Save ALL your important data, program installers (with license keys), bookmarks/favorites, network configs, etc. to an external hard drive. Do a fresh install of winders 7 (make sure the hardware is compatible). Then reconnect to your network, reinstall programs, and move data back.
Figure a weekend worth of time.
Did you download Microsoft’s Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to see if your computer can run Windows 7 ?
Don’t do an upgrade.
Do a clean install. Transfer all of your files to a USB memory device, and then when you get to the point in the windows install where it asks where you want to install it, delete the partition(s) then select new partition format it and then install it to that partition.
Then reload all of your applications. Then bring back your data.
Windows 8 is better than 7 because it is faster and consumes fewer system resources. I don’t particularly dig the new “start menu” but tolerate it.
Buy yourself a new hard disc and do a clean install. I went SSD.
Rather than an upgrade, it might be easiest to get an OEM copy of 7 and a new hard drive to install it on. It will give you a nice clean system. Something to consider.
what is the easiest and/or least painful way to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7?
All applications will need to be reinstalled. Gather up your install disks and license keys and whatnot.
Install the XP component of the Windows 7 "Windows Easy Transfer" program. Run it, and have it bundle up your docs, pictures, music, etc. etc. Have it save it to an USB hard disk or memory stick.
When I do that I also use ntbackup to back up various items, also saving the backup file to an usb hard disk. Belt and suspenders, just in case windows easy transfer doesn't get something. Win 7 doesn't have ntbackup, but there is a utility that can be downloaded from Micro$oft to recover files from the older backup utility.
Go to the manufacturer's web site and download Win 7 drivers for your hardware.
Boot your install DVD, format the disk and install Win7.
Once Win 7 is up and running, use Windows Easy Transfer to recover your user profile.
M4L
Download Microsoft’s Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to see if your computer can run Windows 7 ,it may save a ton of trouble .
I found it easier to buy a Win7 desktop, because my XP crashed and died.
Prices on new laptops and desktops are low. You might consider that purchase. XP machines were limited to 4 gb memory (IIRC).
Additionally, you need to check which software and hardware might not work under Win7. I lost several software programs. They were too old and no upgrades or comparable replacements were available. I did manage to finagle a few other programs to work partially or fully under Win7. I also lost an older desktop laser printer because no one created a driver for the 64-bit Windows 7.
If you don;t like Windows 8, you can use one of the free utilities that bring back the start button and the program menu. Start Menu 8 from IOBIT and classic shell from Classic Shell will do the trick.
If your current CPU is not a core2 Duo or better, why bother?
Just purchase an OEM copy of Win 7 for about $140. Bring up your XP start the Win 7 install disk and pick upgrade a pervious version of windows. Most of your settings and most drivers will still be there. You may have to go to one or two vendor sites for upgrades but it will work.
My goodness, how old is a computer that came with XP. How much money do you have wrapped up in it?
Is it a heart lung machine running on XP? Take that computer off the grid and run XP infinitum.
It is very easy. You just trash your old box and buy a Mac. You use Parallels to install Windows 7. It runs blazingly fast.
It does however, open you up to malware, viruses, etc.
If you want to stay with Win (and install Win7), back-up all of your important files.. do a fresh install of Win7.
You can control what is or is not uploaded to the cloud. The cloud service in windows 8 is actually pretty awesome. You simply need to take the time to manage your data and what you put on it. You dont have to use a windows live enabled account. When you log in for the first time, just use a local account.
If you want to install 7, do a clean installation. Backup your user data to some type of external hard drive or USB flash drive. The main folders you need to capture are documents, desktop, and favorites. They are located at
c:\documents and settings\*your user account name*
In windows 7 they are in:
c:\users\*your user name*
once you back these files up, just boot off of a windows 7 dvd or prepared windows 7 flash media. If you want to purchase windows 7, you can find it in the microsoft store or at a retail place. If you purchase it online, you will get an ISO file that you can burn to a dvd or use the Windows 7 to usb tool released for free by microsoft. It is super easy to use and requires at least a 4 gig usb flash stick.
When you are backed up and ready, disconnect all hard drives except the one you want to install windows to. Once you boot up off the disk or the flash stick, just accept the eula’s, or read them lol, and you will be asked to format the drive. Delete all partitions, then create new ones, then choose that location to install windows to. It will create 2 partitions, you can only choose to install to the larger one.
Once the install is complete, the system will boot for the first time and you will go through the out of box setup where you create your local user account and name the computer, set update options.
Some tips:
change the control panel view and choose to view by large or small icons
disable user account control in:
control panel, user accounts, change user account control settings
place the “computer” and “control panel” icon on the desktop:
right click on an open spot on the desktop and select “personalize”, click change desktop icons, place check marks on the icons you want, click apply, then click ok
Run windows update, also found in control panel
Once you reinstall all your software like java, flash, adobe apps, winrar, vlc player stuff like that, copy your backed up files back into their appropriate folders. Their location is already noted for Windows 7.
Once everything is wrapped up and ready to go, run windows backup and create a system restore image. There is a check box for it when you run windows backup. It will save your butt if your drive craters or some update or virus smokes your computer. Restoring that image only requires you to boot off of a recovery disk or the installation disk.
I think that about covers it.
Well, does your old machine have at least an i3 CPU, 4GB RAM, and 320GB HD? Because if not, even if you manage to get W7 installed, it’ll run so slow (if it runs at all), that the upgrade will have been pointless.
Your other issue is finding drivers. If your PC is really old, you’ll have a hard time in finding W7 drivers for it, or not find them at all. In any case, you won’t find vendor support, but will have to go to blogs and chip makers to find the drivers.
And yes, you must do a clean install, meaning copy off data first, then recopy data on and reinstall all programs from scratch.
You’d be WAY better off to buy a new Windows 7 Pro x64 Dell Optiplex 3020 with 3-yr Dell factory warranty for $640.00, especially when you consider the cost of retail W7 and any other hardware upgrades you’re considering:
Bookmarking since I face the same situation.