It's not possible to give a definite yes or no answer without knowing the exact cause, and even then it could be hard to say. You could try an upgrade, but generally when a system is having issues it's best to do a clean install.
If you decide to upgrade:
If you are runningWindows Vista , in some cases you can upgrade directly to Windows 7 and in other cases you will need to perform a custom installation. The following table shows which editions of Windows Vista can be upgraded to Windows 7.
Windows VistaHome Basic
Windows 7Home Premium, Windows 7Ultimate
Windows VistaHome Premium
Windows 7Home Premium, Windows 7Ultimate
Windows VistaBusiness
Windows 7Professional, Windows 7Ultimate
Windows VistaUltimate
Windows 7Ultimate
For more information, seeUpgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 . (
http://windows.microsoft.com/upgrade-windows-vista )
You can't upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit, a clean install is required. If you have questions about upgrading 32-bit to 64-bit or vice versa please see this FAQ:http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/32-bit-and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions
If you have general questions about reinstalling Windows please see this site:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/Windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows If you decide to clean install:
Custom Clean Install Steps
Times to use:
Moving from XP to 7, or unsupported in place upgrade paths (ex: Vista Home to 7 Pro)
Moving from a 32 bit Windows system to a 64 bit system, or changing languages
Don't want to do an in place upgrade, or you want a fresh/clean install
You can use an Upgrade or Full Windows 7 disk to do a custom clean install. This will remove all your programs, but you can save your files and settings to an external storage before doing so. You will have to reinstall all your programs after installing Windows 7. Here are the steps:
1. Run Windows Upgrade Advisor to see if there are any known issues that might affect the installation and whether you can install the 32 or 64 bit version of Windows 7.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor2. Backup all your files and settings to avoid losing docs, photos, and other information. Windows Easy Transfer is a free tool to copy files (not programs) from your PC, and then transfer them back after you install Windows 7. If you don't want to use Windows Easy Transfer, you can copy your files to a USB drive, or CD/DVD. Note: Easy Transfer will not work when changing languages, or when going from 64 bit to 32 bit (it will work going from 32 bit to 64 bit).
http://windows.microsoft.com/windows-easy-transfer3. Locate the installation disks and any associated product/license keys for all your programs because you'll need to manually reinstall all programs. If you downloaded some programs from the Internet you can redownload them.
4. Insert the Windows 7 DVD into your PC. When asked "Which type of installation do you want?" click "Custom (advanced)." Note: 32 to 64 bit requires you to restart and boot from the DVD.
5. After Windows 7 is installed you can use Windows Easy Transfer (or another backup method you used) to restore your files & settings, and use your installation disks to reinstall all your programs. Then you're done - enjoy Windows 7.