Help! Computer Experts-Windows 7 Upgrade or Whole New Windows 7 OS?

1. 69

   Michael Willisposted 14 years ago

   I thought I was buying the whole Windows 7 from Dell when I wanted to upgrade from Vista. I now find out that this is just an "Upgrade" which means that Vista is still on my hard drive, just with Windows 7 running. I have to keep Vista for 7 to work.
   
   Dell tells me that Vista is still under warranty, but the Windows 7 will only be warranted by Microsoft for 90 days and Dell does not give any warranty for that. This is bulls..t!
   
   Should I just send back the Windows 7 upgrade CD and get a refund?
   Buy a whole version of Windows 7?
   Buy a New Hard-Drive from Dell with pre-loaded Windows 7 and maybe then get a warranty from Dell?
   
   Vista has been such a nightmare and a joke Operating System. Microsoft should be forced to reimburse every person who has suffered this OP.

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2. 83

   IzzyMposted 14 years ago

   I've read that it's better to instal Windows 7 complete as the upgrade pack has been known to hang.
   Before you do that that though, it is recommended you back up all your data to an external hard drive, then do a clean instal.
   Only what I read on a google search when I was considering getting the win 7 upgrade pack.

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   1. 69

      Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have backed up all my data.  I am running my computer right now from the windows vista disk. The hard-drive is corrupted. It works sometimes, sometimes not. That is why I have not been around this week.
      
      The person who sold me the disk from dell said I would have only Win 7 when I bought the disk...after days waiting for the disk to arrive...I call for help with the install and I find out THEN that Vista has to stay on computer and Win 7 runs with it. I am big time pissed off about that. They lied to me to make a sale.
      
      I want Vista OFF my computer!!!! I can't stand Vista. It is the worst OP system Microsoft has ever made.

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      1. 83

         IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         If your hard drive is corruptd it should still be under warranty and they are duty bound to replace it.
         Ask them to replace the hard drive without any software pre-loaded and buy yourself a copy of Windows 7 full version and install it yourself.
         The hard drive could be corrupted by something other than the software on it. MIght have been faulty in the first place.
         I'm not overly impressed with Vista, but don't feel as badly against it as you do, but if your hard drive was faulty it would make windows Vista seem much worse than it really is.

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         1. 69

            Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I have the new hard-drive in hand (2nd hard drive in less than a year) about to replace it. Came today.  It comes with Vista again. To keep warranty I have to have it pre-loaded with original software.
            If I buy Win 7 and install I am told I lose my Warranty for Windows. I do retain warranty for Vista...just not Win 7.

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            1. 83

               IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Hmmmm....either you have been really unlucky with the hard drives they've given you, or something is corrupting them - and not necessarily Windows.
               Is your computer situated near a heat source, or in an area that is subject to extremes of temperature? Or an electro-magnetic field of some sort?

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               1. 69

                  Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  The first Tech I talked with last weekend said that Vista has been known to corrupt a computer when it fails. I had never heard of this until then. I have never had a hard drive to go bad until I had Vista. And now twice in less than a year.

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            2. 83

               IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Oh and just had to add....why do you need a warranty for windows? If you buy the software, your contract is with Microsoft, not Dell. Dell only need to give you warranty for their hardware, surely?

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3. 59

   Super Chefposted 14 years ago

   Hi there I agree in the fact that Vista is terrible. Bear in mind that windows 7 is based on Vista as I found out to my demise. I would personally return the cd to dell and ask for a refund. Also I would check to see if your hard drive is still under warranty if it is corrupt.

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   1. 69

      Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi SuperChef. The hard Drive is replaced under warranty. That part is good.  What got me was Dell selling me a Win 7 CD under the guise that I was getting Win 7 and getting rid of the Horrible Vista!!!

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4. 57

   yoshi97posted 14 years ago

   As a technician I can tell you that the Dell guy was right, but he was also an idiot. Please allow me to explain ...
   
   Windows 7 is (in a nutshell) a big repair job on Vista. As such, it uses the core of Vista (even on a fresh installation) and builds upon that shaky foundation by plumbing up all of the crazy garbage that made Vista slow, quirky, and abominable.
   
   As such, even on a fresh installation you still basically have Vista, but this is a *mended* Vista, and it's really, really good!
   
   Also, Windows 7 installs *over* your current Vista unless you *specifically* tell it not to do so. When you are done upgrading, what you will have is just Windows 7 - nothing more.
   
   I have done many upgrades in the shop from Windows Vista to Windows 7, and while a few made me hold my breath as I anticipated the worst, I am happy to say that all of them went through without a hitch and on every occasion a better PC rose from the ashes.
   
   Also, if your old hard drive is defective, send it to the ash pile. Any operating system running on shaky hardware will crumble with time. In that instance I would go with a fresh installation of Windows 7, but you were given an upgrade DVD, so you can't ... or can you ...
   
   As it turns out, you *can* install fresh from an upgrade CD by doing the following.
   
   Insert the DVD and run a full installation. *do not* activate it when the installation completes. Trust me!
   
   Next, pop out the DVD and pop it back in. Choose the upgrade option and upgrade Windows 7 to *the same* version of Windows 7 you just installed. Yes, it sounds insane, but again you need to trust me.
   
   When the upgrade is finished, *then* you can activate Windows 7 and it will all work ... without ever putting the Vista CD into the system. Neat trick, eh? And I've performed this trick many times, so yes, it works in all cases. Enjoy!

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   1. 69

      Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      OK....I hear you......But....the new hard drive comes with Vista already installed!!! That was part of the warranty of the replacement. I was told I had to have Vista already installed or the upgrade disk would not work.
      
      Can I still do what you say Yoshi and get the result desired...Win 7 without Vista??????

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      1. 57

         yoshi97posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         You could install fresh or install over the Vista. The result will be the same either way with one minor difference.
         
         If you install Windows 7 fresh you will need to go online with the Vista first (ugh! I know) and download all of the Windows 7 drivers to an external hard drive or USB key. I would do this either way, and I'll explain why.
         
         Windows Vista drivers work in Windows 7, but Windows 7 drivers are more stable. As such, download those buggers before stepping further into the loom.
         
         Next ... to upgrade or start fresh ... If you upgrade you won't need to reinstall any of the Dell software that came with the system, but you'll still want to redo the drivers. However, if you start fresh you will need to reinstall the apps.
         
         Upgrading is quicker, but starting fresh is cleaner. It's a matter of choice. For the squeamish, I recommend the upgrade, but for the savvy I recommend the fresh install.
         
         Either way you will find a better Windows over the horizon.

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         1. 69

            Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Well, I am not the savvy (lol) but I want Vista off this computer...period!  I may call DELL and find out what the cost would be to have a fresh Hard Drive with Win 7 pre-installed ( and maybe get a warranty) or blank with a full version disk.

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            1. 83

               IzzyMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Can't you just format the disk they send, then use the upgrade pack like Yoshi suggested?

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               1. 69

                  Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  I am not sure. I am not an expert like Yoshi. I have been on hold to Dell for about 20 minutes now.

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            2. 71

               earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Michael that sounds like the best option for you. I know what it is like trying to follow instructions with installations, and feel for you in this position. If Dell will do that, you will be well pleased with win7 to use. It is intuitive and simple. Two things that Vista is not!.

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   2. 71

      earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Wonderful info. Follow this to the letter. I can assure you that Yoshi is 100% right on this!

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      1. 69

         Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Even if the Hard Drive comes with Vista already on it? I want to make sure before I do this.    (I am not an expert...LOL)

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         1. 71

            earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Yes, you will need Vista to follow Yoshi's instructions to the letter though, especially the last part or you will end up back where you were.

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5. 83

   IzzyMposted 14 years ago

   Well don't tell them you are thinking of formatting. Yoshi!!! Where are you??? Need some more advice here!

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6. 57

   yoshi97posted 14 years ago

   Going back to something I said ... You won't end up with Vista on your hard drive if you upgrade. This is like saying upgrading from Windows XP to Vista left XP on the drive (which wouldn't have been such a bad deal).
   
   Yes, the kernel is still Vista, but this is the case on even a fresh installation. Consider Windows 7 as the bandaid that repairs Vista.
   
   And to reiterate, Windows 7 installs *over* vista, so you don't get two installations when you are done - only one. The only reason to install Windows 7 fresh is if you have a buggered Vista installation. With a clean Vista installation on a new drive you won't experience any problems.
   
   Let's go with this ...  Put in the Windows 7 DVD and upgrade Vista to Windows 7. If you don't like what you see then you can still go with the fresh install. Otherwise, if you are happy with the result (and I believe you will be) then you can stop there and achieve true computer zen.

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7. 69

   Michael Willisposted 14 years ago

   be back in a few...tornado warning just came across...

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8. 69

   Michael Willisposted 14 years ago

   OK...Tornado warning passed...no tornado! Whew!!!!!!
   
   Thanks Yoshi, Izzy, Earnest and Superchef for the help.
   
   What I have ended up deciding (after all this time on the phone with Dell Tech Support)...is I am purchasing the Windows 7 Complete Installation disk. Dell is crediting my upgrade Win 7 disk and charging for the new one. (I pay the difference actually)
   
   I will install the hard drive I have and use Vista until the new Disk arrives. I will then install Win 7. The tech told me how to install Win 7 and it was different than I thought it would be. I will probably still call Dell for assistance with this. (It's free...so why not?...lol)
   
   I will FiNaLlY have Vista OFF my Computer!!!
   
   YEAH!!!

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9. 83

   IzzyMposted 14 years ago

   I'm just glad you are safe Michael. Have spent the last ...what was it...50 minutes?..worried. Donotfear on another thread also had to duck n dive a tornado.

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   1. 69

      Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Izzy. When I came back I saw donotfear thread and responded there too. I see she is OK too.

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10. 71

    earnestshubposted 14 years ago

    For my part, you are most welcome and I am pleased you found a solution. You are gonna love 7 after that abominable Vista!

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    1. 69

       Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I hear that Win 7 is great from everyone. Even the tech guy I was on the phone with said I would like 7 and how bad vista was. lol

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       1. 71

          earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I got hit with a worm and a self replicating Trojan with an automatic mailer with my new win7 based laptop.
          
          I near crapped myself as it started to list hundreds of emails it was sending to.
          
          I pulled the plug out and win7 crashed. If it had been vista or XP I would have been in very deep doo doo!
          
          I turned it back on, hit F8 as it started, put in the last restore point and hey presto! I then cleaned up the remnants and all is well. It has more options to repair than the others and was a no brainer. I was very impressed.

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          1. 69

             Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Now that is good to know!!! Thanks. I am looking forward to Win 7.  And I am upgrading my memory as well from 2g to 4g. I need all the help with performance speed I can get since I only have dial-up available.

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             1. 71

                earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                I opted for 4 gig too. A fine idea!

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11. 61

    Ohmaposted 14 years ago

    It is funny I have been using Vista for a while and have no problem I hated XP couldn't wait to get rid of that one. LOL

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    1. 69

       Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Really? wow, I would have taken XP anyday over Vista. lol  I loved XP.

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12. 61

    Ohmaposted 14 years ago

    My XP was down more often than up and a real pain in the patoot.

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    1. 69

       Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       That has been my Vista. lol  But...now I will have 7 by next week. I will use the new hard drive with vista until then.

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13. 83

    IzzyMposted 14 years ago

    Ohma, I'm about to go, but wanted to reply to this. I'm with Michael and Earnest. I really don't like Vista. I have had a multitude of problems with it. I have been able to fix them all mostly, because I am quite good at working with computers, but if I had the money to do so, I'd get rid and get Windows 7 which by all accounts is a much better operating system.
    Even tonight, I am plagued by constant freezes and OK it's not crashing completely anymore (at least not often)but its so buggy it's unbelievable.
    I preferred Windows 98! I think it was the most stable environment ever, though XP came a close second.

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14. 61

    Ohmaposted 14 years ago

    Guess I must have gotten the "one good copy" of that version. I will keep my Vista until they quit supporting it like the did ME then move on to whatever is the newest version.

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15. 57

    yoshi97posted 14 years ago

    Windows 7 (thankfully) runs a lot quicker than Vista ever did.

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    1. 69

       Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I will have my Win 7 full install disc the first of next week. I went ahead and installed new hard drive and will use vista until I can change the OS.

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16. 61

    susanlangposted 14 years ago

    I did a radio interview a while back for an IT-related show, and one of the questions was generated by user inquiries related to the system requirements for Windows 7. Windows Vista was easily qualified as a resource hog in comparison to its precursor, Windows XP, but judging from the five-year gap separating the two clients, the label doesn't exactly fit. Some users, especially business customers, fear that after coughing up a consistent amount of money and upgrading their computers, or hardware infrastructure in the case of businesses, in order to accommodate Windows Vista, they will have to do it all over again, just a couple of years later, and in the context of a global financial crisis. This will not be the case.
    
    In terms of system requirements, Windows 7 Beta reveals that Vista and its successor are on par. This means that users will not have to pay for a hardware upgrade just to accommodate Windows 7, if they are currently running Windows Vista on their machines. Those who have bought new machines tailored to Vista, beyond the Home Basic SKU, namely Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate editions, will also be able to run Windows 7 without any problems.
    
    According to Microsoft, Windows 7 Beta's “Minimum recommended specs call for: 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor; 1 GB of system memory (RAM); 16 GB of available disk space; support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (to enable the Aero theme); DVD-R/W Drive; Internet access (to download the Beta and get updates).”
    
    The Redmond company warned that the specifications could be modified during the development process of Windows 7. “These are the Microsoft minimum hardware recommendations for systems that will be running the Windows 7 Beta. These recommendations are specific to the beta release and are subject to change,” the software giant stated.
    
    By comparison, the minimum system requirements for Windows Vista Home Premium / Business / Ultimate are: “1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor; 1 GB of system memory; 16 GB of available disk space; support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128MB memory (in order to enable Aero theme); drive: DVD-R/W drive; Internet connection (to download the Beta and get updates),” Microsoft indicated. Windows Vista Home Basic can go as low as “800 MHz processor and 512 MB of RAM on a 20 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space,” the company claimed, but considering this system the OS would virtually be unusable.
    
    I have been running Windows 7 Beta and pre-Beta on a laptop with under 2GHz processor and with just 1 GB of RAM, and in virtual machines with even less. Moreover, I have also been running Windows 7 Beta and the Milestone releases on a 3GHz Intel Core Duo with 4 GB of DDR3. I found that Windows 7, even if still under development, delivered, on the same machine, a performance superior to Vista's. However, in order to get the best out of Windows 7, users should have computers with at least 2 GHz processors and no less than 2 GB of RAM.

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