Could i Install Windows 7?

[Sonic Destiny]

I have a question about Windows 7. If I installed it on my computer would it be better than XP, My current build? Or would it be slow as hell?

Here are my computer specs:
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP home edition (5.1 build, 2600)
System manufacturer: Dell
System Model: Dimension 3000
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS Plus Version 1.10 A01
Processor: Intel (R) Pentium (R) 4 CPU 2.80 GHz
Memory: 510 MB Ram

So what do you think?

 

[Callum]

Don't even try to run a newer version of Windows with 512MB RAM or less. 1GB or more is needed to get it running with any sort of speed at all.

 

[Tets]

That may be true to a certain extent, but we'd be better off if we dispensed with the idea that more RAM means more speed. Realistically, it's more like less RAM means more swapfile use. That said, I wouldn't recommend running Windows 7 on that machine any more than Callum would. You really should just stay with XP. If that's working for you, there's no reason to screw with it.

As for whether it would be better, that's entirely subjective. We can't tell you that.

 

[Sonic Destiny]

Alright, thanks so much.

 

[Eidolon]

You want at -least- a gigabyte of memory for either Vista or 7, otherwise the SuperCache or whatever will simply kill your performance.

If you have that, and a multi-core processor, upgrade to either of them or you will suffer because XP doesn't handle multiple cores efficiently like Vista and 7 do.

 

[Cue]

Um...

I installed Windows 7 on a tablet PC with an 800mhz PM chip and 512mb DDR333 and it ran pretty well. I even tried playing SRB2 on it, which was kinda interesting trying to use a pen to aim.

Don't underestimate the optimization of Windows 7.

If you have a second hard drive, install it on there I say, then you can find out for yourself.

 

[srb21103]

Just for everyone to know, DONT INSTALL WINDOWS 7 ON A BIOSTAR P4TSE!!!
I tried it, and believe me, it's more trouble than it's woth. Even with 1GB DDR400, 2x40gb HDDs and ATI Radeon 9250 256mb.

 

[akirahedgehog]

Run the Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. It'll tell you everything you need to know.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

 

[Autosaver]

Your system will pass most tests. The problem is, the ram. It need 1+ GB

 

[Fawfulfan]

I've actually heard a review of Windows 7. Basically, it's just a much stabler and less buggy version of Vista, but it's still not as smooth and user-friendly as Windows XP. The way I've heard it, you should upgrade if you have Vista, but it's not worth it if you have XP.

 

[Mach]

You should probablly get more RAM, a 2GB kit should be <$100. I don`t know what video card you have, but if it`s as old as the rest of the system, you`d want a new one for Aero.
Otherwise, I`m running 7(RC) on a:
Dell 8400
Pentium 4 630 3GHZ with HT
Dell bios revision A09
MSI 9600GT
2.25 GB usable RAM
160GB Raid 1(2 HDDs)

 

[Sonic Destiny]

You should probablly get more RAM, a 2GB kit should be <$100. I don`t know what video card you have, but if it`s as old as the rest of the system, you`d want a new one for Aero.
Otherwise, I`m running 7(RC) on a:
Dell 8400
Pentium 4 630 3GHZ with HT
Dell bios revision A09
MSI 9600GT
2.25 GB usable RAM
160GB Raid 1(2 HDDs)

Whats so funny, i looked up how much it would be for a 2 GB ram (2 1 gb cards) and it would be exactly 100 dollars xD

 

[Autosaver]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227465

60 bucks for 4 GB.....

 

[Blitzzo]

If you're going to buy more RAM for an existing system, it is highly recommended that you look at your motherboard's specs to see what kind of RAM it's willing to take (and how much it can use). CPU-Z is a utility that you can use to help determine what sort of RAM is already in your system, though it may not be 100% accurate (it worked for me). Basically, Autosaver linked to DDR2 memory. If your mobo is meant to use DDR instead, it's not going to work (especially since the number of pins is different). You should also be sure that you're getting the right speed RAM, though as far as I'm aware, if the mobo doesn't support the speed, it just slows the RAM down.

Oh, and if your existing RAM isn't going to be a bottleneck, you should look for the lowest latency RAM. Trust me, it can seriously improve performance. Note that latency and speed are two completely different things.

 

[Mach]

You also might want to update your bios. your running A01 and they have A03 out.(This might help with supporting more memory, and other stuff)
Here's the link to the Download:
http://support.dell.com/support/dow...-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=151932
And also, make sure there isn't a power hit while you flash the bios, that can trash your computer PERMANENTLY!
Oh and if you do add a video card, that memory on it eats into your address space on 32-bit windows, which can only support 4GB total, so figure out a combo that maximises that if your going to do it.

 

[LoganA]

http://pcweenies.com/2009/08/30/tempting-fate/

Here’s my tip for installing any new operating system.

Step 1: make a bootable back-up.

Step 2: test the bootable back-up.

Step 3. Disconnect the bootable back-up from your system.

Step 4: install new OS.

It’s 2009, and there are still MANY people out there who complain about what a new operating system did to their machine when they didn’t take any preventative measures beforehand.

If you don’t back-up your data before installing a new OS, you’re taking a very big risk. Can you afford to do that?

End of rant.

-Krishna

applies for all OSes

 

[RCC2k9]

That may be true to a certain extent, but we'd be better off if we dispensed with the idea that more RAM means more speed. Realistically, it's more like less RAM means more swapfile use.

As far as Windows is concerned, more RAM = more speed. At work I have a Vista Business PC with 2G of RAM. One of the DIMM's became faulty and because we needed the machine for work, we didn't wait until the warranty replacement DIMM came in. I just opened the machine and took out the faulty DIMM, using it with only 1GB of RAM until the new DIMM arrived. The downgrade in speed was so huge that even a blind person could see it, literally, as a blind co-worker running a screen reader noticed the decrease in speed. When the warranty replacement DIMM arrived and I installed it, the PC came back to life.

This reminded me of when I have a similar situation with a Windows XP computer from back in the days where XP had no service packs. The machine ran OK with 128 MB of RAM but when a DIMM died, I had to run the system with only 64 MB of RAM while I could get a new DIMM. The system that ran OK with 128 MB of RAM was totally unbearable with 64 MB - the minimum required to run XP pre-service packs.

So while more memory will result in a larger Hiberfil.sys (hibernation) file, more RAM also means more speed.

 

[Sonic Destiny]

You also might want to update your bios. your running A01 and they have A03 out.(This might help with supporting more memory, and other stuff)
Here's the link to the Download:
http://support.dell.com/support/dow...-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=151932
And also, make sure there isn't a power hit while you flash the bios, that can trash your computer PERMANENTLY!
Oh and if you do add a video card, that memory on it eats into your address space on 32-bit windows, which can only support 4GB total, so figure out a combo that maximises that if your going to do it.

Yeah i actually ended up doing that after reading this magazine, i updated a lot of things, its faster now. I just need a bit more ram though still.

 

[Blitzzo]

So while more memory will result in a larger Hiberfil.sys (hibernation) file, more RAM also means more speed.

Hasty generalization. Only if the increase in RAM means you are using the swapfile less. As Tets said, adding RAM will only increase the amount of applications you can run at once before running out of physical space and forcing the operating system to shove some of it onto the hard drive.

Of course, there's also the deal with RAM pairing. Dual Data Rate can only function when you put two like sticks of RAM together. Take one of them out and memory access becomes slower. However, please, please don't jump to a conclusion and assume that sticking another RAM pair in there will provide a speed boost. You are not adding or removing a bottleneck by doing so.