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View Full Version : Windows 7 and UK based custom built PC companies...



MinionZombie
26-Apr-2011, 06:52 PM
It's only a thought at the moment, but I was considering the idea of getting a new desktop PC for the day-to-day things like writing, listening to music & podcasts, storing content, working with pictures etc (i.e. no gaming or video editing). Just a cheap dual core one, and so it'd be easier to get one from PC World or something ... but of course, along comes the issue of the Operating System.

I'm a big fan of XP, I avoided Vista like the plague, and I've not been impressed with Windows 7 - most of all due to it's compatibility issues. However, I figured it would be prudent to ask good old HPOTD as I'm sure plenty of you have experience of Windows 7 by now - so, a few questions for the total Windows 7 noob that I am:

1) Which version of Windows 7 would you recommend - is the basic "Home" version good enough?

2) What about compatibility with my most commonly used software that pre-dates Vista and Windows 7? (e.g. Cool Edit Pro 2, Nero, Final Draft 7, Sony Vegas 7, Paint Shop Pro 5 & 7, MS Office 2007 etc)

3) What about devices that I frequently use with XP machines (like flash drives), would there be any problems caused by going from XP to Win7, and back again, such as with data?

4) 32-bit or 64-bit?

I think that's all I can think of right now - any help would be most welcome. My experience thus far with Windows 7 has been limited to a couple of hours on someone else's new laptop.

...

Of course, the experience with that laptop was dreadful - I hated it because it was such a faff in the end as our current broadband ADSL wired USB modem isn't recognised by Win7 ... so I'd have to get another bloody broadband ADSL wired USB modem that is supported in order to do anything with the machine initially. :rolleyes:

...

Another question would be - can any of my fellow Brits recommend a UK based company who do custom build machines on which you can specify XP as the OS? (Novatech seems to have stopped doing custom builds according to their website, cos I can't find anything on there about custom builds unlike a few months back).

It's only a thought at the moment, but I figured it'd be wise to have an idea of potential routes to take in the future.