Upgrade path from XP to beyond

[peachy001]

Firstly, I am well aware that this thread may be a request for tech types to square the circle, but hear me out.

I have a very old Del Vostro machine from Around 2007, the machine runs XP at the minute, but I am well aware that come early April MS will stop supporting XP. Now I am highly reluctant to throw away a working PC, and wondered if there was any way of throwing on a newer OS. I realise the size of the task would favour the brave, and a bit of tech savvy would help. Sadly, I possess neither of the aforementioned attributes, although I have curiosity in abundance.

I note that MS are offering some kind of transfer tool to assist users, but I suspect it is for more modern machines.

As if to ramp up the difficulty still further, I also have MS office on their, but no backup disc. It is a legit license, and I need Office for work and study.

So is it possible to keep Office and add a more modern OS to a machine that has seen more Olympic games than Michael Phelps?

In anticipation of some cheapskate comments, I must advise that I am financially challenged, rather than swimming in cash, but reluctant to spend it.

I really think MS is missing a trick here, there are gazillions of users in my boat that don't wanna get rid of working hardware and the associated licenses. MS should consider offer people like me the chance to give 8 a chance. They could have a lower rent version that allowed us MSophiles the opportunity to move on. Overnight they would be able to add huge swathes of users to the Windows 8 headcount.

I understand why they haven't done this thus far, but I have noted other comments on the interweb that seem to suggest people have experimented the install on older hardware than mine, with mixed results.

Finally, don't shoot me down for asking. Oh, and I will post my specs shortly.

 

[gapost]

You don't give specs, but you could bump it up to 2-4 gb of ram, buy a Win7 or 8 license for about $100-150, buy an Office business license for about $200. Or, you could get a refurb computer with 4gb ram and Windows 7 installed for less than $300. It would be good for Office apps, not gaming. Then get an Office 365 subscription for about$100 a year. Really, it's hard to "upgrade" older computers when you can get decent refurbs or even new ones at less than$300.

 

[Guzzler3]

Well, if you can wait a bit longer there might be an option of getting W8.1 free. There is a rumored SKU of Windows 8.1 + Bing the might be available for free. But it is just a rumor. The weird thing is that W8.1 actually doesn't require as strong of a machine as W7 does. They've really done a decent job of cleaning it up for size and efficiency. I put a copy of W8 on an old Thinkpad T400 and it was quite happy to run it. Granted, some of the drivers needed came from W7 to get all the features to work, but it worked!

As for your Office situation. If you know your license key there is the option of Bittorrent to get a copy of the media. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this, as long as you have a true, valid key, that you already paid for. You just miss placed the media (which I too have done). Just remember to scan the downloaded copies with SEVERAL different virus scanners, just to be sure someone hasn't monkeyed with it.

By chance... if you don't know your Office key (because it was lost with the media), you can use a little program called 'Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder'. It will extract and show you, your key.

Now for people reading this... don't get your panties in a bunch about this information. These are valid tools used by computer technicians everyday to help users. I use them all the time. But I do require proof of purchase of the software before I use them on other computers. I always find it weird that people/business will keep and produce credit card receipts or invoices, but they loose their CD's and their keys for software. Go figure?

 

[Ordeith]

In the months following the Windows 8 release Microsoft offered licenses for $40.

Perhaps it is time for another round.

 

[xandros9]

Well, if you can wait a bit longer there might be an option of getting W8.1 free. There is a rumored SKU of Windows 8.1 + Bing the might be available for free. But it is just a rumor. The weird thing is that W8.1 actually doesn't require as strong of a machine as W7 does. They've really done a decent job of cleaning it up for size and efficiency. I put a copy of W8 on an old Thinkpad T400 and it was quite happy to run it. Granted, some of the drivers needed came from W7 to get all the features to work, but it worked!

Yea same my daily driver is a T400 as well. They're laptops dating back to 2008 or so, so I'm inclined to think your Vostro can take 8.1.

 

[peachy001]

Specs will follow. Couple of things, my Office did not have a key, just a straight install. Don't remember using a key. As for an office 365 subscription, I have considered this, but I own Office already, bit unhappy at having to re-buy.

Thanks, I will add specs when I get home from work.

 

[ohgood]

Firstly, I am well aware that this thread may be a request for tech types to square the circle, but hear me out.

I have a very old Del Vostro machine from Around 2007, the machine runs XP at the minute, but I am well aware that come early April MS will stop supporting XP. Now I am highly reluctant to throw away a working PC, and wondered if there was any way of throwing on a newer OS. I realise the size of the task would favour the brave, and a bit of tech savvy would help. Sadly, I possess neither of the aforementioned attributes, although I have curiosity in abundance.

I note that MS are offering some kind of transfer tool to assist users, but I suspect it is for more modern machines.

As if to ramp up the difficulty still further, I also have MS office on their, but no backup disc. It is a legit license, and I need Office for work and study.

So is it possible to keep Office and add a more modern OS to a machine that has seen more Olympic games than Michael Phelps?

In anticipation of some cheapskate comments, I must advise that I am financially challenge, rather than swimming in cash, but reluctant to spend it.

I really think MS is missing a trick here, there are gazillions of users in my boat that don't wanna get rid of working hardware and the associated licenses. MS should consider offer people like me the chance to give 8 a chance. They could have a lower rent version that allowed us MSophiles the opportunity to move on. Overnight they would be able to add huge swathes of users to the Windows 8 headcount.

I understand why they haven't done this thus far, but I have noted other comments on the interweb that seem to suggest people have experimented the install on older hardware than mine, with mixed results.

Finally, don't shoot me down for asking. Oh, and I will post my specs shortly.

hackinstosh it.

Mac os will FLY on it, then load OpenOffice and forget about license issues forever. if you're not considering it yet, do a full disk image to an external HDD.

 

[peachy001]

Wanna keep my ecosystem Mac free if possible. Got a WP, and Xbox One, so I am invested already. Thanks people.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Which version of Office do you have? Microsoft is ending support for Office 2003 along with XP. Support is ending for Office 2003 - Support - Office.com

 

[gapost]

Specs will follow. Couple of things, my Office did not have a key, just a straight install. Don't remember using a key. As for an office 365 subscription, I have considered this, but I own Office already, bit unhappy at having to re-buy.

Thanks, I will add specs when I get home from work.

I wouldn't look at it as re-buying office. If you get O365, you are getting exchange email/services. If you don't have that already, it is awesome with WP. Everything syncs up easy, especially with Win8 or Outlook on the computer.

 

[peachy001]

Which version of Office do you have? Microsoft is ending support for Office 2003 along with XP. Support is ending for Office 2003 - Support - Office.com

ouch.... This gets worse. I will look at everything when I get home.

@gapost Also, regarding the exchange thing, is that really worth paying for? My Outlook on the PC currently works a treat, and my WP Outlook and Yahoo thing are fine. Not sure I would gain much.

 

[gapost]

ouch.... This gets worse. I will look at everything when I get home.

@gapost Also, regarding the exchange thing, is that really worth paying for? My Outlook on the PC currently works a treat, and my WP Outlook and Yahoo thing are fine. Not sure I would gain much.

If you have a pop email account in Outlook, and you have the same account on your phone, it will pull in the same email. However, if you delete one on your computer, it will not delete on your phone. If you put a calendar appointment on your computer, a pop email account will not put it on your phone, unless you are using Outlook Connector, which is a little unreliable. If you add a contact to your phone, you will not have it on Outlook on your computer. With Office 365, it all syncs up so when you add a contact on your phone, it's on your Outlook. Same with calendar items. And you will always have the latest software and web access to your Outlook on another computer. Web access means you will see the same thing on any computer that you see on your local Outlook program.

 

[pankaj981]

OP: You can very well install and run Office 2003 on Win 8.1, MS stopping support does not mean it'll stop working. It won't get security updates and patches but as long as you get a good AV, you should be fine. I was running 8 on a 2007 Inspiron 1420 and it ran quite well. I would suggest posting the hardware specs so it'll be helpful.

 

[palandri]

If it's from 2007, it's time to upgrade. You can find pretty cheap, up to date PC's on Amazom, NewEgg, Tiger Direct...etc...Then you can keep your ecosystem. Take the old PC and load Linux on it to play with. Just a thought!

 

[jmshub]

I like Palandri's idea. I have a few old PCs that are Linux boxes for various tasks. The unfortunate part of the Microsoft ecosystem is that upgrading costs money. If you had purchased Win8 when it first came out, you could have picked it up for $40. It's now $99 to buy a license of Windows 8. If you have the money to upgrade, you'd be better off buying a newer PC with Windows 7 or 8 on it. If you don't want to get rid of your old laptop, then it can run any flavor of Linux that interests you.

 

[tgp]

A big advantage of Office 365 is that you can install Office Pro on up to 5 PCs/Macs. The annual Office 365 Home Premium subscription retail price is $99.99, but you can buy product key cards from places like Amazon for $70. I recently switched to this. I'm a big proponent of Office 365!

 

[Laura Knotek]

If it's from 2007, it's time to upgrade. You can find pretty cheap, up to date PC's on Amazom, NewEgg, Tiger Direct...etc...Then you can keep your ecosystem. Take the old PC and load Linux on it to play with. Just a thought!

That's what I'm doing with an old PC from 2005 that originally ran XP.

 

[berty6294]

I'd say its time to purchase a whole new PC as others have said. You will be spending a couple hundred dollars upgrading a machine, when for just a hair more you can get a new machine with twice the specs. Not worth sinking any more money into it imo

 

[peachy001]

Thanks for the responses. As promised, my specs are:

XP service pack 3
Intel Core 2 CPU 2.00 GHz
2GB RAM
256 ATI Radeon X1300PRO (lists it twice)
Western Digital 240 GB hard drive, I think.
Office 2007 Pro

I considered playing with Linux before, but gave up on it. I did a boot thingy from USB drive, didn't work at all.

The 365 is ?79.99 for the year, or ?109.99 for unlimited use (albeit without outlook).

A new PC is not cheap, if I buy one I would be looking at going for an i5, as I would expect that to last me long enough. The PC I have now I bought second hand from a company I used to work for, ?75 including 19inch monitor. Got it in 2008. Lasted me well so far, but showing age now. The RAM was increase to 2GB recently, made a bit of difference, but not life changing. My biggest gripe is the way web pages load, they are pretty slow, although my connection is good. Get 70Mbs down, 10Mbs up.

 

[gapost]

It would take some upgrades to get that computer up to decent specs. I still suggest a refurb with a core 2 duo or i3 processor, 4gb ram, and windows 7 pro or home. Here in the states, that would cost less than $300. Add an Office 365 subscription and you are good to go for a couple of years, or at least one, until your renew Office.