but for me it's just that I hate it and will never get used to it.
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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 7 upgrades
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2013, 07:52:48 PM »

It's called Programs and Features which is MORE sensible than the XP label.  ;)
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oldfogy

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Re: Windows 7 upgrades
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2013, 08:13:06 PM »

It's called Programs and Features which is MORE sensible than the XP label.  ;)
Yes I remember that now you mention it, but without being able to remember it it's a devil to find, but sometimes without the aid of the 'GodMode' shortcut I don't know what I would do.

I do still try using it whenever I can because obviously that's the only way to learn how to use it, but it just makes me wonder if I really want to.

Obviously there is 'Need or Want' and basically I don't want or need to learn how to use it to it's fullest ability, so I suppose that does not help.
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