Shirley from FL writes:
I have a Compaq laptop with Vista on it. It is about 4 years old, am I able to put Windows 7 on it? Since I can not afford at this time a new laptop I would like to get rid of Vista since I do not like it.
Answer:
Shirley, I’ve got some great news for you. If your PC is running Vista then it most likely can run Windows 7. Microsoft has a free utility called the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor which will scan your computer and report back on the upgrade ability and any possible conflicts.
Click here to download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. Once you run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, a report will show on the screen giving you a list of possible compatibility issues t specific to your computer. You can review this report to determine if any software or hardware won’t work once you install Windows 7.
It’s also a good idea to visit your manufacturer’s website and look for drivers under the support section. You can find out if Windows 7 drivers are available for your computer’s internal devices. If there are drivers available, download them and put them onto a DVD or a USB flash drive. Once you complete the upgrade, you’ll have the drivers you need to install.
If you do decide to upgrade, I would look online or in-store for the Upgrade edition of Windows 7 Home Premium. This edition is the most popular version of Windows 7 and is designed for home users who do not need to connect to a corporate work network.
-Tim
Shirley,
Before you pay the money to upgrade please spend some time using s friend’s computer that has Windows 7 on it already, that is if you haven’t. I use Windows 7 mostly but do have 1 Vista computer and with the latest service pack on it Vista is not that different from Win 7, IMO. Even if the system would support it I would never pay the 90-120 bucks it would cost to buy an upgrade. Don’t get me wrong Win 7 is better than Vista but to me again it is not $100 better.
If you do decide to upgrade then make sure you get the correct version for upgrading from Vista to Window 7 I just looked and there are upgrades from Win 7 starter to Win 7 Home Premium that are not what you need. Also make sure you get a version for the correct processor type 32bit or 64bit.