Introduction
In less than a month Windows 7 will be released by Microsoft. I thought I would spend a little of time discussing how to get ready for the upgrade and what to look for in trying to make the Upgrade as easy as possible.
Over the years I have done hundreds of upgrades both professionally and personally. I have done everything from server upgrades to Windows to Linux. The principles I am going to talk about can be applied to any of these upgrades. They key is to be organized and not to panic. The second key is to make sure you have some technical background or have access to someone who does.
For the purpose of this discussion I will assume that you have a pc that meets the minimum standards for Windows 7 (1 Gig of Ram/Netbook or Dual Core PC or equivalent) and that you have chosen which version of Windows 7 that you will install. I would suggest a minimum of Windows 7 Home Premium.
In terms of hardware I would suggest that you purchase as much memory as you can possibly afford. If you are running more than 3 Gig of Ram, you should consider the 64 Bit version of Windows 7. #2 bit versions generally just access slightly above 3 Gig of Ram.
One thing to check before doing the upgrade is make sure any of your peripheral hardware is Windows 7 compliant and has Windows 7 compatible drivers. An example of this which I ran into when testing Windows 7 is my Rogers Rocket stick software and drivers would install under the Windows 7 RC but it will not run. When I called Rogers they informed me they were still working on testing and implementing Windows 7 drivers.
Now that we are ready for the upgrade, make sure you have a good half to a full day of time when you will not need the machine that you will be upgrading. Rushing your upgrade will not make any easier or lest stressful on you. Being prepared and planning will make it easier.
Preparation Work
The first thing I always do is to plan for doing a full install. I never do an upgrade. The reason for this is so any current issues are not carried forward to the upgraded operating system. The second reason is fresh installs always run faster than an install which has been running for a long time. It is proven the longer an operating system runs, that it will slow down over a period of time.
The second step is to do a complete virus scan and spyware scan of the computer that you will be installing Windows 7 on.
Now are we ready to start the upgrade? The answer to that question is no. Before we start, the first thing we should do is to backup all the data on the machine to be upgraded. In order to save time I usually suggest backing up your data to a portable USB Hard Drive. One backup is not enough, I suggest making two. Backups have been known to go bad. Once the backups have been completed, check the integrity of the backups. Their is nothing worse than having two backups that have corrupt data in them.
The 4th step is to make sure we have any application software to be installed and their installation serial numbers/keys. The software should also be checked to see if it is Windows 7 compatible. If it is not Windows 7 compatible, you should obtain the newer version before your Windows 7 install is started.
The last step in our pre-upgrade preparation is to make sure we all our device drivers for our printers/mother board/sound cards and/video cards and any other devices our computer has. One of the best ways to check if you have the most recent device drivers is to check the manufacturer’s web site and make sure your drivers are Windows 7 compatible. If the manufacturer suggests a newer driver download it now and store it on a cd or a usb device.
Now that we have the preparation work out of the way, it is time to start our Windows 7 install.
The Windows 7 Install
Step 1 – Install Windows 7
Boot from the Windows 7 install CD and choose the complete install option. This option will FORMAT your hard drive which is why we did the backup earlier. The Install process will reboot the computer several times during the install process. When I installed the Windows 7 Release Candidate the total install time was approximately 45 minutes. This is much faster than Windows XP or Windows Vista.
During the install process you will be asked for things like the time zone you are in, computer name, work group name and more. Enter the information as required and follow the prompts.
It is during the install phase that Windows should ask for any driver disks that it needs if it does not have a built in driver that works already. This is why I advised you to have your driver disks handy in the Windows 7 preparation steps.
Step 2 – Windows Updates
The first thing that always should be done when installing a Microsoft operating system is do your Windows updates. The reason for doing these updates is to enhance the operating system and to help close known security wholes.
To run the Windows updates, click on the Microsoft globe in the bottom left of your screen, then all programs, then windows updates.
When your Windows updates have been completed, your computer will reboot. Once your machine comes back up, repeat this process until their are no more Windows updates left to do.
Step 3 – Install Any Virus Checking/Spyware Checking software.
The third thing I always do is install my virus checking and spyware checking software. I would rather this software installed before I install any more software, move my data back from my backup or even browse the Internet.
Once my virus/spyware protection software is installed I run complete scans using both of them.
Step 4 – Install Windows Live Add Ons.
The fourth thing I always do is install the Windows Live Add ons for Windows 7. Many of them can be used with Vista or XP as well. Microsoft has released a really good Movie Maker update, Windows Live Messenger updates, Windows writer for blogging and Windows Live Messenger update. Their are other free software add ons included as well.
Step 5 – Install Application Software
The 5th step I always do is do install all my application software. This includes everything from Microsoft Office/Open Office to Firefox. At this stage I also install any browser tool bars, browser add ons and anything else I need.
Step 6 – Re Run Windows Updates
Once all my applications are installed I run my Windows Updates one more time especially if one of the applications I installed was Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office updates are pushed to your computer via Windows Update.
Step 7 – Restore Backup
Once I have the operating system installed and all my applications installed I have the basic computer setup done. I then restore all my data from backup to my computer’s hard drive.
Step 8 Computer Customization
After I have completed everything else, I then customize my setup. This includes changing my background on my desktop, screen saver and even customizing where my icons are on my desktop. Any customizations should be included in this step.
In summary this is how I build a Windows install. It does take a lot of work but it saves a lot of problems in the long run. By taking your time and being prepared, your install will go smoother and without any data loss. Being prepared and investing a little up front time is the best way to go.
Now that we now have a Windows 7 install, I will be posting an article tomorrow on how to maintain that install.
