I purchased this Dell Latitude D800 laptop in June 2004. At the time it was running Windows XP professional. In 2007, on the release of Windows Vista, I tried to upgrade this D800 laptop via a clean install of the then new OS.

However Windows Vista was having none of it and I encountered many driver issues and it running slower than I ever thought possible! So I had to abandon the process, and the laptop lay unused on a shelf in my home office.

BUT with the release of Windows 7 I decided to see if this would install, after all Microsoft claim that the “footprint” for Windows 7 is far smaller than that of Windows Vista.

Well I inserted the Windows Enterprise (Windows Ultimate but with different licensing for companies) DVD that I had created from a download via MSDN and was instantly suprised at just how painless it was to install!

The only post install work I had to do was to go to the Dell Support website and download the Audio drivers (Windows Vista) for the laptop and they worked OK.

I then noticed that I was limited to only a few screen resolutions as Windows 7 had only installed a default graphics driver. This would have been ok if it was not for the fact that this laptop comes with a 15″ XGVA WideScreen.

So I visited the Dell Support website again and located drivers for the NVIDIA GeForce4 4200 graphics card installed on the Lapatop. However, they were only for Windows XP. So I thought I would give it a go and they worked!

I know have a functional 5 year old laptop running Windows 7!

The only niggle with the laptop is that the graphics card is not up to running AERO in windows 7. But that is not Windows 7 fault!

Also, I need the laptop for work and not for games etc. It has Microsoft Office 2007 installed, runs IE8 just fine and has full internet connectivity via both ethernet and built-in wireless.

I now have the laptop working for me in my business at home:

So if you have an old laptop lying around it might be worth seeing if you can install Windows 7 on it…

When Microsoft say that Windows 7 does not need high spec hardware to run Windows 7 – they are correct!

Kind Regards

Marc Liron - Microsoft MVP

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Rocketboom Tech correspondent Ellie Rountree recommends 5 tips for installing Windows 7.

More information on the free Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor here.

1 – Is your current PC up to it?

2 – Backup your current data

3 – Does your current software work in Windows 7

4 – Get the correct Windows 7 version for your needs

5 – Install when you have time and are not rushed

Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP

Microsoft had a grand opening of its first physical store open to the general public at Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale, Arizona, at 10 a.m. on October 22. yes that’s the same day as the Windows 7 launch.

Its flagship retail outlets will serve to show off what its technologies are capable of, with PCs, Notebooks, Xbox 360s, Zune HDs, Windows Mobiles and more…

Some Apple fan’s are upset as they say Microsoft are just copying their beloved company. But when a highly successful company such as Microsoft has over 1 Billion customers for just ONE of its products (Windows), my question is why haven’t Microsoft opened one before now.

Move over Apple fan boys. Microsoft is now on the high street and ready to serve its army of loyal customers.

And all without the premium price tag that Steve Job’s forces upon his followers just so that they can feel good about their purchase!

Here are a couple of photos from the store opening:

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Regards

Marc Liron – Microsoft MVP