TMCnet News

Houston Chronicle Computing column: COMPUTING [Houston Chronicle]
[September 29, 2009]

Houston Chronicle Computing column: COMPUTING [Houston Chronicle]


(Houston Chronicle (TX) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sep. 29--In less than a month, you'll be able to buy and install Windows 7, the next version of Microsoft's flagship operating system for your PC.

And if you're planning to do that right away, there are things you can do now to ensure that the process goes smoothly.

Let me say from the outset that, for the non-technically inclined, the simplest way to get Windows 7 is to buy a new computer with the operating system already installed.

But Microsoft has done a good job of making the upgrade process easy -- that is, if you are upgrading from Windows Vista.

If you're planning on moving from the older Windows XP to 7, the road's a lot bumpier. More on that in a moment.

No matter how streamlined the process, upgrading an operating system is never a trivial matter, and it helps to be prepared.

That's why you'll want to take the following steps now: Check the specs Make sure your computer has what it takes to run Windows 7. You'll need a 1-GHz processor; 1 gigabyte of memory if you plan to install the 32-bit version, and 2 GB for the 64-bit; 16 GB of free disk space for 32-bit, 20 GB for 64-bit; and a DirectX 9-capable graphics card.



Upgrade if necessary Most PCs sold in the last five years should meet the minimum specs for the 32-bit version, with the possible exception of memory, as a lot of older machines were sold with just 512 megabytes. For many users of older systems, that may be the most cost-effective upgrade you can make to get ready for Windows 7. Adding a gigabyte of memory can cost as little as $25. Unlike Vista, Windows 7 will indeed run quite nicely on 1 GB of RAM, but more memory is always a good thing.

Make a backup If you've never backed up your PC -- and yes, too many of you have not -- this is the time to do it. You can back up just your data -- documents, photos, music, video, etc. -- or you can back up your entire PC. Both Windows XP and Vista have backup programs, which vary in capability based on the version you have. Or you can use third-party backup software, such as Norton Ghost, Acronis TrueImage or Cobian Backup.


The backup can serve two purposes. It can be used to recover in case something goes horribly wrong, or you can use it to restore your data onto a clean installation of Windows 7. (Be aware that you can't restore backed-up applications into Windows 7 from another operating system -- you'll need to manually reinstall those.) Check for compatibility You'll need to make sure that the programs you use most often will work with Windows 7. As a general rule, software that works with Vista should work with Windows 7, but you can pretty much count on a new operating system to break some programs, particularly utilities such as virus scanners.

Ideally, you should upgrade to the latest versions of the programs you rely on, but if that's not possible, download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx. It can tell you whether your current software and hardware is compatible with Windows 7.

Scout out drivers You'll want to get the latest Windows 7 drivers for your key hardware -- video and audio cards, printer, scanner, mouse, keyboard. Check the support area for the manufacturer of the part in question, then download and save the file to a CD, DVD or external drive. Once you're done installing Windows 7, install the new drivers. If you can't find Windows 7 drivers, Vista drivers will work in many cases.

Choose your path If you're using Windows Vista, there are two approaches you can take to upgrading to Windows 7.

You can do an upgrade installation, which will install Windows 7 but keep your programs, settings and data in place. If everything works as it should, this is most hassle-free approach.

You can also do a clean install, in which the old operating system is removed and you start with a clean version of Windows 7. While this gives you a truly fresh start, it also means you'll need to reinstall all your software.

If you've been having issues, such as lots of error messages or sluggish performance, this may be your best bet.

If you're using Windows XP, you don't have much choice. You must do a clean install (or a Custom Install, which squirrels the drive's contents into a single folder called WINDOWS.OLD). Yes, that's a major hassle, but since XP is two generations back, it makes sense.

Windows 7 will be released on Oct. 22. I'll have a detailed review of it in the Chronicle on the Sunday before that.

http://blogs.chron.com/techblog [email protected] To see more of the Houston Chronicle, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.HoustonChronicle.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, Houston Chronicle Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]