Windows XP to Windows 10 Upgrade Guide

Best OS Recommendation for a Low-End PC

Question

A user who is running Windows XP calls a technician to upgrade the computer to a newer Windows OS.

The user states the computer has only 1GB of RAM and 16GB of hard drive space with a 1.7GHz processor.

Which of the following OSs should the technician recommended to ensure the BEST performance on this computer?

Answers

Explanations

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A. B. C. D.

A.

The computer with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of hard drive space, and a 1.7GHz processor is a relatively old machine. Therefore, the recommended OS should be lightweight and resource-friendly to ensure the best performance. Here is a breakdown of the four options provided:

A. Windows 7: Windows 7 is a more resource-intensive operating system than Windows XP. It requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM, and the recommended RAM is 2GB. Therefore, installing Windows 7 on a computer with only 1GB of RAM could result in performance issues.

B. Windows 8: Windows 8 is also a more resource-intensive operating system than Windows XP. It requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM, and the recommended RAM is 2GB. Therefore, installing Windows 8 on a computer with only 1GB of RAM could result in performance issues.

C. Windows 8.1: Windows 8.1 is a slightly more resource-friendly operating system than Windows 8. It requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM, and the recommended RAM is 2GB. Therefore, installing Windows 8.1 on a computer with only 1GB of RAM could still result in performance issues.

D. Windows 10: Windows 10 is a resource-intensive operating system, and it requires a minimum of 2GB of RAM. While it may be possible to install Windows 10 on a computer with only 1GB of RAM, the performance would likely be slow and sluggish.

Based on the above analysis, the BEST recommendation for the technician to ensure the best performance on this computer would be Windows 8.1. Although Windows 7 is a popular and widely-used OS, it is not the best choice for this specific computer's hardware. Windows 8.1 is a more resource-friendly option, and it has better performance optimizations than Windows 8.