Best Windows upgrade for Vista Business?

I have Vista Business. Apparently my software is way old for my new NP8278. I'll need to upgrade Windows versions. Which is the best and more similar to Vista? 8, 8.1, etc?
Will I need to do a clean install or can I just "upgrade" and keep all my files?

Thanks,

Douglas

 

Windows 7 is most similar, pro if you need the extra networking features.

I'd do a fresh install for a new machine.

 

It is always best with a clean install of Windows. Use Windows 7 And do not forget new drivers. :thumbsup:

 

Windows 7 will feel most familiar, but if you're someone who uses a LOT of windows features (especially task manager, second monitors etc) a lot and not just gaming, then windows 8.1 with Stardock Start 8 or StartIsBack would be a better deal for you. The second monitor benefits and task manager improvements are great for checking the information and such about the PC, and once you get back a working start menu (and get rid of the stupid things that happen when you move the mouse to the top corners in windows 8) you'll find it's great. Win 8.1 Pro is also quite cheap.

 

I would not go this route.

If you want a lot, and I mean a lot of features, wait about 3-4 months then install Windows 10.

It'll have the look and feel of Windows 7, with all the latest features of Windows 8, without that butt-ugly eyesore they call Metro and allow full windowing of applications and not just limit it to two apps in the same screen like 8 tends to do with 'native applications'. This includes how it behaves after the hours upon hours you do to 'fix' it to make it less like an unwieldy piece of trash. Including the regristry changes to drop you into the Windows desktop and not metro, removing the full screen lock screen eyesore, stopping it from the occasional issues of corruption of your local passwords (since anyone sane won't have a network ID for all their needs *shudder*), the ClassicShell package to mimic Windows 7 'start menu' that should have been included to begin with, let alone the explorer modifications from the crippled piece of crap they offer, the VLC movie player since Windows 8 has full DRM infested^H^H^H^Henabled movie players, their horrid bios locking that stops you from booting from CD or anything but their approved USB boot loaders, the list goes on... and on... and on...


Windows 8, for all the mixed power under the hood, has by far the absolute worst user-interface you could possibly have in an OS.

So if you can't wait, get Windows 7 pro. If you can wait, get Windows 10.

Pretend Windows 8 never existed. Seriously. You'll sleep better at night.

 

Well, waiting for Windows 10 doesn't help him now. I'm also not certain that Windows 10 acts as Win 8 with Start8 does... which I FAR prefer to 7. In fact, I hate 7 with a passion and prefer Vista over it. But what I said before was not a lie; I couldn't stand Windows 8 when I installed it, but I used Start 8 and fiddled a little bit and after a week I couldn't go back to 7 or its interfaces.

But I will say that Start 8 does FAR more than just add a start menu. If Windows 10 has all the added benefits as options we can select, then awesome. But until it comes out, we don't know.

I know a lot of people hate Win 8 and I'm not denying their reasons for doing so, but with one of the better "fixer" programs, it's better of an interface than 7 ever will be by default.

OP if you wanna grab 7 and then go to Windows 10 later, then by all means; do so. If you want to grab and try it out, go right ahead. There's Win 8 keys for like $19 on g2a.com I believe, if you want to test it.

Either way, the flatline is this:
If you want as-close-to-vista-as-possible, then 7 is your way to go
If you use dual monitors often and the task manager and like the fastest boot/program startup times, then grab 8.1 & use a program I listed.
If you want to hold out for 10 and stick with 7 until then, go right ahead.

I'm just laying out the options bare, and you can pick what you want. I'm biased to 8 with Start8 I will admit, but it's not like it's a terrible choice, just like those biased to 7 aren't recommending a terrible choice either. It's just a choice.

 

Ehh, that point is a bit of a misdenomer.

The Task manager, I grant you, is a lot more powerful in its low level handling, but there's third party tools that are better yet that you can find for Windows 7 (and 8).

The fast boot/program times is due to windows 8 prefetch and preloader, which also has issues with stability on certain applications, and also fails to work on non-certified windows 8 applications. Great for where and when it works, not so much otherwise. The buy you get isn't eye-inspiring noticeable either. In fact, if you have solid state drives (SSD), it's generally recommended you disable prefetch/superfetch/preload entirely and let the native solid state handle the fetching with its own data cache as it natively has better performance.

The dual monitors is hit and miss. I will grant you it has better 4K and HD support in Windows 8 than Windows 7, but I've found it's stretching desktops is flaky at best, and dual-running applications, like for instance, streaming video of different resolutions on both monitors, can sometimes cause some weird oddities. It's an improvement, but at more times than not seems half-baked. The sad thing of course, is that Windows 7 isn't much better, but tends to be a bit more stable with it 'just working'.

If you want a good method of multi-monitors, get Hackntosh

 

Hi guys,

Thanks for the info. I can't wait, so it seems that Windows 7 is my option, just because I want to keep my programs running. I have all the disks, but finding them is a hassle. And when I do find them, installing one by one will take hours. So, Windows 7 is a way to go, until I bite the bullet and do a clean install with Windows 10.

Anyone know of a place where I could get good prices on Windows 7 keys (real, not flaky ones.)

 

I've never had problems with streaming different-resolution video (and I watch twitch tv a LOT, and my second screen is 768p as well). The backgrounds resize themselves properly, there is a taskbar on second screens AND start 8 can give a start button on second screens. The fast-boot I was also talking about actual program launching; tested from my SSD with Win 7 and Win 8. Win 7 things take longer. Just does.

I've never had a dual monitor problem like you experienced, and neither have any of my friends who got bored and tried Win 8 on both my recommendation and also back when BF4 just ran a lot better on Win 8.

Also, I don't understand what you mean by "dual-running applications". If you could elaborate on this, I'd be happy to mention what I've found about it.

And lastly, I do know that there are a lot of third party tools that can do a lot more than windows will ever build in natively... but honestly? Not everyone wants to run a multitude of extra programs when 80% of the info can be found natively somewhere else. It's why I prefer HWMonitor over HWiNFO64 most of the time; I don't NEED all the extra info if I just wanna see min/max temps, for example. Not saying it's a bad thing, but I am indeed pointing out it might be in his interests to check it out.

 

I suggest pulling your drivers from the website for Sager; they should have the latest and it'll be better than using your (probably outdated) driver disc.

 

If you want a legit Windows 7 Pro license, you'll be talking about $60 give/take.

Here's a link, of one that appears legit: Windows 7 Professional wSP1 - 3264-bit Email Delivery

Others may have a cheaper place to find it.

 

It is not all that successful yet with Widows 10 It may be that Win10 can be slower than Windows 7. There are running some tests with Windows 7,8.1 and 10. http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...uide-m18xr2-alienware-18-a-6.html#post9806178

 

Windows 10 has memory leak issues currently (at least as of last week when my friend kept getting some for no reason; his RAM'd just use a random 8GB out of his 12GB for no reason). Even task manager can't find where the RAM usage is going; it just is being used up. He finds for the most part it's greatly fast though.

 

Ram used surely to hidden applications from Micro$oft :laugh:

 

Not surprising for a beta Microsoft os

 

All information from the app that uses the ram does not go to Microsoft, but to National Security Agency.:laugh:

 

That explains all the passive spy electronics I keep finding when taking apart laptops!

 

passive spy electronics, only Lenovo uses :laugh: