|
It's not the age of the hardware itself, its the length of time the OS its currently on has had time to rot.
Windows 10 will be fine on a fresh install, its just less likely on a upgrade install, as it wont be able to undo all the abuse you've been giving it for 5 years.
|
|
|
|
|
I'm running a 7 year-old ACER laptop that started life with Windows Vista. I upgraded to Windows 7, and then to Windows 10. The only problem upgrading to 10 was a driver in my anti-virus package that needed an update, and my employer's VPN app no longer works. Both of these issues are the responsibility of the application creator and not Windows 10. I have a fairly spartan machine: Office, several versions of Visual Studio, Chrome, Thunderbird, and VirtualBox are my principal big-ticket applications. I don't run games or any apps with complex driver requirements.
I've noticed through 30 years of Windows upgrades that the people who have the most problems are the ones who, for whatever reason, have a lot of complicated applications installed. Photoshop, DBMS's, non-Microsoft IDE's, and custom hardware to name a few. I don't think it's realistic to expect a pain-free upgrade in that case. It's probably more prudent to do a clean install and then re-install each application, one by one, and check your stability after each install. While it's painful, it's probably more productive to do it that way than searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack after an in-place upgrade.
Software Zen: delete this;
|
|
|
|
|
With a 5 year old computer.
You are probable looking to upgrade in 2-3 years MAX.
If there was EVER a reason to wait. You Found it!
|
|
|
|
|
The only upgrade to Win 10 that I have done is on a VMWare Fusion VM running on a Mac mini (Late 2012). No problems whatsoever that I'm aware of, but then I've probably only spent an hour total using it since I upgraded in August, since I rarely have a use for Windows Desktop. I have both Windows Server 2008R2 and 2012 VM's that I run much more often since I need to be able to develop/test against Active Directory.
|
|
|
|
|
I successfully upgraded a 5 year old Dell XPS from Win7 to 10. Granted it's my gaming rig so the hardware was top of the line when I got it. It also doesn't have all the tools and apps my Dev machine does so I avoided those common pitfalls. I also upgraded two other Win 8.1 devices (one for the wife one for the kids) that were less than a year old and had no problems either. My parents upgraded a 2 year old desktop from 7 to 10 and the only issue they had was an ancient printer (ancient being about 4 years old) that didn't have drivers. HP was nice enough to point us to a driver for a newer printer that was Win10 compatible and worked with their printer. The biggest issue I've seen has been older hardware not being compatible and causing issues (and it's usually laptop hardware).
|
|
|
|
|
My Early 2013 HP Envy X2 laptop fell into the "fun" category. After getting the all clear from the MS app I decided on a clean install (wanted to confirm that the performance issues I was running into were slow hardware not OS rot). In retrospect I think this was probably a mistake.
After the install I didn't have a working keyboard, touchpad, or wifi. I had a spare keyboard, mouse, and ethernet dongle; unfortunately I only had 2 USB ports and no spare hub. That made phase one of find and install the elephanting drivers oh so much fun.
HP (sunshines) didn't have any W10 drivers out for it; fortunately all but one of the W8 drivers installed. Unfortunately the one that didn't was for wifi; its installer just crashed.
Broadcom (also sunshines) didn't appear to offer any Windows drivers on their page. They did have Linux drivers but it looked like they were kernel version specific blobs and were last built in January making them sunshines thrice over.
My route for a working wifi driver lead from Google to ScummyPretendDriverDownloadsThatActuallyAreCrapwareInstallers.com which in between all the malicious download links did list a few driver builds that supposedly would install on W10. I was able to throw those version numbers back into Google; and on the second try got a driver that installed and worked on my laptop via the support page for an Asus laptop. (I think, might've been Lenovo's driver that worked for me instead.)
I haven't updated my desktop yet (waiting for over xmas/newyears break just in case something goes wrong) but it's a year old DIY build; and the vendors of enthusiast parts are generally very good about making drivers available for newer (and older) OSes.
Also on my do over the holidays list is an older desktop running W7; and if possible, a 9yo Core (1) Duo laptop that shipped with Vista. The latter currently has a botched W7 install my brother tried to do while he was (ab)using it. If I can't get anything newer on the laptop; I won't be that upset. However I would like to restore it to functioning emergency loaner status. (My brother ended up with it after he managed to drop his thinkpad enough times that he broke the spillproof tray under the keyboard and poured coffee down the crack.)
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
|
|
|
|
|
If the system is old now and running fine, I'd avoid upgrading (assuming you're running Win 7). You've got 5 more years of support and by then, your machine will be ancient and you'll be wanting to get a new machine anyways. This of course assumes there's nothing in Windows 10 that you truly need (DX12??).
As a test, I initially upgraded an old (came with Vista) HP laptop to Win 10 and everything appeared to be working fine. Later I came across Windows update issue that I was able to fix with some research and a registry edit. However, the more I found out about the privacy/tracking issues and the forced updates issues in Windows 10 made me decide to put Mint Linux on the laptop. All the applications I use are available on Windows and Linux so it was an easy decision. I've been running it for over a month now and have had no issues what so ever.
|
|
|
|
|
When Thor’s brother escaped, did they keep it low-key?
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
|
|
|
|
|
No, they kept Frigga in disguise for a while.
The sh*t I complain about
It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem
~! Firewall !~
|
|
|
|
|
Yup, they kept it quiet. There was (wait for it) 0-din!
|
|
|
|
|
Gods, where do you get these?
Mongo: Mongo only pawn... in game of life.
|
|
|
|
|
How do you hammer these out every day?
|
|
|
|
|
Did he escape on an 'orse?
|
|
|
|
|
Dear OG, have a nice evening, enjoy your live and don't answer any question here this evening. This only to let me enjoy a view seconds more
This month
0x01AA 90
OriginalGriff 85
Thank you
modified 19-Jan-21 21:04pm.
|
|
|
|
|
He doesn't have to answer anything, a downvote would suffice.
The sh*t I complain about
It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem
~! Firewall !~
|
|
|
|
|
Feel free to do it, then I don't have to wait that long
modified 19-Jan-21 21:04pm.
|
|
|
|
|
Oh, I heard OG was sick the last two weeks and could not answer anything.
|
|
|
|
|
Now you see why I very seldom answer
modified 19-Jan-21 21:04pm.
|
|
|
|
|
You're still only 4th, loser!
|
|
|
|
|
Well, I can live with this
modified 19-Jan-21 21:04pm.
|
|
|
|
|
No guarantees...
But enjoy it as long as it lasts!
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
|
|
|
|
|
I don't think I can enjoy it very Long, I have to get up three a clock in the morning. I try it again on 1. January
modified 19-Jan-21 21:04pm.
|
|
|
|
|
Customer: "We need you to package up and deploy a new license update for Toad for Oracle so we're good through the end of next year. Here's the license key."
Me: "OK. I have to figure out how Toads licensing works first."
I get that figured out, craft up a custom installer to get the new key installed properly. Wait a minute, why is it telling me that the "new" key expires and the end of THIS year?
Customer: "Oh, you mean we had to buy a new key?"
|
|
|
|
|
As Mr. T said "I pity the fool"
Mongo: Mongo only pawn... in game of life.
|
|
|
|
|
You should start doing like I do, and hate everyone all the time. It saves some mental wear and tear...
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
- You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
- When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013
|
|
|
|