When you speak of upgrading "my Dell computer", you're not speaking of installing an upgrade over top of XP are you? If so, I misunderstand, so disregard the rest of my post. :) So I'm assuming you intend to purchase a retail version of Windows 7 and do a clean install. In the first line of your post you mention 512 MB of RAM, a date, and then 2.00 GB of RAM. Does that mean it now has 2.00 GB of RAM or maybe 2 1/2 GB of RAM? Either way, I'm no expert but I'd think 512 MB is less than enough, but either 2 or 2 1/2 GB would be fine. I don't know much about Office, but wasn't Office 2003 was the last version that had the old style menu, before the newfangled ribbon came along. According to this, your Office 2002 would not be compatible but according to this, Office 2003 would be. Would your 2002 macros work in 2003? I don't know. Would it be worth the expense of buying a retail version of Windows 7, as well as Office 2003(or at least Word)? To me, probably not, to you, only you can decide. Personally, since it works, I'd probably just continue using it. Continue running a good real-time AV, occasionally scanning with a couple on-demand malware tools(Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware come to mind), use Firefox or Chrome(lie detected), using the WOT add-on(trusting it somewhat less than fully), and being careful what I open(email) and what I install. Just my opinion though. Edit: GrammerGrammar Edit2: Spelling This post was edited by chuggerguy on Thu, Jan 23, 14 at 3:10

Starter Edition seems to work fine on computers I've seen it on.. Equal in speed to or faster than other versions with minimal memory. It seems to be just missing some options \ Manufacturers like a toshiba I noticed probably all ship third party options to replace the missing components and wallpapers and things most home users would need... installed & on seperate DvD

From Wilders Security Forum: Quote: Windows Defender will be discontinued by the end of summer 2009. Current users will continue to get the latest Malware definition files until the end of the summer. and Quote: However: both Windows Defender and Windows LiveOneCare are going to be replaced by "Morro". Maybe better known as Microsoft Security Essentials, this new product (which is going to be freeware!) is going to be a full "free antivirus software created by Microsoft that provides protection against viruses, spyware, rootkits, and trojans for Windows XP, Vista, and 7". Basically it's going to be capable of full system protection, when talking about malware, in the same way other AV supplies do.

I had a tech "build" me a machine, have all I wanted from previous XP, but had I known that the folder for the docs would be sideways, and could could have no pics on them, would have stayed XP if at all possible, nothing you can do about that, tried it and no go. Also had trubble finding downloads, and docs in my background, they seem to be more hidden, or were anyway, I have had my W7 about 3 months now, and have become used to it, not a fan by any means, but am used to it finally. One final note, I also had files that simply disappeared from the documents, and googled, W7 has this problem, and it has since been rectified, at least in my case. I also had a friend find me an add on, for the pdf's has pics on them which helps find what I am searching for, rather than on the folders as in XP. Brought all the goodies with me from XP that I could, love my Word, my pdf makers, and learning a new mail program, I would not pay the hundred dollars for OE mail, and as I had TB on the XP computer, took that along as well. All in all, has been a heck of a learning process, those that find or found it easy, good for them, for those of us that have trubble, well, it is hard, and I am not ashamed to admit it was hard for me. ADD is part of the reason, and had to redo, redo and redo before I could get programs and how they worked into my head. Since I wrote everything down, has helped a great deal, and am so grateful that I did not have to take W8. Maybe by the time I need a new machine again, they will have redone the OS and come up with something simple again, I know it can be done, and senior or not, there are things that are hard for even youngsters, anyone younger than 65. Just remember folks, one day you will be older as well, and understand what I am speaking of, let's hope you can move thru the process as easily as you can, for those of us with issues, it is a real hardship.