At my workplace we have been given the chance to purchase Windows 7 or 8 for £8.33. I currently use Vista 64 Home Premium. While my system has been very stable for a number of years (apart from taking about 5 minutes now to load everything and be able to use the mouse) I am unsure if the upgrade route is the way to go. If I did this, would I need to change all my drivers and back up all my data (photos, music etc). I am being too cautious or is this a no-brainer? Thanks.
Windows upgrade scheme at work - worth doing
- Thread starter spiki
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You can do a fresh install with a windows 8 pro upgrade, with just two clicks in the registry afterwards...
http://lifehacker.com/5984278/how-to-do-a-clean-install-of-windows-8-with-an-upgrade-disc
Much cleaner and since you need to ideally backup all your stuff when you install the upgrade OS over the last one, no reason not to.
http://lifehacker.com/5984278/how-to-do-a-clean-install-of-windows-8-with-an-upgrade-disc
Much cleaner and since you need to ideally backup all your stuff when you install the upgrade OS over the last one, no reason not to.
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You'll find lots of little things make Win 7 so much nicer to use than Vista.
If your company uses Outlook as a mail rather than the Windows Mail of Vista, you should have no issues. The only reason I still use Vista is that is runs my older games and programs and Windows Mail is a simple interface whereby I can download all my Email to one place and one screen and save it and back it up. I still use Vista 32 bit on one setup which I just recently transferred across to an SSD.
The only failing of Vista is that it does not support Trim on SSD. If you are using 64 bit Vista there should be no issues of an upgrade because even though Windows 7 and 8 are 64 bit by nature they still use a 32 bit interface. You would expect new programs like Security and Office to install to Program Files but they install to Program Filesx86. The issue with manufacturers has always been to satisfy the populous so that it works on multi-platforms.
I hope this helps. I don't particularly like Windows 8 but it does have some excellent points like a search engine that can find just about anything, both on the Net or on your PC. but the choice is up to you.
The only failing of Vista is that it does not support Trim on SSD. If you are using 64 bit Vista there should be no issues of an upgrade because even though Windows 7 and 8 are 64 bit by nature they still use a 32 bit interface. You would expect new programs like Security and Office to install to Program Files but they install to Program Filesx86. The issue with manufacturers has always been to satisfy the populous so that it works on multi-platforms.
I hope this helps. I don't particularly like Windows 8 but it does have some excellent points like a search engine that can find just about anything, both on the Net or on your PC. but the choice is up to you.
Acronis is the best backup on the market because it can do both files and data, an image or even a sector by secor clone of the drive. For your purposes though Windows backup would be the simple solution and do a simple system restore if nothing pans out correctly. First download Windows Upgrade Advisor, it will tell you what you have to backup that will be affected during the install. Ususally it is just files and settings. Back these up and install over the top of your current W7.
For fufture reference if I were in your position I would purchase the Acronis Backup for future use because it even transforms its own backup into windows backup format so you can do a quick system restore from previos backups done in Acronis format. Now it even backs up Email etc selectively. I know purchasing from the Windows store you may have cloud space but you cannot beat having backup's on hand to get you up and running without having to change your preferences around again.
The good thing about Windows 8 is that you can choose to bypass the logon process and once 8.1 arrived you can go directly to the Desktop. Download "Classicstart8" and you will have a familiar windows 7 desktop. Hope that helps.
For fufture reference if I were in your position I would purchase the Acronis Backup for future use because it even transforms its own backup into windows backup format so you can do a quick system restore from previos backups done in Acronis format. Now it even backs up Email etc selectively. I know purchasing from the Windows store you may have cloud space but you cannot beat having backup's on hand to get you up and running without having to change your preferences around again.
The good thing about Windows 8 is that you can choose to bypass the logon process and once 8.1 arrived you can go directly to the Desktop. Download "Classicstart8" and you will have a familiar windows 7 desktop. Hope that helps.
I run Windows Vista 32 bit on one drive, Windows 7 on another and Windows 8 on a small SSD. I liked the 8.1 preview seeing as you can run the OS directly to the Desktop rather than being bugged by the Metro. They have turned the Metro into a more integrated theme by allowing the User to resize and move tiles around and even use them as groups. You can resize the metro experience by resizing the Metro screen. But I downloaded WindowsClassic8 and run it and it looks almost the same as Windows 7.
I don't know if this will work with Windows 8.1 once all the bugs are ironed out but for the moment it is more desireable than Windows 7 because it can accept more than 16GB of Ram. Windows 7 is limited unless you purchase the Ultimate.
But for certain things I would say that Windows 8 is more desireable than Windows 7. I will still keep my Vista running and work with other uttilities I use across the two later Operating systems. Most people I know want a Desktop because they have to work there, and a desktop means not using certain tools. If i were to use Lightroom or Photoshop I like to use my monitor with a good colour profile. This means no touchscreen for me.
In 8.1 preview you may have some issues that may get solved before the release in October. One instance I can name is like Sisoft Sandra on a search for Apps shows several other nonexecutable files in the directory. Once these are ironed out you will find we have the windows we want in the end.
I don't know if this will work with Windows 8.1 once all the bugs are ironed out but for the moment it is more desireable than Windows 7 because it can accept more than 16GB of Ram. Windows 7 is limited unless you purchase the Ultimate.
But for certain things I would say that Windows 8 is more desireable than Windows 7. I will still keep my Vista running and work with other uttilities I use across the two later Operating systems. Most people I know want a Desktop because they have to work there, and a desktop means not using certain tools. If i were to use Lightroom or Photoshop I like to use my monitor with a good colour profile. This means no touchscreen for me.
In 8.1 preview you may have some issues that may get solved before the release in October. One instance I can name is like Sisoft Sandra on a search for Apps shows several other nonexecutable files in the directory. Once these are ironed out you will find we have the windows we want in the end.
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I would recommend buying an ssd and then install windows 7 on the ssd and keep your own installation as a sedondary drive. I always move to a new os with a different drive. But if you not already on ssd you should go ssd for os and keep a secondary drive. Then there is no rush in moving over your old data to your new installation. The task is then to find out how to move the old data over without any problems. Most software it just needs the respective folders in appdata to be moved over after installing the software. With firefox for example to move the profile you just rename the old firefox profile in appdata to the same name as the profile in the new system.