Windows 7 forum: Should I consider upgrading to Windows 7 or 8, since XP support is ending soon?

The computer world is full of whiners afraid of change -- which probably explains all the posts here and elsewhere urging you to stick with XP or upgrade only to Windows 7. The reality, however, is that Windows XP is badly outdated and pretty darned weak compared to Windows 7 and 8. With each iteration of Windows after XP, I've set up a dual boot retaining the old operating system and adding the new one. It took about 2 months before I was completely weened off Windows XP and switched 100% of the time to Windows 7. And that took so long only because Microsoft killed off a feature key to me and everybody in my office, the pan-and-scan virtual desktop. Once I found GimMe Space Desktop Extender, that problem was finally solved and we all migrated completely to Windows 7 Pro from XP and never looked back.

Our switch to Windows 8 Pro was even quicker because the only real weakness of Windows 8 Pro was the loss of the Start button and menus in the desktop. But that was easily overcome with the $4.99 Start8 from StarDock which restored the Start button and menus, and enabled booting right into the desktop, overcoming every objection you could really have with Windows 8 Pro. Windows 8 Pro is more stable than Win7 or XP, much faster, more secure, and more forgiving. The only weakness I can see is the absence of the ability to do a nondestructive reinstall that retains your desktop applications - and how many people actually do that?

After upgrading 5 computers (some Win7 and some XP) to Windows 8 Pro, I've got to report that Windows 8 Pro is a significant advance and a real bargain at the pricing through the end of January. Until Feb 1, 2013, retail stores -- online and brick and mortar -- sell the Windows 8 Pro Upgrade discs for $69.95 or less -- and they include both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 8 Pro. You can buy the upgrade as a download from Microsoft for $39.99 until Feb 1 -- but you are limited to the same "bits" as your current version of Windows. In other words, if you're running a 32-bit version of Windows XP, VISTA, or 7, you can download only a 32-bit Windows 8 Pro Upgrade. So if you want to switch from 32-bit to 64-bit like we did on our 3 computers (and we are glad that we did), you're better off spending the few extra bucks on the discs. The price of the Windows 8 Pro upgrade leaps to its regular $199.99 price on Feb 1.

BTW, I've done a fresh install of the upgrade on the 5 computers so far since we switched them all from 32 bit to 64 bit. It's pretty easy and I had no problem activating any of them. While I've built only 70 Windows computers, I feel pretty confident that this is the route to go.

Don't know about Win 8, suspect it might be another Vista - but - I don't know.
I used to use XP and was quite happy with it.
A new computer had Vista on it -- after upgrading to Vista SP1 (or whatever) and finding it wouldn't recognise it's own upgrade (!!??!*#??) I reverted to XP quick smart. All good.
I waited 9 months after 7 came along, then decided to make the jump. I NEVER regretted it, not for a moment.
Win 7 is at least as good as XP, or better. It is more reliable in terms of reboots (almost never needing one..) and is quicker. If things go wrong on the desktop it quickly sees it and recovers; sometimes with a 5 second reload of the desktop, never a reboot. It's also better recognising things like Internet and Bluetooth connections, and with troubleshooting something just plugged in, etc.
Personally I have found it's great, both with Professional and Home Premium.

M$ are keen to kill off the Golden Goose.

I still use XP on some of my PCs, although Ubuntu is my favourite choice.

In all the shops and offices I have been to, they are all running XP on their PCs and when I ask them about it, they see no reason why the should upgrade. I haven't seen anyone with Windows 7 or 8, and in this hard economic time, companies cannot afford to upgrade and retrain all their staff.


KJR

I have windows 7 and 8 but have to say windows 7 is easier to use then 8. I find windows 8 very drawn out and annoying. The desktop with the tiles are really of not a lot of use. i found the IE explorer useless really as all it does is give snippets of news etc and you have to use the full IS to do anything in other words you end up in windows 7 view. The mail is useless you have one account only it does not choose all accounts like you can when you go through the main IE tiles. All in all it is a nice interface but windows 7 much quicker over all amd more useful.

But as windows 8 is the future you are probably best to go with it and get use to it. It is better with touch screen monitors or tablets laptops etc.

But overall I still prefer windows 7 as 8 is just too complicated and everything is so long winded just like the Apple OS.

It's been quite a while since XP was a genuinely current operating system. If you have them on your PCs it may be time to consider purchasing new PCs themselves. New computers have a lot of capabilities that old ones lacked, and have a lot more speed.

Vista got bashed but it was actually quite a good, rock-solid reliable and attractive operating system -- the people doing the bashing had enjoyed thinking of themselves as gurus and resented being thrown a loop by the significant changes in Vista, so they did a lot of whining. Windows 7, which should have been called Windows Vista SP3, was even better. It didn't receive such a bashing because it was so very similar to Vista and so the self-styled gurus, once they'd gotten familiar with Vista, weren't sufficiently offended to whine so much about Windows 7 as they did about Vista.

But now Windows 8 is a genuinely radical departure, far more different from Vista was from XP, and indeed even more of a change than XP was from 98 or even from Windows 3. The whiners are back in force.

But Windows 8 is a TERRIFIC operating system. The much-maligned (and, IMO, rightly so) Metro user interface is virtually irrelevant because all of your "legacy" apps run in the old familiar desktop anyway and can be invoked via a single click from the Metro "Start Screen." When you close those apps, the comfy old desktop remains. Note that nearly every complaint about Windows 8 revolves around the Metro user interface, which is optimized for touch screens and mobile devices, but it is irrelevant on the desktop -- NOT a drawback, just not really there at all except initially for that very first click of the day (invoking your web browser or email client or some other app that used to take you TWO clicks to invoke, now just one).

But bootup from cold is startlingly faster, and everything operates more crisply than it did even under Windows 7. The O/S seems cleaner and consumes fewer system resources. If you want to use Metro, fine, but you don't have to and, if you wish, only see it on initial boot.

Some things are more logical and are the way computers always should have always been but the technology didn't allow it. For example, you now shut the computer down by turning the computer off (or you can make the power switch merely put it to sleep if you choose). This is perfectly intuitive; it's how a person who never saw a computer before would presume it would work.

Windows 8 takes some getting used to. It really is quite different. It will take you a while to configure things to your liking, and it requires a lot of new device drivers (most of which come with the distribution). There's no Start button down at the lower left corner of the screen anymore (although you can obtain an app that emulates it). You do nearly everything differently, but the differences for the most parts are improvements in layout and logic.

My biggest complaints are that you cannot (without GREAT difficulty -- it is possible but it's one of those "Kids, don't try this at home" things) use your own photographs as a background in Metro (although you still can for your desktop), and they took away Spider Solitaire, Freecell and the other games that used to be part of the Windows O/S distribution.

But I would go (and indeed have gone) with Win 8 because it's here to stay and, like some woman said on Firesign Theater's brilliant 1971 album "I Think We're All Bozos On This Bus" (the first mention of computer hacking I know of in popular literature), "You can live it or live with it." You can stay a step behind and live in the past or go with what's current today, and that's Windows 8.

That is, IF your old computers can handle it. Check the minimum system requirements first. Some of those older machines don't have enough RAM (it requires 1 GB), and it prefers at least 1366x720 screen resolution. The thing is, if your computer can't handle Win 8 it'll probably choke on Vista or Win 7, too. Like I said up top, your best bet is probably a nice new machine. Prices now can be surprisingly reasonable.

One note of caution, however. What I say here refers exclusively to the 64-bit Win 8 O/S. I have not installed it, nor indeed tried it at all, on a 32-bit system. I presume your systems are 32-bit. I mean, I THINK it's probably the same, but cannot state it as a fact.

Close B Clothes Mode*

*Another reference from that truly great Firesign Theater album

Our office skipped it except to verify our apps worked on it. It was what it was. Maybe you strayed too far from the question/poll?

Absolutely upgrade as many new programs and internet access items are only usable in new browsers and formats that XP does not.
Why stay in a flat learning curve with old tech. Also many new motherboards and faster ram speeds leave XP in the dust.
I thought win 200 was the bomb and XP was just fluff until I actually started using XP, but by the time win 7 leaked I have been using it and now win 8 as well..
Completely skipped Vista as it was horribly bogged down for what ever reason, slowed down everything akk.
I have not looked back after any upgrade since I got excited about win 7 and now 8 as well.
And cost is not my personal criteria, win 7 family packs (3users) can still be picked up for around a $100.
Step out and see if at least one of you units will have drivers for win 7 and take a chance, you won't regret it.

Unless you are having problems with XP, don't give Micro$oft any money.

Just because the support for XP will be stopped next year some time doesn't mean it will suddenly stop working.

I have 5 active computers, 4 of which run XP, one has Win7 HP64 on it. While I'm sort of familiar with XP, I like the efficiency of Win7 better. After adding some free programs to get the user interface screens to look mostly like those of XP, my learning curve shortened considerably.

I tried a Beta version of Win8. Politely and nicely said, this is another Vista. The sooner Micro$oft realizes this and begins work on a replacement, the happier everyone will be (except the local landfill operators).

Should you discover some new program that you "absolutely must have", then and only then look into upgrading your operating system. Be aware that you will run into compatibility problems, both hardware and software, with an operating system upgrade. And don't forget about all of the drivers you have downloaded over the years to keep everything up to date.

In My opinion as a pc tech. I would not advise it as long as You can keep using xp. XP is the best OS Microsoft came out with. I wish they had stopped there, but no, they had to come up with something else. I don't windows 7 because if the interface. And I tried the evaluation version of windows 8. Even worse. My advice to You would be stay with XP for now. And again. like some of the other posters said, Before You do anything, makes sure Your PC's are capable of running windows 7 or 8. Older machines won't take it. Windows 7 and 8 is laid out like a mixture of the mac and linux. It may come down to having no other choice eventually, But as for Me I am staying with XP till then. As the saying goes, if it isn't broke, don't fix it, I learned that the hard way. Good luck and happy computing.

I've had Win 7 for a year now. Still can't get used to it. XP was so simple, moving, cleaning files was utter simplicity. Now i have to make 3 moves to get anywhere and have yet to figure how to clean all the duplicates in my files.
Please, give me my old windows explorer back! I could find anything with it. Now things get lost no matter where I look. There's documents and my documents, desktop in 2 places, etc.
XP didn't need fixing. Thanks MS!

Like I always say... Together Everyone Achieves More

Dear Jack,

I 've just read some of the answers you 've already received (not all of them), and my opinion is as follows:
Win XP is one the best stable OS in the IT world. Therefore, the old adage "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" is definitely wise and meaningful.

- However, considering that you stressed Safety & Security reasons, the only matter is that new malware and viruses are prevented with new programs that might be taking no longer account of OS older that Win 7, which means no longer applicable on previous OS versions. In that case, your machines might be at risk.

- On the other hand, apart from malware and viruses, once MS has stopped supporting XP, I guess that new apps will be developed not to run with XP.
- Therefore, when ready, I 'd suggest to start upgrading just one (either partitioning, or two, into 7 & 8) of your machines and see what 's going on. But, you still have time to think about.

Hope it was somewhat helpful
Cheers
F.

Jack, it is never too early to address a potential problem, yes its jan, 2013 but it will be 2014 before you know it and preparation is the key to success. If I were you Jack, I would skip Vista and go straight to windows seven, there have been numerous problems reported with windows eight and other than some visual differences 7 is just as good and definitely less trouble. I too enjoyed xp pro and had few problems with it but I am going to windows seven soon on all my pc's, I have the OS on one pc so I know of what I speak. Good luck to you Jack.

If your thinking of putting windows 7 or 8 operating system in a windows XP computer NO !!!!!!!!!

Unless you want to feel pain , then do it.