So we have a client wanting a new computer running the new Windows 7 operating system. For various reasons the path we’ve taken on this is to take a HP DC7900 preloaded with Vista Business, and take advantage of the ‘free’ upgrade from Vista to Win7 that’s on offer. Check the details, but in this instance it’s an offer from HP on all computers sold with Vista within a certain date range. You fill out details on the website, pay something like $20 for shipping, and a few days later a Windows 7 DVD arrives. Nice.
So the point of the post is that there’s a few different ways to install Windows 7, depending on what you’re installing with, and onto. In this instance the media shipped is technical upgrade media. There’s a great post here on the different methods you can use, but for my part I’ve tried two different methods, both equally quick, easy and successful.
The first method was to boot from the Win7 DVD. Select Custom install (not upgrade), and select the existing Vista partition. You’ll then get a message telling you that the Vista installation will be ‘archived’ then paved with a brand new clean install of Win7. As this is a brand new computer I’m much happier with a ‘clean’ install, given there’s no data, apps, etc, to worry about carrying forward. The DVD hums away for a bit, system reboots a bit, and hey presto a spanking brand new clean install of Win7.
The second method I tried was to boot into Vista, and then run setup.exe from the Win7 DVD. The process was almost identical to the first method I tried, and the results equally as successful.
So bottom line is, doing a ‘clean’ upgrade from Vista to Win7 is remarkably easy and successful.
Geez, ain't the roll of a new operating system fun. Oh, yeah, and let's add the roll of a totally new version of office suite, too. Microsoft WIndows XP is now officially 'retired', and Windows Vista is the one. Buy a new machine, comes with Vista. Doesn't matter that half the software out there won't run on Vista (did I mention that?), but at least Vista's pretty. Microsoft Office 2007 is the other new bundle of joy on the block. So Office 2003 has now also been retired from mainstream distribution and Office 2007 has taken it's place (can anyone say "learning curve" ?).
Now I'm sure that in 6 months time both Vista and Office '07 will be great, but until then, Vista only at home, please. Repeat after me… "Vista does not yet belong at the office".