Upgrading From Windows XP to Windows 7
Upgrading From Windows XP to Windows 7 Is Easy Provided You Know What You Are Doing
Although harder than upgrading from Vista, it is possible to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7. What makes it harder is that you only have an option of performing a clean install of Windows 7. This deletes Windows XP, together with all your files and all your programmes.
The Windows 7 DVD includes a programme that you can use to back up all your files and settings to another drive BUT IT DOES NOT BACK UP OR SAVE ANY PROGRAMMES YOU MAY HAVE RUNNING ON XP.
Once you get a Windows 7 DVD, you will need to do a fresh install on your machine if you are using Windows XP (although you can upgrade to Vista and then to Windows 7). Microsoft recommends Windows Easy Transfer which can be used to preserve your files and settings from your XP machine, but this only backs up your personal files and does NOT back up program files or applications. You will need to reinstall all the applications again.
To use Easy Transfer from XP to Windows 7 you need to open the Windows 7 DVD and navigate to folder support\migwiz and double click the file named migsetup.exe. This starts Easy Transfer, allows you to transfer personal files and settings to another drive, installs Windows 7, and then transfers your personal files and settings back onto your computer.
If everything goes according to plan you should end up with a brand spanking new edition of Windows 7, together with all your personal files and old settings. However, what you will not have installed are any of the programmes you used to have.
If you have the old disks for these programmes then it should simply be a matter of reinstalling them. But what if you haven't got the disk because you purchased and downloaded the programme from the internet, or what if you have the disk, but not the serial number?
We would advise running a programme such as Belarc Advisor (free from the internet) before you start, and doing a print out of its findings. It will print out a list of every programme running on Windows XP, together with any required serial number. Even if you purchased a programme from the internet, knowing the serial number often allows you to download the programme again if you contact the vendors and explain you are upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7.