Will My Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T7200 Support Windows 8.1?

BaffledOne

New Member
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8
I'm currently running Windows XP SP3 on a laptop with an Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T7200 processor. I'd like to do a bare metal install of Windows 8.1 on this laptop if it supports it.

I know that in order for the laptop to run Windows 8.1 the processor has to support SSE2, NX and PAE. I think I have the SSE2 and NX covered??? , but what about the PAE?

Here is the relevant CPU-Z info I think ...

Name Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T7200
Codename Merom
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU T7200 @ 2.00GHz
Package (platform ID) Socket 479 mPGA (0x5)
CPUID 6.F.6
Extended CPUID 6.F
Core Stepping B2
Technology 65 nm
Core Speed 997.4 MHz
Multiplier x Bus Speed 6.0 x 166.2 MHz
Rated Bus speed 664.9 MHz
Stock frequency 2000 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, EM64T, VT-x


Also MS says it has to have a graphics card that supports Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver. How can I tell if my card supports that? Of course if my processor doesn't support PAE I guess this is a moot point anyway.

Thanks for any help! :D
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP SP3
Thank you for your response! I tried the upgrade assistant, but it failed near the beginning with this message:

2-4-2014 11-12-03 PM.jpg

2.jpg

Guess it's incompatible with the compatibility check! :huh:

Does this mean it's not going to work?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP SP3
While I'm sure their are ways to make it work on this machine, the best advice I can give would be to purchase a new computer.

In the long run it will save you time and hassle.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Enterprise
Having dealt with things like this before, I'm sure that's the right advice. However, it's not in the cards for me as I am out of work and can't justify the expense. I could do the hundred bucks for the Windows OS but the new machine isn't feasible right now. I don't really even want to give up XP, I can't see any compelling reason to leave my old friend. But sooner or later I will need to go to 64 bit and upgrade. I thought if I could do it cheap I'd do it right now. But I think you are right, it's just too much hassle.

Thanks again for the help! :thumb:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP SP3
Your processor will probably be able to run the 32 bit version of windows 8.1 and not the 64 bit. It has to do with the processors command set.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x86
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Homebrew
    CPU
    Dual Core AMD Opteron 185 @ 2600 MHz
    Motherboard
    ASRock 939A785GMH
    Memory
    2 GB CORSAIR DDR 400 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    HIS iSilence5 Radeon HD 7750
    Sound Card
    SENNHEISER USB Sound Card
    Monitor(s) Displays
    SAMSUNG Syncmaster S22D390
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    60 GB OCZ Vertex 2 SSD
    500 GB SAMSUNG RAID-0 HDD
Your processor will probably be able to run the 32 bit version of windows 8.1 and not the 64 bit. It has to do with the processors command set.

Thank you for that, that's useful information. If correct it clinches it for me. I can't see any reason to go from 32 bit Win XP to 32 bit Win 8.1. There isn't anything I want to do with win 8.1 that I can't do now (and frankly I like XP better). The only reason I would consider going to 8.1 is to go to a 64 bit system as I think 32bit will be phased out at some point and get less and less support. I think going to 64 bit would give me a longer time frame before I need to upgrade again.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP SP3
There's nothing wrong with 32-bit Windows 8/8.1.

Unless you have a specific 64-bit application in mind, I don't think you'd be missing much in 32-bit. I'm currently typing this on a machine which used to have XP and has a Core 2 Duo T5500, and is now running Windows 8 fine.

I can't see any reason why Windows 8.1 32-bit won't be supported until the lifecycle end date which is January 2023... I suspect my hardware will have died by then!

However I would say that the problems I had on this laptop wasn't so much the processor, but finding drivers for other hardware.The laptop manufacturer didn't supply drivers more recent than Vista in some cases, so I did have a few problems, and also had to stop Windows from trying to find drivers automatically (as it found a bad one which caused Blue Screen of Death).

Also the 1GB (which it came with originally) wasn't really enough for Windows 8 when that memory is shared with video memory.

I think in your shoes, I would be looking for those log files mentioned by the error message for the Upgrade Assistant, to see if I can get that going and do some more checks on your computer.

Edit: I don't know what it's like where you are, but here in the UK it's still possible to find retailers selling the boxed Windows 8 Pro Upgrade for less than the Windows 8 (non-Pro) upgrade and much less than 8.1. Also buying from Microsoft is generally more expensive than other retailers. So if you were in the UK I'd be suggesting the Windows 8 Pro upgrade as the cheapest route. But it may be different where you are.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1, 10
More great info thank you!

Yes, getting drivers for things is always one of my biggest fears when upgrading my OS. I still have an expensive hardware junkyard in the basement of barely used beautiful things that had to be abandoned because there were no drivers for them in the new OS. Some of them are so shiny and new I can't bring myself to part with them!

That's good info and promising. And you are right, that if I don't have any apps that need 64bit then there isn't much reason to go to it. But I see even less reason to update my OS to another 32bit OS since I can't think of anything I can do (that I want to to) on Windows 8.1 that I can't do on Windows XP. Some of the more resource intensive apps ... like video and audio editing ... can benefit from 64 bits... and as a matter of fact some developers are only developing for 64 bit in that world. I do not do anything but casual audio editing so 32bit still works for me.

Last point... is anyone else bothered by an application like the MS Windows 8.1 Compatibility test that crashes in two seconds but apparently not before it has time to leave unknown files and changes on your system hidden in unknown places without a way to remove them or even know they are there? If it dropped some kind of log somewhere (and it doesn't even tell you where to find it) then what else did it do to pollute my system.

They should call the file RUN_THIS_SO_THAT_IT_SCREWS_UP_YOUR_CURRENT_OS_AND_YOU_HAVE_TO_UPGRADE.exe

With software like that, who needs viruses? :confused:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP SP3
That MS compatibility checker is not so great. It tells wrong info lots of times, usually saying not good when it can be good.

You need to know some things, sometimes. Sometimes, it's easy.

Drivers are easy to find and install for anything, no matter how old. An exception here or there to stay away from is old wireless USB devices. There are other exceptions too, but mostly anything can be made to run well on any MS OS.

If you need any help with anything, let us know, but the system is good to go for sure.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7601.18247.x86fre.win7sp1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built Intel based
    CPU
    Pentium D 925 3.0 GHz socket 775, Presler @ ~ 3.2 GHz
    Motherboard
    Intel DQ965MT
    Memory
    Hyundai 2 GB DDR2 @ 333 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS DirectCU II HD7790-DC2OC-2GD5 Radeon HD 7790 2GB 128-Bit GDDR5
    Sound Card
    MOTU Traveler firewire interface
    Hard Drives
    1 Seagate Barracuda SATA II system/boot drive 80 GB, 2 Western Digital hdds - 1 is SATA II Caviar Black 1 TB attached to card (assorted media, page, temp), other is SATA I 420 GB (games, media, downloads)
    PSU
    Thermaltake 450W
    Cooling
    stock Gateway cooling, extra large fan in rear of case
    Keyboard
    Alienware/Microsoft Internet kb
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
    Internet Speed
    Optimum Online, fast for US
    Browser
    Pale Moon
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky integrated into ZoneAlarm+Antivirus
Thanks to everyone for all the great info. I guess the main question I am left with now is why upgrade to 8.1 from XP? What will I be able to do or do better that I can't do now? So far I can't think of anything.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP SP3
7 is the way to go on that machine (even considering what I said above) - it runs extremely well on XP hardware and is a vast improvement overall from XP.

Hell, if I was given a brand new $10,000 system for free today, I'd put 7 on it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7601.18247.x86fre.win7sp1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built Intel based
    CPU
    Pentium D 925 3.0 GHz socket 775, Presler @ ~ 3.2 GHz
    Motherboard
    Intel DQ965MT
    Memory
    Hyundai 2 GB DDR2 @ 333 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS DirectCU II HD7790-DC2OC-2GD5 Radeon HD 7790 2GB 128-Bit GDDR5
    Sound Card
    MOTU Traveler firewire interface
    Hard Drives
    1 Seagate Barracuda SATA II system/boot drive 80 GB, 2 Western Digital hdds - 1 is SATA II Caviar Black 1 TB attached to card (assorted media, page, temp), other is SATA I 420 GB (games, media, downloads)
    PSU
    Thermaltake 450W
    Cooling
    stock Gateway cooling, extra large fan in rear of case
    Keyboard
    Alienware/Microsoft Internet kb
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
    Internet Speed
    Optimum Online, fast for US
    Browser
    Pale Moon
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky integrated into ZoneAlarm+Antivirus
Don't want to put you on the spot because I realize it might be hard to explain... but what improvements would I enjoy if I went to 7 or to 8.1 for that matter?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP SP3
This gives you a general idea: Video: Windows XP vs. Windows 7 - Help & How-to - Microsoft Windows

There are way too many enhancements to name them all. Video abilities in 7 include new Aero capabilities and the audio stack has been completely rewritten since XP, making it a perfectly viable solution for even the most professional of audio studios. (They all inexplicably still use Macs though lol.)

7 is like XP on enhanced steroids.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7601.18247.x86fre.win7sp1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built Intel based
    CPU
    Pentium D 925 3.0 GHz socket 775, Presler @ ~ 3.2 GHz
    Motherboard
    Intel DQ965MT
    Memory
    Hyundai 2 GB DDR2 @ 333 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS DirectCU II HD7790-DC2OC-2GD5 Radeon HD 7790 2GB 128-Bit GDDR5
    Sound Card
    MOTU Traveler firewire interface
    Hard Drives
    1 Seagate Barracuda SATA II system/boot drive 80 GB, 2 Western Digital hdds - 1 is SATA II Caviar Black 1 TB attached to card (assorted media, page, temp), other is SATA I 420 GB (games, media, downloads)
    PSU
    Thermaltake 450W
    Cooling
    stock Gateway cooling, extra large fan in rear of case
    Keyboard
    Alienware/Microsoft Internet kb
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
    Internet Speed
    Optimum Online, fast for US
    Browser
    Pale Moon
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky integrated into ZoneAlarm+Antivirus
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