How to Upgrade From XP to Windows 7
You had good reason to stick with XP and skip the Vista experience entirely. But now that the folks at Microsoft have created a new operating system that’s worth moving to, they haven’t made the upgrade easy, because you have to perform a clean install of the OS. Here are the issues you need to be aware of, and how to handle them. Then read the main article, “How to Upgrade to Windows 7” for more information on the process.
Hardware: Your hardware may not be up to the task of running Windows 7–and even if it is, your drivers won’t work. Unfortunately, a simple upgrade install is out of the question, too; Microsoft requires that you XP users do a clean install.
It’s a good idea for anyone contemplating the upgrade to run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor first; for XP users, this step is absolutely vital.
Upgrading your motherboard’s firmware also becomes more important; check your system manufacturer’s Web site to see if an upgrade is available.
Windows 7 can’t use XP drivers: Check the Windows 7 Compatibility Center, which was still in its “coming soon” phase at the time of this writing. In the meantime, the Vista version of the Compatibility Center–look for a link on the page–can help, since Vista drivers work in XP, but the fit isn’t perfect. Some Vista drivers download as .exe files that run exclusively in Vista.
Not all XP applications work in Vista, or in Windows 7, either. Again, the Compatibility Centers can tell you what works, what doesn’t, and where you can download the necessary patches.
Windows XP Mode: Windows 7′s XP Mode could be the solution to your application compatibility problems. This mode runs XP in a virtual machine inside 7, although the user interface is more integrated than in most virtual machines. For instance, XP and 7 applications appear together on the same desktop.
Complete articles : computerworld.com
Related posts: