XP or 7?

MrE

MrE

CAGiversary!
I'm dusting off some of my old pc games but I don't have a working Windows box at the moment and am considering building one. I need to decide between getting Windows 7, which seems to be hit or miss, or searching for a copy of Windows XP.

Most of the games that I would be playing are older (Rollercoaster Tycoon, Black and White 2, Fallout 2, etc.) But I want to also be able to play newer games such as Starcraft 2 and any other titles that may tickle my fancy.

Your thoughts?
 
I personally use XP. I can not see myself ever getting Windows 7. I play freeware, f2p, some modern retails and a lot of classic retails (actually my kids are playing the classics that are not available via freeware and/or f2p). XP has yet to fail us.

I have a great deal of friends and family that I play games with on Windows 7 and from time to time when we try to get a game going of something older (even modern)...one of two of them run into something that turns out to be Windows 7 specific. While the rest that happen to be on Windows XP are flying strong.

You can get Windows XP Pro for cheap here in NYC. Not sure about where you are. In facts, some places like the NYC Science and Research Library have copies of it for free in their giveaway pile. Some are used and some are new depends on the week you're there. You have to ask the librarian for the serials.

I'm coming from a biased and jaded point of view mind you because it seems like all Windows OS need about 5+ years among the public to be stable enough to handle power users needs. I've already moved on to Linux with only 2 out of 8 machines in my home still using Windows at all.
 
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7 works pretty well and compatibility mode helps cover most older games. I wouldn't bother upgrading for an older computer, but anything with a DX11 mid range video card or better I would.
 
I use windows 7 desktop and have a laptop with XP for my older games... Even those there is an XP Mode it doesn't work as good as having XP by itself...
 
First of all you should know that XP is the most vulnerable of all the versions of Windows to viruses that you can buy. Next, Microsoft will stop supporting this OS in 2014, so you won't be receiving any more critical updates to protect it. Lastly, XP doesn't officially support anything beyond DX9. There have been some hack jobs out there that reverse engineered the software to force DX10/11 to run, but it's hit and miss.

On the other hand, I can attest that Windows 7 is like what XP was after upgrading from Win98 back in the day. It's stable, runs everything new, and has a bright future. Dosbox is great for running the classics, but anything between classic and today and you'll run into problems half the time. You have to pay extra for professional or ultimate for XP mode, which was intended for applications not games.

Personally I prefer to play the new games using DX11 over the classics, as I spent years playing those and have no interest anymore. Not to mention that Steam has fantastic sales every year on new games, so for me it's a no brainer. That's my 2 cents.
 
I spend all day working on an XP machine, most of the time being depressed by and/or cussing at it. I was the guy defending Windows 2000 to the hilt, as boring as is might have been, but Windows 7 is so much better in basically every meaningful way.
 
[quote name='utgotye']I spend all day working on an XP machine, most of the time being depressed by and/or cussing at it. I was the guy defending Windows 2000 to the hilt, as boring as is might have been, but Windows 7 is so much better in basically every meaningful way.[/QUOTE]

I'm on the other side of this coin. People bring me their Windows 7 machines and though they pay me a pretty sum it's disgusting how botched I find some of the errors to be. XP is like fresh water.
 
LOL Vista. It's had a bad rep ever since it was introduced and never recovered.

I was "XP all the way" kind of guy until I upgraded to 7 and now I can't imagine going back to XP. Haven't had problems with either OS (knock on wood).
 
[quote name='MrE']But I want to also be able to play newer games such as Starcraft 2 and any other titles that may tickle my fancy.[/QUOTE]
SC2 works fine in XP. In general, I don't play many big-budget PC games, but there are a fair number of current titles with XP support.

Don't have a strong opinion one way or the other in regards to XP or 7; just wanted to point that out :)
 
i used vista for a year and half before win 7 and just didnt see where all the bad hype came from. dont even see a difference between it and win 7 but then again i got a pretty decent i7 rig. i do think it had a windows NT feel to it at 1st and like windows nt many normal windows program wouldnt work with it. probably had a lot of people trying to get the os to work on their 7 year old pc too hehe.

and to op as a more of a retail pc gamer id just get win 7. most the older stuff that doesn't work with win 7 isn't really worth playing anyways. :)
 
probably 90% of the reasons why vista sucked was they paired it on crappy slow ass $300 rigs that could barely handle the OS, then people started to bitch about how slow their machines were and then the viral spread that vista sucked in general developed no thanks in part due to social media.

Vista did not suck, it just sucked for everyone buying crappy oem computers, which a lot of businesses, schools, government and cheap people would buy. Put vista on properly dated hardware instead of crap from 2001 and it works flawlessly, just like win7.

Remember, consumer reports did that huge survey test a few years back and noted that 70% of the people who they surveyed actually never tried, seen or used vista at all... MS then did the whole "rune" marketing campaign to trick people in believing it was the next gen OS when it was in fact Vista. I pretty much loled of people's misconception about anything tech.

Throw lazy people in a room and they'll tell your what they heard, not what they really know or experience.
 
Vista had it's issues as well. I hated Vista at first but over it's course, the collection of updates that eventually was rolled into SP1 gradually fixed most of the issues I had with it. As others have said, the biggest reason behind it's poor rep was the fact that OEMs would simply start putting Vista on prebuilts they were putting XP on the previous week with little to no thought as to the hardware issues. On the whole though, on decent hardware with SP1, there's little to nothing wrong with Vista.
 
Do yourself a favor and go with 7.

Besides the fact that MS will drop XP support soon, 7 is just much more robust. I have machines running for months running 7 where XP will tend to degrade overtime and require a restart to "freshen up" and become more responsive. It also seems to me that 7 is much more secure and feature rich than XP is.

I use XP on my netbook and for that application, XP is great because it is a lighter OS that requires less system resources...but if I could I would run 7 in it too.

Cheaper is not always better...especially if you want to run all the newest games that require > DX9 support... Its a no-brainer to me.
 
[quote name='Megazell']I'm on the other side of this coin. People bring me their Windows 7 machines and though they pay me a pretty sum it's disgusting how botched I find some of the errors to be. XP is like fresh water.[/QUOTE]

You must live in the Twilight Zone then, while working with the armed forces over the summer, I had to map printers for the whole unit I worked for and Vista and 7 were a breeze, mapping XP units was like a nightmare. Personally I used XP at school and a build a friend gave me 5 years ago, until the system blew up (literally) otherwise I stuck with Windows 98se until I got 7 from school for free and haven't looked back or regretted the decision once in two years, it's that good of an OS (from MS, no less, how scary is that ;) :lol:).

And with all of the solutions to do older OS'es virtually these days, why bother with using a 10 year old OS as the main one, just grab VM Ware, Virtual PC or something else that'll do that for you, ya know.
 
[quote name='uncle5555']You must live in the Twilight Zone then, while working with the armed forces over the summer, I had to map printers for the whole unit I worked for and Vista and 7 were a breeze, mapping XP units was like a nightmare. Personally I used XP at school and a build a friend gave me 5 years ago, until the system blew up (literally) otherwise I stuck with Windows 98se until I got 7 from school for free and haven't looked back or regretted the decision once in two years, it's that good of an OS (from MS, no less, how scary is that ;) :lol:).

And with all of the solutions to do older OS'es virtually these days, why bother with using a 10 year old OS as the main one, just grab VM Ware, Virtual PC or something else that'll do that for you, ya know.[/QUOTE]

I do volunteer work for an at risk children program, homeless shelter and a local community center.

The children's program have a 60 unit computer lab. We have 40 units on Windows XP. 5 on Windows 7 and 5 on Linux. The computers are used for homework and are mapped to 2 printers one B/W for bulk prints and a laser office printer for color. Mapping the XP machines to it was easy as pie. Granted even the mapping of the 7 and Linux machines to the printer were not a problem.

When the HW is done the machines are used for gaming. LAN and other stuff. Windows 7 machines are usually the ones to have problems with games like UT2k4, Quake 2 and a many others. For now those machines are strictly HW machines. The XP machines run like water.

The homeless shelter has a job training program and majority of the jobs these men and women will be going for require Windows XP knowledge as many of the offices have not upgraded to Windows 7 yet. Have yet to run into a problem that was not hardware related on those machines.

As for me personally, Windows 7 offers me NO REASON what so ever to upgrade. There is nothing that it can do that my Windows XP machines can not do.

It looks pretty though but that's not a good enough reason to upgrade (especially since I can just change my GUI on XP).

I personally have 3 (originally 8 - 5 of which I sold) free copies of Windows 7. I keep them just in case something groundbreaking comes out for it that I can get on with.

Til then, I click and play freely with no problem whatsoever.

Those Windows 7 commercial are nice though.
 
7's been surprisingly good for me installed on my new build. I was never considering sticking with XP as I built my rig with 8GB RAM and also a DX11 card.

I've long ago transitioned my main computing to OSX, but maintain a gaming machine with Windows. It's kind of ironic that I really didn't like Lionthat much but Windows 7 seems okay. Also though I literally do not do anything on my PC except game. No office, no PDF reader, no flash, no java, nothing. The only programs I have installed is steam, some hardware stuff (MSI Afterburner, HWMonitor, etc) and games. That's probably partly why I don't mind 7- I'm sure if I was a more heavy user I could find things I didn't like.

Anyway I'd recommend installing 7. You can emulate XP for older games if you need to, modern hardware should have the power to cope with that.
 
[quote name='Ruahrc']...I've long ago transitioned my main computing to OSX...[/QUOTE]

Im sorry...this thread is XP vs 7. OSX is for people who want the "shiny" without the "substance" (they want an OS that will look good, but doesnt have anywhere near the software developer support). If you want a proprietary POS then get OSX. If you want to build your own PC and get the most possible out of it (basically more computer for less money, without being locked down by Apple and forced to use what they want you to), then Windows is the way to go.

Sorry, I cant support a greedy company that cares more about reaping profits than its users (apple). MS is greedy too, but at least they dont have the audacity to tell me what hardware I can and cant use in my own system... If I buy or assemble a computer, I want to be able to use it the way I want to.
 
[quote name='RedRingOfDeath']Do yourself a favor and go with 7.

Besides the fact that MS will drop XP support soon, 7 is just much more robust. I have machines running for months running 7 where XP will tend to degrade overtime and require a restart to "freshen up" and become more responsive. It also seems to me that 7 is much more secure and feature rich than XP is.

I use XP on my netbook and for that application, XP is great because it is a lighter OS that requires less system resources...but if I could I would run 7 in it too.

Cheaper is not always better...especially if you want to run all the newest games that require > DX9 support... Its a no-brainer to me.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I've been holding off on upgrading to 7 on my XP box at home, and it's clear that the time has come. Between XP's insecurities and 7's improvements (I use it on my work box without any problems), it is time.

I just don't want to go through the hassle until I upgrade the build. Figure I'll kill two birds with one stone. I'm really eager to do this, though, as XP is showing its age.
 
Hehehe. Wow, a lot to read thru. I'm more concerned with playing those older games that I neglected. Black and White, Black and White 2 chief among them. I liked those games a lot but didn't get to spend as much time with them as I wanted to.

I've heard that Black and White seems to run terribly or not at all under 7 which is my primary concern. While it would be nice to be able to play Black and White and Starcraft 2 on the same box, I'm not opposed to having an XP machine that has no other function except to play the games that don't quite fit; they're not old enuff to be emulated and not new enuff to run without issue.

As far as XP goes as an OS. I never had any major issues with it until upgrading a driver that didn't really need to be upgraded. Guess that was the straw what broke the camel's back cuz after that nothing worked right to the point of being broken.

Thanks a lot for the info guys. You've given me some things to take into consideration without too much fanboyism. ;P
 
For someone who uses a Core 2 Duo laptop with Vista for the Internet, YouTube, and Counter-Strike: Source, do you recommend spending the $100 and getting Windows 7? Are the improvements worth it?

Or should I just wait to buy a new laptop with Windows 8? My laptop runs great for my purposes (4GB RAM and a dedicated 512MB Radeon HD 2600) so it isn't some clunker with integrated graphics. Just not sure if I should upgrade to 7 because I can see myself using this laptop for at least another year or two.
 
[quote name='Kendro']For someone who uses a Core 2 Duo laptop with Vista for the Internet, YouTube, and Counter-Strike: Source, do you recommend spending the $100 and getting Windows 7? Are the improvements worth it?

Or should I just wait to buy a new laptop with Windows 8? My laptop runs great for my purposes (4GB RAM and a dedicated 512MB Radeon HD 2600) so it isn't some clunker with integrated graphics. Just not sure if I should upgrade to 7 because I can see myself using this laptop for at least another year or two.[/QUOTE]

Unless you're having problems with Vista just keep it. I loved it honestly.

As for the OP go with 7, if you find you have a problem with a game just dual boot the machine or virtual OS XP.
 
[quote name='Kendro']For someone who uses a Core 2 Duo laptop with Vista for the Internet, YouTube, and Counter-Strike: Source, do you recommend spending the $100 and getting Windows 7? Are the improvements worth it?

Or should I just wait to buy a new laptop with Windows 8? My laptop runs great for my purposes (4GB RAM and a dedicated 512MB Radeon HD 2600) so it isn't some clunker with integrated graphics. Just not sure if I should upgrade to 7 because I can see myself using this laptop for at least another year or two.[/QUOTE]
Since Microsoft fixed the problems of Vista, I say just stay with Vista until you find a reason that Vista doesn't work. 7 is a great OS but 7 is basically a newer version of Vista. Just wait till Windows 8.

For the OP. While XP is more insecure, if you have enough common sense to not get a virus, then you can use XP fine. I will say though if you want anything higher than Direct X 9, then go Windows 7. Unless you can get a super cheap copy of XP (that has a real price difference than 7), get 7 just because it will have future support from Microsoft that doesn't end in 2014.
 
What about something like Linux? Is that something a total computer idiot can figure out? Is it easy to use or do you have to stay on top of it?
 
XP support will be non-existent soon. Best just to move on to 7, or maybe even try out 8 once a more stable release of it comes out
 
[quote name='Javery']What about something like Linux? Is that something a total computer idiot can figure out? Is it easy to use or do you have to stay on top of it?[/QUOTE]

With Ubuntu, all the standard stuff is easy/ no brainer: browser, file management, word processing, etc. However, if you want to do other things (like gaming through Wine or troubleshooting), you'll need to be a bit more of an expert. Doesn't mean they won't work, but they aren't as dummy-proof.

That said, 2 years ago, I moved my parents (in their 70s and 80s) from XP to Ubuntu. They haven't looked back since they just use it for email, web browsing, some casual games, and video skype. Aside from a couple of minor issues (muting Skype), it has been a near perfect OS for them. I even remotely log in to fix some of those minor issues.
 
[quote name='Javery']What about something like Linux? Is that something a total computer idiot can figure out? Is it easy to use or do you have to stay on top of it?[/QUOTE]

The latest versions of Linux have been easier and easier to use. It's not has fisher price as Windows is but it's getting there.

[quote name='MastaAzia']XP support will be non-existent soon. Best just to move on to 7, or maybe even try out 8 once a more stable release of it comes out[/QUOTE]

Windows 7 is not stable yet.

[quote name='j-cart']Windows 7 for that DX11 support.[/QUOTE]

That may or may not work ;)
 
[quote name='Megazell']Windows 7 is not stable yet.[/QUOTE]

According to whom? Your work with more than likely older machines? Come to the current decade. If you are building or purchasing a new system and choosing a Windows OS, at the moment you should get Win 7. Later this year I would say Win 8 based on playing with the beta.

Here is the hierarchy: Win 7 >> XP >> Vista

Bluntly, Vista wanted to be good, but MS screwed the pooch and it is far too heavy and cumbersome to recommend. Does it work, yes. However it is an all-or-nothing ordeal out of the box as far as security settings go.

As others have mentioned, if you want DX11, it is a no-brainer. If you want to be more "future proof", it is a no-brainer.

For the people who have been around, Win 7 is DOS 5 (best out at the moment), XP is DOS 3 (works but missing newer features), and Vista is DOS 4 (only use if necessary) only MS did not yank it off the shelf as fast as they should have. :)
 
[quote name='jmbreci']According to whom? Your work with more than likely older machines? Come to the current decade. If you are building or purchasing a new system and choosing a Windows OS, at the moment you should get Win 7. Later this year I would say Win 8 based on playing with the beta.

Here is the hierarchy: Win 7 >> XP >> Vista

Bluntly, Vista wanted to be good, but MS screwed the pooch and it is far too heavy and cumbersome to recommend. Does it work, yes. However it is an all-or-nothing ordeal out of the box as far as security settings go.

As others have mentioned, if you want DX11, it is a no-brainer. If you want to be more "future proof", it is a no-brainer.

For the people who have been around, Win 7 is DOS 5 (best out at the moment), XP is DOS 3 (works but missing newer features), and Vista is DOS 4 (only use if necessary) only MS did not yank it off the shelf as fast as they should have. :)[/QUOTE]

You saying Windows 7 is stable in all that jabber?
 
I've been using 7 since RC2 and haven't had any problems at all.

Why not just dual boot XP and 7 if you're concerned about the compatibility of old games?
 
Windows 7 was indeed not safe to use... until SP1. Prior to this, I tried Win7, and files would start disappearing: not in Explorer, but would show up in search. I quickly went back to XP. That said, with SP1 out, I've moved to Win7 without those issues... its tough and stable. RIP XP.
 
[quote name='hordak']Windows 7 was indeed not safe to use... until SP1. Prior to this, I tried Win7, and files would start disappearing: not in Explorer, but would show up in search. I quickly went back to XP. That said, with SP1 out, I've moved to Win7 without those issues... its tough and stable. RIP XP.[/QUOTE]

I manage a fair amount of computers at my job, many of which are Windows 7 (and not SP1) and I have never seen or heard of that happening unless a virus was causing it. Though when a virus caused it, it would hide every single god damned file and move their entire start menu to a folder in the %temp% directory.
 
[quote name='Draekon']I manage a fair amount of computers at my job, many of which are Windows 7 (and not SP1) and I have never seen or heard of that happening unless a virus was causing it. Though when a virus caused it, it would hide every single god damned file and move their entire start menu to a folder in the %temp% directory.[/QUOTE]

You probably have them installed with other measures. There was a UAC issue with files being moved and the calendar not working with Windows 7 prior to the SP 1 patch.
 
I personally love windows 7 and think its MS best OS so far. I have not had any issues with Win7 either. Its hard for me to go back to XP now that I have been using Win7 since it came out. I have XP on my laptop and use it only to connect to my TV so I can watch TV shows on it. Once I get a Win7 laptop, XP will be uninstalled and linux will be on my laptop.
 
[quote name='Draekon']I manage a fair amount of computers at my job, many of which are Windows 7 (and not SP1) and I have never seen or heard of that happening unless a virus was causing it. Though when a virus caused it, it would hide every single god damned file and move their entire start menu to a folder in the %temp% directory.[/QUOTE]

No virus. This was on a clean install. In fact, this was on a laptop that I had just purchased. It was really weird because I would try to find files in explorer, and they were not there. Using search, Explorer told me exactly where they were, but they were not when I navigated to them.

Like Megazell said, it looks like an issue with UAC. Here are threads:

 
^ Some of those problems are still ongoing. Especially for people that make power point presentation where the images and music files used are not in the same folder.
 
Must be a very uncommon issue seeing as I haven't heard about it or encountered it. Yeah, where I work we use folder redirect for in-network users and people who move in and out of the office use folder redirect paired with offline files. Though there are plenty of remote users who don't use folder redirect or even connect to the domain at all outside of remoting in to a terminal server.

Interesting though, I'll have to keep it in mind if I ever hear of something like that. Usually we're forced to turn UAC off because of issues with some of our clients software (in-domain machines though), so that probably accounts for some of the reason why we've never run into it.
 
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