Upgrading to Windows 8 from XP

[rhik1984]

I have an old laptop, a Compaq V2036AP from 2004. As I hear windows XP support will stop from April 4, 2014, is it possible to upgrade it to Windows 7 or 8 or will it mark the doomsday of my beloved warrior too?

 

[learninmypc]

You might try this http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/upgrading-to-windows-7-faq

or http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7

A Google Search

 

[Jad Chaar]

Download the upgrade assistant from here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/upgrade-to-windows-8
That laptop may have a hard time handling Windows 8. A lot of features may be disabled because you do not have fast enough specs and your resolution may be too low. So download the upgrade assistant and see if it says you can run Win 8.

 

[rhik1984]

I did run the upgrade assistant. This is what it says! What does it mean? Please help. I am technologically challanged!

 

[Jad Chaar]

I frankly would not risk it. Your CPU does not have NX bit enabled (more advanced RAM management basically), and I was researching online and I found out that Pentium Ms before 2005 have this feature disabled. The Win 8 installer will try to enable this, but it may not succeed and you basically lost how every much you paid for the OS. It wont install if it cannot enable this feature. I think you should try the Windows 7 upgrade advisor instead. I dont think NX is required for Windows 7, but it might be. Post the log from the Win 7 advisor here and we will proceed from there.

 

[SNGX1275]

As someone who has successfully ran 8 (although it was the CP) on an old system (P4), I question why you want to do this? Is it just because support ends? How much were you using this support before? XP is old, and it does suck in a lot of ways compared to Vista/7/8 but XP does run really well on anything made after about 1999, so if things are working for you now, I wouldn't screw with it.

 

[rhik1984]

Well guess what, even the windows 7 upgrade advisor will not run on my laptop, sending some error messege to MS! I tried downloading the patch again from the MS site but same error again and again.

ending support will mean ending the update patches I recieve, doesnt it. I know how it is for I have to run IE8 yet as thats the last compatible version for my XP and it gets hung a million times trying to browse through the updating websites!

 

[Jad Chaar]

If you dont game, I would recommend Ubuntu Linux. If you are a casual user, it will work for you. Is this PC for work or just web browsing?

 

[WatchmanDave]

You asked if you could UPGRADE. Windows 8 doesn't upgrade...you have to do a FRESH install. (there is a 3 party app for $$ that will attempt an assist to bypass and help you keep your programs but they don't guarantee all programs will still work and it's pricey for a single use)
As others mentioned...your laptop hardware may not be compatible because of it's age with Windows 8 (the cpu being one of them)...though...Vista may install and run slow...as it uses up plenty of resources...and...you may run into issues both with the hard drives age and the Video chipset on the laptop's motherboard...and with drivers that are not supplied by the manufature of your laptop... Windows 7 may install also...but no upgrade possibly...you'll find out what it may or may not let you do when the DVD is inserted...the Foot print for XP has increasedover the years with all of the updates and service packs...Vista, Win7, Win8 have large footprints also...The main issue with Win7 and Wind 8 will be the available drivers.
Your main problem when MS no longer updates or patches XP will be in Internet Explorer vulnerabilities...maybe in other apps also like adobe if you use thethough a anti-virus programm will protect you some what...if it doesn't have a library for the new vulnerability to protect then you are just taking chances to access the internet.
If you don't access the internet with the XP laptop...you are fine...

Personally...the time to try and make it work as opposed to buying something that already has WIN7 or Win8 on it...even used...out weighs trying to keep the old Faithful still running.
I have been able to make most programs work on WIN7, WIN8...dos based for instance...after a clean install...
Alot of people no longer have their old software they have become accustomed to that is installed and will be lost on a reinstall...and a main reason they want to Upgrade.

My suggestion on that is keep the old laptop handy just for those programs...and get another updated laptop or PC of your choice for online access and use.

 

[Jad Chaar]

Yeah, drivers will be an issue. Most will be generic. I would say go for Linux if you arent gonna be gaming. But if you need MS word that will be an issue. So just report back on your thoughts.

 

[rhik1984]

I dont game. But this is my only lappy and used for work and net! Not used to using linux ever. Have been using windows since the era of windows 3.1, year 1997! I am 29, too old now, I guess. dont think I can adapt myself to linux at this age! Didnt quite realize why none of the win 7 advisor worked on my lappy! Is it coz of the 32bit thing?

As you said, that the main problem would be windows stopping patching up IE but that has been sincea long time now I guess. IE8 was the last that was available for WinXp and now we have what like, IE 10 or 11?

 

[Jad Chaar]

Microsoft is only gonna stop supporting IE6 a year from now. As for browsers though, Firefox is basically as secure as IE.

 

[Jad Chaar]

Actually I just found an interesting article that was published today about your question: http://www.zdnet.com/five-operating-system-alternatives-to-windows-8-and-xp-7000013765/

 

[rhik1984]

Guess I should plan upgrading my laptop to a new one before the d-day! Ty everybody.

 

[Jad Chaar]

Best of luck man, I can help you chose one .