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cggiftshop1
2 Posts
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November 8th, 2010 21:00
Which OS Do I Need ?
I have a Dimension E 520 desktop that I bought from a family member without any disk....I want to install windows 7 and don't know which one to buy..I want to have all the disk to reinstall if something goes wrong with my pc or if I install a bigger hard drive because it is getting pretty slow.
cggiftshop1
2 Posts
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Posted November 9th, 2010 17:00
Sorry my question was confusing .I have win xp...but with out the replacement disk I was afraid I would not install the right win 7 , mess up win xp and my pc wouldn't work..I've never installed an os before...I have only installed hardware in my older pc's.....I will see if I can get the replacement disk first...Thanks for your reply
Before installing anything, you may want to go to Microsoft and download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to see if all the components in your system are Windows 7 ready. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b544e90-7659-4bd9-9e51-2497c146af15
Sorry my question was confusing .I have win xp...but with out the replacement disk I was afraid I would not install the right win 7 , mess up win xp and my pc wouldn't work..I've never installed an os before...I have only installed hardware in my older pc's.....I will see if I can get the replacement disk first...Thanks for your reply
Windows 7 will work. If you install it over your XP, it should archive the XP install (including the "Documents and Settings" folder) into a separate directory for safekeeping.
You may need extra RAM; 32-bit Windows 7 requires 1gb while 64-bit requires 2gb.
Found this interesting post that may or may not be helpful?
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/windows-platform/articles/22831.aspx
It would be wise to implement the advise as suggested above and be certain that your OS has the necessary RAM and the such before performing any upgrade.
jackshack
6447 Posts
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Posted November 8th, 2010 22:00
Your question is a bit confusing. What do you mean by "which one to buy"? If the computer was purchased with an operating system it should have a sticker for either Windows XP or Vista. The registered owner can request replacement disks for whichever operating system was shipped with the computer. If you live in the U.S. you can use this form: Dell Replacement Disk.
If you don't wish to use the original operating system, you should be able to run any version of Windows 7 you would like to buy. You might want to go to the Microsoft web page and download the Windows Upgrade Advisor before you actually buy a copy. The upgrade advisor will let you know if you should make any hardware or software changes before attempting to install Windows 7.