[Webslinger64]

My father-in-law has an old computer (AMD Duron 1.21 GHz 504MB of RAM) that needs to be tossed. He is looking at purchasing a Pentium D computer with 1GB RAM from a surplus sale at one of the local universities. I know the manager of the computer department that will sell my father-in-law this computer and know we will get a good deal on it.
Here's the question. His current computer has Windows XP Home edition on it, but he does not have the installation CD. His son gave him this computer years ago and has apparently lost the CD.
So, with the purchase of the Pentium D computer, we need to get another OS. I've seen in local classified ads Windows XP Professional for as little as $40.00. However, I'm wondering if that's the best route to go now or should we actually consider Windows 7?
I am unsure how much longer Windows XP will continue to be supported by Microsoft and/or if a Pentium D computer will run Windows 7 just fine.
I've also seen in the local classifieds ads for Windows 7 for as little as $75, but mostly about $150 or so.
My father-in-law primarily uses the computer for email, web browsing (stocks), and genealogy work.
Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Greg

Edited by konakula29er, 16 November 2009 - 05:15 PM.

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Myself personally.
I would upgrade the computers ram first before giving it 7 if you do decide to go that path.


I was doing my mom's comp and she only has 1 gig worth of SD ram and the thing moves pretty slow.


XP is the method of choice if you only have 1 gig.
Mind you 7 is still usable with 1 gig its just the speed various.


If you run XP you got a bit more ram free'd up to run other programs.
And you wouldn't have that much time for it to boot up due to how many programs are loading when the HD turns on.


Your call.
I recommend XP though just for more speed.

=3

[TheWhiteRose000]

Myself personally.
I would upgrade the computers ram first before giving it 7 if you do decide to go that path.


I was doing my mom's comp and she only has 1 gig worth of SD ram and the thing moves pretty slow.


XP is the method of choice if you only have 1 gig.
Mind you 7 is still usable with 1 gig its just the speed various.


If you run XP you got a bit more ram free'd up to run other programs.
And you wouldn't have that much time for it to boot up due to how many programs are loading when the HD turns on.


Your call.
I recommend XP though just for more speed.

=3

[Webslinger64]

Myself personally.
I would upgrade the computers ram first before giving it 7 if you do decide to go that path.


I was doing my mom's comp and she only has 1 gig worth of SD ram and the thing moves pretty slow.


XP is the method of choice if you only have 1 gig.
Mind you 7 is still usable with 1 gig its just the speed various.


If you run XP you got a bit more ram free'd up to run other programs.
And you wouldn't have that much time for it to boot up due to how many programs are loading when the HD turns on.


Your call.
I recommend XP though just for more speed.

=3

Heya,

Thanks for the reply. What you said makes sense and sounds like the best option for us right now. Maybe at some point in the future if we can double his RAM we might consider Windows 7, but if XP works great why mess with it?

Thanks again.

Greg

[rshaffer61]

I was doing my mom's comp and she only has 1 gig worth of SD ram and the thing moves pretty slow.

This can be caused by more then the memory as the 1 gig is the so called Sweat Spot for XP
It would help if you could log on with her system we could work on it and help get it running faster.

[Troy]

Windows 7 is faster than XP in some tests, definitely in my experience as well.

[TheWhiteRose000]

But with only 1 gig.
As I noted.

That 1 gig goes to running the OS.
which doesn't free up any space for other programs.
Which would make it slow.

A lot of tests only tested the OS and not extra's.


=3

[youserbase]

Would go for Windows XP pro.

[othersteve]

Windows 7 is fantastic in just about every way. Forgo XP and embrace the refinements of the new OS.

~os

[TheWhiteRose000]

~_~
As I have stated before.
Speed for more things?
Or A laggy os on 1 gig?


I don't think you guys are reading that.
He did.
You guys aren't.
Take everything into consideration.

=P

[othersteve]

If you're planning on using the computer for a while and you can score W7 for under $100, I'd jump at the opportunity personally. Even on 1GB RAM it runs quite snappily; the minimum requirements for a 32-bit installation of 7 specify 512 MB, and I have run multiple W7 machines with 1 GB RAM and older processors with just 1 GB RAM. Most notably, netbooks, whose processors are considerably slower than the Pentium D the OP references.

Just my personal take, but then again, there's no sense in upgrading just to upgrade. If you're worried about XP being supported, don't; when it reaches its EOL, if you happen to still be using it, just upgrade then!

~os

Edited by othersteve, 20 November 2009 - 03:07 PM.

[TheWhiteRose000]

Ive run it on 1 gig.
It ran okay but slow.

And comp I was running it on had specs simalier to that.
Thats How I was able to give my opition on it.

[othersteve]

Yeah, to each his own. On the other hand, I also use ESET NOD32 for my security, and it's probably the most lightweight (yet effective) solution out there. So that may well be part of the equation.

~os