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Kenster1025
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February 6th, 2009 16:00
Will Windows 7 Run?
So right now, I have a 6 year old Dell Dimension 4600(See Signature) which I just have on Stand By in case my personal built PC ever goes kaput on me. Now I have been thinking about this after seeing a ZDNET review raving how well Windows 7 Beta preformed on a single core system. So I would probably have to DBAN my old computer, and then do a fresh install of Windows 7 Beta 1 or can I do a reformat with my Windows XP OEM disc which I used on my current build to just format the computer. Also my Dim 4600 has the original Creative SoundBlaster, can someone please give me a link to the Dell update from Creative. It is just something interesting.
So how should I go about this, since I have already backed it up, and what else should I do to prepare.
[Poll]I installed Windows 7 build 7000 lastnight on my 4600. I have a ATI 9800 AGP card and currently two IDE drives (going to slip a SATA drive in) and had no issue what-so-ever. Admittedly I did only install and haven't even bothered looking at the Devie Manager to see what still needs drivers yet, but everything appears functional at this point except sound (again I assume driver here which hopefully will be a non issue). Also I've not update the BIOS in forever though, currently at A02, but I am going to update to A12 very soon. Planning to use this rig as a media PC.
TheRealFireblad
4 Apprentice
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4639 Posts
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Posted March 17th, 2009 13:00
[Completely OT]
I have a ATI 9800 AGP card
The AGP ATI 9800 Pro was one of the most popular/best graphics cards of its day... and possibly ever made :emotion-11:
So much so... I still have the ones I bought all those years ago somewhere (a 128MB and a 256MB) - replete with AC (Arctic Cooling) coolers on 'em :emotion-2:
[/Completely OT]
Re the Creative Soundblaster: Just use the latest drivers available on the Creative website :emotion-55:
Re Windows 7: I agree with the recommendation of installing it on a separate hard drive.
Or... assuming your hard drive is of sufficient capacity... just create a partition for it, and dual boot it with XP Home.
tgsmith
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2862 Posts
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Posted February 7th, 2009 02:00
Kenster1025,
I see no problem installing Windows 7 on your Dimension 4600. You have the key elements to make it work; i.e., more than 1Gb of RAM and a video card with more than 128Mb of RAM. If I were you, I would probably purchase an 80Gb hard drive and do a clean install of Windows 7.
I installed Windows 7 on a Dimension B110 which is comparable to the 4600. Games, including Freecell, took forever to run with the onboard 8Mb video, so I installed a 256Mb GeForce video card. Everything runs fine now. Very stable and easier to navigate than Vista.
Drivers for the 4600 are located here: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&ServiceTag=&SystemID=DIM_P4_4600&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=&impid=
Your biggest problem with the 4600 will be finding drivers for Windows 7. Since Dell doesn't have Vista drivers for the 4600, you may have to do some serious research to find Windows 7 drivers. Most likely you will have to go to the various chip (audio, network, video, etc)manufacturers web sites to find drivers that will work with Windows 7.
Good luck!
Tony