Terri from WV writes:
I have a desktop running Vista. My husband is reluctant to upgrade to Windows 7. I know support is gone, but is this wise? Can the new Windows be installed or do I have to install 7 before I install 8? A new computer is not an option.
Upgrading your desktop computer can be problematic, as some of the software or hardware may not be supported. The real question you should ask yourself before deciding to upgrade is: Do I need it?
When it was first released, Windows Vista was a disaster, with limited driver support, a buggy interface and more crashes than an interstate highway, but the series of patches and improvements Microsoft has made resulted in Vista being as stable as Windows 7. In other words – Vista might do you fine for now – at least until you’re ready for a new computer.
Now, if you do want to upgrade to Windows 7 it is recommended to download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Adviser from Microsoft to verify that all of your hardware and software will work with Windows 7. It can be found here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor
If you’re considering the leap right to Windows 8, I’d caution against it. 8 is a dramatic departure in design from previous versions, and the true benefits of will only be seen on newer computers with touch screens or Direct X 10 compatible video cards.
If you do decide to upgrade to Windows 8, there is an upgrade adviser built into the installation disk to tell you if the system will support it. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to buy a copy of Windows 8 to find out, but it is better then installing it to find out it doesn’t work.
~Tim
Tags: vista to 7, vista to 8, vista to windows 8, vista upgrade
This was one of the better reports that has been made. I learned a lot from this story and I hope Tirm keeps it up. Great job, great story.
very good info, I was running Window Vista and up graded to Windows 7, I have no problems, really don’t see m too much difference overall
I have Win 7 on one machine, XP on my wife’s machine, and a friend just gave me a laptop with Vista…and he can’t remember the password for it. I don’t know what I need now; I’ve struggled with Win 7 ever since I got it and haven’t found most of the stuff I saved because I can’t figure out how to use the Search globally.
Your suggestions sound on target…but I’m sitting tight until the guy who built our last three machines has looked over all the options.