Which OS is best to get?

Matt35 · 19/09/14 - 05:20

At the moment I have vista 32bit. Is it worth upgrading and which is the best one to get, 7 or 8.1. It would be 64bit version I'd get.

Stig · 19/09/14 - 06:40

Matt35 wrote: »

At the moment I have vista 32bit. Is it worth upgrading and which is the best one to get, 7 or 8.1. It would be 64bit version I'd get.

Easy one first: if you have more than 3GB RAM you should go for 64-bit, assuming your CPU and other hardware supports it.

The choice for Windows is more controversial. I'd go for 8.1, and if after trying the UI for a while you really can't cope, get a third party utility such as Classic She'll to make it more like 7.

mac2708 · 19/09/14 - 08:01

If you're going from Vista to Windows 8/8.1 it's worth using the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant from here to avoid any problems
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/upgrade-from-windows-vista-xp-tutorial

AyrshireDJ · 19/09/14 - 08:09

Matt35 wrote: »

At the moment I have vista 32bit. Is it worth upgrading and which is the best one to get, 7 or 8.1. It would be 64bit version I'd get.

Im assuming that you are also upgrading the hardware then as well. If you have a PC on 32 bit and running Vista, then just wiping it and putting 64 bit Windows on it isnt going to really make much difference, as the OS requires 64 bit hardware to work properly.

Maxatoria · 19/09/14 - 08:51

we need to see some spec's as its impossible to say otherwise as 4gb or more ram would be 64 bit

Mr Dos · 19/09/14 - 14:15

AyrshireDJ wrote: »

If you have a PC on 32 bit and running Vista, then just wiping it and putting 64 bit Windows on it isnt going to really make much difference, as the OS requires 64 bit hardware to work properly.

I think you mean work at all.

IMHO a lot of old so-called Vista machines were actually re-badged XP machines that could just about cope with Vista, as long as you didn't attempt anything too demanding. I'd say the OP should leave the Vista box as-is. It's supported up to April 2017.

As for the people who get Windows 8.1 and use 3rd party apps to make it look like 7 - what does that leave you with ? Windows 7, but with a load of nonsense running in the background that you don't want or need. Fast W8 boot times ? What are you going to do with those 20 seconds you've saved ?

Matt35 · 19/09/14 - 16:35

My pc does support 64bit. I have 4gb ram.

ZipMason · 19/09/14 - 16:50

Hold off until Windows 9 is my recommendation.

Matt35 · 19/09/14 - 17:04

ZipMason wrote: »

Hold off until Windows 9 is my recommendation.

Trouble is 9 will probably be double the price of 8.

mac2708 · 19/09/14 - 17:12

Matt35 wrote: »

Trouble is 9 will probably be double the price of 8.

Or maybe not

"Windows 9 price

There's no word on what Windows 9 will cost, but we can make an educated guess. We'll update this piece as we know more.

So how much will Windows 9 cost? Not a lot.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was free to consumers, although not to OEMs who purchase licences to put on PCs and laptops they sell. Even if customers have to pay to upgrade to Windows 9 they won't have to pay much. Just a few pounds"

Full article here: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/new-product/windows/3496959/windows-9-release-date-price-features-beta-uk-30-september-event/

And remember Windows 8 was available for £15 when first introduced and before that Windows 7 was only around £40 for a few months initially.

Matt35 · 19/09/14 - 17:54

mac2708 wrote: »

Or maybe not

"Windows 9 price

There's no word on what Windows 9 will cost, but we can make an educated guess. We'll update this piece as we know more.

So how much will Windows 9 cost? Not a lot.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was free to consumers, although not to OEMs who purchase licences to put on PCs and laptops they sell. Even if customers have to pay to upgrade to Windows 9 they won't have to pay much. Just a few pounds"

Full article here: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/new-product/windows/3496959/windows-9-release-date-price-features-beta-uk-30-september-event/

And remember Windows 8 was available for £15 when first introduced and before that Windows 7 was only around £40 for a few months initially.

But wasn't windows 8 for £15 only available if you have 7? Will it be the same with 9?

Orbitalzone · 19/09/14 - 22:14

Mr Dos wrote: »

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
As for the people who get Windows 8.1 and use 3rd party apps to make it look like 7 - what does that leave you with ? Windows 7, but with a load of nonsense running in the background that you don't want or need. Fast W8 boot times ? What are you going to do with those 20 seconds you've saved ?

I just got a Win8.1 laptop from work and while I only tried it for an hour I hated the Win8.1 'start button' - I stuck classic shell on it to make it like my other W7 machines. Am I an idiot for not sticking with the metro interface? maybe, am I now able to use it without a second thought, most certainly.

Maybe I'll give it another try but I can't see any benefit for a non touch screen to have all that tile crap for no good reason. Was I missing something when opening IE via Metro and getting something different to IE when opened by desktop? two visual versions of IE? wtf.

I must be getting old, I only just got used to Office 2007 and now Office 2013 looks different garggh!

zx50 · 19/09/14 - 22:31

Mr Dos wrote: »

As for the people who get Windows 8.1 and use 3rd party apps to make it look like 7 - what does that leave you with ? Windows 7, but with a load of nonsense running in the background that you don't want or need. Fast W8 boot times ? What are you going to do with those 20 seconds you've saved ?

I can't see the point getting Windows 8.1 just to then make it look like the traditional Windows OS. If you want a traditional looking Windows OS, just go for Windows 7.

Orbitalzone · 19/09/14 - 22:41

zx50 wrote: »

I can't see the point getting Windows 8.1 just to then make it look like the traditional Windows OS. If you want a traditional looking Windows OS, just go for Windows 7.

In my case it's on my work laptop and all my personal PCs are W7 so being a lazy creature of habit I have them all set the same so my brain gets an easy life

LION8TIGER · 19/09/14 - 23:20

Was there not a thread on here within the last month or so about MS maybe offering a free upgrade to Win 9 for those on Win 8/8.1 ... it may have been a dream.

zx50 · 19/09/14 - 23:59

Orbitalzone wrote: »

In my case it's on my work laptop and all my personal PCs are W7 so being a lazy creature of habit I have them all set the same so my brain gets an easy life

That's fair enough. I meant that people that buy Windows 8/8.1 and then go and make it look like Windows 7.

TelevisionUser · 20/09/14 - 01:45

Matt35 wrote: »

At the moment I have vista 32bit. Is it worth upgrading and which is the best one to get, 7 or 8.1. It would be 64bit version I'd get.

Extended support for Vista goes on until spring 2017 so there's no need to unduly rush things. Support for the broadly similar Windows 7 runs until 2020 and your equipment will in all probably be able to run that operating system.

There are a couple of links below which might be of interest:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=20

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/upgrade-assistant-download-online-faq
(if you're running Windows XP or Windows Vista, tap or click Download Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant to check if your PC meets the system requirements for Windows 8, which are nearly the same as the requirements for Windows 8.1)

In addition, it might be worth skipping Win 8/8.1 and waiting a year or so for Windows 9 to see what that's like and download the upgrade assistant for Win 9 when it's issued.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2010705

The other thing that's worth mentioning is the possibility of trying out some of the more Windows-familiar variations of Linux such as Zorin, Linux Mint Cinnamon, Linux Mint Mate, Netrunner, Linux Lite, LXLE, etc. which can be done via a test DVD without installing the operating system: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showpost.php?p=72555734&postcount=462

NewWorldMan · 20/09/14 - 14:13

TelevisionUser wrote: »

Extended support for Vista goes on until spring 2017 so there's no need to unduly rush things.

Depends what applications you want to run. Many Microsoft ones (and some others) require Windows 7+.

[Deleted User] · 20/09/14 - 14:49

You could Always love Linux
- if all you do is browse the web / word processing...

> Linux these days can now play 3D games / Flash Videos / p2p
SteamOS (Based on debian Linux)
http://store.steampowered.com/steamos

Debian is just as fun can get the LiveCD so you can Play with Linux
https://www.debian.org/
Live CD Images are here
http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/
debian-live-7.6.0-amd64-gnome-desktop.iso is a nice one for first timers to Linux

(Make for and good Emergancy OS / or you need to go to some untrusted website / unsafe P2P download)
Can upplug your HDD SATA Cable and go play with a few infections
knowing full well the power off button will end them!

LiveCD uses a RAM DISK so it can work without a HDD Attached

Power Goes off Everything on the RAM DISK is lost

You could say the LiveCD is like PC always booting with factory Fresh Defaults
Each time it Boots It makes a New RAM Disk free from infections

If you want storage to outlast a Power off you can Add Permanent storage with a SD card or USB Pen Drive
However the SDCard is More Ideal due to the Write Lock Switch (can make it READ ONLY)

oilman · 20/09/14 - 16:08

Don't listen to all the naysayers. Windows 8.1 is the most up to date and hence best supported Windows OS. It is easy to configure it to have a W7 feel but has a superior engine under the bonnet so as to speak.

A more important point is that your PC itself should be upgraded to min 4Gb but don't do more than 8 GB. Another way of enhancing a PC is to install an SSD for you main operating system drive. You would need an external HDD for data storage, or install it internally. You can remove DVD drive and install a second drive with a DVD to HDD caddy converter. Then put DVD drive in an external USB caddy.

zx50 · 20/09/14 - 16:27

In my opinion, the only reason why Linux isn't a serious competitor to Windows for the home market is because of the lack of good enough support from hardware companies. I think Linux usage would dramatically increase if more hardware companies started supporting Linux.

mossy2103 · 20/09/14 - 16:52

Mr Dos wrote: »

As for the people who get Windows 8.1 and use 3rd party apps to make it look like 7 - what does that leave you with ? Windows 7, but with a load of nonsense running in the background that you don't want or need. Fast W8 boot times ? What are you going to do with those 20 seconds you've saved ?

First off, on Win8.1 I use two third-party apps to

1) Bring back a very useful function that was removed in 8.1 (i.e. the Start button and associated menu)

2) Kill of the annoying Charms bar that slides across if I just happen to have the mouse in the wrong place

It's nothing at all to do with restoring a certain look, but it's all about restoring lost functionality that should never have been removed in the first place (something that Microsoft now seem to accept), and getting rid of annoyances that I don't use or need.

And underneath, it's still the (better) Win8.1 engine, with better driver support

zx50 · 20/09/14 - 19:42

mossy2103 wrote: »

First off, on Win8.1 I use two third-party apps to

1) Bring back a very useful function that was removed in 8.1 (i.e. the Start button and associated menu)

2) Kill of the annoying Charms bar that slides across if I just happen to have the mouse in the wrong place

It's nothing at all to do with restoring a certain look, but it's all about restoring lost functionality that should never have been removed in the first place (something that Microsoft now seem to accept), and getting rid of annoyances that I don't use or need.

And underneath, it's still the (better) Win8.1 engine, with better driver support

There's a Start button in 8.1. It doesn't bring up a menu on the desktop though.

GeordiePaul · 20/09/14 - 20:03

Windows 8.1 - no brainer.

More modern, faster, uses less resources, better in so many ways that people choose to ignore because they hate the Modern UI. In reality give it a chance, spend some time setting it up and its great. I've just set my OHs profile up to run things off start screen, all the things she likes, and she loves it. For the first time she actually likes using the computer (as opposed to the iPad).

It will receive updates for longer, and if you really dont like Modern UI, then by all means stick a Start Menu replacement on. Then you'll get all the benefits of W8 without the new bits.

cnbcwatcher · 20/09/14 - 21:06

Mr Dos wrote: »

IMHO a lot of old so-called Vista machines were actually re-badged XP machines that could just about cope with Vista, as long as you didn't attempt anything too demanding. I'd say the OP should leave the Vista box as-is. It's supported up to April 2017.

I think a lot of computers that were around in late 2006/early 2007 that were deemed Vista Capable weren't capable of it at all and would have been better with XP left on them. I guess you could have stuck a Vista capable sticker on a bag of dog poo and it would have still been certified for Vista

I think that was part of why Vista had/has such a bad reputation, but it just isn't a great system. I know a few people who still have Vista and they all hate it. I think the OP's Vista box might be capable of Windows 7 or 8.1, but that choice is up to the OP. If they go for Windows 8.1 they can use a utility like Classic Shell to make it more like W7. My dad says though that Windows 8.1 is an improvement over the original Windows 8 (but still not perfect); he loves it on his Surface Pro.

Matt35 · 21/09/14 - 06:06

cnbcwatcher wrote: »

I think a lot of computers that were around in late 2006/early 2007 that were deemed Vista Capable weren't capable of it at all and would have been better with XP left on them. I guess you could have stuck a Vista capable sticker on a bag of dog poo and it would have still been certified for Vista I think that was part of why Vista had/has such a bad reputation, but it just isn't a great system. I know a few people who still have Vista and they all hate it. I think the OP's Vista box might be capable of Windows 7 or 8.1, but that choice is up to the OP. If they go for Windows 8.1 they can use a utility like Classic Shell to make it more like W7. My dad says though that Windows 8.1 is an improvement over the original Windows 8 (but still not perfect); he loves it on his Surface Pro.

If the classic shell makes it more like 7 then wouldn't be better just to buy 7?

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