John Samuels October, 2010

Why Now?  Vista Problems  New Features  >4GB Memory Support  Experience

Microsoft’s Reasons  Get quicker access to all of your stuff  Easily create and share movies  Do more and wait less  Keeps your PC better protected with fewer interruptions  Better compatibility  Touch and tap rather than point and click  Share files and printers among multiple PCs  Supports more TV, movies, videos, and music in more ways  Stay entertained effortlessly  Manage devices more easily

Choosing a Version  Starter  Very limited – used for netbooks  Home Premium  Good for most folks  Professional  For businesses and small office  Adds XP Mode, Domain Join, Backup to a network  Ultimate  For corporate use  Adds BitLocker and 35 languages

More Selections  32 bit  Limited to 4096K of RAM. Does not use full power of the CPU.  64 bit  A 64-bit operating system can handle large amounts of memory more efficiently than a 32-bit operating system; a 64-bit system can be more responsive when running several programs at the same time and switching between them frequently.

Upgrade or Full Install?  There are two options to choose from during the Windows 7 installation process:  Upgrade. This option replaces your current version of Windows Vista with Windows 7, and keeps your files, settings, and programs in place on your computer.  Custom. This option replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7, but doesn't preserve your files, settings, and programs. It's sometimes referred to as a clean installation for that reason.

Is my Computer Compatible?  Make sure that your programs and devices will work with Windows 7  Since your computer is running Windows Vista, it meets the system requirements to run Windows 7. You should still download and run the free Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. It helps find potential compatibility issues with your computer's hardware, devices, or programs that might affect installing Windows 7, and gives recommendations on what to do before you upgrade to improve your PC's compatibility with Windows 7.

The Next Step  Will my most important applications run in windows 7 as is or will I have to obtain or purchase upgrades to my existing software?  Is there software which will not run properly in Windows 7, and can I live with that?  All hardware devices need 64-bit drivers to work on a 64-bit version of Windows. Drivers designed for 32-bit versions of Windows don't work on computers running 64-bit versions of Windows.

Can I Use a Migration Tool?  Tools, such as LapLink’s PCMover can be used if  You are moving or upgrading  From one PC to another  Won’t work here…

Preparation  Find your product key  Write down your computer name  Download and run the free Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor  Decide whether to install the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 7  Update your antivirus program, run it, and then turn it off  Update BIOS if necessary  Download all Windows 7 updates from your computer manufacturer  Back up your files

 Moving files and settings, and gathering your program discs  MS recommends using Windows Easy Transfer, a free download, to help you move your files and settings to another location before you install Windows 7. Then, you can use Windows Easy Transfer again to move your files and settings back to your PC after Windows installation is completed.  If you don't use Windows Easy Transfer, you’ll need to copy your files to an external location, such as CDs, DVDs, an external hard disk, or a USB flash drive before installing Windows 7, and then move them back after Windows installation is completed.

Windows Easy Transfer

Installation  Insert the installation DVD into the DVD drive and shut off the computer.  With the disc in the drive turn on your computer and click Install Now.  Follow the instructions on screen, choosing the following options: Select Go online to get the latest updates… and follow the prompts.  Make sure you select Custom (advanced).  Enter your product key for Windows Product Activation.  Read and respond to the screens as they appear. The entire process may take an hour or longer.  Check the progress of the installation periodically until it completes. Do not restart or shut down your computer until the upgrade process has completed and you can use the Windows 7 Start menu.  Windows 7 is now installed.

Moving your files and settings back to your computer  After you've installed Windows 7, now you're ready to run Windows Easy Transfer again and move your files and settings back to your computer.  Be sure you run Windows Easy Transfer before you reinstall your programs. That's because Windows Easy Transfer moves your files back to where your old programs will expect them to be when you reinstall them.

 Reinstall your programs and update drivers  After you've run Windows Easy Transfer and your files and settings are back on your computer, you can reinstall your programs and check for new or updated drivers.  Windows Easy Transfer provides a report detailing the programs you used in Windows Vista that you might want to reinstall. To reinstall your programs, you'll need to use the installation discs or setup files that you gathered earlier.

Post Installation  Install all saved updates from your computer manufacturer.  Connect to Windows Update and install all Important, Recommended, and Optional updates. Restart the computer when prompted and repeat this step until it says “Windows is up to date”Windows Update  Open your antivirus security software and use the update feature to make sure you have the latest virus definitions. After you have updated the virus definitions, scan your system for viruses.  Log all problems  Visit computer manufacturer’s site, download and install fixes  Use:  Computer Support Forums Computer Support Forums  Windows 7 Solution Center Windows 7 Solution Center  Microsoft Answers Forum Microsoft Answers Forum

Good Ruck!