Windows 7 on older hardware: A Catch 22 for Microsoft
section: windows, for your questions: KezNews forum, 14.1.2009
Tip: Click here to update all your PC's outdated driversThere are a few bloggers wondering aloud about how well Windows 7 ultimately is going to run on older hardware. That’s an interesting question, given Microsoft’s symbiotic relationship with its hardware partners who constantly are in search of new ways to convince users to buy pricier PCs.
From early accounts by those using Windows 7 pre-beta and beta releases, Windows 7 is running pretty nicely on older machines with less powerful processors and less-than-optimal memory. In fact, as has been noted over the past few months, Windows 7 runs well on netbooks that haven’t been able to accommodate Vista. (Microsoft has trimmed the size and memory footprint of Windows 7 while still building it on top of the Vista kernel.)
All that said, I’d bet Microsoft and its PC partners aren’t very keen on seeing users run Windows 7 on older machines. They want to encourage them to buy new — and preferably more expensive — PCs. (That’s a big part of the reason Microsoft and its OEMs are pushing multitouch as a new, hot feature for forthcoming Windows 7 PCs.) Even if Microsoft could support the older XDDM drivers on Windows 7, I doubt that it will do so, as that would send mixed messages about both its intention to move users to the new WDDM driver model, as well as its desire to get users to buy more new PCs.
It will be interesting to see whether Microsoft offers users the option to upgrade directly from XP to Windows 7 — or whether it will only offer upgrades from Vista to Windows 7 — once Windows 7 is released in final form. The question becomes even more pressing given that Windows XP will likely be a bigger competitor to Windows 7 than any other operating system out there (just like IE 6 is one of IE 7/IE 8’s most formidable rivals, from a market share perspective).
If Windows 7 runs as well or better on your older PCs, will you consider installing it on your existing PCs rather than buying brand-new Windows 7 machines?
source:
blogs.zdnet.com
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Comments(8)
my pc spec:
pentium 4 2.8ghz
2 gb ddr1
512 mb agp8x video card
i previously used windows xp and now after testing the os, i've already decided to use
windows 7 as my default operating system since the new os works great with my spec and i
don't have any plans of buying a new pc.
i'm testing 7000 on 3 different machines.
older:
athlon xp 2600+
(1.9ghz)
512mb (2x256 ddr1 - corsair xms)
80gb hdd
asus a7v600 mobo
ati radeon x1600 pro 128mb
verdict: 100% functional
new:
core2duo
e8400 (3ghz)
2gb (2x1gb - corsair xms3 - ddr3)
2x250gb hdd (non raid - yet)
asus p5k3 deluxe wifi (a/b/g/n)
xfx geforce 9600 gt xxx 512mb
verdict: 90%
functional (problems with nokia pc suite and bsplayer and comodo firewall)
notebook: hp tx1000nr (yes, tx1000, 1st batch).
verdict: 100% functional
not working to install on an nforce mcp 430 + 6150 - video drivers issue possible...
my pc specs:
amd 2500+ (1.83ghz)
1gb ddr ram
nvidia fx5500 256mb agp
video card
2 monitors, 22" and 15"
windows 7 found all my hardware
immediately, even the video card. the only problem i have is my video card doesnt support
1680x1050, you had to add it as a custom resolution, and nvidias driver doesnt have a
control panel to do that in yet. everything else runs fine, even if aero is a bit laggy
at times.
download and install the proper drivers off nvidia's website.
me:
p4 3.8ghz ht
4gb ram
geforce 6800 256
running vista now
with aero on and have had no issues. installed windows 7 and the aero interface is more
integrated than an "attached" feeling like in vista. have powerdvd installed already and
works great. even the improved media center loads and runs movies better than the vista
version, and it recognizes blu-ray too. with this kind of performance from windows 7(on
my machine), i will be riding my rig for a few more years.
hey sleepwalker we have exactly the same pc specs..lol windows 7 runs like a champ!!!
lol, alienware, by chance? i was surprised the 'w7' driver for the 6800 was great out
of the box, but i have external monitor as well and an older driver actually works better
for the hd/external monitor. nvidia has not been great support for these cards concerning
vista.
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My PC is an example
By Spider on 15.01.2009 - 02:01