Upgrading from XP to windows 7

TheDoc

Just thought I'd drop n note to everyone.

Most resources on the internet say that an xp upgrade to windows 7 is not possible unless you do a clean install, or you migrate your files to an external HDD or USB key

This is not true


Last night I succesfully went from Windos xp to windows 7 and kept all my files and drivers and everything is working fine.

I selected custom install, then next and that was it, windows took over and installed 7 on my machine. No messing, no hassle. took about 10 minutes and I'm now running a very fast, reliable Windows 7 installation.

My PC is whizzing around and taking 8 seconds to boot up from what used to be nearly 2 minutes.

Just to let people now.

Rebel021

This is the first post where I've seen mentioned that you couldn't upgrade from XP to 7.

8 sseconds from boot to windows or even to the log on screen is quite frankly impossible.

New Phoenix Bios Loads 7 in 10 seconds
http://www.sevenforums.com/news/26841-new-phoenix-bios-loads-7-10-seconds.html
http://gizmodo.com/5367958/phoenixs-new-laptop-bios-boots-windows-7-in-10-seconds

cpu-dude

TheDoc wrote: »

Just thought I'd drop n note to everyone.

Most resources on the internet say that an xp upgrade to windows 7 is not possible unless you do a clean install, or you migrate your files to an external HDD or USB key

This is not true


Last night I succesfully went from Windos xp to windows 7 and kept all my files and drivers and everything is working fine.

I selected custom install, then next and that was it, windows took over and installed 7 on my machine. No messing, no hassle. took about 10 minutes and I'm now running a very fast, reliable Windows 7 installation.

My PC is whizzing around and taking 8 seconds to boot up from what used to be nearly 2 minutes.

Just to let people now.

You didn't upgrade, it takes at least 30 minutes to do an upgrade (mine took 50 minutes from the RC to the RTM).

You must have installed it on a new partition, that's why it's booting up so quick (not 8 seconds quick though, that's not yet an possibility for normal users). Since Vista, you can easily shrink current partitions.

Secondly, because it's a new partition, all of your files remain intact from the XP install (as well as your program files, etc).

Thirdly, this is a brand new OS that has a bunch of drivers with it, it rarely misses anything anymore and if it does, Windows Update get's them.

Anti

8 second boot time is almost impossible to be honest. Unless by boot you mean from the time you see the windows logo to get to the desktop. A boot is "Turning the pc on at the power switch untill it hits the desktop"

read this too:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/08/software-firm-finds-windows-7-doesnt-boot-faster-than-vista/

Bob_Harris

You'd barley get inside 8 second waking from sleep, never mind doing a cold boot.

TheDoc

From the time it takes from seeing me windows logo to desktop...my bad, thought it was cool, huge improvement over my windows xp experience...

And there is no trace of windows xp on my pc, nor was it a fresh partioned install...

Thought id just drop a line, since when I went through google to try find resources and help, pretty much every link said you had to migrate your files to an external source.

Farcear

Windows 7 32-bit?

Best practice must still be migrating your files to another drive or just formatting the partition and doing a clean install...

TheDoc

yeah 7 32bit.

I just didnt have an external hard drive to use, so a mate said he did it and everything went smooth, bit the bullet and presto I have 7 on my machine with all my old files intact.

My programes are there and run direct from the hard drive of origin, but creating shortcuts can be tricky.

There is a trace of my windows xp, says " windows.old" in it is one old game, other then that, not a trace of windows xp.

If there was, I'm sure on boot up it would ask to select either xp or windows 7.

I'm happy anyway, and I'm sure if anyone is in the same boat as me theyd appreciate the advice.

Since external hard drives arnt cheap, and I have over 900GB of files that would have to be migrated, it was a no brainer as to what I was going to do.

I have noticed problems though.

Since upgrading my microhpone on my headset doe snot work no matter what I try.

And DVD and movie playback has lines going through it, everything is watchable, just annoying.

ScumLord

The longest part of my boot up process is before the windows logo comes up at all. It lists pci devices (I think). I always thought that could be turned off to speed up boot time but I can't find the setting in the bios.

Slutmonkey57b

Check your graphics card drivers for the video issues. Mic is probably affected by the changes in Win 7 to the way sound works, google your model and win 7 to see if there's a fix.

TheDoc

Well I fixed the mic problem.

I might upgrade the drivers later, oddly though, in games, I'm getting much higher fps, and a visible noticeable improvment in quality since going to windows 7, just dvd playback is poor.

I'm well chuffed though.

I love the snapping windows opens to the side of the screen, its making reading notes and doing colelge work easy