With 8gb of ram you needn't have a swap file. 

The option to run XP programs in 7 is through a Microsoft Virtual Machine. Some find it useful, others not so much. If you have the XP machine and you're keeping it, that should be sufficient and probably more efficient in the end run.

Some XP programs might have compatibility problems. What are the programs you have concerns about?

Windows 7 should be able to read most of what was created in XP, again at the general levels you've stated (i.e., we don't know what specifically you're referencing).

The best approach is a clean install of Windows 7. 

Vincent Winterling
Vineland, NJ

-----Original Message-----
From: Personal Computer Hardware discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Yoke Lim Chew
Sent: Sunday, May 4, 2014 2:45 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: New PC & Windows 7 64-bit

Hi

I have been tolerably happy using Windows XP 32-bit for many years.

Now it appears it's time to move on - in my case, to Windows 7 64-bit,
which I had bought before Windows 8 came out. (That's how long ago I had
intended to switch but didn't get round to doing it.)

In XP, I had a dedicated partition for the swap file, not wanting the swap
file to be on the C drive.

Q1 for 7: Presumably 7 also needs space for the swap file. I have 8G RAM.
Is it a good idea to use a dedicated partition for the swap file in 7? If
so, how much space should I provide?

I have many XP programs which I would like to use in 7. I can, of course,
continue to run them on the XP PC, which I am retaining, but I believe that
in 7 there is an option to install a component allowing XP programs to run
in 7.

Q2 for 7: Is it a good idea to install the XP component? If installed, can
7 64-bit run XP 32-bit programs?

Most, if not all, data and other user files on XP will be moved over to the
7 PC.

Q3 for 7: Can 7 64-bit programs still read files created on XP 32-bit
programs - assuming 7 programs are backward compatible?

Final general note: Any advice in general for things to consider or to look
out for in the installation of 7 64-bit will be gratefully accepted and
deeply appreciated.

Thanks for any input.

Lym.

                          

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