# XP upgrade



## autolycus_tsf (Jan 10, 2009)

Hi - with XP support ending, i thought i'd upgrade from 32bit XP to 64bit Win7. And i thought i'd take the opportunity to install my new OS on to a new 64GB SSD hard drive rather than the current 100GB partition on my main 1TB harddrive. 

I'm not a techy so any flaws in this plan - or any advvice/better suggestions - would be appreciated. I assume my mobo would be adequate to gain a speed advantage from the SSD, although it doesn't have the fastest SATA? Would i need more RAM? Don't want to spend too much as the pc does everything i want still and i wouldn't be doing anything if i didn't have to.

Thanks

Current Hardware:

Asus P5N32-E SLI
Q6600 Quad CPU
3 MB RAM
ITB HDD


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Support for XP has been extended.\ and even after MS support has ended the OS will still work as it always has.
64GB will fill up very quickly after the OS and required programs are installed. I would want no less then a 120GB SSD.
I assume that's 3GB of RAM? Brand/specs/what configuration (i.e. 2+1GB - 3x1GB)?


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

According to Microsoft, support for Windows XP ends in: 23 Days, 12 Hours, 25 Minutes and 59 Seconds


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## autolycus_tsf (Jan 10, 2009)

Hi Tyree - i thought security updates were finishing in April, which would make my pc vulnerable?
At the moment i must have around 100 programs installed, but i'm using <20gb for these including the XP OS, so i assumed 64gb would be more than enough. I'll still have 1TB HDD for other storage.
Yes, it's 3GB RAM - 3x1GB - 800Mhz DDR2 i think.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

I have Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit installed on a 120GB drive, (other programs on a separate 'spinner'), and I only have 46.8GB free.


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## autolycus_tsf (Jan 10, 2009)

So that's over 70gb just for the OS - i was thinking of Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64Bit. Might that be significantly smaller?


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

My Windows 7, Office 2013 Photoishop, Dreamweaver and about a dozen other programs take up 48GB


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

With a SSD you need to keep roughly 20% free at all times. 

For a Desktop machine I recommend at least 120GB and a 256GB for a Laptop. (Simply because most laptops can only hold one drive).


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## autolycus_tsf (Jan 10, 2009)

OK 120GB it is then. There seem to be different spec SSDs in terms of write speed. Crucial for example offer 4 different SSds from 130 - 400 Mbs from $70 - $450. Bearing in mind my mobo, would it make sense to buy a lower write speed?


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

SAMSUNG 840 Pro Series MZ-7PD128BW 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com


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## autolycus_tsf (Jan 10, 2009)

Old Rich said:


> SAMSUNG 840 Pro Series MZ-7PD128BW 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com


Should have pointed out i'm the other side of the pond.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Uk Samsung 840 EVO Solid State Drives - dabs.com


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Tom's Hardware SSD Hierachy Chart > Best SSDs For The Money: March 2014


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

just because support is ending does not mean it will stop working.

If you have anti virus software and a firewall you shouldn't have anything to worry about really.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

greenbrucelee said:


> If you have anti virus software and a firewall you shouldn't have anything to worry about really.


Ditto ^ 


My apologies on the ending date. I thought I heard it was being extended.
But, regardless of ending support, it will continue to work the same as it always has.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

It's the malicious software updates etc that is being extended.

Anyway it doesn't matter if its being ended or not, it will still work and if xp is handling a users needs now it will still handle those same needs in 1 million years time.


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## dannpp2012 (Aug 5, 2012)

The extended support is for malware which is until July 2015, here is anartical I found about it Microsoft extends XP anti-malware support past end-of-life date | News | TechRadar

I'm still trying to hunt down the official article but from what they say most anti-virus programs will still run on xp long after support ends. I have two xp pc's for certain games like age of empires 2 and it's expansion pack since it won't run on win 7.


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## emosun (Oct 4, 2006)

dannpp2012 said:


> I have two xp pc's for certain games like age of empires 2 and it's expansion pack since it won't run on win 7.


I play aoe2 on windows 7 just fine. They even re released the game to support newer machines resolutions because so many people still play it.


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## dannpp2012 (Aug 5, 2012)

I don't know how you got it to work but it wouldn't work on my pc, I even did an upgrade on my pc from win 7 hp64 to win 7 ultimate 64 which isn't cheap. I'd love to know how you got the game to work, my gold pak disk were from before 7 was released.

To the OP(Original Poster) Is there a reason you want to get an ssd? My opinion is ssd's are not worth the cost at this moment, yeah they look cool and such but just being able to buy one you have to lose space. I can easily max out a 64 gig ssd and that is if I take precautions like moving downloads to another drive and such. Windows 7 uses a lot of space and if you add programs to that then space is taken up quickly.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Many companies like avast etc have come out saying they will continue to produce AV updates for xp for the foreseeable future.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Even with MSE, XP still wouldn't be safe. Here's why:



> In Microsoft's parlance, "end of life" means that the company will no longer write and issue security patches for XP. Many of those patches fix newly revealed vulnerabilities within the operating system itself. But after XP's EOL, any unpatched security holes will go unfixed. (See Microsoft's explanation; the April EOL also applies to Office 2003.)
> 
> You might think that all the major holes in XP have surely been found and patched by now! After all, XP's been out for 12 years.
> 
> ...


Source: Fred Langa - Windows Secrets Newsletter • Issue 415 • 2014-01-09


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## autolycus_tsf (Jan 10, 2009)

Thanks for all the replies, but the thrust of the question was more about the optimal hardware solution, given that i shall upgrade. Whether a 'low spec' ssd might be more prudent given my mobo sata, whether i might need more RAM - that sort of thing. Any further thoughts along these lines?


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

I'd max it out with 8GB of RAM, Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit and use at least a 128GB Samsung 840 Pro (or EVO) SSD. You can always use the SSD with another motherboard later.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

XP will still work with no problems just as it always has without continued MS support but upgrading to 7 is an alternative.
Using the 3x1GB on a Dual Channel Mobo is putting you in Single Channel Mode and hindering performance.
Your Mobo will only accept 2GB Max per slot and I would be hesitant to suggest filling all the slots to get 8GB. A 2x2GB matched pair DDR2 800 would be fine but DDR 2 is pretty pricey.
That being said, 7 + SSD + RAM is a pretty hefty investment for older technology components.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

There's no way to avoid the inevitable: XP is already far less safe than any of the more modern Windows versions. Even with the latest, gee wiz anti-whatever's installed, the bad guys will be able to get in through newly discovered holes in the rusty bucket of an OS.

IMHO, 8GB of Crucial RAM and a 128GB Samsung 840 Pro ($260 total USD) along with a fresh install of Windows 7 64-bit, would breath at least two more years of good useable life into that Core2 Quad Q6600 setup.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Personally, I would be very hesitant to invest $260 in older technology. The SSD and OS would be salvageable but nothing else. 
In the end, it's the OP's decision.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

While I agree its old hardware it is also quality hardware that I think is worth upgrading for and by replacing the main drive you buy even more time.

The primary function of Windows updates are for security patches so even though Antivirus and Antimalware will continue, that really isn't enough to be considered safe on such an old OS.


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## T_Rex (Oct 21, 2012)

I would upgrade to windows 7 home premium OEM 64 Bit, certainly not ultimate to save money here. I would forgo the SSD for now and keep eyes open and improve some other things gradually over time - like the LCD (if needed) or keyboard, mouse, video card (moderate if you are a gamer) etc ... and other usability creature comforts. Then in a year or so look for price drops with SSD's if you see a great price for 256GB-500GB nab one. I would upgrade to 2x2GB or the 8GB of system memory though. 2x2 obviously being more feasible. Then by the time you are ready for that major upgrade to a new mobo. processor etc ... you will have some things already in place.


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## autolycus_tsf (Jan 10, 2009)

Thanks for all the considered hardware upgrade advice. I hadn't really considered the RAM question, but it seems that everyone is suggesting an upgrade to 2x2GB at least. Would i really gain much by going to 2x4gb? It's quite a major price consideration (roughly £50 difference) and i'm not a gamer. Samsung SSDs seem to be in favour here, but seem quite a bit more expensive than, say, crucial. Is there any particular advantage to this brand bearing in mind my mobo 3Gbs SATA connection?


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Tyree said:


> Your Mobo will only accept 2GB Max per slot


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

I have Crucial and Samsung and while the Samsungs are the best rated, my Crucials are now 2 years old and I see no difference. 2Gb max per slot means you would have to do 4 2Gb sticks.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Crucial® Memory Advisor results for the ASUS P5N32-E SLI Motherboard


> Maximum Memory: 8GB
> Slots: 4


Intel and Samsung SSDs for reliability


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

You could go 4x2GB but older Mobo's can have Voltage issues when filling all the slots, DDR2 RAM is expensive and would not be reusable on any new Mobo's, and 4GB would be fine.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Crucial RAM is guaranteed-compatible. And as far as a 128GB Samsung 840 Pro and 8GB of RAM being too 'expensive', I paid more for dinner Saturday night.


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## TheShadowFl (Feb 12, 2008)

My main PC has been running Windows XP almost since the day it was released (many years ago) and for the past several years, Auto Updates has been shut off, after an MS Update totally disabled my OS.

So my own comment about MS Updates is "Bah Humbug!".

But as for upgrading from a 32 bit XP to a 64 bit Win-7....
the biggest problem there could be, "does the motherboard have a 64 bit capable CPU?" 
If not, then all bets are off. Also a 64 bit OS is much, much larger than the old 32 bit OS and it required more RAM to run properly. And, last but not least, there are many older programs that will not run on a 64 bit OS.

I've tested them all here, on several different PC's, and I settled on the 32 bit OS's because of the backward compatibility.:nono:

Cheers Mates!
The Shadow


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

XP runs fine in a VM on 7-64.


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

The OP's CPU is 64 Bit capable.



autolycus_tsf said:


> Current Hardware:
> 
> Asus P5N32-E SLI
> Q6600 Quad CPU
> ...


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## aarmin (Oct 27, 2008)

I agree with the entire thrust of the reply as posted by TheShadowFI. 
Specially, the utility/need of the Windows Update function. I am still happily on XP, am a gamer and have been putting off 'upgrading' to Win7 since ages. Win8/8.1, won't touch with a bargepole.

If still wanting to migrate to Win7, my thoughts follow. 

As long as you are not a gamer, 8 GB of RAM is what I would recommend.

Budget permitting, do consider a new MOBO and then you can ditch considering DDR2 and go for at least DDR3. 

Trying to future-proof at least 2-3 years down the line, is what I recommend, therefore the larger the SSD the better. Maybe you can stick with your 1TB SATA to save, as besides a faster boot and you not being a gamer, really do not see any other advantage.

Best wishes, whatever you decide.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Speaking of "future-proof", there is a new USB Type-C connector coming that is smaller, reversible and supports USB 3.1 at 10Gbps. It will supposedly be finalized by the middle of this year and available in actual shipping products at some point after that. Eventually it will supersede all previous USB connectors and gives us a single, smaller, reversible connector to use on computers and phones.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

That sounds useful and a nice move forward.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Yeppirs. Of course that also means that over the next few years we're going to be dealing with a slew of OldUSB-to-NewUSB adapters.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Each time we change we get more things to do


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

That's true.


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## sharkcat (Jun 13, 2010)

For 64bit OS you need 64bit hardware.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Post 37 shows cpu is 64 bit compatible and mobo can run enough ram


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## portyporty (Mar 15, 2010)

I'm a PC builder. For the last couple of years I've been building 64bit machines with the OS on an SSD, and one or two 1TB hdds for storage. It works well - the only thing I've had to do is stress to my customers that, when installing software, they need to change the default C:\Program files (or x86) to the X:\folder on the storage drive that I'd created. I usually call this folder 'Program files' and change the name of the drive to 'Storage' and its letter to 'S'.


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## villandra (Nov 20, 2006)

I think you can't install a 64 bit system on 32 bit hardware. If you have 32 bit Windows XP, chances are you have 32 bit hardware.

This is one of the reasons why businesses aren't upgrading to Windows 8.


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## SpywareDr (Jun 15, 2013)

Windows 8.x comes in 32-bit.

Windows.Microsoft.com > System Requirements - Windows 8.1


> If you want to run Windows 8.1 on your PC, here's what it takes:
> 
> 
> Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2 (more info)
> ...


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

CPU's have all been 64Bit capable for quite some time.


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

In reply to the O.P.
Your current system with a new SSD will run faster at boot up and search times will be faster.
I have run plenty of old (originally) XP boxes with Windows 7 and they do run better.
Installing an SSD does make it faster also, even if the motherboard only has Sata 1.
The machines I have changed to W7 have been Dell GX270's they are Pentium 4 boxes and ran very well.
You can run XP on a virtual machine if needed for old programs that require it.


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

villandra said:


> I think you can't install a 64 bit system on 32 bit hardware. If you have 32 bit Windows XP, chances are you have 32 bit hardware.
> 
> This is one of the reasons why businesses aren't upgrading to Windows 8.


64 bit components, ie the Processor, will not run on a 32 bit Operating System, but a 32 bit Processor will run with a 64 bit Operating System


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

This might make things clearer 32-bit and 64-bit explained


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