Windows 7

[Cyrano]

The troops laptop was giving us lots of problems with the battery not seeming to hold charge and the mains charger showing intermitent faults connecting.
Happily we were able to exchane the machine for a brand new Compaq laptop.
It came with Visita but it is eligible for HP's upgrade progarmme to Windows 7.

Would you upgrade? The main PC works with Vista so I wonder if there will be any conflicts ?

 

[Goofyish]

I've always been a fan of: 'if it works, don't mess with it'

There are bound to be teething problems with Windows 7, especially compatibility with older hardware and software (as there was with XP and Vista) so if you are comfortable with XP/Vista and all your current software/hardware works fine then I wouldn't bother upgrading

 

[alan]

I am something of a techy, but I would have no hesitation in going to Windows 7.

I've been using it since the first Beta; I have the release candidate on my laptop and some day will get around to upgrading it to the "real thing"

Windows 7 is based on Windows Vista, so all existing drivers should pretty much work. But even so, before upgrading I would go to the HP web site and download the Windows 7 drivers for your laptop.

The benefits of Windows 7 include a much slicker user interface and significantly faster boot-up and operation.

The only things that have been stopping me from upgrading my main PC have been that my online backup service (Carbonite) has only just become available for Windows 7, an my being very busy.

The online backup is now available. If someone could invent an extra 20 hours or so per day, the latter would be solved too

regards,
/alan

 

[ukstitch]

I've been using Windows 7 for about a month now (I had access to the final version in advance through my university). I've had no problems that i can think of and it runs really well on a computer that traditionally I wouldn't have dreamed of using Vista on.

As you're entitled to the free upgrade anyway, I would personally take it. I find it quite hard to put my finger on exactly why I prefer Windows 7, but it just seems nicer to me

 

[PoppyAnna]

I am something of a techy, but I would have no hesitation in going to Windows 7.

I've been using it since the first Beta; I have the release candidate on my laptop and some day will get around to upgrading it to the "real thing"

Windows 7 is based on Windows Vista, so all existing drivers should pretty much work. But even so, before upgrading I would go to the HP web site and download the Windows 7 drivers for your laptop.

The benefits of Windows 7 include a much slicker user interface and significantly faster boot-up and operation.

The only things that have been stopping me from upgrading my main PC have been that my online backup service (Carbonite) has only just become available for Windows 7, an my being very busy.

The online backup is now available. If someone could invent an extra 20 hours or so per day, the latter would be solved too

regards,
/alan

Former (now housewife) techie here.

We upgraded our PC's (desk top and laptop) to windows 7 at the weekend and so far so good. DH is a serious techie and although we don't run a typical home IT solution (we don't save our data to our PC's) it's so much better for us so far. Vista never really "did it" for us - XP was a fantasic windows version and Vista was so "bloated" in comparision when it was released, 7 is much leaner which we like. It connects to our NAS' faster, runs all the codecs for our home videos and downloaded movies Browsing windows are easily to use and my four year old managed to open her Nick jnr and Cbeebies windows with no problems after she noticed "its different Mummy".
We had one issue with the sound driver on our Dell XPS laptop but I sorted that in no time with a download.

I don't worship the world of Microsoft but I say if your machine is suitable then go for it. Any "issues" will be sorted with updates in no time. We feel you have to move with the times.

Good luck.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

A definite YES!
It blows Vista away, much quicker, less memory hungry (and gives back memory from programmes when closed!) less nagging, just overall what Vista should have been

Only downside is that it can only be put on one computer and is costly (compared to Apple OS upgrades)

 

[Cyrano]

Okay folks thanks for giving it the

 

[bazzanoid]

Enter the black cloud maker...........:

Some users have reported a never-ending restart sequence when upgrading from Vista to 7, which Microsoft have yet to fully resolve.

Before you do the upgrade MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BACKED UP EVERYTHING that is of any value and/or importance and is not easily replacable onto a memory stick, dvds etc.

Just to be safe

 

[Queenie]

Glad to hear the postive comments, we got a new supposedly superfast Dell laptop in Sept which has Vista and it's been a nightmare. It's got no programs or files on it except my Sims 2 and yet it takes almost 10 mins to boot up and fails to about 25% of the time - crashes out to the blue screen of death. I'm almost in a mind to send it back it's that awful. I don't know how much is the fault of Vista though as I've heard it's awfully bloated and heavy, especially on laptops. I ordered our free Windows 7 upgrade CD at the start of the week so I'm hoping that makes it better.

 

[bazzanoid]

It might be a software compatibility issue, vista can be a funny ol' beast.

Right click on the Sims2 program icon on your desktop/start menu, and go to Properties.
Click on the 'Compatibility' tab at the top, and check the 'Run as Administrator' box and 'Run As' drop down menu to the Windows XP Service Pack / SP 2 / 3 option.

I would recommend installing 7 anyway when you get it, but in the meantime it might solve your problem :

 

[hildasmuriel]

I'm asking this here, as I'm too lazy to phone PC World

We bought a netbook for my son to take to Uni and at the same time bought a new desktop for us. The salesguy told us we had a voucher included for a free upgrade when Windows 7 was released. I didn't think to ask at the time if that was intended for the PC or the netbook. Which one should we upgrade, do you think ? I'm presuming it's the netbook as that has XP on it rather than Vista, but I could be barking up the wrong tree.

We now have on Vista: my laptop, son's laptop, new desktop
On XP: son's netbook, dtr's desktop

Would you be upgrading any? All? I wish I wasn't so dumb about these things.

 

[hildasmuriel]

Anybody?

 

[bazzanoid]

Anybody?

It would be for the desktop. It's currently not possible to do an 'upgrade' installation of 7 over XP, so it would be pre-installed or not offered.

With vista it will do an upgrade installation, which basically means it rips windows vista out, puts windows 7 on and preserves all program installations and custom settings you may have made using the vista installation.

HTH :

 

[ukstitch]

Yep - definitely for the pc with vista on.

Microsoft had a promotion going on for a few months before they launched Windows 7 - basically you got a free upgrade to Windows 7 with any Windows Vista pc you bought.

It's work checking the license you get from your "free" copy of Windows 7 - it may tie you to the new desktop, or it may be a "normal" upgrade copy allowing you to upgrade any previous version of Windows.

If it's a "normal" upgrade copy of Windows 7 you get then there are "ways" to install it onto any one of those computers (including the XP netbooks) - it's not easy for anything apart from Vista, but it is possible.