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Important tips for upgrading to Windows 7 from XP
Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | Tuesday, October 20, 2009 | DWIGHT SILVERMAN

Posted on 10/21/2009 10:13:27 AM PDT by skeptoid

When Windows 7 is released on Thursday, many who'll rush out to buy it will be users of Windows XP.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has not made it easy for XP users to move to Win7. You won't be able to run the upgrade disk and have the newer operating system install on top of XP, leaving your data and programs in place.

Instead, you have two options:

1. You can do a Clean install, in which you wipe the hard drive clean and install a virgin copy of Windows 7, then reinstall your software and copy your data back to the drive.

2. You can do a Custom install, in which your older setup is squirreled away in a folder called WINDOWS.OLD. This will include your program files, though you won't be able to run your software from there. It will also include data files, but you shouldn't rely on this as your sole backup strategy prior to upgrading.

Because you can't upgrade over XP, there are some steps you'll want to take before you install Windows 7 to make the process easier.

(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: windows7; xp
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Great.
I downgraded from Vista to XP a few months ago.

The article looks like good stuff - - ten bullet points of specifics.

1 posted on 10/21/2009 10:13:27 AM PDT by skeptoid
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To: skeptoid

I upgraded from Vista to Windows 7 about a week ago...so far I really like it.


2 posted on 10/21/2009 10:14:59 AM PDT by NMEwithin
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To: skeptoid

Vista to Win7 yesterday on the work laptop. What an improvement! Oh, and I got some wallpaper that I guarantee you will keep other people’s fingers a safe distance from the machine...


3 posted on 10/21/2009 10:18:42 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: skeptoid
I downgraded from Vista to XP a few months ago.

That's considered upgrading.

4 posted on 10/21/2009 10:19:37 AM PDT by wastedyears (Clyde Shelton is my hero.)
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To: Billthedrill
Oh, and I got some wallpaper that I guarantee you will keep other people’s fingers a safe distance from the machine...

What?

5 posted on 10/21/2009 10:20:57 AM PDT by wastedyears (Clyde Shelton is my hero.)
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To: skeptoid

2. You can do a Custom install, in which your older setup is squirreled away in a folder called WINDOWS.OLD. This will include your program files, though you won’t be able to run your software from there. It will also include data files, but you shouldn’t rely on this as your sole backup strategy prior to upgrading.”

Hmmm. That seemed to have worked well for me when I went from Vista to the RC.

I just reinstalled the software that I use most often, and moved my saved files to a 2nd HD.

But seriously, save yourself the hassle. Clean Install 7 on a separate partition, move important data to the partition with 7 on it, Delete old partition when you feel comfortable enough.


6 posted on 10/21/2009 10:21:42 AM PDT by VanDeKoik (Iran doesnt have a 2nd admendment. Ya see how that turned out?)
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: skeptoid

Buy another HDD, do a clean install onto the new HDD configuring for dual boot. When you want to do stuff with your old XP boot to XP, when you want to do Windows 7 stuff boot there. Eventually all your stuff will be in 7 and you can stop with XP.


8 posted on 10/21/2009 10:24:12 AM PDT by discostu (The Bluebird of Happiness long absent from his life, Ned is visited by the Chicken of Depression)
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To: wastedyears
Um...six-armed alligator people wearing overcoats, riding a turtle and a somewhat strange beetle-looking creature with a candle on its head. Little guys like the ones out of Phantasm with hoods and masks. Looks like a very bad acid trip. Comes with the OS...

:-)

9 posted on 10/21/2009 10:26:07 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: skeptoid

Win 7 will make people forget about the Vista fiasco. I’ve been using Win 7 beta since january without fail.


10 posted on 10/21/2009 10:30:07 AM PDT by Blue Highway ("Judge me by the people with whom I surround myself" Barack Obama, Oct 15, 2008 Presidential debate)
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To: skeptoid

Microsoft strikes again. BWAHAHAHAHAHHA why bother allowing the customer to upgrade? HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA


11 posted on 10/21/2009 10:31:17 AM PDT by the long march
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To: Billthedrill

True that....;)


12 posted on 10/21/2009 10:32:14 AM PDT by the long march
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To: skeptoid
Great article here:
XP to Win7 upgrade
And this might be especially handy:
PCmover Windows 7 Upgrade Assistant
13 posted on 10/21/2009 10:39:20 AM PDT by astyanax (Liberalism: Logic's retarded cousin.)
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To: the long march
Microsoft strikes again. BWAHAHAHAHAHHA why bother allowing the customer to upgrade? HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA
Wow, you really need to get out more...
14 posted on 10/21/2009 10:42:13 AM PDT by astyanax (Liberalism: Logic's retarded cousin.)
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To: NMEwithin
I upgraded from Vista to Windows 7 about a week ago...so far I really like it.

Same here.

My advice for an XP user going to Win7 -> buy a new hard drive and install Win 7 on that. Use your XP drive as a secondary hard disk as you copy your files off of it.

Drives are cheap enough these days.
15 posted on 10/21/2009 10:55:02 AM PDT by Filo (Darwin was right!)
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To: skeptoid

So is the Vista to Windoze 7 easier?


16 posted on 10/21/2009 10:55:58 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Joe Wilson speaks for me.)
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To: skeptoid
I'm awaiting the delivery of a new notebook from NYC at this very moment.I'll upgrade to W7 as soon as it's up and running.
17 posted on 10/21/2009 10:56:19 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Host The Beer Summit-->Win The Nobel Peace Prize!)
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To: Yo-Yo

Yes...I upgraded to the beta from vista and it was VERY easy....sure like the new windows....


18 posted on 10/21/2009 10:58:34 AM PDT by illiac (If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
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To: the long march
Microsoft strikes again. BWAHAHAHAHAHHA why bother allowing the customer to upgrade?

I suspect that it's not allowed because it would be an upgrade accross two versions: XP -> Vista -> Win7. (It's like trying to upgrade directly from version 1 to version 3 of some software product.) It's common for software companies to not provide for upgrades across two versions. XP -> Vista is OK. Vista -> Win7 is OK. But XP -> Win7 is not OK.

19 posted on 10/21/2009 11:29:09 AM PDT by matt1234
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To: skeptoid

I’ve been told that this new computer won’t run XP. I sure don’t like Vista and I don’t want to try 7.


20 posted on 10/21/2009 11:46:06 AM PDT by SWAMPSNIPER (THE SECOND AMENDMENT, A MATTER OF FACT, NOT A MATTER OF OPINION)
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