Should I upgrade to win7?

[Red Squirrel]

I'm debating upgrading to win7. Not so much because I want to (I'm happy with XP) but because it's the only real way I will learn it better, so later on in the future when we switch to it at work I'll be ahead as far as the learning curve.

I am debating also just installing it in a VM, but it's not the same as when I'm actually using it as my every day OS.

My PC is only a dual core Athlon X2 with 3.5GB of ram. I tend to have lot of programs open at once such as Thunderbird, several VNC sessions, notepad++ with 20+ tabs, a couple browsers etc... think it will run ok or will it starve? I'm thinking I might be pushing it if I install 7 but wondering if anyone has a similar PC configuration/usage then me and runs it fine.

I probably wont end up doing it on this PC (maybe when I build a new PC later on) but just toying with the idea of doing it now. It's still fairly early so I tend to want to wait longer to install a new release.

 

[yinan]

I would Win7 is really nice.

 

[Blazer]

you could setup a dual boot and not register or activate win 7, using rearm would give you 90 days to try.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I hate rebooting, one thing about XP is it takes forever to log in when you have lot of startup programs like AV, messenger etc... If anything I'll do it in a VM on my server. I actually had the beta up at one point, I need to update it with the latest version.

 

[RebateMonger]

It doesn't sound like you want to upgrade very badly. If you are happy with XP, then I'd put it off. It's a lot of work to upgrade a working PC.

If you just want to play with Win7 a bit, it's easy to install Win7 into a virtual machine, or to download one of the pre-built VHD images. As noted, though, it's hard to really get into an OS unless you actually work inside it on a daily basis.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It doesn't sound like you want to upgrade very badly. If you are happy with XP, then I'd put it off. It's a lot of work to upgrade a working PC.

If you just want to play with Win7 a bit, it's easy to install Win7 into a virtual machine, or to download one of the pre-built VHD images. As noted, though, it's hard to really get into an OS unless you actually work inside it on a daily basis.

Yeah, think I'll end up doing that, the more I think of it. I will just try to install all the programs I use and treat it as my own PC and see what kind of issues I run into, and learn how to fix them without worrying about it being a "real" issue. I don't see it coming to the enterprise before at least a few years so not like there's a rush to learn it.

Idealy I should probably try to tie it into an active directory domain and all too so I can also experiment with policies and new features.

 

[thatsright]

You sound like you want to 'tinker' with it. You can't really have your cake and eat it too with Win 7, As others have said, you won't get the full experience and if anything you will just get frustrated. Its a lot of work to move over, but your going to have to do this at some point...so....either wait or just rip the band aid RIGHT OFF and get it over with. (caveat, check driver/app support before you do anything win 7 related.)

 

[JackMDS]

I run Win 7 Enterprise on few 939 computers with 2MB RAM (I do not want to waste money on buying more old DDR memory).

These are Not gaming computers, otherwise they are fully loaded, and I do not have any issues working Win 7 similarly to what you describe above.

My main workstations have all Mobile Racks with spare trays if it is IDE (with SATA thier is No need for trays).

When I start with new OS I take a new (or Spare drive), and leave the current drive as is for a while.

With Win 7 it is easy to take such approach since you can Rearm few times and thus run the OS few month without activating it until you decided exactly what to do.

So currently I have my Old XP in a Tray, another tray with my last Vista use, and a new try with Win 7 that already running for few months and would activated in the begning of Jan. (I already reactivated few times).

How do you Rearm?

open a command prompt type: slmgr /rearm and press enter.

Wait t for a message that it was done and reboot.

What Mobile rack is?

IDE, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817119503

SATA, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-057-_-Product

 

[Blazer]

if you had acronis you could image xp to another hd then upgrade, fall back if needed.

 

[RebateMonger]

I run Win 7 Enterprise on few 939 computers with 2MB RAM (I do not want to waste money on buying more old DDR memory).

I know you are frugal, but, gee....my hat's off to you! (grin)

 

[JackMDS]

I know you are frugal, but, gee....my hat's off to you! (grin)

WOW, took me a while to understand why I am ridiculed. - -

It is one of my typical Dyslexic episodes. Should be 2GB.

 

[biostud]

I've just installed win7 x64 on my computer, and it's definately faster than my old XP installation. Granted it's installed on a new harddrive and is not a 3 YO installation, but it has been a very positive experience for me. It's also nice to finally be able to use DX10 effects in games.

 

[MStele]

XP is to Win7 is as DVD is to Bluray. Both ultimately do the job, but in the end all the new tech is going to by introduced into the latter. You don't necessarily need to jump to Win7 now, but Win7-64bit is the new preferred platform for software developers for numerous reasons. You can do it now or do it later, but either way you'll have to make the jump or be left behind. Personally, I would make the jump now, but thats me.

 

[Nothinman]

My PC is only a dual core Athlon X2 with 3.5GB of ram. I tend to have lot of programs open at once such as Thunderbird, several VNC sessions, notepad++ with 20+ tabs, a couple browsers etc... think it will run ok or will it starve? I'm thinking I might be pushing it if I install 7 but wondering if anyone has a similar PC configuration/usage then me and runs it fine.

I'm running it on an old Pentium M with 2G of memory and it runs fine so you should be fine too.