Luddite seeks advice

All your computer hardware and software questions in here please.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
kellys_eye
Senior Member
Posts: 12309
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:49 pm
Location: Oban
Has thanked: 357 times
Been thanked: 1790 times

Luddite seeks advice

Post by kellys_eye »

Got me a laptop (2nd hand) that came with Windows Vista (Home) as the OS. It's an Acer Aspire 5735Z, 3Gb RAM, 250Gb HDD.

My old Dell lappy has Windows XP which I'm familiar with and loathed to give up the XP experience but I DON'T like the Vista OS on the new lappy and want to change it.

Do I go BACKWARDS from the installed Vista to WinXP (but the 64-bit version) or go forwards to Windows 7? Not entirely sure the lappy supports Windows7 (driver issue????)

Heelllppp :lol:
Don't take it personally......
Top
moderator6
UHM Super Moderator
Posts: 2845
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:43 pm
Has thanked: 141 times
Been thanked: 362 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by moderator6 »

Windows 8 :wink:
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work
Top
User avatar
BillyGoat
Troll Headbutter
Posts: 8071
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:20 pm
Location: On top of a mountain, in the long grass.
Has thanked: 386 times
Been thanked: 796 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by BillyGoat »

Basic rule of thumb is that is if it supports Vista/has Vista or is Vista Ready, then it'll run Windows 7 better.

I guess the question is - are you paying for it?

If yes, Windows 8 pro is 25 clams from the Microsoft store as a download. I know lots of people aren't keene, but I've got it on my desktop as a daily driver.....think it's great.

Windows 7 will set you back many clams, so I guess you want Home Premium, unless you get a student one or whatever.....

I see nothing that would stop 7 or 8 on the machine. :thumbright:

BG


Edit: can't find DVD for same price, was an offer..... 25 for download, burn it yourself!
Last edited by BillyGoat on Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
These users thanked the author BillyGoat for the post:
kellys_eye
Rating: 7.14%
Arguing with a woman is like reading a Software Licence Agreement.
In the end, you ignore everything and click "I agree".
Top
User avatar
BillyGoat
Troll Headbutter
Posts: 8071
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:20 pm
Location: On top of a mountain, in the long grass.
Has thanked: 386 times
Been thanked: 796 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by BillyGoat »

To add, each OS has DOWNGRADE rights which the end user can excersize if you like.....as long as you got media, you can get an official key, but give up rights to Vista.

I wouldn't though....XP is 11 years old, let it die....let it die.....

BG
Arguing with a woman is like reading a Software Licence Agreement.
In the end, you ignore everything and click "I agree".
Top
User avatar
kellys_eye
Senior Member
Posts: 12309
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:49 pm
Location: Oban
Has thanked: 357 times
Been thanked: 1790 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by kellys_eye »

I was under the impression Windows 8 was for tablets???? The £25 figure is very tempting indeed although I think I have a copy of Windows 7 lying around (when I say 'lying' I mean when people ask me if it's legit I "lie" :lol: ) - convince me some more about Windows 8 if you can.....
Don't take it personally......
Top
User avatar
BillyGoat
Troll Headbutter
Posts: 8071
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:20 pm
Location: On top of a mountain, in the long grass.
Has thanked: 386 times
Been thanked: 796 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by BillyGoat »

If it's retail Windows 7, you can transfer it from machine to machine - provided you erase it from the old one and retail the media/COA. It's all legalities though, I'm sure I'll get told it's stupid by someone - just stating fact.

Win 8 is very functional on a tablet - Metro, the UI part of it is designed with touch, but also has all the 'hotspots' for mouse operation. It's where the magic happens. There is a desktop mode still, but it's not go the start bar/ribbon to click on. You can 'pin' you fav apps, computer, etc to the desktop (it's a shortcut really).

For me, the seller is the search stuff - it's all context sensitive. So if you are on the desktop and search for 'fish' it'll show all docuemtns that are fish related, apps and system stuff - you can filter by type. If you are in an app, like Word, then it knows this and shows you stuff that's relevant to the app in the search (might be 40 things fish related, but only 4 word.

It's fast too.

I like the some of the Pro features they have brought back from Ultimate, but I guess most of that won't both you.....

Put it this way, what's 25 clams compared to a Windows OS of old?

BG
Arguing with a woman is like reading a Software Licence Agreement.
In the end, you ignore everything and click "I agree".
Top
moderator6
UHM Super Moderator
Posts: 2845
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:43 pm
Has thanked: 141 times
Been thanked: 362 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by moderator6 »

I think you might not have dumbed it down quite enough BG. Speak slower :lol:

So can he use windows 8 on his lappy and can he get it for £25? :wink:
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work
Top
User avatar
BillyGoat
Troll Headbutter
Posts: 8071
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:20 pm
Location: On top of a mountain, in the long grass.
Has thanked: 386 times
Been thanked: 796 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by BillyGoat »

moderator6 wrote:I think you might not have dumbed it down quite enough BG. Speak slower :lol:

So can he use windows 8 on his lappy and can he get it for £25? :wink:
:thumbright: Spot on!
These users thanked the author BillyGoat for the post:
moderator6
Rating: 7.14%
Arguing with a woman is like reading a Software Licence Agreement.
In the end, you ignore everything and click "I agree".
Top
User avatar
kellys_eye
Senior Member
Posts: 12309
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:49 pm
Location: Oban
Has thanked: 357 times
Been thanked: 1790 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by kellys_eye »

How do XP64 and Win7 compare then? I'm having difficulty finding the drivers for Win7 (never mind Win8) for the Acer.......
Don't take it personally......
Top
User avatar
BillyGoat
Troll Headbutter
Posts: 8071
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:20 pm
Location: On top of a mountain, in the long grass.
Has thanked: 386 times
Been thanked: 796 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by BillyGoat »

They don't. Comparing 64bit XP is like comparing a lump of coal with a cream cake.

If you think you have problems finding Windows 7 drivers, good like with X64 XP!!!

I'd hazard a guess that 90% of that laptop drivers will work out the box with Win7/8. Run Windows update and it'll get the rest. From what I saw, it's nothing specialised that will cause problems.

BG
Arguing with a woman is like reading a Software Licence Agreement.
In the end, you ignore everything and click "I agree".
Top
User avatar
Megaross
Senior Member
Posts: 1766
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:59 pm
Location: Swindon
Has thanked: 28 times
Been thanked: 110 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by Megaross »

Go for windows 7 I would. Can't stand windows 8 myself.
If you know any students you can get it fairly cheap as well.
Top
User avatar
kellys_eye
Senior Member
Posts: 12309
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:49 pm
Location: Oban
Has thanked: 357 times
Been thanked: 1790 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by kellys_eye »

Windows 7 it is :thumbright:
Don't take it personally......
Top
tombarry
Senior Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:26 pm
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by tombarry »

Hi I bought a laptop off ebay that had windows 8 on it -Nar did'nt like it apart from being quicker at boot up-
so installed win 7 (ebay) but I could of saved money as I've

just tried "Zorin" a very window 7 like linux distro and is Free to d/L and burn a copy

http://zorin-os.com/

I did'nt have to do anything apart from boot from cd -which was very quick - got on internet fiddled about as you do -forgot I was using linux :thumbleft:
Top
User avatar
kellys_eye
Senior Member
Posts: 12309
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:49 pm
Location: Oban
Has thanked: 357 times
Been thanked: 1790 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by kellys_eye »

Windows 7 now installed and all seems ok - so far......

I downloaded the zorin OS and will run it to see how it feels but there are some bits of software I use that won't work in Linux and might struggle under an emulator..... we'll see.
Don't take it personally......
Top
tombarry
Senior Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:26 pm
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: Luddite seeks advice

Post by tombarry »

Hi like most you just wanna get going and do what yer wanna do Windows or what ever- Zorin requires some fiddling with Wine :cheers:
to get windows stuff running -which I've not done as I'm too busy playing Crysis2 :oops:
but well worth a look or keep handy if all else fails :-)
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Computers”