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XP, Vista or Windows 7 for older PCs?
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XP, Vista or Windows 7 for older PCs?
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With Microsoft discontinuing Windows XP (the Home, Media Center as well as the Professional editions), another chapter in the Windows saga has come to a close, just as the new saga of Windows 7 begins to unfold. At this point of time, the question many of our members have asked us is, do they continue using Windows XP on their older PCs, upgrade to Vista or continue using XP until Windows 7 is released commercially in June 2010. We believe the answer is easy to arrive at, if you trace the history of development of Windows Vista and Microsoft's initial moves with respect to Windows 7. We urge you to read on - its no less interesting than a thriller! Windows Vista was initially conceptualized as something that would be completely different from its predecessor Windows XP. However, its development ran terribly late and Microsoft were forced to leave out many of the originally mooted features and functions in Windows Vista, primarily to release it before further delays occurred. As a result, the shipping version of Vista that is available in the market is not radically different from the earlier XP editions. In fact, when Vista was first demonstrated, the reaction of industry pundits was - "Is that all?" Early shipment figures of Vista were simply not satisfactory, in comparison with early shipment figures of previous Windows versions (with the possible exclusion of Windows Millennium, which died the quickest death of them all!)
Vista also ran into early difficulties with respect to security and drivers and therefore, Microsoft decided to continue support for Windows XP until July 2008. While new systems - Desktops and Notebooks - naturally began to see a larger share of Vista, vis-à-vis XP, existing Windows users were thoroughly reluctant to shift to Windows Vista. Computer vendors too continued to offer both Windows XP as well as Windows Vista, on their Desktops and Notebooks. However now, with Microsoft discontinuing Windows XP (Home, Media Center as well as the Professional editions of XP), new Computers ship with one of the Vista Editions alone. A huge number of older systems continue to run Windows XP though and converting them to later versions of Windows (read Vista) is what Microsoft is trying hard to do... Many of our readers probably know that the current commercial avatar of Windows, Windows Vista, comes in many editions. Well, Windows Vista comes in as many as 6 different editions, not counting 2 Europe-specific editions! Never before have so many editions of any software been made available!
Ever since To add to the confusion of 6 editions of Windows Vista and 3 editions of Windows XP, Microsoft have also announced that Windows 7 will go commercial by June 2010, thus replacing all Vista versions. In an unprecedented move, Microsoft released its Beta to the public a few months ago, though the download has now been removed from their website. On 5th May 2009, Microsoft put up the Release Candidate of Windows 7, which, they say, is completely stable and is expected to be very close to the final, commercial version of Windows 7! Microsoft believe that Vista sales are low due to 'perception problems', rather than any real issues, though CIOs claim that Windows Vista is a huge piece of operating system that hogs Memory, Hard Disk space and other resources. Thus, the move to release a public copy of Windows 7 is a great way to plant a good perception in public minds, right at the outset! While the public release of Windows 7 Beta was a minor disaster - Microsoft had initially declared that the first 200,000 people alone would be able to download Windows 7 Beta, but had to scrap that due to public outcry. Next, they removed the Windows 7 Beta file from their website, only to find that the copies were still being traded freely. Finally on 5th May 2009, they put up the Windows 7 Release Candidate, which has no restrictions - the file will continue to be available until the commercial edition of Windows 7 is released in June 2010. |
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To read our review of Windows 7 Release Candidate (32-bit), click here
Let us now get back to the Windows Vista question: what could be the reason for
so many versions? Well, Microsoft’s own stated goal for this massive product
edition differentiation is that this will provide a "clear value proposition" to
all customer segments and take XP-era innovations, such as the Media While computing leaps and massive product differentiation are good long-range plans – specially with LINUX looming in the competitive horizon and the Macintosh OS stepping up innovation – what it clearly spells is doubts, confusion and indecision, in the minds of the user. Both single Home PC owners as well as IT Heads of a large organization running thousands of PCs have reported being 'lost' in the number of Vista versions, while simultaneously hesitating to shift older PCs from Windows XP to Windows Vista! And now, you have Windows 7 scheduled for release a year later... The truth though is that two - maybe three versions of Vista will die out naturally, leaving users a manageable number of Windows Vista edition choices. Some of our readers will remember the short and painless death Windows ME had, when XP was released in quick succession. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume the above, specially where a few of the current Vista editions are actually underpowered, while consuming much more in terms of resources, in comparison with Windows XP! The under-powered Windows Vista Starter and Home Basic editions, we predict, will naturally die out!
Windows Vista Categories
Again, the fact is that there are actually just two categories of Windows Vista
editions and these closely map to the two XP editions we are so familiar with.
The broad
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1. Windows Vista Starter Edition Vista Starter is aimed at the novice computer user in emerging markets, working on low cost PCs. It is a subset of Vista Home Basic and ships in 32-bit version alone. Vista Starter will allow only three applications (and/ or three windows) to run simultaneously, will provide Internet connectivity but not incoming network communications and does not provide for logon passwords or Fast User Switching (FUS). Windows Vista Starter lacks a number of unique features found in the other Vista product editions. Apart from omitting the new Aero user interface, it does not support Microsoft's new domain-like home networking scheme, does not include DVD Maker, has no gaming common controller support or image editing/ enhanced touchup capabilities.
“Windows |
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WellOiledPC
Recommendation: DO NOT
go for Windows Vista Starter edition – it has nothing in it for you as it is
thoroughly starved on features! You will be a whole lot better off with XP
Professional! |
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2. Windows Vista Home Basic The next higher Vista edition is the Windows Home Basic edition. It is aimed at single PC homes and is the baseline version upon which the remaining versions are built. While it does include features such as Windows Firewall, Windows Security Center, Secure Wireless Networking, Parental Controls for keeping kids out of undesirable sites, AntiSpam, AntiVirus, AntiSpyware functionality, Network Map, Windows Search, Movie Maker, Photo Library, Windows Media Player, Outlook Express with RSS support, P2P Messenger, etc., it does not support the new Aero User interface. Nor does it support advanced Networking or security features, Media Center, DVD Making, Wi-Fi support, Internet File Sharing, PC-to-PC sync, etc., as it is aimed for the single Home PC user. In our opinion, very few users are likely to NOT want many of the missed-out features a year or two down the line, even if they do not currently have a need for, say, Wi-Fi or DVD Authoring. Such features grow on the user! And those already used to these features on XP would find no reason to ‘upgrade’ to a version that omits these features, for it is in fact a downgrade! |
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WellOiledPC
Recommendation:
DO NOT go for Windows Home Basic edition either – this is yet another
crippled version of Vista, you'd be a whole lot better off with Windows XP
Professional! |
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3. Windows Vista Home Premium The next higher Vista edition, called Home Premium, additionally has Media Center and Media Center Extender functionality (including Cable Card support), DVD Maker, DVD authoring, Tablet PC functionality, Mobility Center and other mobility and presentation features, auxiliary display support, P2P ad-hoc meeting capabilities, Wi-Fi auto-config and roaming, unified parental controls that work over multiple PCs, backup to network functionality, Internet File Sharing, Offline Folders, PC-to-PC sync, Sync Manager, and support for Microsoft's upcoming Quattro Home Server, a Windows Server 2003 R2-based server product aimed at the home market. Windows Vista Home Premium has emerged as the volume edition due to its features-pricing mix. Home Premium focuses on integrated entertainment (movies, memories, and more), mobility (media and productivity on the go), and connected living (connect with family, friends, and home). Home Premium supplies whole-home entertainment and personal productivity throughout the home and on the go. For your Home Computer, this is the recommended Vista edition. |
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4. Windows
The So what does it lack? Well, the entertainment features of Home Premium have been left out of Vista Business. Therefore Vista Business gives you security and robust Network Support (considered unnecessary for Home Computer users and therefore, left out of Home Premium by Microsoft!), while Home Premium gives you entertainment features (considered unnecessary for business users by Microsoft!). So what if you want security, robust Network support AND entertainment features? What if you want to eat the cake and keep it too, as Microsoft is likely to call such a demand? What if, like a certain Master Oliver Twist, you 'Ask for more?' Simple! You fork out more – by way of a higher-priced edition of Vista! |
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5. Windows Vista Ultimate So did you 'Ask for more?' Microsoft has Windows Vista Ultimate for hungry people like you! It is, in their words, “The best operating system ever offered for a personal PC, optimized for the individual”. It is a superset of both Vista Home Premium and Vista Business, so it includes all the features of both of those versions, while adding Game Performance Tweaker with integrated gaming experiences, online "Club" services (exclusive access to music, movies, services and preferred customer care) and other "Vista Ultimate Extra" offerings. Naturally, you need to fork out more for these 'goodies!' If you want everything (and who doesn't?), then this is the Vista edition for you - only, it is a whole lot costlier than XP Professional, but has nothing that is substantially better than XP Professional, except for the much hyped "Aero Interface!" Microsoft is still tweaking Vista Ultimate’s positioning, while looking into offering Vista Ultimate owner services like extended A1 subscriptions, free music downloads, free movie downloads, Online Spotlight and entertainment software, preferred product support, custom themes, etc. Vista Ultimate is aimed at high-end PC users and technology influencers, gamers, digital media enthusiasts, and students and is priced accordingly. |
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6. Windows Vista Enterprise Windows Vista Enterprise is optimized for the enterprise and is a superset of Windows Vista Business. It is available only via volume license to Software Assurance (SA) customers. It will include unique features such as single-instance Virtual PC, the multi-language user interface (MUI), and the Secure Startup/ full volume encryption security technologies ("Cornerstone"). This version is aimed at business decision makers, IT Managers and decision makers and information workers/ general business users. Home users need not take the trouble of checking out Vista Enterprise, it is something for the IT Heads of large organizations to bother about.
With some consumers raising issues with Vista's performance – specially the
need for much more RAM and larger Hard Disks, lack of support for other
software and devices like printers, etc., Microsoft have announced that they
would continue to sell Windows XP until June 2008, delaying the complete
scheduled transition to Vista. |
With the release of Service Pack 1 for Vista, Microsoft has announced
substantial reductions in the price of all versions of Vista. After the price
cut, following are the prices of the Vista editions:
Windows Vista Ultimate – US$319/-, Upgrade Price (from XP/ other
Vista Home Premium – US$129/-
Remember, the higher editions of Vista (and these are the ones that ought to be considered too, as explained above) require a lot more in terms of Memory (RAM) and Hard Disk capacity. For example, it is recommended that you have 2 GB (preferably 3 GB) of RAM to run Windows Vista Ultimate smoothly, while you can run Windows XP very comfortably with 1 GB RAM! Therefore, the Total Cost of Ownership of Vista is a lot more than the cost of the software alone: factor in 2 GB more RAM, perhaps a larger Hard Disk etc., and you would need a nice little sum of money indeed!
If you are planning to upgrade to Vista on your Notebook, you need to be even more careful: you need to find out authentic answers to the following questions even before you contemplate upgrading to Vista:
Does your Notebook support additional RAM? Most Notebooks have only 1 extra slot for RAM
Can its Hard Disk be upgraded? Most Notebook can, but there are strings attached, as pointed out right below
Will your Notebook's Power Supply be able to support the larger Hard Disk and the extra RAM?
The best course of action is to approach your Notebook manufacturer for authentic answers to these questions. We have seen Notebooks failing within 3 months of a RAM or Hard Disk upgrade, because the Power Supply wasn't up to it! And when this happens, your Notebook's Motherboard needs to be changed - and a Motherboard change costs almost half as much as a new Notebook itself!
So back to the original question – Which Operating System for you? Here are our technical recommendations, ignoring the cost aspects:
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WellOiledPC
recommendations on Windows editions (XP as well as
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If you have ever upgraded Windows from an earlier version to a newer one – or
re-installed Windows without a change of version, you will know that
re-installing Windows is easily the easier part. The tough, time-consuming parts
are (a) Updating Windows )b) Re-installing all your favorite programs (c)
copying back all your data, if you have also formatted your Hard Disk, to
re-install Windows. By data, we mean the following kinds of data:
Your Office suite data - Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, etc.
Your Music files – .mp3, .wma, etc
Your Photographs collection - .jpg files, usually
Your Address Book – the one you have painstakingly collected over the years
and contains addresses, e-Mail IDs, Telephone numbers, etc., of your
friends, colleagues and acquaintances
Your old mail – you never know when you may need to refer to that mail sent
6 months ago!!
The fact is that while re-installing Windows itself takes less than 45 minutes, updating Windows could take up as much as a few hours, re-installing all your favorite programs could take a few days and copying back all your data could take as much as another day! Yet, at the end of the entire exercise, you may still find that you do not have back-ups of some of your favorite programs or some of your music or some of your photographs… These are lost forever…
The reason why you need to re-install all your programs is that a fresh install
of Windows over-writes your Registry files and your Registry is where
information about all your installed programs is maintained!
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OS Upgrade Paths |
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Vista Home Basic |
Vista Home Premium |
Vista Business |
Vista Ultimate |
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Windows XP Professional |
C |
C |
U |
U |
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Windows XP Home |
U |
U |
U |
U |
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Windows XP Media Center |
C |
U |
C |
U |
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Windows XP Tablet PC |
C |
C |
U |
U |
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Windows XP Professional x64 |
C |
C |
C |
C |
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Windows 2000 |
C |
C |
C |
C |
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Legend:
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Here is a features break down of each edition of Windows Vista, briefly discussed earlier on:
Legend: |
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Y = Feature included |
O = Optional Feature |
N = Feature not included |
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So now we have sufficient History behind us, to answer the question, "Should you let older PCs continue running Windows XP for now, directly upgrading to Windows 7, or should you upgrade your older PCs to Windows Vista right now?" We advise you to wait until Windows 7 is released, for the following reasons:
The earlier article (written before Windows 7 was made available to the public) is featured on ArticleCity.
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