Dell Vostro A840 running Windows 7?

Hey there!

I've got a Dell Vostro A840.
Can I actually upgrade this thing to Windows 7?
The reason I'm asking—since Dell's official site doesn't seem to have any Windows 7 drivers listed yet—is because I'm a bit nervous.
What's the worst that could happen if I try? Bad graphics? Or will it just...
not work at all? Total system crash?
The machine is only about a year old—shouldn't Windows already have a
ton of "legacy" drivers built-in for older hardware by now?

Thanks

If those are your specs, you should be able to install Windows 7 without much trouble.

Windows 7. Dell Vostro A840 laptop Features
• Intel Core 2 duo 1.6
• Linux
• 1GB RAM
• 160 Gb Hard Disk Drive
• DVD RW
• Intel X3100 Integrated graphics • 14.1
• 14.1" WXGA with Anti Glare display
• Wireless/LAN
• Bluetooth
• 3 in1 card reader
• 1 Year onsite warranty
• Carry Case

Joshua Garcia3 said:If those are your specs, you should be able to run Windows 7 just fine.

Windows 7. Dell Vostro A840 laptop Features
• Intel Core 2 duo 1.6
• Linux
• 1GB RAM
• 160 Gb Hard Disk Drive
• DVD RW
• Intel X3100 Integrated graphics • 14.1
• 14.1" WXGA with Anti Glare display
• Wireless/LAN
• Bluetooth
• 3 in1 card reader
• 1 Year onsite warranty
• Carry Case

Later.

Here’s what I’m working with...
Can I handle the 64-bit version too?

notebook Dell Vostro A840 Intel Celeron 560

Intel Celeron 560, 2.13GHz
14.1" WXGA (1280 x 800)
2GB 800MHz DDR2 RAM
250GB Serial-ATA (7200 rpm)

8x DVD±/R/±RW Dual-Layer drive
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 10/100
10/100 network adapter
Wireless (802.11b/g) network adapter
OS: Ubuntu 8.04

thanks

Look, you really just have to dive in and try it for yourself—nobody can give you a 100% guarantee that it’ll actually work... there are Windows 7 drivers available for this legacy hardware, but some of them are so incredibly primitive they're practically useless.

Alright, check it out—I’ve been messing around with this A840. It’s a decent little machine in some ways, but honestly? It’s got some pretty annoying quirks.
1. It runs hot as hell if you happen to block the vent area.
2. If you start pushing it too hard, it tends to freeze up on you.
3. The battery life is pretty pathetic.
4. The trackpad is kind of garbage.
5. If you end up force-restarting it a couple of times, Windows just crashes and dies.
6. The graphics card isn't much to write home about.
7. The speakers sound super weak.
8. You're stuck with just one USB port.
The good stuff:
1. You get two drives—one 50 GB and one 150GB.
2. Running Windows 7 on it is smooth sailing.
3. It's really easy to toss in a bag and go.
4. It’s got wireless and Bluetooth ready to go.
That's the lowdown from my side. If you have questions, just hit me up or quote me.
I hope this helps you out, but seriously, the biggest tip I can give you when looking at this laptop is: JUST DON'T BUY IT!!!!!!

Benjamin King2 said:Look, you just gotta dive in and try it for yourself. No one can promise you it'll be a total breeze... I mean, Windows 7 has drivers for older gear, but some of them are so basic they're basically useless.

honestly, Windows 7 should run it just fine

Morgan Booth70 said:Hey there!

I've got a Dell Vostro A840.
Can I upgrade this thing to Windows 7?
The reason I'm asking is because I checked the official Dell site and they don't seem to have any Windows 7 drivers listed yet.
What's gonna happen if I just try to force the upgrade anyway? Will the graphics be terrible? Or will it just...
not work at all? Or maybe just crash constantly?
My computer is about a year old, so shouldn't Windows already come packed with
a huge pile of "legacy" drivers for older hardware?

Thanks!

You can definitely upgrade to Windows 7 without any issues.

Nice. Honestly, it’s a bummer you were only two years late to the party. 🙂