I got a brand new laptop from Dell after many problems with a previous computer that ran under Windows XP. They sent me a laptop with Windows 7 installed instead of one with XP. The lady who set me up with the computer is able to send me a different computer with XP installed with a possibility to upgrade to Windows 7. The reason I want XP is because I have graphics intensive software that runs under XP that I don’t want to pay to upgrade. Should I just take the Windows 7 64 bit Professional system and run “XP mode”, which is apparently an emulator, or should I insist on the Windows XP software? Are there problems with the XP mode, or is it pretty solid?
The graphics software I need to run are things like Photoshop CS, Illustrator CS, ImageReady, etc.
Also, what’s “Virtual PC” and how does it relate to “XP mode”.
My hardware is set up for emulation, I’ve already checked.
If you can avoid running XP as the main OS, do so. XP is a great product, but it’s very nearly at the end of its support life now, so going forward, it will start to become less secure, reliable and compatible.
Your programs might actually run natively in Windows 7. Have you checked them at the Microsoft Windows 7 Compatibility Center?
XP mode is XP, just run in a virtual machine. The only thing that might foul you here is if you need a level of hardware access that the virtual machine cannot provide. Other than that, your old programs will run just fine.
“Virtual PC” is a program that acts like a complete PC (which may use special features of the CPU to improve performance to near native levels).
Windows 7 “XP Mode” uses “Virtual PC” and a preconfigured licensed copy of Windows XP to allow users to run XP only applications on Windows 7. This is required in some cases where older application will not run on Windows 7 (even with compatibility settings enabled).
I would say go Windows 7 and use XP Emulation if you need to, but I suspect your apps will work in Windows 7 anyhow.
Depends. I have older 16 bit programs (games) that will not run in 64 bit (Vista, but I’m assuming Win7 is the same), and the only way to run them is with Virtual PC and a copy of XP/98.
I tried XP Mode and it does pretty well if you need to run software that only runs in XP. I got an old version of Corel Office working that way.
My home pc runs dual mode with XP and Win 7. I prefer being able to boot directly into XP. It’s the only way I can use my MicroTek SCSI scanner. It isn’t supported in Win 7.
First do a driver compatibility test.
Windows 7 will take full advantage of your 4GB and manage it better than XP.
There are tweaks out there to shut some of the unneeded services and graphics if you need to tune it up.
If you have the drivers for Win 7, Go for it.
I just found out that the technician over at Dell doesn’t know what he’s talking about and they weren’t going to send me XP installed, because the specs say Windows 7 with “XP Mode”, but he kept telling me that once I “upgrade” to Windows 7 on the system they’re sending me, I can’t go back. I got into a big argument with him about what “XP Mode” means. He thinks it’s the same as a “downgrade” to XP, with XP installed. In short he was confusing “XP Mode” with “XP with an option to upgrade to Windows 7”. This was the top technician in the department at Dell that I was dealing with. He doesn’t even know the company’s own products. Scary.
I use CS2 with Windows 7 all the time. No issues. Doesn’t take any tricks or special emulation. Either Windows 7 does that automatically, or it just runs under normal Win 7 operation.
I use a Wacom tablet with Windows 7 and don’t have any trouble. I don’t use Photoshop but I do run (believe it or not) Paint Shop Pro 8 without problems. Given that XP is so soon to become unsupported, I think you’d be best off going with the Windows 7 PC, and you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to work with.
This doesn’t directly address your question, but I have a windows XP and 7 dual boot setup, meaning I can use either operating system. I almost never use XP, 7 is just a much better experience all around. You could buy a copy of XP on ebay or something, and then set up your new computer with a dual-boot, that way you can have both options.
I’ve never used the XP emulator mode in 7 (didn’t know it could even do that actually), but it sounds like others are saying that will work for you too.
I say whatever you do don’t plan on running those graphics intensive programs in virtual machines point blank (that will really limit it’s speed and and maybe functionality). I would suggest using windows 7 as long as the hardware is above minimal requirements. if it’s going to be minimal requirements for windows 7 I’d stick with windows xp.
And I’ve actually used Windows 7 64 bit for a really long time and as far as I can tell most programs are supported by windows 7 with no problem whatsoever. Windows 7 was created to very friendly with original software made for Windows XP I mean that’s even without compatibility mode or any kind of emulating. Windows 7 by default will install any regular 32 bit program created by windows xp and only thing that’s even noticeable is that it creates a seperate “Program Files” folder instead of installing 32 bit programs into the “Program Files (x64)” or whatever it’s called folder.
I rarely run into a program that Windows 7 can’t handle.
Unlikely. Modern virtual machines use hardware features of modern CPUs to deliver VM performance that only lags native performance by a few percent, if not less. The other major cause of slowdown is overcommitted memory, which can result in swapping in the host OS. Again, modern VMs generally take steps to stop you doing this.
Unlikely? what that a virtual machine will limit the program’s functionality? I mean that’s a definitely no matter what he’s going to be sharing RAM which face it for a complicated program like Photoshop is absolutely CRITICAL. Sure processors now are being created to cooperate and be more friendly to Virtual Machines but it’s still a long way off from being perfect. I have done a fair amount of virtualization with VMware Inside of Windows 7 running Windows XP and also Windows 7 inside Windows 7 and I do notice performance issues.
