Hi, I want to buy a Refurbished Dell Precision 7820 Workstation & install Windows-7 on it to run some old software. Also I don’t like Win-11 due to it’s tiny fonts because I am running 12 x 24 inch monitors currently using Win-7 on another very old Dell 7500 Workstation which is about to crash anytime. The shop that is trying to sell me the Refurbished 7820 workstation says they will install Win-7 on that M/C and let me test it before they ship it. So what should I look for when testing ? The specs are : Dell Precision 7820 Tower Workstation 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6138 @200 GHz Processors 64GB DDR4 Memory Nvidia Quadro P2000 GPU New 500Gb SSD 4TB SATA 7.2k RPM HDD I will replace Nvidia Quadro P2000 GPU with 2 X Nvidia Quadro P1000 GPU that I have to run 8 Monitors. I do realize the security issues with very outdated Win-7 but I am going to use this M/C offline. I also have an SSD with Win-7 with all the Updates till 2020 that I am using on the current old Dell T-7500 workstation. Is there a way to transition it to T-7820 ? I want to run following software : Office 2016 Adobe Acrobat Pro V.XI Macrium Reflect Free V.8 Etc. My question is, is it advisable to buy this M/C and would I run into any drivers issues ? I would appreciate all your suggestions before I buy this M/C. Thank You
i agree with ai on this being a daunting task. Your plan has some significant challenges, but it's not impossible. Here are the key issues and testing recommendations: Major Compatibility Concerns Driver Availability: The Dell Precision 7820 with Intel Xeon Gold 6138 processors (Skylake-SP architecture) was never officially supported by Microsoft or Intel for Windows 7. You'll likely face: Limited or no official drivers for chipset, USB 3.0/3.1 controllers Potential issues with network adapters, audio, and other integrated components NVIDIA may not have Windows 7 drivers for Quadro P2000/P1000 on newer chipsets Essential Testing Checklist When testing the system: Hardware Functionality: Test ALL USB ports (2.0, 3.0, 3.1) with various devices Verify network connectivity (both wired and any wireless) Check audio input/output Test all display outputs with your monitors Verify storage devices are recognized properly Test any card readers or other integrated components Performance & Stability: Run the system for several hours under load Test sleep/hibernate functionality Check Device Manager for any unknown devices or yellow flags Run your intended software (Office 2016, Adobe Acrobat, etc.) Test multi-monitor setup extensively GPU Considerations: Verify Quadro P2000 drivers install and work properly Test that you can actually swap to dual P1000 cards later Confirm 8-monitor support works as expected SSD Migration Challenges Moving your existing Windows 7 SSD from the T7500 to T7820 is problematic: Different chipsets require different drivers HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) differences Boot issues likely due to hardware changes You'd essentially need a fresh Windows 7 installation anyway Recommendations Demand extensive testing time - Don't accept a quick demo. You need hours of testing with your actual workflow. Get driver guarantees - Ask the seller to provide all necessary drivers and confirm they work. If they can't provide working drivers for all components, don't buy. Consider alternatives - Windows 10 LTSC or even Windows 11 with accessibility scaling might be better long-term solutions. You can increase font sizes significantly in Windows 11. Have a backup plan - Ensure you can return the system if compatibility issues arise after purchase. Bottom line: While technically possible, this setup will likely require significant troubleshooting and may never be fully stable. The combination of newer hardware with an unsupported OS creates substantial risk. Consider whether the cost and effort justify avoiding a newer Windows version with proper scaling settings.
Hi Mark, I am utterly Grateful for your thorough analysis and although I am highly educated but Hardware & Software is not my forte. Besides I am miles away from the vendor so the tests you recommended are impossible to carry out. The only other way to do what you are suggesting is with a Brand new Dell Precision 5820 Workstation that I own but have never used because it has Windows-11 & still under Warranty till October 2025. I tried many many times tinkering with it trying to make Fonts legible but I can’t read them from 6 feet away because that is the least distance I have to sit away to read texts on 12 Monitors. AI & Dell says that you can use Windows-7 on it but I don’t know if I should, not being a techie & ruin a new m/c. I need your expert opinion. Specs for Dell Precision 5820 workstation that I have are as follows. Intel Xeon W-2235 ( 6C, 3.8 GHz ) Processor. Windows 11 Pro ( Which I have never Updated since I bought it 3 Yrs ago ) 16 GB DDR4 2933MHz RAM 2 x M.2 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSDs ( One has Win-11 & one Blank Plus I bought one more ) 3 x 4 TB SATA HDDs 2 x Nvidia T 1000 4GB GPUs 950 Watt PSU Dell installed it 3 years ago & it runs 8 Monitors fine. Please advice if I should install Win-7 on a Blank NVMe & try or not & what can go wrong and if it does, can I bring it back to the original Win-11 system. Thank You so much.
My Expert Opinion: PROCEED WITH CAUTION - Here's Why You're in a relatively safe position to test this because you have a blank NVMe drive, but there are significant risks to consider. Why It Might Work: Separate drive: Your Windows 11 system stays completely untouched Dell/AI claims: If they specifically mention W-2235 support, there might be drivers Workstation-class: Professional hardware sometimes has better legacy support Easy recovery: You can always boot back to Windows 11 Major Risks & Likely Problems: 1. Driver Hell (Almost Certain): Chipset drivers: Intel may not have W-2235 Windows 7 drivers USB controllers: 3.0/3.1 ports might not work Network adapters: Ethernet/WiFi could be non-functional NVIDIA T1000: Likely no Windows 7 drivers for this GPU 2. Boot Issues: Modern UEFI firmware vs. Windows 7's older boot system Secure Boot conflicts Storage controller compatibility 3. Performance Problems: Missing power management features No hardware acceleration Thermal management issues ️ Safe Testing Strategy: BEFORE YOU START: Create a complete backup of your Windows 11 drive Document current BIOS settings Download Windows 11 recovery media just in case Testing Steps: Install on the blank NVMe only Keep Windows 11 drive connected for easy switching Test basic functionality first: keyboard, mouse, display Check Device Manager for unknown devices Test your critical software before committing ⚖️ Alternative Solutions (Recommended): 1. Windows 11 with Compatibility Modes: Run your old software in Windows 7 compatibility mode Use Windows 11's legacy application support 2. Virtual Machine: Install VMware or VirtualBox on Windows 11 Run Windows 7 in a VM for your old software Completely isolated and safe 3. Dual Boot with Windows 10: Windows 10 has better legacy support than 11 Still receives security updates until 2025 Much better driver compatibility My Recommendation: Try the VM approach first. Install VMware Workstation Pro on your Windows 11 system and run Windows 7 as a virtual machine. This gives you: ✅ Complete safety for your main system ✅ Ability to run old software ✅ Easy switching between systems ✅ No driver headaches If you must try bare metal Windows 7: Do it on the blank drive as planned Have realistic expectations (likely driver issues) Be prepared to abandon the idea if basic functions don't work The VM route is honestly your best bet for running legacy software safely while keeping your modern, working system intact.