Upgrading to Win7: What are my options?

That's what I intended to do, but Dell claimed to qualify to do a "clean install" of 7 on an XP machine, I would have to pay for the Full version. I just hung up from Microsoft and their guy said I can do a clean install from XP to 7 Upgrade version...Whew! Dell needs to get with MS and straighten this out!

BTW, I used the MS Windows Easy Transfer tool to back up all my XP stuff so hopefully I have what I need, outside of program installers and various drivers.

 

Dell is mistaken.

I would never use a transfer tool... I would not trust it to know where my data files are stored and I certainly do not want it to port any old OS files over to a new clean OS installation.

I would have all of my data files organized under 'documents' and simply copy them out. And if there are any special apps that maintain their/your data files someplace special, I would find those and copy them out. In theory, you should already have a handle on where all of your critical data files are stored, else how would you setup and maintain a regular backup scheme.

GK

 

I have all my files backed up on an external drive. I use the XP Settings and Files Transfer Wizzard when I've reformatted XP, not for files but only for settings (I hate going through and tweaking everything all over again). The MS website said I can't use that for Windows 7 , that the Transfer Tool replaced it. I may find that 7 has new enough features that there won't really be any Settings to keep from XP anyway.

 

Sounds like a plan... enjoy!

GK

 

Thanks! I'm going to print out instructions, just in case. Hopefully I won't hve to bug you guys for help ;-).

BTW, anyone know why this site rocks, as far as traffic and people reading and responding to posts, but Desktop Review is like a ghost town? I was trying tom get advise on buying a Dell Business desktop a while back and no action. Before I bought the Latitude I got all kinds of great help here. Just curious.
Rob

 

It's getting a little off-topic, but DTR was created out of what was an active desktop-related forum in NBR in the hope that it would expand. However, once separated it has never acquired the critical mass. Enthusiast desktops have their own forums (fora?) but mainstream desktops don't create a lot of interest.

John

 

Thanks John,
You're right, most of the desktop forums (ala Tom's Hardware, etc) center around DIY builds. There is a little traffic on Cnet's Dell forum, but at least half looks like laptop related. I miss Delltalk when I first bought this old Dimension waaaaaay back in 2000. There were all kinds of people stopping by, who are the reason I figured out how to used the darn thing. Now, Dell's forums are pretty useless as far as I can tell. A lot of whining about why "Dell Sux" and so forth. I know people still buy and use Dell desktops so seems strange.