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    installing win7 on a old-ish laptop?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by NEOFOLLOWER2, Aug 18, 2010.

  1. NEOFOLLOWER2

    NEOFOLLOWER2 Notebook Consultant

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    Compaq Presario F500 Notebook PC series specifications - HP Home & Home Office Products

    i have a presario f500(link above)
    i am starting classes soon
    i need a laptop to use for simple task...word/web/youtube/powerpoint...simple things basically

    i have my desktop for gaming and high end stuff

    the presario runs vista...slow but still usable
    im wondering if i just buy ram and install win7
    will i get better performance?
    enough performance that i wouldnt need to go spend 100's on a netbook or laptop
     
  2. Tinderbox (UK)

    Tinderbox (UK) BAKED BEAN KING

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  3. NEOFOLLOWER2

    NEOFOLLOWER2 Notebook Consultant

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    would buying more ram help at all?
     
  4. NEOFOLLOWER2

    NEOFOLLOWER2 Notebook Consultant

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    I'm trying to decide whether to go get an altogether new cheap laptop

    or

    just buy ram and win7


    i want to spend at least as possible because this laptop doesn't really need to be blazing fast
     
  5. Kyle

    Kyle JVC SZ2000 Dual-Driver Headphones

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    It should run pretty well with 2GB of ram.

    Install 2GB of ram and see how it works under Vista.

    If you are not satisfied, you can evaluate win 7 (I assume you have backup discs for Vista)
     
  6. NEOFOLLOWER2

    NEOFOLLOWER2 Notebook Consultant

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    ok thanks for the input.

    also...is it safe to assume that if it runs well on vista
    it will run a bit better on 7?

    my desktop is a core i7
    so the difference when i upgraded was very negligable
     
  7. Kyle

    Kyle JVC SZ2000 Dual-Driver Headphones

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    It might run a little better, but most of that likely will be due to a clean install. You can alsso make your Vista install faster by removing unnecessary resource hogs..

    PS: Also try wubi (linux usually runs much faster):
    https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide
     
  8. Texanman

    Texanman Master of all things Cake

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    If windows 7 can run on crappy netbooks then Im pretty sure it will run fine. It runs on my lenovo s12 just fine with 1gb.... can't mutitask much but it works... When I upgraded to 3gb it was pretty much perfect

    EDIT:
    Also if you have a valid student email address you can get windows 7 pro for 30 bucks!

    http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/windows/buynow/default.aspx