No matter what you think, it isn’t safe using Windows XP anymore for the simple reason that it’s a magnet for malware.

Well, it’s almost been a decade now since the operating system has been around and so, it’s being phased out as Microsoft has released Windows 8 instead.

Speaking of which, your only options include replacing XP with Windows 7, 8 or jut opting for Linux altogether.

Among the three, Windows 7 is the simplest to try since it has the least learning curve than the other two.

Yet before you purchase a copy, it’s good to know whether your hardware can support Windows 7 or not.

In order to find out, it’s a good idea to install and run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. In more cases than not, you will have to obtain a 32-bit version of Windows as most if not all XP PCs did not use 64-bit processors.

If you’d like to be absolutely sure, then use Gibson Research’s Securable which will look at your chip and let you know if it’s 32-bit or 64-bit.

Now, once you know your processor, all you have to do is Google the keyword ‘windows 7’ and look for the cheaper upgrade option.

Once you purchase the copy, just make sure you back all your data up. Better still, use the EaseUS Todo Backup Free to create an image backup just in case something goes wrong.

After this, insert your Windows 7 DVD, boot your PC and follow the instructions to install Windows 7.

Once you’ve completed the installation, you’ll find all your old files in a folder with the path: C:\Windows.old.