Added on 07 Aug 2009(795 Views)
Now that Windows 7 RTM is finally available for download to MSDN/TechNet subscribers as well as Volume License customers with an existing software Assurance, Microsoft has released an official upgrade chart presenting the instances where you can perform an in-place upgrade, and the instances where you need to perform a custom install.As Microsoft presents it, an in-place upgrade means that you will switch from your current windows version to Windows 7 without losing files, settings and programs. A custom install refers to a fresh installation of the Windows 7 operating system – you will lose your files, settings, programs and other data unless you back them up.
The instances when you can perform an in-place upgrade are:
Vista Home Basic -> Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Ultimate
Vista Home Premium -> Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Ultimate
Vista Business -> Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate
Vista Ultimate -> Windows 7 Ultimate
All other upgrade instances (like XP to Windows 7, Vista Starter to Windows 7) are not supported, You will have to perform a fresh installation.
“A custom (clean) installation gives you the option to either completely replace your current operating system or install Windows on a specific drive or partition that you select. You can also perform a custom installation if your computer does not have an operating system, or if you want to set up a multiboot system on your computer. [An in-place upgrade] keeps your files, settings and programs intact from your current version of Windows. Windows Easy Transfer and the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor are useful tools that can assist your upgrade,” explained Microsoft.
Those of you watching the progression of Windows 7 closely may notice that this is not exactly fresh news. The chart (image below) is new, but the fact that you can perform an in-place upgrade only from Vista is not exactly news. Late in July for example, Microsoft made available for download an Office Word document were it detailed the viable (and not available) upgrade paths for Windows 7. That .doc is in essence the same as this chart.
Additional info on upgrading from your current OS to Windows 7 is available here.

Don't forget to:
RSSTags: Microsoft, Windows 7, Upgrade, Chart
Link to this article:
Add comment:
Software News
Chromium OS Goes Open-Source
This summer Google let the world know that it is working on a new operating system meant for the user that spends most of his time online. The operating system – aptly named Chrome OS because it is a natural extension...
20 Nov 2009
Office 2010 Beta Downloads Available to the Public
Earlier this week Redmond-based software giant Microsoft announced that Office 2010 became available for download as a Beta. The catch was that only ...
20 Nov 2009
Mozilla Releases: Firefox 3.6 Beta 3
The development process of the Firefox 3.6 browser is moving along rapidly. The first Beta version was released at the start of the month; Beta 2 was released about two weeks after Beta 1. About a week has passed since...
20 Nov 2009
New Labs Feature for Gmail: Green Robot!
The software developers at Google have announced the release of a new Gmail Labs offering called Green Robot! This new offering is meant to improve the Gmail Chat user experience by letting the ...
20 Nov 2009
Opera Mobile 10 Beta for Windows Mobile Is Out Also
Opera Software, the company that we all know for making the innovative and feature rich Opera web browser, has released Opera Mobile 10 Beta for Windows Mobile-powered devices. This release follows in the...
19 Nov 2009
Beta Testing is Over, Stable Version of Trillian for iPhone Released
The focus so far has been on desktop version of this multiprotocol instant messaging software application, Trillian Astra (version 4.1). Today is time to switch focus away from the desktop version and onto something a bit more...
19 Nov 2009
Recommended Tools
Registry Booster 2010 Enhanced, deeper and faster error scan performance. Now also in 5 languages! Free Scan
Driver Scanner 2009
Fast and easy, it boosts performance by scanning for, downloading & installing driver updates
Fast and easy, it boosts performance by scanning for, downloading & installing driver updates
SpeedUpMyPC 2009
How fast is your PC really running? Turbo-charge your Internet and PC performance here
How fast is your PC really running? Turbo-charge your Internet and PC performance here



