Straight to 7..... period.

Go for 7, Vista is clumsy.

7!

Make sure to get this tool (for going from xp to 7):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2274C6C3-BC26-45D5-A32C-F6F44F980518&displaylang=en 

Thanks for the opinions everyone... Doc, I'm not going from XP to 7.  My new computer is preloaded with Vista...

Is the XP to 7 upgrade problematic?  I have an old system AMD Athlon XP 3200+ CPU, 400FSB, 2-1Gb DDR dual channel ram.  Microsofts compatability tool says I'm OK for an upgrade except for a couple of drivers.  My question is can I run 64bit or must I stay with 32bit?

You can run 64 bit as the Athlon is a 64 bit processor, more RAM would be good too 2 x 2 Gb sticks.

I think there is no upgrade XP to 7 it is a new install just, it only would have been possible to upgrade sticking with the 32 bit systems anyway so lots of downloading your Documents and Settings folder.

Thanks AV.  I hate doing upgrades, but the retail full version costs are way beyond my means these days.  Does 7 do an upgrade like XP did over 95, where you just had to pop in the 95 cd to authenticate?

I think it just checks legality of XP then you input your 7 serial then it formats disc and installs 7 (very quickly too). Yes all handled by the disc.

From Vista.

There's no 'update' process from XP to 7.....other than the old exporting of docs and preferences and such.

From XP it is a full install process...;)

Upgrading from Windows XP

Thanks, zakai ....that about covers it....;)