Upgrading to Windows 7 – Is it a good idea?

Have you been looking at some of the newer offerings of the big box brands with Windows 7?  Are you wondering if you’ll have to replace your computer to get Windows 7?

You may be happy to know that most of you can run Windows 7 just fine on your existing PC, perhaps with just some minor upgrades to your hardware, for a lot less than the cost of a new PC.

Below we’ll address the most common questions we’re asked about moving to the newest Windows.

Is my Computer too old to upgrade?

If your PC is around 3 years old, there should be no problem upgrading to Windows 7. If your computer is older than 3 years, some minor upgrades like additional memory might be needed.  If your PC is over the 3 year mark, this might also be a good time to replace your hard drive if it has lots of hours of use or is too small for your needs.  Why risk a hard drive crash after all this work?

Will my Computer run slower with Windows 7?

We have installed it on six year old computers, high-end gaming computers, and everything in between.  Windows 7 ran just as fast or faster in each and every case.  The older machines just needed a simple memory upgrade (only about $40 or so).

Will I lose my data?

If your computer is healthy, no data loss will occur.  If you are running Vista and you machine is running well, you can do what’s called an “in-place” upgrade (pop the new disk in and select “upgrade”).  The process will transfer everything over to the new Windows, and you will not even have to reinstall your programs.

If you have Windows XP however, you will need to back up your data, then do a “clean install”, which means you’ll need to reformat (i.e. wipe) your drive and install Windows 7 from scratch.  Given the age of XP machines, it’s a good idea to get a new hard drive anyway, so the process is not a waste of time.

Is Windows 7 hard to use?

Heck no!  Many people are concerned that learning Windows 7 is going to be too hard.  We have done this process for customers of various ages and professions and all agreed that Windows 7 was easy to learn and better than any previous version they have ever used.  They just loved the smooth, solid performance, and the great new features.

Will my peripheral equipment (printer, scanner, camera) work with Windows 7?

If your PC is less than 4 years old and your equipment is the same age or newer than your PC, there should be no problems.  If in doubt, you can check to see if the manufacturer offers Windows 7 support by looking up the hardware on their website.  Windows 7 has an incredible ability to support just about any type of peripheral equipment you can throw at it, if it’s no older than about 4 years old.

Will my existing programs work?

Most will work just fine if they’re less than 4 years old.  Some older programs will work too.  We’ve run Microsoft Office 2003 just fine.  One exception we know of is Quick Books.  You’ll need version 2007 or newer.  Certain other business programs may also have issues, but home users should be just fine.

How much does it cost to upgrade to Windows 7

The cost of the software when purchased from a local computer repair shop like us varies from $120 to $150, but it’s on the condition that you have to have them do the upgrade for you.  Big box stores charge much more (up to $200) for the “retail” version.  Labor costs for having a local shop do it for you vary, but start at around $120, depending on if you need them to back up and restore your data for you.  Again, big box stores will charge much more.

If you want or need any hardware upgrades, the cost is pretty minor, usually about $100 for both memory and a hard drive.  The total cost is still lower than the purchase of a new system.  Again, this varies according to what you have now.  Most PC’s less than 4 years old will be worth upgrading, except perhaps for low-end budget machines.

Windows 7 is the Savior for Vista Users!

A new problem with Vista (as if there weren’t enough already) is that Microsoft has seemingly abandoned making it better with any major patches or upgrades, in a sense admitting it’s a lost cause.  It has become sort of a “lost stepchild” by all accounts.

We have received a huge number of requests from our customers to get the upgrade.  Without exception, all who upgraded to Windows 7 have loved making the decision.  Not only did their machines run much faster, it made them more stable (e.g. less crashes) and smooth performing.

Final Note to XP Users – The End is Near:

Microsoft’s new web browser, Internet Explorer 9, is not available for XP systems!

This is just the beginning of what XP users will be seeing from now on.  New technologies have moved beyond what XP can support.  New devices and peripherals will not be compatible with XP and manufacturers will be dropping support for it altogether.

The end of life for XP is set for 2012 by Microsoft. I guess the Mayans were right about something!

So if your XP machine is still a solid performer and you want to keep it a while, make the move soon.

If you would like to find out more about making the move to Windows 7, let us know and we can discuss the process.  You can also find out more on our website.  You can also visit us on Facebook.