Questions and answers about Windows 7
Here are answers to some basic questions about Windows 7. Feel free to e-mail me others.
Here are answers to some basic questions about Windows 7. Feel free to e-mail me others.
When will Windows 7 be available?
The new operating system will be available Oct. 22. There’s also a very good chance you’ll see it running on lots of new PCs and laptops in time for the holiday buying season.
What will it cost?
Windows 7 Professional, the version most advisers will want for business use, costs $299.99 for the full version. For those upgrading from Microsoft Vista, the cost is $199.99.
Volume discounts are available and some retailers and equipment manufacturers are offering upgrade discounts for those willing to buy PCs running Windows Vista prior to the new operating system’s release. These discounts are likely to get better as the October release date approaches.
Will it run on my existing hardware?
That depends. If you are already running Microsoft Vista without problems, chances are your hardware can support an upgrade to Windows 7.
“An unstable Vista machine when upgraded may likely turn into an unstable Windows 7 machine,” said Gartner’s Michael Silver. “Certainly a newer machine is going to be a better bet than something bought four years ago.”
What is Microsoft’s advice to those with an older operating system?
“If you’re running Windows XP, or any other operating system [except for Vista], we recommend that you experience Windows 7 on a new PC.”
That advice came from Microsoft’s Upgrade Advisor website. Once there, you can download and run a program on your PC to see if it will run Windows 7. The program was listed as being in beta at press time.
When I tried the diagnostic, I discovered my HP Compaq dc5100 desktop PC to be woefully inadequate on several fronts. My machine, which is currently running Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 3, has too little RAM and a graphics card that is inadequate to run the fancy new Windows 7 Aero interface — among other things.
A list of the necessary hardware basics:
Processor: Windows 7 Professional requires a 1GHz or faster processor to run the 32-bit x86 version or 64-bit (x64) processor
Memory: You’ll need 1GB RAM to run the 32-bit version of Windows 7 Professional and 2GB RAM for the 64-bit version. (Note: if you want to run Windows 7 Professional in Windows XP Mode, you need an additional 1GB of RAM, an additional 15GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization, with Intel-VT or AMD-V turned on.)
Hard disk: You’ll need 16GB of available disk space for the 32-bit version and 20 GB for the 64-bit version. (Note: Windows XP mode will require an additional 15GB of hard disk space.)
Video card: You’ll need a DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or later driver.
Will it be compatible with the applications and software I already own?
Since it is built on the same core code base as Windows Vista, Windows 7 is theoretically compatible with most applications that run on Windows Vista. Many of the software vendors serving the adviser industry went to the expense and trouble of insuring compatibility of their programs with the Vista operating system despite its limited adoption. Such efforts will finally pay off by allowing them to move to Windows 7 more easily.
But what about all the programs and applications now running on Windows XP?
Microsoft says that with some additional software it will provide free, many of the business programs designed for Windows XP should be able to run on Windows 7.
Don’t get too excited though. The free software — XP Mode — allows XP applications to run virtually.
Gartner’s Michael Silver explained what that means:
“You are adding a lot of additional software to your machine and there is significant hardware overhead associated with that, not to mention putting twice as much Windows code onto your machine. You’d also need security and antivirus software for both operating systems running on it.”
That all adds up to a lot of trouble. XP Mode, by the way, has received mixed reviews from technology reviewers. What’s more, using the application requires you to re-install and set up all the XP applications you still want to run.
I still use Windows XP, can I upgrade to Windows 7?
No. There is no direct upgrade path from any version of Windows XP to Windows 7.
Only those currently running Vista (and it must be Service Pack 1 or 2) will be able to upgrade in a way that maintains your programs and documents.
Again, those contemplating a jump from XP to Windows 7 are advised that only PCs of very recent vintage are good candidates for such a transition. Also keep in mind that you will be choosing “Custom” during the Windows 7 installation process and doing a “clean” install, which means your old programs will have to be re-installed along with your settings.
How long will Windows XP be around anyway?
Microsoft, according to its own lifecycle documentation, plans to retire Windows XP in April 2014. That means no more security updates or patches after that date.
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