Windows 8 Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 for slow PC?

irsmart said:

I have two PCs:

(1) An old Compaq tower running a dual-core AMD processor at ~2.2GHz.
1GB RAM (I had to remove a 1GB stick that went bad)
Running Windows Vista

(2) A Gateway laptop with an Intel i3 at 2.4GHz
4GB RAM
Running Windows 7

They both have crappy graphics cards and have a ton of software installed. I want to clean them up and get them working as well as they can (without upgrading the hardware). Neither of them will be used much but I want them to be reliable for MS Word, Spotify, and Google Chrome.

I don't have much experience with Windows 7 and I have no experience with Windows 8/8.1. So on computers with these specs, what would be fastest: Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8.1?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

1. RE : what you mentioned in first 3 paragraphs
Why not just restore both Vista and Win 7 back to Factory State ?
Do you have their installation disks ?

2. RE : your last paragraph
I am not certain what you were asking. Suddenly you brought Win8.1 into picture.
your question : what would be fastest: Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8.1?
Fastest to do what ?
Would you mind elaborate?

editing : if you meant : which of the 3 OS runs fastest..............
Fastest is a relative term.
If you recall the first time you had Vista or Win 7, they ran pretty fast, at least fast enough for regular users. Yes ?
Gradually they got slower and slower as you started to load " a ton of software ". Yes ?
Same scenario will repeat itself if you do the same to a new Win 8.1
My experience.....
I reinstalled my Vista in preparation for Win 8 Pro. Vista, after reinstalling, ran fast. Win 8 Pro was then installed. It ran like lightning. Then 8.1 was installed, then I installed all the software I wanted. It does not run as fast as the beginning anymore.