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Computer newbies: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp
Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp
by CoffeMight - 9/5/09 8:00 AMWindows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new computer?
I'm helping a friend who's new to computers. She wants to buy a new desktop. I have a question about new OS's that are on the cusp of being released to the mass public, as it pertains to buying a new computer with the paramount goal of the OS operating at top notch effieciency:
All of us know that if you buy a computer today it comes pre-loaded from a factory in China with Vista already installed on it. I don't know what that pre-load circumstance is called. I'll wait for someone to come along and tell us what the proper geek terminology is for that specific circumstance. For now I'll just call that condition 'pre-loaded.'
With the same scenario in mind, if you buy a computer today in September 2009, Windows will let you 'upgrade' to Windows 7 (upgrade online without the CD I think) when Windows releases it to the public in late October 2009.
I've overhead snippets of conversation where people claim that if you do an online upgrade that that type of OS installation is vastly or somewhat inferior to an OS that comes pre-loaded straight from the factory. Is that fact, or fiction? Cause my friend was wondering if she should hold her horses and wait until next month to buy a computer that comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 as opposed to buying one today with Windows Vista. Advantages? Disadvantages? Your thoughts, please.
Just some thoughts
by justin9640 - 9/5/09 8:08 AM In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMightI know what you mean, I was running Vista until about a month ago when a friend asked me to try out Windows 7. Works much faster. I think that you are confused about the 'pre-loaded' state and a Vista - 7 upgrade state. It shouldn't matter if your computer was upgraded or pre-loaded with Windows 7. The only difference in the OS are the different versions you can get like Basic, Premium, Ultimate, etc. The higher version you get the more stuff the OS will come with (sometimes good, sometimes bad) and the more expensive it will get. Chances are that you should wait until Windows 7 comes out just in case something goes wrong during the upgrade (loss of data, etc.) and its better I think just to buy a computer with Windows 7 'pre-loaded'.
We've been here before.
by R. Proffitt
- 9/5/09 8:17 AM
In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMight
While there are those that will tell us the transition to 7 will be much better than we saw on former transitions my brutal answer is that we should have learned by now.
I'm waiting.
Bob
My suggestion...
by jbking2 - 9/7/09 6:46 PM In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMightWait a few months before getting a PC, assuming your friend wants a PC and not a Mac or Linux machine. The main reason is that drivers may be an issue initially with a new version of Windows and while some people may have no problems, others may have lots and I'd think that a few months will let some not so great hardware be known. At the same time, there may be a new line of CPUs out around then I believe if Intel sticks to their "tick-tock" strategy where this year should be a die shrink of the Core i7.
info
by jeff_windows_team
- 9/8/09 10:30 AM
In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMight
You will be able to perform a clean installation when your computer manufacturer sends you your Windows 7 discs in October (assuming your purchase qualifies for the free upgrade) if you buy a computer running Vista. It will require a physical disc- you cannot upgrade online.
Performing a clean installation will wipe out your computer and you will start fresh (similar to buying a computer with Windows 7 pre-loaded), or you can perform an upgrade installation which will keep your files and programs intact. Many people prefer the clean installation option as you will likely find in this thread, but you can take your pick.
Upgrade is twice the hassle?
by Hodgelett - 9/19/09 1:51 AM In reply to: info by jeff_windows_team
My dad's in the same position, and he concluded he would wait because the upgrade involves installing vista then installing 7 every time he wants to do a re-install, which would take a lot more time etc. (He has to do this with frightening regularity with viruses and I just don't understand why, but if it's a first computer I'd say the chances of getting viruses are higher.)
Anyway, if you can re-install 7 straight from the Upgrade, w/o Vista first I guess that makes a difference.
Check for the free upgrade to Windows 7
by Robert Pattinson - 9/13/09 1:01 AM In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMightIf you are looking to purchase a new computer in the short term, check for any free upgrade programs to Windows 7. There is talk about giving a free upgrade once Windows 7 is available later this year. However, I would confirm this with the lace you are interested in buying the new system from.
The early reviews of Windows 7 are good, so this may be worth pursuing. Good Luck!
Wait !!
by websquad - 9/18/09 5:26 PM In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMightIf considering a new machine, I recommend waiting. That's because the Vista device drivers (the software the provides an interface between actual hardware devices in your computer and the operating system) just may not be ready for Windows 7. If you wait about six weeks, you ought to be able to get a nice new system equipped with Windows 7 fully installed and checked out.
Go Now
by Zouch - 9/18/09 6:46 PM In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMightPersonally, with a couple of caveats, I'd go with the new machine sooner rather than later. Why? Because it will come with Vista pre-installed and that is reasonably stable and (and here are the caveats) it SHOULD come with an upgrade voucher for Windows 7. So you get the best of both worlds - a stable, if clunky Vista with a free upgrade to 7, which on the basis of testing with the Release Candidate, appears to be much more responsive and (so far) stable. You can read the early reports on 7 after October 22 and then decide when you want to upgrade. If you wait, you'll get 7 pre-installed and it might have early life issues - though from my testing, that seems unlikely.
So my caveats are 1. Make sure your new machine comes with a free upgrade voucher for Windows 7 and 2. Are you confident that you can do the upgrade? (I'd recommend a clean install.)
As far as drivers are concerned, I believe Microsoft have said that 7 uses the same driver set as Vista, so that shouldn't be a problem, certainly not the problems Vista had on first release.
Your mileage may vary.
I personally will go for it
by lmanlo09 - 9/18/09 7:47 PM In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMightI've already installed Windows 7 Professional it on a 10 month old HP Vista Home Premium Computer with no problems with drivers. Everything works from the mouse to the touch keys. So you should not have any problems with newer computers, it should meet or exceed . Windows 7 has been made to work with mostly any computer that meets its requirements. It is worth it no matter how you get it, haven't tried the in-place upgrade but the clean install didn't take more than 30-45 minutes to install.
New to computers?
by Dango517 - 9/19/09 2:34 AM In reply to: Windows 7 vs. Vista: Should we hold off on buying a new comp by CoffeMightTwo OS's is a lot to handle, using the up grade option, for a new person. We jumped from Me, to XP pro., to Vista business in about six months. Wow, that makes my head spin just remembering it. Really depends on how interested they are and how much time they have to spend.
We did loose stuff. Mostly the hardware Manufacturers features when we did the upgrade. We never did get the recovery section of the hard drive working again. A clean install of the OS wipes it out.
Frankly, unless this person has some analytical skills and loads of common sense then buy a Vista PC (which will soon be much cheaper) or wait till the release of the SP1 on Windows 7, in maybe a year.
Not really
by lmanlo09 - 9/19/09 9:18 AM In reply to: New to computers? by Dango5179 years with computers. I'm in the age between 18 to 25. The time I took to reinstall all my software was I think less than 1 hour. There wasn't that much problems with drivers it mostly found everything except one or 2 that I had to go to hp.com and install it manually. If you are smart you would have put everything on an external hard drive. I had all my files there so it was just to copy them back to the computer. There was nothing that I lost, I have everything that I had on my vista computer and the time I told in the last one wasn't counting the re-installation of the programs. There was no way I could have done and in-place upgrade mostly because I had Vista Home Premium and was Installing Windows 7 Professional. I have done in-place upgrades from ME to XP when it came out, no loss of data.
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