Should you upgrade to Windows 7
Windows 7 is the best version of Windows ever.
Microsoft will publicly release Windows 7 October 22, 2009. They have already begun Windows 7 promotions. They are issuing free Windows 7 upgrade coupons to purchasers of new Windows computers between now and then. They offered limited time discounts on upgrade purchases for XP Home, XP Professional, Vista Home Premium and Vista Business owners. That promotion ends July 11, 2009.
I have been testing Windows 7 pre-release versions for months on many different systems. I have tested it as both 32-bit systems and 64-bit versions, and on new and old equipment. It installed flawlessly without issue in each test. It runs on my ASUS Eee PC 1000HE netbook better than Windows XP that it came with. Vista cannot be installed on the netbook. This article was written on a new computer built specifically for Windows 7 64-bit.
On an existing computer it generally runs as fast as or faster than older Windows versions. It has nice enhancements to the UI (user interface) that improve the computing experience. The Windows 7 taskbar merges the old taskbar and the quick launch toolbar. Libraries add significant functionality to folders and the way we work with files. Working with printers, other devices, networking and troubleshooting have all been enhanced. Windows 7 is what Vista should have been. I think of Windows 7 as version 2 of Vista without the Vista name.
So should you upgrade?
Upgrading a computer system is not a simple task and can be fraught with problems. It can also be quite time consuming even when everything goes well. Although most testers, myself included, have not run into trouble that does not mean you won’t. Furthermore, there are some gotchas you need to know.
There are a lot of different versions of Windows XP and Vista. In the United States there are least 24 possible upgrade paths from XP and Vista, when you factor in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. It is very easy to get confused. I created an online table for you to make some sense out of this mess at http://rhftech.com/blog/index.php/2009/06/windows-7-upgrades-compared-to-snow-leopard-upgrades/.
You cannot upgrade directly from XP to Windows 7. You have to first back up your data files and settings with the Windows 7 Easy Transfer wizard. Then you need to deactivate any applications like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, Audible or iTunes. This is because you will have to reinstall all your program files once Windows 7 is installed. After you install Windows 7 you can reinstall your programs and run the Easy Transfer Wizard again to install your documents, photos, etc. and your settings for favorites, email accounts, etc. Then of course you have to download and install all the updates and patches for your programs. You should expect this process to take a lot of time. It typically takes me 8 hours or more of total elapsed time to install a new operating system, setup the new computer’s programs, download and install updates and patches, and transfer the documents and settings from an older one. Microsoft has an instruction video on doing this at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd671583.aspx.
You cannot upgrade/downgrade from Windows XP or Vista Home versions to or from the Professional one. There is no simple downgrade path from Vista Ultimate to a non-ultimate version of Windows 7. And you cannot easily go from a 32-bit Vista install to a Windows 7 64-bit version. You have to reinstall the entire operating system and programs with their patches and updates.
My recommendation
Given the above you may think that it is not worth the hassle, issues, time and expense to upgrade your computers. If they pass the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor test then:
- If you are technically challenged do not try to upgrade yourself.
- My recommendation for everyone else is to upgrade.
There are reliable but unconfirmed rumors that Microsoft will offer a discounted family pack for upgrading 3 computers. Look for this later this year if you have several machines you want to upgrade.