WINDOWS 7 UPGRADE--
ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
"WINDOWS 7" UPGRADE COMPLEXITIES
Some of the complexities and "gotchas" of upgrading from an older version of Windows to Windows 7 are explained at
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772579(WS.10).aspx
and
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd446674(WS.10).aspx#BKMK_Migrate
In Microsoft's documentation, when an "upgrade scenario" is "unsupported", it means that they do not allow an "in-place upgrade".
When an "in-place upgrade" is allowed by Microsoft from an older version of Windows to a certain specific version of "Windows 7", life is sweet:
Your data files, your software applications, and all of your settings for both Windows and your software applications automatically appear inside "Windows 7", after the its installation is complete.
However, life is not so sweet if Microsoft does not allow an "in-place upgrade":
A terminology note:
In Microsoft's documentation, when an "upgrade scenario" is "unsupported", it means that they do not allow an "in-place upgrade". It means that you have to do "fresh install".
Gotcha #1:
"Windows 7" does not have a smooth upgrade capability from any version of "Windows XP." Microsoft wants to you to perform a "fresh install" of "Windows 7", if you are not already running "Windows Vista". A "fresh install" of "Windows 7" means that you will "lose" your data files, programs, Windows settings, and application program settings during the installation process.
Gotcha #2:
Microsoft only allows "in-place upgrades" from like versions of "Windows Vista" to like versions of "Windows 7".
See
and
http://windows.microsoft.com/upgrade?os=winvista
The charts at these two Web sites show that any version of "Windows Vista" can be upgraded to "Windows 7 Ultimate" but we assume that the price and functionality of "Windows 7 Ultimate" is beyond the acceptible/required range of most computer users.
Please do not confuse "buying an upgrade version of 'Windows 7' " with "performing an in-place upgrade from an earlier version of Windows to 'Windows 7' "
If you currently have any version of "Windows XP" or "Windows Vista" on your computer,
the various versions of "Windows 7 upgrade" will allow you to install "Windows 7"
according to
http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-7-Home-Premium-Upgrade/product/B0F9E641
and
http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-7-Professional-Upgrade/product/8BB1A4B4
and
http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-7-Ultimate-Upgrade/product/592F5AF5
However, if Microsoft does not support an "in-place upgrade" for the the version of Windows that is currently installed, once the "Installation Wizard" of "Windows 7" starts running, it wll warn you that it is about to do a "clean install" by removing all files and folders that are currently on the hard drive partition where the older version of Windows currently resides.
You will have a real clean hard drive partition about a split second before the "Windows 7 Installation Wizard" starts putting inyour new "Windows 7" files and folders.
According to
<start of quote>
Note: Do not confuse “upgrade” to Windows 7 (move to new version) with Windows 7 Upgrade license, which make available Windows 7 at cheaper price (Windows 7 retail price list) for existing Windows users, even though existing PC cannot be “upgraded” to Windows 7 via in-place upgrade method.
<end of quote>
In other words, if you have any version of "Windows XP" or "Windows Vista", you can use the "Windows 7 Upgrade" successfully. The gotcha is that an "in-place upgrade" that preserves yoru data files, application programs, and settings will only be allowed from like versions of "Windows Vista" to like versions of "Windows 7". If you have an unlike version of "Windows Vista" or any version of "Windows XP", then the installation wizard will do a "clean install" and blow away your data files, application programs, and settings.
If you do not use "Windows Easy Transfer" or a third-party utlity to support a "fresh install" of "Windows 7", you will have to manually do the following:
1) Locate and copy all of your data files to a USB flash drive(s) or external hard drive(s),
2) Take externsive notes and/or screenshots of all of your Windows user accounts and their settings,
3) Take extensive notes and/or screenshots of all of the settings of your application programs, including "Microsoft Office" if you are using it,
4) Export all Microsoft Outlook contacts and e-mail messages to .pab and .pst files, if you are using Microsoft Outlook,
5) Export all Web browser favorites/shortcuts,
6) After "Windows 7" is installed, re-install all application programs including Microsoft Office (if you are using it),
7) After "Windows 7" is installed, copy/move data files from a USB flash drive(s) or external hard drive(s) back to your prefered locations for them,
8) After "Windows 7" is installed, import Web browser favorities/shortcuts.
"WINDOWS EASY TRANSFER" CAN HELP !
"Windows Easy Transfer" is Microsoft's free way for you to "copy" your data files, Windows user profiles and accounts (but not your application software programs), from one Windows computer to another. When an upgrade to "Windows 7" requires a "fresh install", you have to run "Windows Easy Transfer" before installing "Windows 7".
According to
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd446674(WS.10).aspx:
<start of quote>
Windows Easy Transfer is a software wizard for transferring files and settings from one computer running Windows to another. You can transfer data from one user's profile, or from multiple user accounts. The Windows Easy Transfer application helps you choose what to move to your new computer, enables you to set which transfer method to use, and then performs the transfer. When the transfer is done, Windows Easy Transfer Reports displays what was transferred and provides a list of programs you might want to install on your new computer, as well as links to other programs you might want to download.
With Windows Easy Transfer, files and settings can be transferred using a network, a USB flash drive (UFD), or the Easy Transfer cable. However, you cannot use a regular universal serial bus (USB) cable to transfer files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer. You can purchase an Easy Transfer cable on the Web, from your computer manufacturer, or at an electronics store.
Note:
You cannot use Windows Easy Transfer to move program files. Windows Easy Transfer can move only data and program settings. You must then install your software programs on the new computer.
Windows Easy Transfer also does not transfer any system files such as fonts and drivers. To do this, you must install custom fonts and updated drivers again in Windows 7.
<end of quote>
When you run "Windows Easy Transfer" and click on "This is my old computer", it makes a "SaveData.MIG" file on your USB flash drive or an external hard drive. You then use the "Windows Easy Transfer" to "import" this file into your new copy of "Windows 7". Do not delete this SaveData.MIG file for a while. You might need it again if you need to repair or re-install your new copy of "Windows 7".
To learn more about using "Windows Easy Transfer", for going from "Windows Vista" to "Windows 7", see
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/get/easy-transfer.aspx
"Windows Easy Transfer" is not an integral part of the "Windows XP" operating system.
To download it and install it for free into any "Windows XP" computer, see
(Note: "Windows XP" has an obsolete applet called "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard". Do not attempt to use it to move files and settings to "Windows 7".)
"Windows Easy Transfer" is an integral part of the "Windows Vista" operating system.
To start "Windows Easy Transfer" from within "Windows Vista":
Click on the "Start" button. Click on "All Programs". Click on "Accessories". Click on "System Tools". Click on "Windows Easy Transfer". Click on "Continue" if an "User Account Control" dialog box is displayed.
For advice on using "Windows Easy Transfer" for going from "Windows XP" to "Windows Vista", see
"PCMOVER" TO THE RESCUE !
If you need to follow an "unsupported" upgrade path from "Windows XP" or "Windows Vista" to "Windows 7", Laplink's "PCMover" software utility is a great, reasonably-priced way to migrate your data files, application programs, and settings from "Windows XP" or "Windows Vista" to "Windows 7". Unlike "Windows Easy Transfer", "PCMover" can move your application programs and their settings from an earlier version of Windows to "Windows 7".
See
http://www.laplink.com/pcmover/
for details.
However, you should not blindly trust "PCMover":
Just to be extra safe, you should manually copy all of your data files to an external hard drive(s) or USB flash drive( s) anyway prior to using it.
Since it does not cost anything, you might even want to run "Windows Easy Transfer" on your old Windows computer to make a "SaveData.MIG" file, just in case "PCMover" fails.
Remember, "PCMover" is a complex software application. Like all software applications, it might fail, especially if your old copy of Windows has some problems or if you computer is short on RAM while "PCMover" is running.
MICROSOFT TUTORIALS ABOUT UPGRADING TO "WINDOWS 7"
Microsoft's Web page and streaming video tutorials are great ways to prepare for an "upgrade" to "Windows 7":
Their tutorial about upgrading a single computer from "Windows XP" to "Windows 7" is at
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7
Their tutorial about upgrading a single computer from "Windows Vista" to "Windows 7" is at
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-vista-to-windows-7
COPY FILES AND SETTINGS FROM AN OLD COMPUTER TO A NEW ONE
The "Windows Easy Transfer" program can be used to copy files and settings from an existing "Windows XP" or "Windows Vista" computer to a new "Windows 7" computer.
See
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Transfer-files-and-settings-from-another-computer