Should I Upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7?

October 2, 2011 -- It is hard to believe that almost two years have passed since the official release of Windows 7. With more and more detail of Microsoft Windows 8 (or whatever its eventual name) now in the media on a daily basis (some of it speculation) should you now be waiting for Windows 8 rather than upgrading to Windows 7? The quick answer is clearly NO! Most businesses don't need to be buying into vaporware. Just as many businesses have held off upgrading to Windows 7 until Service Pack 1 was released, avoiding that move altogether until the next OS version is available and stable is just procrastination.

I actually spend quite a large part of my day supporting Windows XP, and (shock for some) also an occasional few clients with Windows 2000 and even DOS. My last solely DOS client migrated a Point-of-Sale system successfully to a primarily Windows XP environment this past summer with a couple Windows 7 computers thrown into the mix. Another client was moved successfully from a mixed Windows 2000 and XP environment to Windows 7. I still have a number of clients running old DOS applications very well under Windows XP and Windows 7 (32-bit).

It's all very well to say "Just buy new software", but for many small businesses the choice isn't always so easy. Yes, the typical Microsoft Office products will upgrade easily enough, although the upgrade cost often involves more than the cost of the software itself -- staff retraining cannot be ignored. The same goes for other proprietary or bespoke software used to run the business. Easier said than done. Some old Point-of-Sale (POS) systems essentially look after most of the business needs, and many small businesses look at the sizeable investment to upgrade hardware and software as a financial hurdle that the current economy may not support.

Back to question of upgrading. Certainly it can be said you got your money's worth if you are still running Windows XP (or earlier). That in itself is not reason to upgrade. However, these days few would argue that there aren't likely benefits to upgrading a 5-10 year old computer to something "new(er)". Certainly for most, there are definite benefits of upgrading to Windows 7: speed (a new computer helps that too); better support for new hardware; increasing user support; increased security, within a network and on the internet; ability to run new applications (or updated versions of the old ones); and a good list of new features.


On the down side, there are some concerns about upgrading or migrating to Windows 7: some existing applications may refuse to work or some features may be broken; older devices (typically printers or scanners) won't work due to a lack of Windows 7 drivers; and there will be a learning curve for some users to learning their way around new features and the user interface in Windows 7.

Naturally, there may be a long list of concerns about staying with older hardware, software, and Operating System: lack of support for legacy devices -- parallel ports; and PS/2 ports on newer hardware; a lack of manufacturer support for old versions of software is likely the biggest issue; and possibly an increased security risk (since security enhancements in Windows have been high on the list in recent years).

For the most part, home consumers and small business users, will simply upgrade when their old computer dies or becomes too slow. They will go to the local big box store and simply buy what fits the budget or is on sale that day. Of course, today that typically means a Windows 7 64-bit desktop or laptop as the primary computer and possibly a Windows 7 netbook or tablet as a secondary device. Thrown into the mix will of course be Android or Apple devices, but I won't address those here.

Windows 7 is a stable platform for most and is a logical migration from Windows Vista, or XP (and prior). If you are running particularly old applications, you will need to go through some analysis (and testing) to ensure you can move these applications forward. If you are able to buy new applications to replace the old or switch to new versions that are Windows 7 compatible, then one aspect of your migration is made easier. Moving your data files forward might involve conversion to bring you up to date, but usually this is just another step handled by the software program when first opening your old data files. If you are using custom or bespoke software developed either in-house or by outside developers, the pain you experience on moving ahead may be more significant. However, I can almost guarantee that waiting another year or so, will not make the task any easier.

If you are a home consumer, typically your upgrades will involve Microsoft Office products which may come pre-installed; possibly a new email client program; and likely upgrades to a small list of existing programs; and possibly a new printer. You will still need to search around for versions of the utilities you always liked in XP, but you will be also surprised to find some of these features now built-in. For most, the reticence over changes in the Windows 7 interface will be replaced by the pleasure of experiencing a number of improvements and new features; and most of all a faster computer. Make sure you are using high-speed internet, and your upgrade to Windows 7 will generally be a positive one.

For businesses, the upgrade process will generally more complex. Small businesses without an IT department or onsite support person will often need to hire an experienced person to assist in the migration. It isn't that this is necessarily a complex task for only one or two computers, but with several computers involved there are many facets that need to be considered in the move, as typically not every computer in the office will get replaced or upgraded all at once. For the larger organizations, there are Microsoft tools to aid in the migration, but in general, the major issue that will hold this process back will be application compatibility. If there is any doubt in your mind that your needed applications will run under Windows 7, your time will be best served testing or preparing those applications before upgrading your operating system.

If you are really stuck on Windows XP, you might be able to delay an upgrade to Windows 7 or beyond for the moment. Microsoft has committed to Extended Support for Windows XP until April, 2014. Windows XP won't stop working then, but presumably no further security updates will be issued by Microsoft. While you can no longer buy new Windows XP licenses from Microsoft, it is still possible to buy inexpensive refurbished Windows XP licensed computers from several sources including TigerDirect.ca, TigerDirect.com, Misco.co.uk, and others.

Your present computer will stop working one day. It could be a hardware problem. It could be a Windows corruption due to a virus. You may need to add additional computers into your office network. It is best to be considering your options now while you have a working system.

Did I mention BACKUPS? Make sure anything of importance is backed up regularly. And make a list of the programs and applications that are important to you. It will make the move to a new computer an easier process.

It is probably time to think about moving on.

--MLJ