Are you ready to upgrade to Windows 7? Is your system?
Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
scans your PC's system, programs and
devices to check if it is able to
run Windows 7. The report will tell
you if your PC meets the system
requirements, if there are any known
compatibility issues with your
programs and devices, and will also
provide guidance on your upgrade
options to Windows 7. click here to download Windows 7
Upgrade Advisor
Getting started with Windows 7
Find out more about using the latest version
of Windows.
Featured videos:
A successful Windows 7 migration begins with
careful planning and decision making. Rick
Vanover 'TechRepublic', built a flowchart to
guide you through each step.
click here to download Windows 7 flowchart
Most programs written for
Windows Vista
also work in this version of
Windows,
but some older programs might run poorly or
not at all. If a program written for an
earlier version of
Windows
doesn't run correctly, you can try changing
the compatibility settings for the program,
either manually or by using the Program
Compatibility troubleshooter.
To run the Program
Compatibility troubleshooter
Open the
Program Compatibility
troubleshooter by clicking the
Start
button
,
and then clicking
Control Panel.
In the search box, type
troubleshooter, and then
click
Troubleshooting. Under
Programs,
click Run
programs made for previous
versions of
Windows.
Follow the
instructions in the
troubleshooter.
If you cannot install a
program, insert the installation disc for
the program and, using the troubleshooter,
browse to the program's setup file, usually
called Setup.exe, Install.exe, or something
similar. The troubleshooter is not designed
to work on programs that have an .msi file
name extension.
We advise netbook users to back up before
installing and check your netbook
manufacturer's Web site for BIOS and
software updates to make sure your netbook
is ready for Windows 7. In addition, We
recommends booting off the Windows 7 install
media, not installing from an external DVD
drive, and if you decide to use a USB stick
to install the OS, be sure to remove it
before rebooting.
5. Back up first. Really.
Even if it's inconvenient.
Our initial idea was to install Windows 7
"in place" on my existing hard drive and use
the "windows.old" folder to fetch our old
documents. True to form, but there were
points in the process when my computer
appeared hosed, and I was sweating bullets.
A good backup would have saved me some
serious grief.
4. Check your
manufacturer's Web site for BIOS and
software updates first.
A
BIOS update, was critical to install before
the upgrade. Some of those updates are
actually pretty great, such as a much easier
resolution switcher to kick the Go into
1024x768 screen mode.)
3. Boot off the Windows 7
install media.
On
our first install attempt, We tried to
launch the Windows 7 installer from the
install DVD in our normal XP installation -
booting off our own hard drive, not directly
from the DVD. the installer appeared to run
fine, until it got stuck "uncompressing"
Windows files. Whoops.
2. Don't
install off an external DVD drive.
Our second install attempt failed because We
hadn't done the BIOS update. Attempt 3 failed,
it turns out, because We was trying to use an
external DVD drive.
1. If you use a USB stick,
remove it at reboot.
We decided instead to use Microsoft's
instructions and create a Windows 7 install USB
key using a 4GB SanDisk USB drive We had around.
That worked fine, but something really weird
started happening. The OS would partially
install, and then reboot, and then start
installing again ... and reboot, and start
installing again ... and reboot, and start
installing again.
Windows 7 requires you to first boot off of the
install media, and then reboot from your hard
drive. But if your BIOS is set to boot from a
USB stick first before your hard drive (say, if
you had to change the BIOS setting because of a
broken earlier installation), it will just keep
booting from the USB stick, and never complete
the install. The solution was to yank the USB
stick when the computer rebooted; then Windows 7
finished its install from the hard drive.
So Windows 7 looks pretty nice. I just wish I'd
known all of this before I installed.
Whether
you have a new laptop or one you bought a
few years ago, we tell you whether it will
be able to handle Microsoft's newest
operating system, Windows 7.
If you have an older laptop and took a pass
on Microsoft's Windows Vista because of all
its naysayers, it might be time to consider
Windows 7 as a replacement. But does your
laptop or netbook have what it takes to run
Windows 7?
If your laptop is running Microsoft Windows
Vista OS (which most consumer laptops that
shipped beginning in January 2007 do), it
already runs parts that meet the current
requirements of Windows 7. If the laptop
runs Vista, it will run Windows 7.
For non-Vista systems you can download the
Upgrade Advisor to see if your laptop
qualifies. To give you a little more detail,
to run Windows 7 your laptop must have the
following:
A
processor rated at 1 Gigahertz or faster
Even if you bought a laptop in 2003,
when the first batch of Pentium M
processors came out, Windows 7 appears
to have it covered as well, as long as
you have at least 1GB of memory, 16GB of
hard drive space, and a DX9 graphics
card.
1GB of RAM (2GB for 64-bit Windows 7)
More memory doesn't hurt either,
especially with older laptops that ship
with 512MB. Memory modules are
inexpensive, easily accessible, and can
mean the difference between a clunker
and Windows 7 bliss.
At least 16GB of storage space (20GB for
64-bit Windows 7)
A
DX9-compatible graphics card, with the
WDDM 1.0 driver
A laptop with an ATI
or nVidia chipset is a really good sign
that it'll run Windows 7, but make sure
you have the latest graphics driver
handy. Windows 7 has native driver
support for legacy nVidia and ATI cards.
Updated drivers are just a precautionary
step.
Even laptops going back 5
or 6 years can run Windows 7, and simple
hardware upgrades can be made to ensure an
optimal user experience. If your laptop
can't run Windows 7, it probably belongs in
a museum. Things get a little hairy with
laptops that venture past the 6-year
mark—that's when you're dealing with Pentium
II and III chips that are probably not worth
the hassle unless you're a real nerd.
Are you going to run Windows 7 on your
desktop? Our experts let you know if you
can.
You might be running Windows XP or Vista
right now, but you want to run Windows
7. You think you're running a decent
system right now, but will it run
Windows 7?
If your desktop is running Microsoft
Windows Vista OS, particularly Home
Premium (which most consumer desktops
that shipped beginning in January 2007
do), it already most likely meets the
current requirements of Windows 7. If
the desktop runs Vista Home Premium, it
will run Windows 7.
For non-Vista systems you can download
the
Upgrade Advisor to see if your PC
qualifies. To give you a little more
detail, to run Windows 7 your laptop
must have the following:
A processor rated
at 1 Gigahertz or faster
Even low-powered cheap desktop PCs
will have at least a 1.6GHz
processor these days, and likely
have 2.0GHz or faster CPUs. Unless
it's one of those specialized
low-powered PCs that are made to
work in ATMs or Kiosks, just about
any desktop PC you're still using
has a 1GHz or faster processor. If
it's got a dual core or quad core
processor, you're all set.
1GB of RAM (2GB
for 64-bit Windows 7)
If you bought your system in 2008 or
later, you're almost guaranteed to
have at least 1GB of RAM. Even in
2006 and 2007, only the cheapest PCs
had 512MB or less. Just to be safe
however, dropping in a $40 1GB DIMM
or two will help if you like to keep
a lot of windows open.
At least 16GB of
storage space (20GB for 64-bit
Windows 7)
If you have a desktop bought since
2001, you'll have at least a 20GB
hard drive. If your desktop has less
than 20GB total space at this point,
it's time to recycle it. If you have
a system with less than 20GB of free
drive space, consider buying a new
drive, installing Windows 7 on the
new drive, and of course backup your
old drive.
A DX9-compatible
graphics card, with the WDDM 1.0
driver
A desktop with an ATI or nVidia
chipset is a really good sign that
it'll run Windows 7, but make sure
you have the latest graphics driver
handy. Better yet, look for the
words "HD" or "PureVideo" somewhere
on the packaging or cardmaker's
Website. You want better graphics
mainly for Web video, rather than
games. If your desktop has an empty
AGP graphics card slot, consider a
new PC.
The majority of
desktop PCs bought since 2006 should
be able to run Windows 7 fine,
particularly if you bought with
future-proofing in mind. If your PC
is older than 2004, then you should
run the Upgrade Advisor to test your
system. Microsoft's tool will let
you know if you need a minor upgrade
(more hard drive space, more memory,
discrete graphics), or if it's a
lost cause (too slow processor,
older integrated graphics with no
upgrade slot). Remember, there's no
shame if you keep XP running or
maybe try out Linux to freshen up
that old system.
,
and then clicking