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Windows 7 Upgrade - not as simple as it sounds, actually a fresh install is
faster, better, easier... |
Windows 7 Upgrade, stick with XP, or go with Windows 8?
Why do it when your XP or Vista is working just fine?
The main
reason for upgrading from XP to Windows 7 would be that support for XP will be
stopping in the near future. Microsoft normally will support a Operating System
(OS) for two years after the next generation OS is in production.
Vista had teething problems and that gave it a bad reputation. It wasn't
until the first Service Pack when most (not all) of the problems for Vista were
resolved. And another reason that Vista didn't take off was the large changes of
the Desktop.
So Microsoft has extended the support for XP, originally it was to 2014 but I
think with the release of Win 7 in October of 2009 the support for XP will
stop in late 2010 or early 2011. So that gives you about a couple of years to think about
moving over to Windows Seven.
Troubleshoot, repair, maintain, upgrade & secure...
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I would think that the support for Vista will end at about the same time even
though Vista with age is getting to be a stable (not great) OS. Microsoft doesn't want to
support two OS's at the same time as it was forced to do with XP.
It seemed that people just couldn't get used to the Vista desktop and the way
the new file system worked. In reality it still has a lot of people turned off.
Now the bad news, Windows 7 Upgrade desktop is close to Vista's desktop. You can how
ever do more to customize the Win 7 desktop than Vista's desktop. With Vista
even the 'Classic' desktop was part of the 'Aero Theme' and that I think is the
reason people didn't take to Vista. (Who wants their Icons to shake when you
move the pointer? DUH...)
As for the new file system I have done a lot of searching and have not came
up with a way to make a folder on the desktop that is not a Library. And I also
have not came up with a way to customize a library that didn't change all the
other libraries. At this time there just isn't anyway to make a single folder
that you can put your special short cuts in.
Now you have to ask yourself is the upgrade going to work for you? Or would
you rather have the full version? If you buy the upgrade you will have to
have a full version of Vista, I have not found anywhere where the upgrade will
work with XP or even Windows 2000, that may come in the future.
Personally I will go with the full version, I played the upgrade game with NT
3 and NT 4.
You say - 'So give me five reasons to upgrade to Windows 7!'
I can't, I can give you two good reasons and three fluff reasons how's that?
Reason # 1 you should move to Windows 7 Upgrade - Support for XP and maybe Vista will be
ending soon.
Reason # 2 you should move to Win 7 - All the Geeks are excited about the new
Desktop.
Reason # 3 you should move to Win 7 - Your brother-in-law Loves Vista..
Reason # 4 you should move to Win 7 - The IT department at work hates it and
you need to be able to ask them questions about Win 7 to irritate them.
Reason # 5 you should move to Win 7! - You have $$$$ to spend and don't
know where to spend it!
Personally I have Windows 7 because it was free with a new laptop and I need to know how to
make it work, what the security risks are and how to fix or negate them.
- Would I buy it?
- Maybe, depends if I can get an upgrade from XP because I didn't buy
Vista.
- Windows 7 Upgrade may not be an option for some, personally I would not upgrade,
I would do a fresh install.
- Do I recommend it?
- At this time I am testing it and have written a Guide for the new OS, if I
can find a way to make folders on the desktop and a replacement file system
for the Libraries, yes. (This is still a kludge but you can find third party
programs that do a partial job of making an attempt at correcting this
fallacy by Microsoft). - No!
- Will it be better than XP
- Maybe, XP had a almost a fourteen year run and that is a very long time in the
computer world.
- Will it be better than Vista?
- Absolutely! Not only is it faster than Vista it is also less buggy. In
my testing I did not crash it one time, and I tried real hard.
- Will it run on my laptop?
- Yes, if your laptop meets the minimum requirements set forth by Microsoft
for the hardware.
- Have I installed it on a laptop?
- Yes, I have two laptops with Windows 7 Upgrade on them, not too
happy with one version - Home Edition, you can't add a Home edition to a domain,
it doesn't have the software in the OS installation...
Now the question is did I convince you to upgrade to Windows 7?
You will find more in-depth services and GPO options for your
Windows 7 Upgrade in the Windows 7 Ultimate Guide.
08/29/14 - This would hold true for Windows 8, I have only
installed the "demo" version of Win 8 and am far from impressed. I have
seen Windows 8.1 (us older folks will remember the Windows 3.0 and
subsequent immediately release of Windows 3.1) I am still not impressed. I
looked at a demo laptop at a electronics store with the touch screen, it
may be a good idea if you are traveling by using a touch screen on a
laptop instead of the pointing device to me it is awkward and a lot of
extra work, if you have to use the touch screen every time you need to
move the cursor your arm will either get very tired or maybe you need all
that exercise?
By the way ...
Do you have an ERD? Want to know how to make a custom Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) for yourself? Check this out.
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