Windows 7 Upgrade Advice

If you are running Windows Vista on your PC, then your Windows 7 upgrade advice is simple: buy the upgrade disc, put it in your DVD player, and the program will do the rest.

If you are running Windows XP, however, you are in for a more complicated time. The reason is that the software for version 7 is so fundamentally different from the software used on XP, and there is no direct upgrade path between the two versions. You will need to completely reinstall and copy data back to your PC during the process.

But don't let that deter you--there are several simple steps you can take to make this process smooth and relatively painless.

Make Sure You Have the Right System Requirements

Before you begin the upgrade, it's important to know if you have all the system requirements you need to do the upgrade:

• 1GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

• 1GB RAM (32-bit) / 2GB RAM (64-bit)

• 16GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20GB (64-bit)

• DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver.

If you don't have these requirements, then you should consider buying a newer, faster hard drive before proceeding.

Download and Run MS Upgrade Advisor

Before you purchase the new software or take any other steps, it's advisable to run the MS Upgrade Advisor. This free program will look through your computer and point out any potential upgrade problems, such as with your drivers, adapters, or any other pieces of your system, before you try to upgrade.

Back Up Your Files, Especially Large or Valuable Ones

You will need to remove all of your old files and then reinstall them once you have finished upgrading to Windows 7.

To do this efficiently, it's recommended that you purchase an external hard drive and download a free piece of transfer software, such as Windows Easy Transfer. Back everything up onto the hard drive and you will be able to put these files back onto your PC once Windows 7 has been installed.

The Upgrade Process

Now you are ready to begin the upgrade process. You will want to use the 32 bit disc that comes with your new system package; once it begins, you will need to select the "custom" option. There is actually a step-by-step tutorial for the custom installation process on the Microsoft website, if you need extra assistance.

As it installs, Windows 7 will gather the important parts of your XP operating system into a file folder as it upgrades. Then, once the installation is complete, you can reinstall your old files off the portable hard drive, using Windows Easy Transfer to complete the process.