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Windows XP isn’t elegable for an in place upgrade, and I’m not so sure that a bad thing. The in place upgrade transfers settings, and files, but given the drastically different architecture of the two OS’s, even if Windows 7 tried, the result probably wouldn’t be what you were hoping for. It is possible to use the Windows XP file and settings transfer wizard, but this will need to be backed up manually, and you will need to skip ahead to the clean install step.
Upgrading a Windows Vista installation on the other hand is ridiculously simple. Just insert you new DVD, click Install Now, then sit back and let Windows 7 will do the rest. A three click OS install? Take that Steve Jobs! It might be worth pulling out a mighty mouse if you can find one for this step just to rub it in.
If your doing a clean install of Windows 7, make sure that you have backed up all the information on your primary drive, and restart with the DVD in your optical drive. A clean install will be required if you are a Windows XP user, or if the computer doesn’t have a primary OS. Even if your running Vista however, I would still recommend going with a clean install. It’s a well-known fact that upgrades, rarely work as well as a fresh install.
During the boot up press any key to continue when prompted.
When you reach the first options screen select Custom
The next screen will give you a summary of your hard drive and partitions. Here you can select one of two options.
1.) Select your primary partition then click Format then Next
2.) Select a secondary partition or drive then click Format then Next.
The advantage of going with option number two is that you can run Windows 7 in a dual boot setup. Windows 7 will automatically configure a boot manager and will allow you to pick from your old OS, or Windows 7 at each startup. You can select either a secondary hard drive, or make another partition to go with the dual boot approach. Want to know how to make a new partition from your existing hard drive, without destroying your existing data? We’ve got a guide for that too. Also keep in mind, if you select a secondary drive that doesn’t contain an OS, you don’t need to click format. In this example, Windows 7 will simply be installed on the drive alongside your data.
Windows 7 will now install itself, and you won’t need to make any other choices. Just sit back, and enjoy the ride.
After you’re reboot you will be prompted to enter your CD key which you obtained during step one.
After you’re reboot you will be prompted to enter your CD key which you obtained during step one.
You can optionally uncheck the box next to Automatically activate Windows when I’m online if you plan on wiping this installation out in less than 30 days. This will save you having to activate or look around for the key before getting yourself up and running. That’s about the only advantage however, since activations aren’t limited at this point.
Want to learn how to install Windows 7 from a USB key? Find our guide here.
Microsoft has done an amazing job of using the beta, and RC of Windows 7 to create awareness for its new OS. As a result, many of the major hardware manufacturers have already developed very mature and stable Windows 7 drivers to satisfy the early demand. We strongly encourage anybody who is interested in a sneak peek of the future to give the RC a try, and we are hoping this guide will remove the barrier of entry for even the most modest of users. The RC will be available for download until at least June 2009, and you won’t need to worry about it expiring until March 2010.
What are your impressions of the Windows 7 RC?
Comments are closed on this article
shdwdragon7
May 11, 2009 at 12:55am
Yes you can, I'm set up to triple boot right now. I have two OS's on one HDD and Win7 on another. Win7 renames the drive's but all the data is still there. I was able to easly take my COD4 profile from my "old" C: drive and drop it into my Win7 C: drive/game file.
When you boot to another OS everything is back to "normal".
Vegan
May 10, 2009 at 11:05pm
I wish you could dual boot this on an XP machine. I'm not willing to make a beta my sole OS, especially when I still play a lot of old PC games.
Keith E. Whisman
May 11, 2009 at 2:13am
This is the Release Candidate. You can call this what you want. It's extremely late Beta. It's the Release Candidate. This is the version that will probably be packaged and placed on Store Shelves so I wouldn't call it a Beta. It's more of a final shake down cruise. To work out all the kinks and that should be very few kinks at this stage.
Now it's time for Hardware and Software companies to work with the near final version of the OS to optimize the drivers for performance and reliability. For everyone to get a feel for the OS so everyone will have a chance at being ready when Windows is released.
This has easily been the most pleasant Beta test and RC test I have ever experienced and the RC is excellent.
Live Long and Prosper.
shdwdragon7
May 11, 2009 at 12:59am
There's no need to worry, I'm running Linux, XP, and Win7 on one PC. Just put it on another partion or HDD (DO NOT FORMAT)
Justin.Kerr
May 10, 2009 at 11:50pm
As mentioned in the article, just pick a secondary drive / or partition. And Windows 7 will automatically setup a boot manager for you so that you can pick from XP or 7 each time you launch. If you're ever reinstalling from scratch however, always make sure you install XP first, then Windows 7. If you're looking to do a multi boot setup, always start by installing the oldest OS first.
Enjoy!
r7mr7m
May 12, 2009 at 11:47am
Let me just preface this by saying, I have been an avid PC enthusiast and professional systems/network admin for at least 12 years and have been dual/tri booting on several PCs since before Windows 2000 was released.
I was running Vista 64 Ultimate and I installed Winodws 7 64-bit early this morning on a separate partition on the same drive. There was nothing automatic about the boot manager. It did not even show that I had a Vista install in msconfig's boot tab once Windows 7 loaded.
I had to boot to my Vista 64 DVD and select repair. It only listed my Windows 7 install as available to repair but said it found problems and to reboot. Upon rebooting, I was able to select my Vista 64 (repaired) as an option and was able to boot into it successfully.
Hopefully, this helps someone if they experience the same problems.
mpcrsc562
May 11, 2009 at 5:42am
what happens when the rc trial period is over? since win 7 changes the boot loader do i have an unusuable entry on my boot screen when the trial is over? and thus, will necessitate that i have to install a program to vista to reset the bootloader? that is the only thing that is preventing me from actually installing it thus far. i am using it though, just virtualized, but i want to get the full effect of running the os on "real" hardware--i just don't want to have to go through a whole lot of rigamarole with vista after the rc trial is over and done with.
Justin.Kerr
May 11, 2009 at 6:37am
When you want to disable the boot loader, simply go back to your old OS (Vista, or XP) and click start, then run, and finally type:
msconfig
From the popup window select the boot tab, and delete the old OS entry.
Now you can just manually delete the windows 7 files on the secondary drive / partion, or format the other volume.
germainiac
July 04, 2009 at 1:21am
Say you want to disable boot loader BUT keep only Win 7 (and LOSE older system and partition). Can this be done?
Also, say you still have both partitions and boot loader, and you want to back them up with the possibility of restoring both systems AND boot loader. Is this possible with Win 7's backup utility? What about doing it from Acronis True Image 10 or Acronis True Image Home 2009?
Thanks,
--Germainiac
Odaecom
May 20, 2009 at 2:12pm
Hey thanks, I had installed the beta and got to busy and forgot to activate it, and now its black screened. Doh!
"I'm not sick, but I'm not well"
http://Odaecom.com
mpcrsc562
May 11, 2009 at 2:16pm
thanks. i'm going to put my vm on hold and install win 7 later today.
Keith E. Whisman
May 11, 2009 at 7:42am
Or if you purchase Win7 and it's the same build as RC Build 7100 then all you have to do is use your license key to re-enable you OS.
But yeah that is the way it's done.
I actually prefer Windows Vista bootloader to Linux. I like the simplistic listing at bootup. No need for any special screens with pictures I just want to choose my os and boot up and Vista Boot Loader does that with ease.
