[Simbuk]

Yes, dual boot is definitely the way to take the plunge, especially if you've never tried Linux before. If I were you, however, I wouldn't jump in expecting Linux to be a panacea for all that ails your system. ESPECIALLY if you're an avid gamer.

With that in mind, there are a couple of easy things you can try to smooth out your Win7 experience. First, make sure that you've updated your motherboard's chipset drivers. Failure of these drivers to load correctly can lead to all kinds of odd, persnickety behavior. I'd say these are in fact the most important drivers to update in any recently set up Windows system. If the OS doesn't ship with these drivers then often it will fail to properly detect other hardware until they are installed. The good news is that you usually only have to update them once for the life of your OS. If yours is a built system, then it should be fairly clear which chipset you have. For example, if you have an Intel chipset then just download the appropriate INF update utility and you'll be golden.

What you can do if you're having networking issues is to look into getting a cheap replacement NIC that explicitly lists compatibility with Vista or Windows 7. This shouldn't set you back more than $15-$25 depending on where you get the hardware. This will be a pretty easy step: it's as close to a drop and go solution as you'll find. You plug it in, hook it up, and it will Just Work(tm).

Finally, if you want to extensively customize the look of Windows, take a look at Windowblinds 7.0. It's free to try and twenty bucks to buy. And you won't have to compromise on game compatibility just to have a desktop tweaked to your preferences.

Edit: Zyonin: this guy is thinking of trying Linux for the first time. Think of your audience. A post that laden with jargon is more likely to scare him off than to be enticing. Take it a step at a time.