aphid 0 #1 January 14, 2010 Okay. A serious question. Why on a skydiving forum? Probably because I inherently trust "most" of you. I'm not particularly OS smart, but not a complete blubbering push-here-dummy moron either. I've been an MS user since DOS 2.0. Prior to that was working with Basic. Currently running XP Pro and very happy with it on my PC editing stations as well as my laptop. Going to upgrade my laptop very soon. I've decided on the hardware. (Lenovo Thinkpad W700 fully dressed, not that it should matter for my question). Of course they want to shove W7 down my throat. I've been considering paying my geek to reformat the entire system prior to delivery, installing XP Pro and ghosting all my current software and drivers across. Thoughts from experienced geeks? While I appreciate the impressions of users & Mac drivers... I'm sorry, I'd like to stay on topic. Thanks John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr.Bill 0 #2 January 14, 2010 Make sure there are drivers for your new hardware before you format the drive. If it were me I would replace the new drive and then install all of old software. If things go south you still have the original drive to fall back on with win 7 and all the drivers. Just my $.02 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohanW 0 #3 January 14, 2010 If there are XP drivers for that machine, and things like sleep and hibernate work as well under XP as under W7, I don't see a reason why not. You could even take Microsoft to task and demand the license fee back. It's been done. Your Windows XP has been paid for already. But if it comes with Windows 7, you might as well try it with that first, see if it works for you. It might.Johan. I am. I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BikerBabe 0 #4 January 14, 2010 I was a die-hard XP user. refused to get vista for all its issues. I recently built a new PC, and decided to try 7. It has been working like a charm for me, with no issues. The learning curve is slight, and it seems to be an efficient OS that doesn't have all the vista issues. I say give 7 a shot, to be honest.Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #5 January 14, 2010 i just replaced my PC and got them to downgrade the OS to XP, all my work machines run it and i didnt see any need to have a different system..You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b1jercat 0 #6 January 14, 2010 +1 running 7on my laptop , no problems. In some way its better than xp. My games run better. YMMVblues j Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #7 January 14, 2010 Issue is that Microsoft is dropping support of XP on any issue prior to SP 3in June and have plans to phase out all support (and security hotfixes) for XP in 2011. Its now or then but you'll need to upgrade to Vista or 7 by the end of 2011.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #8 January 14, 2010 QuoteYou could even take Microsoft to task and demand the license fee back. It's been done. Your Windows XP has been paid for already. You paid for ONE license, for ONE computer... Once its installed and activated on that ONE computer, you are not allowed to install it on any more computers. Thats why you get the COA and stick it to that computer. I just got a new Dell Studio 1555, it came pre-loaded with windows 7. Before I got this, I still had my old Inspiron e1505 with XP Pro. I am slowly coming to terms with 7. Its actually pretty cool, once you do a few things to it, you can even make it look like XP, if that floats your boat. I just ordered the re-install DVD for 7, so I can upgrade my Hard drive and do a clean install of it. (they always want to give you like 4 damn partitions, and take up alot of free space!) Once I get this new drive and disk, Ill be figuring out how to dual boot 7 and some flavor of Linux."I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,123 #9 January 14, 2010 I have a Lenovo W700 running Windows 7, and am quite happy. It didn't come installed (came with Vista), and it was upgraded before I bought it. The one problem I've had is with the anti-virus; it came with AVG, and it's been eating all available cycles. Right now I'm researching the best answer for me. Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #10 January 14, 2010 QuoteI have a Lenovo W700 running Windows 7, and am quite happy. It didn't come installed (came with Vista), and it was upgraded before I bought it. The one problem I've had is with the anti-virus; it came with AVG, and it's been eating all available cycles. Right now I'm researching the best answer for me. Wendy P. Thats odd, I have AVG free, its taking ~4mb of memory, 0% cpu right now. Maybe a remove/reinstall will fix it?"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harmless 0 #11 January 14, 2010 If you bought a retail license, then it's much more exhaustive than that. What you described is an OEM license."Damn you Gravity, you win again" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #12 January 14, 2010 Quote Okay. A serious question. Why on a skydiving forum? Probably because I inherently trust "most" of you. I'm not particularly OS smart, but not a complete blubbering push-here-dummy moron either. I've been an MS user since DOS 2.0. Prior to that was working with Basic. Currently running XP Pro and very happy with it on my PC editing stations as well as my laptop. Going to upgrade my laptop very soon. I've decided on the hardware. (Lenovo Thinkpad W700 fully dressed, not that it should matter for my question). Of course they want to shove W7 down my throat. I've been considering paying my geek to reformat the entire system prior to delivery, installing XP Pro and ghosting all my current software and drivers across. Thoughts from experienced geeks? While I appreciate the impressions of users & Mac drivers... I'm sorry, I'd like to stay on topic. Thanks John I'm not an experienced "geek", but I was an XP "holdout" during the Vista carnage...and after reading and wondering about Win7, I really wasn't that concerned about it when I got my Fujitsu (running Win7 Pro). I bought my wife a Lenovo IdeaPad Y550 for Christmas, running Win7 Ultimate, and aside from Lenovo's bloatware (probably not an issue for the ThinkPad), there have been no problems with it either. Win7 may have quirks, but I've not seen them yet, and I don't think you'd regret the move. In my opinion, you're better off getting Win7 now, than trying to do a hard upgrade in a year or so (because I bet you don't want to touch Vista, right? ).So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,123 #13 January 14, 2010 QuoteMaybe a remove/reinstall will fix it?Did that, tried backleveling it to 8.5 also. No go. Wendy P.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #14 January 14, 2010 Quote Quote Maybe a remove/reinstall will fix it? Did that, tried backleveling it to 8.5 also. No go. Wendy P. From what I've "read" on the "internet" (so, take with a grain of salt for that part), plus my own experience a few months ago, when AVG upgraded to 8.5 and beyond, it pretty much sh*t the bed. Having said that, there have been a couple recent threads about effective, free, anti-virus software. I heard there's a MS anti-virus out there...MSE? I don't know if it's free or not. I'm using Kaspersky now, which isn't free, but isn't expensive either, and seems to operate with little interference. I'm sure it's not perfect...I guess time, and surfing will tell. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aphid 0 #15 January 14, 2010 Thanks everybody for the ideas and things to consider. W7 it is. John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,625 #16 January 14, 2010 Make sure they don't stick you with W7 Starter Edition, it's a POS. The Pro edition seems fine.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #17 January 14, 2010 Quote Quote Quote Maybe a remove/reinstall will fix it? Did that, tried backleveling it to 8.5 also. No go. Wendy P. From what I've "read" on the "internet" (so, take with a grain of salt for that part), plus my own experience a few months ago, when AVG upgraded to 8.5 and beyond, it pretty much sh*t the bed. Having said that, there have been a couple recent threads about effective, free, anti-virus software. I heard there's a MS anti-virus out there...MSE? I don't know if it's free or not. I'm using Kaspersky now, which isn't free, but isn't expensive either, and seems to operate with little interference. I'm sure it's not perfect...I guess time, and surfing will tell. First off, yes, you are a geek! Second, Microsoft Security Essentials seems to work... Ive noticed it caught viruses before my AVG would, but it also REALLY slows my computer down on boot... atleast on my XP Pro laptop."I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #18 January 14, 2010 Quote Quote Quote Maybe a remove/reinstall will fix it? Did that, tried backleveling it to 8.5 also. No go. Wendy P. From what I've "read" on the "internet" (so, take with a grain of salt for that part), plus my own experience a few months ago, when AVG upgraded to 8.5 and beyond, it pretty much sh*t the bed. Having said that, there have been a couple recent threads about effective, free, anti-virus software. I heard there's a MS anti-virus out there...MSE? I don't know if it's free or not. I'm using Kaspersky now, which isn't free, but isn't expensive either, and seems to operate with little interference. I'm sure it's not perfect...I guess time, and surfing will tell. I've been using MSE on Win 7 Pro for the last few months, no problems so far. It seems to use fewer resources than AVG/Avira, etc.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
klafollette 0 #19 January 15, 2010 Long time XP user here. In past, rolled a Vista laptop back to XP so understand the pain and reasoning. Have a new Dell D830 for work with Win 7 64-bit. Really liking it. Stable, Fast, Functional, and with 64-bit, can finally use the full 4-GB RAM that it has. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #20 January 15, 2010 MSE is decent, they really did some major improvements on it recently. If you want free AV and can remember to cancel a membership before the trial is over McAfee is offering 6 months free AV if you become their friend on FaceBook. They will ask for your credit Card info and if you don't remember to cancel it before the trial is over they will bill you for another 12 months service but its free in the mean time.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
