Upgrading to Windows 7

[pc nerd]

About 2 months ago, I switched from Comcast to Verizon FIOS. They had a
promotion going on. I could get a free netbook & just have to pay for taxes &
shipping & handling. I believe it comes with XP Home.

As you know, netbooks don't come with internal optical drives.

I'd like to upgrade the netbook to Windows 7 if it can handle it. Isn't
there a Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor somewhere on the Microsoft website? Where?

Can all versions of Windows 7 boot from an external USB optical drive? How
about a flash drive?

Thank you.
David

 

[M]

About 2 months ago, I switched from Comcast to Verizon FIOS. They had a
promotion going on. I could get a free netbook & just have to pay for taxes &
shipping & handling. I believe it comes with XP Home.

As you know, netbooks don't come with internal optical drives.

I'd like to upgrade the netbook to Windows 7 if it can handle it.

It can't and you can't get the Windows 7 starter version as it's only
available preinstalled on a netbook. Sounds like the "promotion" is a
way to get rid of netbooks that can't be sold anymore.

As far as an optical drive is concerned, consider an external USB drive.

M
Isn't

 

[BillW50]

In pc nerd typed on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:35:02 -0800:

About 2 months ago, I switched from Comcast to Verizon FIOS. They had
a promotion going on. I could get a free netbook & just have to pay
for taxes & shipping & handling. I believe it comes with XP Home.

As you know, netbooks don't come with internal optical drives.

I'd like to upgrade the netbook to Windows 7 if it can handle it.
Isn't there a Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor somewhere on the Microsoft
website? Where?

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

I have Windows 7 running (or I should say crawling) on one of my
netbooks. I, for one am not impressed.

Can all versions of Windows 7 boot from an external USB optical
drive? How about a flash drive?

Thank you.
David

You mean install from USB? Sure, optical, flash, or whatever. Although
if you want to run Windows 7 from an USB device, I don't think you want
to do this. As Windows 7 should be like Windows XP in this regard. As XP
requires 3 pages of registry hacks to be able to boot from an USB
device. And if this doesn't scare you off, then maybe the slower
performance will.

 

[BillW50]

In M typed on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:45:04 +0100:

It can't and you can't get the Windows 7 starter version as it's only
available preinstalled on a netbook. Sounds like the "promotion" is a
way to get rid of netbooks that can't be sold anymore.

pc nerd (OP) didn't mention anything about the Starter Edition. For
example, I am running Windows 7 Ultimate on one of my netbooks that
originally came with Windows XP Home.

As far as an optical drive is concerned, consider an external USB
drive.

I have three external optical drives. Although you really don't need one
to be honest. As you can use a networked optical drive too except for OS
installs. Although you can get around that one by copying the install on
the internal or flash device as well.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You'd need a DVD drive to be able to upgrade the netbook to Win7.

....at least as of 09 Nov-09 when MS pulled the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download
Tool; cf. http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/184671.asp

 

[BillW50]

In PA Bear [MS MVP] typed on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:44:42 -0500:

You'd need a DVD drive to be able to upgrade the netbook to Win7.

...at least as of 09 Nov-09 when MS pulled the Windows 7 USB/DVD
Download Tool; cf.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/184671.asp --

Microsoft also claimed that IE can't be removed from Windows. This later
turned out to be not true (nLite).

Microsoft also claims that Windows can't be ran from an USB device. This
also later turned out to be true.

I am sure there are many other things that Microsoft claims that are
true that really isn't.

 

[Daave]

Microsoft also claimed that IE can't be removed from Windows. This
later turned out to be not true (nLite).

I always thought IE was fully integrated into Windows. If one were to
remove IE using nLite or some other method, what would happen if they
would open Windows Explorer amd enter a URL in the address bar?

 

[BillW50]

In Daave typed on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:06:48 -0500:

I always thought IE was fully integrated into Windows. If one were to
remove IE using nLite or some other method, what would happen if they
would open Windows Explorer amd enter a URL in the address bar?

I never removed IE, so I would be the wrong guy to ask. But I do use
BartPE which also has IE removed. So it might be like the same thing.
And BartPE doesn't even sport Windows Explorer either. As when you
remove IE, it seems you also remove Windows Explorer. Although third
party file managers like A43 works just fine.

Also interesting, I also used to replace Explorer Shell with the Command
Prompt. This removes the Windows Desktop. And this has an interesting
effect. As even startup programs don't start without Explorer Shell.

 

[pc nerd]

I suppose that I would have to go into the BIOS & change the boot order to
USB first & then hard drive, correct?

 

[BillW50]

Yes!

In pc nerd typed on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:59:02 -0800: