Upgrade to Windows 7

[barrowhill]

Can someone explain why Micr$oft have not provided an upgrade solution from
XP to Windows 7. If, as the press report, Vista has been an unmitigated
disaster for the company and uptake from XP to Vista has been somewhat poor,
getting upgraded from XP to win 7 as simply as poosible should of been number
one priority.

I've signed up for the trial and was impressed with windows 7. I would like
to upgrade and not do a clean install. I wish to preserve existing programs.


I have a significant number which have been installed for a year or more.
I've used free online updates as well as paid for updates. A lot of work
starting from scratch again and not sure situation with paid for updates, if
starting from scratch again.

What is the reason for not providing an upgrade version?. Will there be a
change of heart and one offered?

As much as I'd like to change, I'll stay with XP

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Can someone explain why Micr$oft have not provided an upgrade solution from
XP to Windows 7.

XP can be upgraded to Win7 but it has to be a clean install rather than
straight upgrade. This is because Microsoft was required to allow other
browsers to run seamlessly on win7 and therefore, IE doesn't have to be
the default browser. This, according to M$, was only possible if there
was a clean install.

There is simply no other reasons. It is all to do with legal matters
and anti-tust matters. M$ is considered to be a serious threat to
competition. I wonder WHY? I leave this to you the consumers.

This, in my view, is a good thing because I always like to have a clean
install of the new OS.

hth

 

[Anteaus]

My experience is that upgrading a Windows OS from one fundamental type to
another (e.g. 3.1 to 95, 98 to 2000 or XP to 7) is not a good idea. Even the
relatively minor upgrade from 2000 to XP leaves you with an incorrectly-named
Windows folder.

A fresh install will involve more work, true, but if your computers are
near-identical this could be mitigated by using a prebuilt rollout instead of
separate installs.

 

[JS]

You can upgrade from XP to Windows 7 and kept my applications, files, etc.

The key thing is you need a Vista DVD (keycode not required, just the Vista
DVD)
See: http://www.pagestart.com/xpwin7inplaceupgrade01.html

 

[Al]

Beginning with Vista Microsoft changed the platform upon which the OS was
designed and continued with Windows 7. Windows XP "permitted" applications
to be installed which performed administrative functions and had the ability
to change/alter system files - design changes included requiring
applications to be installed with "standard user" rights to protect the
system. Keep in mind that change began with XP - there were applications
that ran under 98 but not XP.

Regarding XP and Windows, you cannot upgrade from XP to Windows 7 however,
you can "migrate" data, documents, files and application settings -NOTE:
application settings not the application themselves, meaning the
applications must be reinstalled. Data is migrated by use of the Windows
file and Settings Wizard or the Users State Migration Tool (USMT)
Information readily available via the Microsoft TechNet Site. As an option
you can upgrade as follows XP > Vista > Windows 7.

 

[R. McCarty]

Just a couple of additional points. If the user goes for a XP-Vista-7
upgrade DO NOT start this unless the XP machine state is imaged.
I've attempted a number of these dual updates and only give it a 50%
chance of success. Even with OS automatic rollback you could end
up with an unbootable/unusable PC. You would want to be able to
continue to use the PC running Windows XP.

So far the only major issue with 7 upgrades is a lack of some Intel
chipset video drivers. This is especially true with some notebooks
that have Intel Chipset video. There are lots of web sites that have
workarounds and modified .Inf files to get around the issue.

Be sure before starting the upgrade that you've verified all your
hardware has Seven drivers.

 

[sgopus]

There is a way, but expensive, buy vista, upgrade to Vista, then buy W 7 and
you can upgrade, personally with a new OS, I would wait till they have gotten
out the bugs, I have the RC7 and I've read some horror stories about the RM,
and the version released to the public. I'm gonna wait for a bit longer and
then do a clean install, a lot less problems I expect.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You cannot upgrade to Win7 from Win7 beta, be it Win7 RC or Win7 RTM.

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7

Moving to Windows 7 FAQ
http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/pages/moving-to-windows-7-faq.aspx

 

[barrowhill]

Guys,

Thanks for all your input; most imformative and clarifies the position on
why no XP to Windows 7 upgrade version.

The obvious solution as indicated by JS is via Vista Route. I have no wish
to use Vista on my PC's so will use a friends copy to upgrade to Vista first,
then immediately upgrade to Windows 7. I note all the warnings and already
have mirrored disks so can always revert to XP if upgrade(s) go pear shaped.

**** One major issue *****

I've downloaded from the microsoft site the Vista Upgrade Advisor software
but this fails to run !?! It get to say 7/8th's installed then pops up a
windows asking to insert the Vista Upgrade disk because it's looking for a
feature?????? I've run on two PC's with same result.

I've downloaded the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor and this installed OK. I'm
seeing no real issues in the report. Hardware OK. Only a hardware and
software updates required. Only the odd program not compatible but these
should of been deleted anyway as no longer used.

Can I assume that if Win 7 Upgrade Advisor running OK the info would be
similar for Vista Upgrade??

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Thanks for all your input; most imformative and clarifies the position on

why no XP to Windows 7 upgrade version.

Whaddya mean? cf.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7

If you wanna do an "in-place" upgrade from WinXP to Win7, that's just not
possible.

Please post any further Upgrade questions here:
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7install/threads

 

[Allnamesaretaken]

huh

Is there anything really wrongwith your XP?
If not why take a chance on a new OS made by a company which is notable for making things worse with each new version?
If I could find drivers compatible with dos-shell thats what I would use , each new upgrade of windows has been worsening the situation : more ram usage- especially from xp then multiplied against with vista whatever the f they were smoking., Worse system vulnerability, Worse everything too long to list it all.
Dos works wonderfull and dos-shell provided the windows style of desktop with icons and mouse click selection whcih is all an os should really do.
I am stuck with xp and I already find its too bulky lol , Looking for performant hardware that would come with win98 compatible drivers, win98se was the best middle they made, only 32 megs of ram needed to run and yet has compatibilyity with plenty of platform , networking being the only weak area.

Whatever happens with windows 7 , I have no intention of trying it, I will never use vista that much is self evident and honestly just using xp makes me nauseous.

 

[Jack Mc Kenna]

Guys,

Thanks for all your input; most imformative and clarifies the position on
why no XP to Windows 7 upgrade version.

The obvious solution as indicated by JS is via Vista Route. I have no
wish
to use Vista on my PC's so will use a friends copy to upgrade to Vista
first,
then immediately upgrade to Windows 7. I note all the warnings and
already
have mirrored disks so can always revert to XP if upgrade(s) go pear
shaped.

**** One major issue *****

I've downloaded from the microsoft site the Vista Upgrade Advisor software
but this fails to run !?! It get to say 7/8th's installed then pops up a
windows asking to insert the Vista Upgrade disk because it's looking for a
feature?????? I've run on two PC's with same result.

I've downloaded the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor and this installed OK. I'm
seeing no real issues in the report. Hardware OK. Only a hardware and
software updates required. Only the odd program not compatible but these
should of been deleted anyway as no longer used.

Can I assume that if Win 7 Upgrade Advisor running OK the info would be
similar for Vista Upgrade??

I still like XP Pro, so I purchased a 350 GB HD ($60), and installed Win 7
there. The upgrade found my XP with no problem and now I have a dual boot
system. That works for me.