Should I upgrade to Windows 7 (from Vista)?

[G-CPTN]

I bought a new laptop in August 2009 and it came with an offer of Windows 7 for a nominal charge (for the CD and postage - about £22 IIRC).

I have seen programs that offer to effect a painless upgrade from XP to W7, claiming to avoid all sorts of potential problems. Do such difficulties apply to Vista (Premium Home) upgrading to Windows 7 - or is it a breeze in the park? ie once I have the Windows 7 disc(s) is it simply a case of running W7 and sitting back while things happen after which I will have all my applications functional correctly - or will I have to seek out the original installation discs for these and rebuild my system?

I'm a believer in the 'if it ain't broke then don't fix it' maxim, and, whilst I would prefer to return to XP I realise that that isn't feasible and I've become tolerant of Vista. I'd be upset if installing W7 screwed-up my current settings beyond recognition and I lose my browser bookmarks.

So, how destructive is W7? Will the transition be seamless?

[Nashers]

you can get a windows 7 upgrade pack for vista however not for XP.

i had vista and now have windows 7 and like it alot more. granted there are still some stability issues i have come accross but its a hell of a lot better than vista. faster, smoother and just seems to run better.

overall i still believe that XP was the best for stability but alas people like the sexy way in which vista and 7 open and close windows.

go for the upgrade, however be aware you have a bit of learning to do inorder to get use to 7.

[Litebulbs]

Hi,

I updated my Advent 4213 last week with almost no problems. I downloaded the upgrade and made a bootable jump drive. I plugged it in, restarted the netboot and about 30 minutes later I had upgraded from XP to 7.

I had to manualyy reload the graphics card driver, which 7 went looking for and found on the net. The only problem I had, was that the 4213 has an integrated 3G sim slot and I had to do some digging to get the original software for its connection manager. That turned up at the Tech Guys support website from PC World.

I have had no problems since and it is definately faster overall. It shows 2.2 on the windows speed and satisfaction rating, but that is down to the Atom processor.

Now if anyone out there could enlighten me on how to fix OSX Snow Leopard?! I have been a Mac Bore with regards to computer stability, but my Imac locks out at least a couple of times a day now, after emptying the trash can!

[berliner57]

Upgrading from Vista to windows 7 is easy, all files and settings are kept, have done it on 2 vista machines, most recently on a sony.

Obviously from XP is completly different, you have to do a clean install and reinstall all your programs.

Geoff

[L337]

Upgrading from Vista to windows 7 is easy

With much trepidation I decided to put Win 7 over my Vista laptop. It went flawlessly.

Win 7 runs a treat.

[Mornington Crescent]

Upgrade works well and most or all your programmes should work fine under Win 7.

However, you lose Windows Mail as there is no mail client included in 7.

What happens to your in/out boxes and contacts? If you are using Outlook or another email program that's not a problem. If you are using Windows Mail I would download another email program and transfer the information before the upgrade.

You also get IE8 whether you want it or not!

It looks much like Vista SP3 so you won't have much learning to do.

[Temet_Nosce]

Download Thunderbird (http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/) and import your messages and addresses.

Simple.

[marlowe]

Or download windows live to run your email applications .

[Loose rivets]

Four pages of this. Quite a few good indicators for the interested.

Note, this may open on P2


Windows 7 Review - PC World (http://www.pcworld.com/article/172602-2/windows_7_review.html)

[beijingbob1hitman1]

I have used Windows 7 since the trial came out and have not had any problems not solved by using Window 7 compatability mode for older programs.
It is a lot faster during start up and shutdown.
I would highly recommend it to you.
All of the Vista programs work fine and no trouble with installation.
Unfortuneately the best way to do the Windows 7 install is a fresh install and not an upgrade. This should not be any problem as long as you have the Vistal install disks just in case.
Windows 7 found and used all of my drivers except for a printer driver which I had to download from HP for my M1120 MFP and my built in webcam on my Gateway notebook.
The video and everything else works on the webcam except I have not been able to get the microphone to work.
I am extremely satisfied and have made it my primary OS. :ok:

[planecrazy.eu]

I have just installed W7 after running in on VMWARE since RC1 and since i purchased it on the release date (work purchased it).

I moved from XP SP3 to W7 with little issues (just had to reinstall software and restore files + find WIFI driver) and since then i have been getting happier.

I did try Vista, but i had to remove it as software i use day in day out, either didnt work, or the help system didint work, or both...

W7 so far, so good, and all works as it should.

I do notice a hang every now and again when i have 20+ tabs open in IE8, but soon comes back to life, and i am only running a single core laptop so its to be expected i guess.

[Blues&twos]

Well, we got a free W7 upgrade option when we bought our current PC (preloaded with Vista OS). The W7 upgrade disk turned up in the post this morning, and took about an hour and a half for the upgrade to complete.

Install process went smoothly, but in places we weren't sure if it was "stuck"...it wasn't, just took a long time. These points were:

'Expanding Windows files' - at about 18% complete.
'Transferring files, settings and programs' - at 72% complete.

Like I say, just took ages to move on from these points while I chewed my nails. A watched PC never upgrades.....

So far looks good and I haven't noticed any problems, but I've only been using the OS for about an hour!:ok:

[G-CPTN]

In years gone by I used to re-install Windows periodically - without affecting my third party programs (or should that be programmes?).

I don't recall what versions of Windows it was - probably 98, but I became blasé and sometime did just because it seemed appropriate.

Of course it was always like on like - and I don't remember why I used to do it . . .

[El Grifo]

It looks much like Vista SP3 so you won't have much learning to do.

Does that actually exist ?

[Keef]

I'd DO it. I've run Windows 7 Beta, RC1, and now "RTM" and it's excellent.
I migrated from XP Pro - I stayed well clear of Vista, having been warned.

I've been very impressed with it. It's not perfect (there are bits that don't work, like Fax & Scan) but it installed easily, went off and found the drivers for all my strange peripherals etc, and behaves well.

The software I've been using for yonks works with it, apart from Winfax Pro and a prehistoric OCR package (pre-2000 AD). It comes with a built-in OCR that passes text straight to Word. Excellent for me!

[Mad Monk]

In very bold shouty letters Yes.

[Desertia]

I even run it on a 2Gb Atom-powered Asus eee and it's faster than XP.

Definitely yes.

[Pontius Navigator]

Obviously from XP is completly different, you have to do a clean install and reinstall all your programs.

In the interests of accuracy, you do NOT have to do a clean install for XP-W7.

You can get 3rd party software that takes the pain away and avoids the need to reinstall most software. I use Laplink and despite it saying that Office 2007 would need to be reinstalled, it didn't.

Like others I did have to reinstall some drivers - video, audio, LAN etc.

[Carbon Bootprint]

I even run it on a 2Gb Atom-powered Asus eee and it's faster than XP.
Desertia, may I ask what version of W7 you're using on that eee? I have heard reports the "netbook" version doesn't allow streaming video. Is that true in your experience?

[DeeJayEss]

Yes.

Yes.

And Yes.

I hated Vista so much that when I built a new computer back in January, I instantly loaded Ubuntu (Linux) onto it. Finally, a fast OS, I thought.

W7 runs just as fast as Ubuntu does, and I'm still using a release candidate. The only issue I have is an occasional conflict with my uber souped up graphics card, but I am confident that will disappear with a 'pucker' upgrade after Christmas.

Do it!!! W7 is FINALLY what Windoze was always supposed to be.

[Bushfiva]

I'm running Vista Ultimate on a Kohjinsha SC3, 2GB memory, and it's very nice, especially the handwriting recognition.

[smallfry]

Upgrade to an apple. You will never look back.:ok: