How to Upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7

How to Upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7

How to upgrade XP to Windows 7? This has been a hot topic since Microsoft ends the support for Windows XP on April 8th, 2014. An upgrade installation allows you to keep intact the files, settings, and programs from your current version of Vista. Windows XP users can be able to upgrade to Windows 7 directly, but will have to do a clean install of Windows 7 instead. A custom installation is so-called clean installation, which is more complex, and can sometimes take a couple of hours to complete. Read this tutorial to help guide you through the entire process each step of the way.

What do You need to Prepare?

• 1. Windows 7 Minimum Hardware Requirements.
  • 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
  • 1 GB RAM for 32-bit Windows 7 or 2GB RAM for 64-bit Windows 7
  • 16 GB available disk space 32-bit Windows 7 or 20 GB for 64-bit Windows 7
  • Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (in order to enable Aero theme)
  • DVD-R/W Drive
  • Internet access (to download the Beta and get updates)
• 2. An external hard disk to move your files off of your PC before you install Windows 7.
• 3. The original installation discs or setup files for the programs that you want to use with Windows 7.
• 4. Figure out which version of Windows 7 to install, 32-bit or 64-bit? You can also click here to know the difference between a 32-bit and 64-bit system.
• 5. Make sure you run the Windows Upgrade Advisor and then see if you might have any issues before upgrading.

How to Upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7?

Step 1: Download and run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor will scan your PC's hardware, devices, and install software. When finished, it will provide you with a compatibility report that you can print or save for your reference. Be sure to save your report, type a name in the File name box, and then click Save.

Step 2: Moving files and settings to another location before you install Windows 7.

Use a free program Windows Easy Transfer to move files and settings to other place. Then you can use Windows Easy Transfer again to move them back to your PC after Windows installation is completed. Select an external hard disk or USB flash drive to copy the files and settings you want to transfer.

Step 3: Installing Windows 7.

When you choose the Custom option during installation, you install a new copy of Windows on your PC.

You can have three ways to install Windows 7: download Windows 7, use a Windows 7 installation disc, download Windows 7 installation files onto a USB drive. On the Install Windows page, click Install now. On the Which type of installation do you want? page, click Custom.

Step 4: Moving files and settings back with Windows Easy Transfer.

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.

• Click the Start button, click Computer, under Hard Disk Drives, double-click your storage device.

  Double click the file called Windows Easy Transfer – Items from old computer, and double click the file.

• On the Choose what to transfer to this computer? Page, you can decide how the user accounts from Windows XP are transferred to Windows 7.
• Then, click See a list of programs you might want to install on your new computer to view what was previously installed on Windows XP.
• Then click Close.

Step 5: Reinstall your programs and update drivers.

After you have transferred your files and settings back on your computer, you can reinstall your programs and check for new or updated drivers.

To update drivers, click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.

That's all for the steps on how to upgrade from XP to Windows 7. Enjoy your Windows 7. For those Windows 8 users who need to downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7, click here to check it.

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