Windows 7 has been available for a few months. So, should you upgrade to Windows 7 yet? It depends what operating system you are running.
If you are running Windows XP, stay where you are. Your operating system is stable and should last fine as long as your hardware doesn’t crash. If you have Windows Vista, well that’s another story. Vista has been known to crash even if you have hold down the power button too often to turn off the computer. Start-up issues for Vista run abound and it still is one of the most bloated operating systems which typically slows down when you run it over time. If you don’t have 4GB of RAM for your Windows Vista, you will be driving in the slow lane. Those are just a few issues why Vista users should upgrade to Windows 7.
Windows 7 can run smoothly with only 1GB of RAM and is backwards-compatible with software/hardware from WindowsVista, XP, 2000, and NT. Although Microsoft claims you can upgrade from Vista directly to Windows 7, which is true, we recommend to back up your files first and heavily consider performing a fresh install of Windows. When upgrading an operating system, the flaws and issues typically also come along with the upgrade and could cause the same issues. Yes, it’s easier to upgrade since the software and configurations are supposed to carry over. If you’d like to try to perform the upgrade, we still recommend to back up your files in case you’re not happy with the upgrade due to lingering Vista issues carrying over.
After you install Windows 7, don’t be disappointed when you see the same Windows Vista interface. Windows, for lack of time, decided to keep the same graphical user interface (GUI), or view, of Windows Vista for Windows 7. Don’t worry – the stability and quick navigation under the hood is a huge improvement and will be appreciated.
