Hp Pavilion dv7
I bought a really top of the line Laptop 6 1/2 years ago. It is an HP Pavilion DV7-2185dx. It has Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q9000 @ 2.0 GHZ with 6 GIG of RAM and 500 GIG HD. Really nice little box.
My Question: Should I just upgrade to Windows 7 or 8. I know it is capable of upgrade to Windows 7. Not sure if it can upgrade to 8. What would this system be comparable to in todays technology and market?? Example what processor or processors??
I need to purchase a new Laptop. This one has been sitting with Vista on it in my office. Any suggestions? Thank you for your help.
My Question: Should I just upgrade to Windows 7 or 8. I know it is capable of upgrade to Windows 7. Not sure if it can upgrade to 8. What would this system be comparable to in todays technology and market?? Example what processor or processors??
I need to purchase a new Laptop. This one has been sitting with Vista on it in my office. Any suggestions? Thank you for your help.
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There is no need for the Windows 8.1 start screen. You can start in Desktop mode and there are Windows 8 supplied tools to make a decent menu system. I never use the start screen,
Please see my article on ways to improve Windows 8.1
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/16620/Ways-to-improve-Windows-8.html
Please see my article on ways to improve Windows 8.1
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/16620/Ways-to-improve-Windows-8.html
Before you make a final decision on weather to use Windows 7 versus Windows 8.1 you should also consider the status of your laptop. Has John mentioned previously it is quite old at 6 years. However, both OS's support your laptop but memory and speed will be key. If you have to keep your laptop, I would look at maxing out your memory to the 8GB that it is capable of but 6GB is fine just as well. I would also consider running an SSD drive and a 64 Bit version of either OS if your system supports it. Those minor features will make your laptop run faster than it's current configuration.
Another thing to note is that Windows 10 will be released in July. That's less that 2 months away and I"m sure many manufactures will be offering great deals on new laptops with Windows 10. I've been running the free Beta version and must say I'm impressed. Microsoft has taken all the best of Windows 7 and 8 and combined them into a new OS. For more details you can check out http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/about .
Download a free trial copy and run it. It will help you to decide if you want to run 7, 8 or wait another month or two and get a new laptop with Windows 10.
[i]HTH
-Rafael[/i]
Another thing to note is that Windows 10 will be released in July. That's less that 2 months away and I"m sure many manufactures will be offering great deals on new laptops with Windows 10. I've been running the free Beta version and must say I'm impressed. Microsoft has taken all the best of Windows 7 and 8 and combined them into a new OS. For more details you can check out http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/about .
Download a free trial copy and run it. It will help you to decide if you want to run 7, 8 or wait another month or two and get a new laptop with Windows 10.
[i]HTH
-Rafael[/i]
I will NOT go for Windows 8.1 for sure as many old accessories, like printers and scanners have problems with drivers for Windows 8.1 and I do not see any practical advantage for using Windows 8.1.
Besides, Windows 7 is much better than Windows Vista according the hardware spec for the laptop.
Of course, if money is not a problem, upgrading to a laptop with SSD hybrid drive will be a good choice.
Besides, Windows 7 is much better than Windows Vista according the hardware spec for the laptop.
Of course, if money is not a problem, upgrading to a laptop with SSD hybrid drive will be a good choice.
It will run windows 8.1 just fine
A friend asked me to upgrade his virtually identical dv7 last year. We replaced the hard drive with a 250GB SSD and installed Windows 7 Home Premium -- and the system SCREAMS ==> boots in ~ 20 seconds; loads programs nearly instantaneously; etc. It's a VERY nice laptop with those upgrades.
Assuming you do the work yourself, you could do those upgrades for ~ $200 => $100 each for the SSD and Windows. Note that Windows 7 will work just fine without the SSD, but including that really makes the laptop feel like a new machine.
As for performance => your CPU scores 2567 on PassMark's CPUMark ... roughly in the same range as a 4th gen Core i3 mobile processor. For example, the ultra-low-voltage i3-4010U scores 2438; the mobile i3-4000M scores 3266. Your system with an SSD would easily outperform systems with these much newer CPU's unless they also had SSDs.
Bottom line: That's a very nice system. With 6GB of RAM and the Q9000 it will work very well for several more years. Easily worth upgrading it to an SSD and Windows 7 ... or '8.1 if you'd prefer, although I'd be inclined to stay with '7 and then, if you decide to, you could upgrade it to '10 later this year.
Assuming you do the work yourself, you could do those upgrades for ~ $200 => $100 each for the SSD and Windows. Note that Windows 7 will work just fine without the SSD, but including that really makes the laptop feel like a new machine.
As for performance => your CPU scores 2567 on PassMark's CPUMark ... roughly in the same range as a 4th gen Core i3 mobile processor. For example, the ultra-low-voltage i3-4010U scores 2438; the mobile i3-4000M scores 3266. Your system with an SSD would easily outperform systems with these much newer CPU's unless they also had SSDs.
Bottom line: That's a very nice system. With 6GB of RAM and the Q9000 it will work very well for several more years. Easily worth upgrading it to an SSD and Windows 7 ... or '8.1 if you'd prefer, although I'd be inclined to stay with '7 and then, if you decide to, you could upgrade it to '10 later this year.
The best bang for the buck solution for this system is replace the hard drive with a SSD drive.
Are you sure about 6.5 years ago. It wasn't cutting edge for 2009 as the tech is at least 10 years old? as it is based on the LGA 775 chipset and the i3/i5/i7 1156 was out then Since then we've seen many cpu incantations, Which were Penryn (tick) Clarksfield (tock) ,Arrandale (tick), Sandy Bridge-M (tock),Ivy Bridge-M (tick),Haswell (tock)
tick = die shrink of previous processor, tock = new microarchitechure
Are you sure about 6.5 years ago. It wasn't cutting edge for 2009 as the tech is at least 10 years old? as it is based on the LGA 775 chipset and the i3/i5/i7 1156 was out then Since then we've seen many cpu incantations, Which were Penryn (tick) Clarksfield (tock) ,Arrandale (tick), Sandy Bridge-M (tock),Ivy Bridge-M (tick),Haswell (tock)
tick = die shrink of previous processor, tock = new microarchitechure
The Q9000 came out in 2008 so six and half years ago would be about right.
"... the tech is at least 10 years old " ==> NO ... not yet :-)
The initial Core 2 CPU's were released in the summer of 2006, and the Core 2 units continued to evolve through early 2009. The Core 2 Quad Q9000 was released in Dec 2008 ... it's been LESS than 6 1/2 years since a system using it could have been released ==> so I think the timeline suggested is very accurate.
Note that the earliest Core i3's weren't released until Jan 2010.
The initial Core 2 CPU's were released in the summer of 2006, and the Core 2 units continued to evolve through early 2009. The Core 2 Quad Q9000 was released in Dec 2008 ... it's been LESS than 6 1/2 years since a system using it could have been released ==> so I think the timeline suggested is very accurate.
Note that the earliest Core i3's weren't released until Jan 2010.
I t end to buy on the tick and not the tock ( i actually thought I bought my Sandybridge 5 years ago!)
i actually did this (installing an SSD) on an HP9500 with 4 Gb ram - and the user is very happy with it
i even left Vista on it - and it runs fine
i even left Vista on it - and it runs fine
I'd do as garycase said, upgrade to an SSD and Windows 7. You will then be able to upgrade for free to Windows 10 when it is released in about 2 month's time (that upgrade offer should be available for about an year). Windows 10 should run fine on that laptop, but if you aren't happy with it you could still return to Windows 7. You just need Windows 7 or 8.x for the free upgrade offer.
ASKER
I was also asking what was the comparison as far as my processor to todays technology. Thank you everyone.
If you can get a Windows 7 upgrade at a reasonable price I'd go for it. You may even be able to upgrade it to Windows 10 for free when that is released (but that depends on drivers etc being available).