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

After buying a new laptop with Win 8 installed, I compared it with Win 7 on a comparable laptop. First, though, I need to tell you that neither system supports Touch Screen technology. With that being said, I regret getting Win8!

When MS stated Win 8 was faster, they lied, it isn't. It's actually MUCH slower as far as loading and start up is concerned. It also drags when loading apps. Win 7 runs circles around 8 on everything. It takes more mouse clicks to start an app, it loads slower, wait time is remarkably slow, even logging in takes several seconds longer than Win 7. 20 to 30 seconds longer! The screen density leaves a lot to be desired, too. It may be that 8 works much better with a Touch Screen, I don't know. I've tried it on a system (an All-In-One, in the local retail store, and it seems to be Ok for that, but to use it in Real Time, That I haven't done. Can't afford the $2000 the system costs.

Win XP is great, and Win 7 is better. BUT Win XP runs better than 8. Since you gotta upgrade, Win 7 is the target of choice. Pro version allows you to run XP software and the HomeGroup feature (which is a feature of all 7 versions) is VERY useful.

Both those OSs use the NT6 kernel; and when using the 64 bit version, you have WAY more protections to the operating system. Especially with Internet Explorer 10 that comes with Win8. However - even if you run as a restricted user on XP; you can do pretty well.

I catch your drift - I feel the same way, so I do what I like to call "Honey pot" work with malware to find out just how good the NT5 and NT6 security really is. As far as I'm concerned as long as you run as a limited account user, and don't turn off the UAC, the new technology 64 bit security of the NT6 Windows kernel is pretty hard to breach. I would say it almost reaches the same level as a good Unix based system.

However; even Unix or other FOSS solutions, can be weakened by vulnerable applications. The true key to modern PC security is to keep all java and Adobe flash, etc. and operating system fully updated, and DON'T click on fake alerts which will destroy any and all security you have no matter what platform you run on.

Why mess up a perfectly good XP ? If security is the reason , we have great anti-virus protection as well as anti-malware , add ons for the newest and safest web browsers ever such as Chrome and Firefox (why worry about IE?) not to mention we have tools like WOT (Web Of Trust) and Adblock Plus. If XP does everything you want in an OS ..Keep It . It's still a very stable OS. If you were Real Worried about security you wouldn't be using Windows in Any Flavor anyway, you'd head right to a Linux distro. Just my opinion...Dig

Why call XP tired. If it don't need mending don't fix it. If someone's use of a computer is for some word processing, spreadsheets, powerpoint, surfing the internet and sending a few e-mails XP is perfectly adequate. Windows 7 and 8 are more to do with Microsoft needing to keep ringing it's tills than providing good operating systems. Better still, use Linux.

Hang on there, TN. IE9 isn't the only game in town for HTML5! I'll admit, I'm no fan of IE anything, but Firefox and Chrome both support HTML5 without difficulty. They also work well on XP, 7, & 8. You're giggling alone on that one, pal.

To me it would depend on how old the XP computers are - what kind of hardware is in them. A late model low hour XP computer with a 2.4 ghz dual core or better processor might be worth it but an older sub 2.0 ghz dual or any single core would probably not be. I'm going to up my XP machine to W7 because its a late model,low hour, and powerful XP machine and I'm going to use the 32 bit version of W7! I accidentally wound up with a friends W7 Dell Vostro desktop. Being an early W7 machine from the business division it came with the 32 bit version. It is fast* and I found that most of my valuable XP programs installed and run great on it. Even Photoshop Elements 2.0! It all worked so nice I'm gonna pull the business 160 Gb hd & dvd rom out and stick a 1Tb hd and dvd burner back in! Oh yeah, I've played with W8 too and I'd stick with W7. Aside from the issues with W8 most mention like the Start button, W8 is the first OS from MS that requires a .Net Passport ID be set up before you can take full advantage of the OS. Many of those things make keeping track of what you do as easy as Android makes it! Unless MS can figure out how to eliminate that type of OS from home computers and stay in business, my next new computer 3-4 years from now will run Linux! Who am I kidding? The world is moving to a cloud synced & apped system and I'm sure they will figure out how to make Linux toe the line by then too.

*The 32 bit W7 Vostro has a 3.0 ghz core2 duo and only 2 gb of dual channel DDR2 RAM but it will smoke a 64 bit W7 2.3 ghz core i3 with 4 gb of DDR3 RAM friends computer. This is my first dual channel RAM computer and the second I've seen in action. Previously I never though much about those fairly rare dual channel RAM computers but this Vostro and the other has made me a believer in dual channel RAM.

Don't panic.
You'll be able to get an enormous amount of support from forums for years to come.
Why not upgrade one; the most powerful as 7 needs more CPU capability and much more RAM; and try it out.
Even if you upgraded two of them I would always keep one with XP.
Unless you want to buy touchscreens there is not much point in getting 8.

Now is the time to consider using and switching to Linux. Admittedly there are programs which are Windows based and there are sometimes issues with other hardware (largely just a few printers) by and large Linux will be adequate for the average home user. There are plenty of distros which can be downloaded and tried and tested. Just remember to save documents in Microsoft Office format for complete compatibility.

Personally I've been using Linux for years but still dual boot with Windows 7 which I do FOR THE SAKE OF SORTING OUT OTHER PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS. There's time to try lots of Linux and there are some exciting versions around.

I've been using Windows 7 since it was BETA, if fact I thought Beta was better than the finished article. I am running it on 3 laptops and two desktops. I built both the desktops for Windows 7 and two of the laptops came with Windows 7. The older Acer laptop came with Vista, but it was really an XP machine and I reinstalled it with XP x 64 as soon as I got it. It ran XP until I installed Windows 7 x 64 BETA and continued to run 64 bit until SP1. Then the drivers just wouldn't work and I had to install x 86 to keep it running Windows 7. Windows drivers seem to work fine for x 86, but no chance for x 64. If your running 64 bit on any of your computers, I would check if there are available drivers before doing anything, that is the weakness in upgrading.

I think that Windows 7 is a much better system than XP; but if you are into gaming, some of the older games might not work. I wouldn't abandon XP just because Windows finished supporting it. I never updated my XP beyond SP2 and never had a bit of bother. Updates can be more bother than they are worth. Some of the holes that suddenly get patched have been there since year one and nobody knew until Microsoft told everybody. I did run top security and kept it clean and tidy.

Windows 8 is a waste of time, if you not running a touchscreen. Its only Windows 7 with a load of silly apps on the desktop, to annoy people like me. Cant people think for themselves and have to have their shortcuts decided for them? Surely I cant be the only person on earth that doesn't Twitter and I get an email with a link if one of my friends writes on my Facebook page. I dont ever get a compulsion to tell everybody when I clean my teeth or comb my hair.

Never never go the windows 8 route unless you enjoy a challenge similar to learning a new language. Windows 8 is totally different to all that has gone before. It's nothing like Windows 7 were it just like learning to under stand a heavy northern accent for a southerner. You have to learn a completely different way of doing things so much it will take you ten times longer just to basic tasks if you can work out how to do it at all. One of the leading authorities in user interface system has slammed Microsoft but said he is waiting in anticipation for Windows 9 as Microsoft has a history of resolving these problems. I have personal experience in Windows 8 difficulties. My Mrs purchased a Window 8 lap top and after two weeks of trying to learn how to use it gave up and had it converted to Windows 7. I also gave up as was spending more time working out how to operate basic function that doing the task I had set out to do. Windows 8 is vastly different to anything before it is very user unfriendly, I have an iPad and the Mrs has a Galaxy 10.1 and we both converted to these user interfaces easily and quickly. So my advise is to wait for Microsoft to launch window 9 when hopefully they will have sorted all the problems out and Windows 8 will just be a bad memory. The other alternative is to buy an Apple and that is what I will do if Microsoft don,t sort themselves out when it's time for me to upgrade.

I totally agree once people get used to windows 8 they will complain about the next windows. I do agree that Vista wasn't the best but it curved windows 7

I can keep this really short.
Yes.

I too held off for as long as possible (and missed the Vista disaster) but had to relent because other software providers have already reduced their support.
I am on Windows 7 now - and the earth is still revolving every 24 hours.
Go for it!

Personally I have never had a stability problem with Win 7 having done the Beta prior to using it as a regular basis OS. Win Vista was sluggish compared to Win Xp or Win 7, with a little tweaking Vista wasn't so bad. The absolute loser was ME, now that was unstable from the start. The older operating systems, 95, 98, 98 SE were far smaller and less functional compared to later variants but that was a different era, they served their purpose. As far as Win 8 is concerned, IF you use a touch screen system and are into tablets, go for it, I will purchase it and use it as an alternate in one of my systems, thrilled with it I am not. As for Linux, I have used it for years and tend to use it as much as I do Windows, it is a little trickier in some respects but is extremely functional and I highly recommend it. As for Mac, it is a good system, especially for graphics purposes and I have thought about doing a Mac and may in future but I don't like the costs of hardware and software over Windows but I do feel that Mac and Linux have Windows beat is some respects.

I found out that HP didn't support win7 driver's for my printer ----- so I had to also buy a new printer.