Allen Computer Tech

Windows 7 is now out, and many users are wondering if they should upgrade their current version of Windows or not.

If you are running Windows Vista, you will probably like many of the improvements made in Windows 7.  The user interface is refined, streamlined, and seems more responsive to what you as the user are trying to accomplish.  There were a lot of improvements that happened underneath the hood in the change from Windows XP to Vista.  Windows 7 makes the end user experience better by eliminating odd hold-overs from previous versions of Windows.  Some features such as Outlook Express/Windows Mail, Messenger, and Movie Maker were even removed as part of the core operating system.  But fear not, you can now download the newest versions of these apps at Windows Live Essentials.

However, if you are running Windows XP, you cannot directly upgrade to Windows 7.  Only users of Windows Vista will be able to upgrade their system without having to reload their entire computer.  This is a limitation of Windows 7 itself, but for good reason.  If you computer is old enough that is currently running Windows XP, it most likely doesn’t have enough computing power to run Windows 7 smoothly enough to give you a good experience.  If you bought your computer recently, but decided to stay with XP instead of Vista, you can still migrate to Windows 7, but there will be some additional work involved.

Microsoft has developed some tools that will help you in this experience.  First of all, is the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. It can help you decide if your computer is a good candidate for upgrading.  The Upgrade Advisor does require that you already have the .NET Framework v2.0 installed to run it.  If you don’t, you will be asked if you want the Advisor to install it, or you can download it for yourself from Microsoft.

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor - Screenshot 1

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor - Screenshot 2

Once you review the results of the Upgrade Advisor, you will know what issues need to be addressed before you upgrade.  Some printers may no longer be supported on Windows 7.  Some of your older programs will not run on Windows 7.  If you have a program that was developed for older 16bit versions of Windows, they will not run in Windows 7 64bit mode.  Make sure you have all of the install discs for any programs that you want to continue using, even if you are just upgrading from Vista to Windows 7.  Some problems may arise in which the easiest solution is to reinstall the application.

Remember, you should always back up your documents.  And when moving from one version of Windows to another, this is even more important.  Make sure you have all your documents and photos backed up to a USB Flash Drive or DVD-R before you start upgrading.

Have questions or need assistance in upgrading or deciding to upgrade?  Give Allen Computer Tech a call at: (405) 816-1747.