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Upgrading Windows XP to Windows 8 Advice

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2014-04-11          190032

What are our options to replacing windows XP other than remove all software, install Windows 8 (which we have on one computer and hate it) and then find the original install disks to reload all programs and then do all the updates if they are still out there to those programs?

At same time how about options to Microsoft Office? Microsoft to me has forgotten the end user.


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Upgrading Windows XP to Windows 8 Advice

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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2014-04-11          190034

Microsoft has a utility that advises you on how smooth the upgrade on your hardware might be. I have put Windows 7 on an old 32 bit XP box, works OK.

I don't think I would mess with Windows 8 though on such an old machine.

I have installed Ubuntu or Mint Linux desktop on older machines like that and they seem to perform better rather than the degrade in performance typical of Microsoft OS changes. Unless your are a geek or know a geek do not convert without expecting some retraining ! ....

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Upgrading Windows XP to Windows 8 Advice

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crunch
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 271 Niagara County, NY
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2014-04-13          190053

I recently purchased a windows 7 system 32 bit for $105 to overwrite an old Vista system which I had converted to Ubuntu. Ubuntu has been great for just the internet. Only problem was that I couldn't communicate with other windows computers in the house and didn't work well with my security system.

Regarding Office, I pay $100 per year for all the office products. With that I am entitled to 5 downloads so I am sharing one download with my sister.

These computers, can't live with them, can't live without them. They drain your money.

....

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Upgrading Windows XP to Windows 8 Advice

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greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2014-04-13          190054

Win8 will only upgrade Vista and Win7. To update your XP to Win8 without having the uninstall/reinstall all 3rd party software, upgrade XP to Win7 first. Then you can use your Win8 disc to finish the job.

But you'll be putting touchscreen enabled Win8 on a non-touchscreen PC. Once you get XP upgraded to Win7, you might just consider stopping there. Especially if you don't have a sizeable hard drive. Installing Win8 will take up a lot of space with touchscreen stuff that you won't even be able to use.

I have a big enough hard drive to configure for dual boot (two operating systems on the same computer). I can switch back and forth from Win7 to Win8.1 with a simple restart.

//greg// ....

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Upgrading Windows XP to Windows 8 Advice

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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2014-04-13          190056

Quote:
Originally Posted by crunch | view 190053
I recently purchased a windows 7 system 32 bit for $105 to overwrite anold Vista system which I had converted to Ubuntu.Ubuntu has been great for just the internet.Only problem was that I couldn't communicate with other windows computers in the house and didn't work well with my security system.Regarding Office, I pay $100 per year for all the office products.With that I am entitled to 5 downloads so I am sharing one download with my sister.These computers, can't live with them, can't live without them.They drain your money.


Running Ubuntu Linux I use KRDC to remote into my other Win boxes in RDP mode, when I need to run Windows software rather than run under Wine in Ubuntu. Works great on my set up!

I use Libre Office on Ubuntu its OK for me. I use Microsoft Office 365 for the rest of the family 5 user license month to month about $9 per month.

For moving stuff I use a Ubuntu FTP server and Filezilla and Filezilla on the Win machines.

For writing code on Ubuntu Geany and Meld.

I have converted from XP to Win 7 32 bit on a 2GB desktop, no degrade in performance.

I have Win 8.1 with Classic shell installed on some new hardware to bypass the awful win 7 interface and makes 8.1 look like Win 7 thank god! I cannot think of any reason to upgrade an XP machine beyond Win 7. If you install Win 8 without the Classic Shell it is a real PIA to work on.

Greg is spot on having a dual boot is a great idea to save the day when your windows machine gets sick with a virus, even better if the you have two drives with an a bootable OS on each.

I use Macrium Reflect (Free) to back up my Hardware onto 5 terabytes of USB external drives, has saved the day many times for me. Make the Linux based emergency restore CD works for both Windows and Linux easier to make than the Windows one. Macrium is fast highly recommended. ....

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Upgrading Windows XP to Windows 8 Advice

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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2014-04-15          190074

Don't know much about computers, but have Windows 7 Professional installed on a couple of my laptops. A computer guy downloaded some software allowing me to run in virtual XP mode. So, the Windows 7 programs run 64 bit and the virtual XP runs 32 bit. It takes some time to get into and out of the mode but it allows me to use older software. You need the Professional version to do this. It is a little cumbesome and may be somewhat slower but works. My Dell laptops are real fast, so I don't care! ....

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