XP or 7

ste_bla · 2 Sep 2010 at 01:23

Mrs is looking to get a new PC, only OS she has liked (has had vista, 98, XP and 2000) is XP. However as getting a bit old now is windows 7 as easy to use?

Also with the 64 bit software version does it a/effect any software you can use on it ie games/anti virus etc?

Cheers steve

Orcvader · 2 Sep 2010 at 01:37

I find Windows 7 more comfortable to use, and setting things up such as networking a lot easier. Only difference would be drivers, you will need to find the 64bit of them. If you still have a copy of XP maybe order 7 and give it a go? If she doesn't like it, replace it with XP and keep the 7 copy as a spare for later use.

Amnesia · 2 Sep 2010 at 01:42

you could always set up a dual boot for her so if she does run into any issues with win7 she can boot into win xp. over all win7 is more stable, more secure and looks prettier too.

this is coming from an xp user so im not biased towards win7.

asim18 · 2 Sep 2010 at 02:46

Do everything in your power to get her to like Windows 7!

Orcvader said:
Only difference would be drivers, you will need to find the 64bit of them.

These days drivers aren't an issue. He said she wants a "new"pc, so it most definitely will have easily obtainable drivers.

Unless she uses some very old specialist hardware, there won't be a problem at all.

I've helped install windows 7 on several modern PCs and the only extra driver that I installed was for the graphics card; which wasn't even necessary but highly advisable.

Rroff · 2 Sep 2010 at 02:55

Might want to check the status of older peripherals and win 7 - when we upgraded my dad from XP we found his printer/scanner combo didn't have win 7 drivers (and never will) and his audio production software (and midi interface stuff) wasn't compatible either - but he bought a newer version of that.

Hagar · 2 Sep 2010 at 08:07

Rroff said:
Might want to check the status of older peripherals and win 7 - when we upgraded my dad from XP we found his printer/scanner combo didn't have win 7 drivers (and never will) and his audio production software (and midi interface stuff) wasn't compatible either - but he bought a newer version of that.

Any thing that uses legacy ports may be suspect for lack of driver / software support, parallel. serial etc.
However win7 is a very good upgrade path from XP, easy to adopt and use, with the professional and ultimate versions, you can use XP mode for the few bits of software that don't like windows 7 (visual studio .NET 2003 for example). 90% of software that runs in windows XP (32 bit) will run in win7 64 bit comfortably.

andy.