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

Snidely, thanks for your help. Thank you for the nice photo of the view of the little arrow you were speaking of. Normally, the files have a blue icon with a crown in it signifying it is a Print Master file. This makes it easy for me at a glance. I am using an older version, one that I had on XP. Perhaps Windows 7 does not have what ever driver it takes for a .sig file. Guess it is just one more thing I have to learn to get used to. The icon for the software on my desktop is correct and I do have all my files in the software that I have created and show up when I need them. I don't understand why there are so many hidden files, or I used have not learned how to find all the file folders. An example would be trying to locate the fonts file folder to add more of my favorite fonts. Each time I go to add more fonts I have to do a search for fonts then, that file opens up. It could be I just don't know how to find all these files. I thought going with Windows 7 would have been easier than learning windows 8, maybe I was wrong. This post was edited by loralee on Fri, Feb 7, 14 at 12:56

Thanks everyone. I already did the Word update bc. I realized that my daughter would be continuing to bring work back and forth from school. I'm pleasantly surprised that an older version of Microsoft Word is update-able - without being asked to pay for an upgrade. Bob - thanks for explaining what that update is doing. Now I'll know what .docx documents are. I have an older Word myself and all the files are .doc - but it explains the trouble I've had in an organization where we send each other word documents - some must have the newer word and some the old. I will get the Windows Media Player 11. That's a program she uses. One of the reasons I asked here is bc. googling often gets me descriptions/info I don't understand. This is what I found on the update for root certificate: "This item updates the list of root certificates on your computer to the list that is accepted by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Root Certificate Program. Adding additional root certificates to your computer enables you to use Extended Validation (EV) certificates in Internet Explorer 7, a greater range of security enhanced Web browsing, encrypted e-mail, and security enhanced code delivery. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Once you have installed this item, it cannot be removed." I have no idea what that means and whether I should get it. What I found when I googled Update for Windows XP (KB971513) sounded either scary (maybe it would mess up the computer's functioning) - or at least not clear as to it's value - so I'll skip it unless somebody hear knows differently. Thanks. Lynn.

Why not ask the manufacturer of your software if it's supported in Windows 7?