Just built a new computer, might install Windows 7, help.

[TheCloak]

I just built a new computer 2 days ago, and I might install windows 7. I'm afraid that once I install it, I'll have a bunch of drivers issues and whatnot.

Specs:

Biostar 790GX
NVIDIA 9600 GSO 768 MB
2048MB Corsair 800MHz DDR2 Dual Channel
AMD Phenom 9750+ 2.4GHz Quad-Core
OCZ 600W PSU
160GB 7200RPM HDD
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2

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I know I'll be updating the video card drivers, I just don't know about any of the other products. So, when I install it, will I need to do anything other than installing the latest Nvidia drivers? Thank you.

 

[capt_taco]

Yeah, you'll also need to install new motherboard drivers, LAN driver, chipset driver, probably updated BIOS, and possibly onboard audio driver. I would download all of those now before you do the upgrade, and have them ready on a CD or USB stick.

Also, you probably already know this, but make sure you go to the 64-bit version of whatever OS you decide on.

 

[salman arif]

If you're doing a clean installation you'll only need the latest NVIDIA drivers. Windows 7 will install all other drivers by default. Also, as capt_taco said, be sure to go for the 64-bit version in case you decide to upgrade your RAM in the future!

 

[Petrofsky]

Why 64? The last I heard (about a year ago), most demanding real-time apps are written for 32, and the conversion to 64 slows things down.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Like salman arif said, Windows 7 is great at finding drivers by itself. You won't have to worry about chipset, LAN, or any other drivers. Windows 7 will find those through Windows Update. It's a night and day difference between Windows XP and Windows 7. Windows Update actually works in Windows 7. You won't miss XP at all, I sure don't.

 

[branflakes71]

More and more software is coming out for 64-bit. It doesn't slow your system down; some things are faster. That said, you may see no difference, so unless you plan to have more than 4 GB RAM in your system later on, you don't have to move to it.

You'll have to do a clean install of Windows 7 anyway, so now's the time to give 64-bit a try. I have 64-bit Vista and no issues and some of my software runs faster with it.

Driver-wise, the other drivers you *might* need ahead of time are LAN and audio. You can check your motherboard's website for any chipset, etc drivers for Win7, but Win7 will install some defaults that will work. You do not need a BIOS update for Win7.

Check that your software is compatible, that's the bigger issue for most people.

 

[steve9207]

Like others have mentioned, when I recently built a new i7 machine last month, I loaded W7 64-bit on it and it found everything on it's own. I wasn't expecting it and did have a CD burned with all my drivers and whatnot handy, but there was no need for it.

The only issue I've run into with W7 relates to what branflakes71 mentions about the LAN & audio drivers. I have a very old Dell (it's over 8 years old now) - it had a dedicated Sound Blaster card, but for the life of me I could not get the thing to work with it - perhaps there is a fix now, this was maybe 1.5 months ago. But it was the only thing that couldn't be detected on it's own.

Steve

 

[capt_taco]

Like salman arif said, Windows 7 is great at finding drivers by itself. You won't have to worry about chipset, LAN, or any other drivers. Windows 7 will find those through Windows Update. It's a night and day difference between Windows XP and Windows 7. Windows Update actually works in Windows 7. You won't miss XP at all, I sure don't.

You mean they actually got it to work right this time? Hard experience has trained me to always prepare for installing a new mobo, HDD or OS by assuming that the system wouldn't work and I'd be completely cut off from the Internet. I haven't built a new system for a few months, and hence not one with Win7, but that is going to be a huge relief if it's true.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

I run Windows 7 on my backup machine with a 2.8GHz P4, 1GB of RAM, and an AGP X850XT. I have a Gigabit PCI LAN card I bought a while back and I'm pretty sure I didn't have to go find a single driver. Windows Update took care of all of it for me! I may have manually downloaded the GPU driver just so I could get CCC with it, but the system worked great right from the start with Windows 7. That's even with the RC. The RTM version should be even better.

If something that old works, you shouldn't have any problems at all with anything even mildly current.

 

[TheCloak]

Thank you guys, I'm still a bit scared to upgrade, I do not have the patience to go hunt down all of the drivers for things. (I do have things to do daily!)

I will go see if there are Windows 7 drivers for my mobo though.

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

I would still down load the latest lan or wifi drivers for you internet just case. otherwise you won't be able to get online to use windows update.

 

[obsidian86]

windows 8 will only be 64 bit so its change now or change later

 

[TheCloak]

I would still down load the latest lan or wifi drivers for you internet just case. otherwise you won't be able to get online to use windows update.

I have no idea where to look for my lan and wifi drivers. maybe you can help me? I posted my full specifications

 

[TheCloak]

Disregard this thread. Just installed Windows 7 Professional, everything is working perfectly. And I'm loving it. A nice change to XP. I wonder how my games will run