Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

Overview
Note: We highly recommend printing out this tutorial. The Windows 7 installation process will restart your computer. If you don't return to this webpage, the printed instructions will help you complete the installation process.

In this Tutorial
Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Move files and settings Install Windows 7 Restore files and settings 2 3 5 8

Introduction
Windows XP can't use the Upgrade installation option to install Windows 7. However, you can still install Windows 7 by selecting the Custom option instead. This tutorial guides you through the process of using Windows Easy Transfer to move your files and settings off of your PC, installing Windows 7 using the Custom option, and then moving your files back to your PC. Be sure to read the tutorial thoroughly before following the steps.

What Youll Need

An external hard drive or large capacity USB flash drive An Internet connection A Windows 7 installation disc

Before you begin

A Custom installation has several important differences from the Upgrade option that you need to know about: A Custom installation of Windows does not preserve your programs, files, or settings. Its sometimes called a clean install for that reason. Youll need to reinstall your programs. This means that you'll also need the original program installation discs or setup files for any programs that you want to install in Windows 7. You'll need to save your files to an external location off of your PC before you install Windows 7. To make moving files off of your PC easier, we recommend using one additional piece of equipmentan external USB hard disk. Theyre readily available at electronics and office supply stores, and theyre an easy way to add additional storage space to your computer. (If you don't have a large amount of data, you might be able to use a smaller USB thumb drive.)

Overview

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

Step 1: Run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

To check if there are any issues with your computer that might affect installing Windows 7, download the free Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. It scans your computer and lists any potential issues with your computers hardware, devices, or programs, and recommends ways to address them. First, download the installation file for Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, and then install it. Then, after Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor is installed, run it to check your computer for any issues.

View issues that might affect upgrading

Note Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor can't run on 64-bit versions of Windows XP. To find out which version of Windows XP you're running, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. Under System, if you see "x64 Edition" listed, youre running 64-bit Windows XP. (If you dont see it listed, then youre running 32-bit Windows XP and can continue running Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.)

Download and install Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

1. 2. 3. 4. To download the installation file, go to the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor page at the Microsoft website (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/upgrade-advisor.aspx). Click Download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Beta. Click Download, and save the installation file to your computer. Double-click the installation file. If you're prompted to install .NET 2.0: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Click Install .NET Framework 2.0. Click Run. In the security warning dialog, click Run. Click Next. If you agree to the license terms, click Install. Click Finish.

Step 1: Run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

7. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Double-click the Upgrade Advisor installation file again.

Click Next. If you agree to the license terms, click Next. Click Install. Click Close. (If you see a pre-selected checkbox, clicking Close will open Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.)

Open and run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. If Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor is not yet running, double-click the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor shortcut on your desktop. In the security dialog, click Yes. Click Start check. Read the report and make note of any issues that the Upgrade Advisor finds. If you want to save the report and print it later, click Save Report, type a name in the File Name box, and then click Save. Click Close.

Step 2: Move your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer
Windows Easy Transfer is a free download that helps you migrate your files and settings to another location before you install Windows 7, and then back to your PC after Windows installation is completed. First, download the installation file for Windows Easy Transfer, and then install it. After Windows Easy Transfer is installed, run it to save your files and settings to your storage device. Important In order to use Windows Easy Transfer, you will need somewhere to temporarily store your files and settings off of your PC. We recommend using an external USB hard drive, though if you dont have a large amount of data, you might be able to use a smaller USB thumb drive or other storage device. Do not attempt to use the File and Settings Transfer Wizard in Windows XP. The wizard is incompatible with Windows 7 and you won't be able to restore your files in Windows 7 if you use the wizard. You need to use Windows Easy Transfer instead.

Youll also need to be running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or higher. If you not sure, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. Under System, if you see Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3 listed, you can use Windows Easy Transfer. If you need to install the latest service pack, go to the Windows XP service pack page at the Microsoft website (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389).)

Step 2: Move your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

Download and install Windows Easy Transfer

1. 2. Log onto your computer using an account with administrator privileges. To download the installation file, go to the Windows Easy Transfer page at the Microsoft website (http://www.microsoft.com). If you are running the 32-bit edition of Windows XP, select the file labeled x86. If you are running the 64-bit edition of Windows XP, select the file labeled x64. Note: Windows Easy Transfer can't transfer files from a 64-bit version of Windows to a 32-bit version of Windows. This means if you're running 64-bit Windows XP but you plan to install 32-bit Windows 7, you won't be able to use Windows Easy Transfer to migrate your files and settings. 3. 4. 5. 6. Click Save, and save the installation file to your computer. When you are ready to install Windows Easy Transfer, double-click the file. On the Windows Easy Transfer for Windows 7 page, click Next. Follow the instructions on your screen to finish installing Windows Easy Transfer.

Open and run Windows Easy Transfer to save your files and settings
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Connect your external USB hard drive or other storage device. Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Windows Easy Transfer for Windows 7. Click Next. Select An external hard disk or USB flash drive. Click This is my old computer. Windows Easy Transfer scans the computer. Click Next to transfer files and settings from the selected user accounts.

Step 2: Move your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

7. 8.

Enter and retype a password and write it down and keep it in a safe place, or leave the boxes blank, and then click Save. Browse to the external USB hard disk or other storage device where you want to save your Easy Transfer file, and then click Save. Warning You must save the Easy Transfer file to your USB hard drive or other storage device, and not to the default location "My Computer". If you don't save the Easy Transfer file to your external storage device, the file you just created will be deleted during the Custom installation of Windows 7.

9.

Windows Easy Transfer will begin saving your files and settings. Do not use your computer during this time.

10. When you see the message These files and settings have been saved for your transfer, click Next. 11. Windows Easy Transfer displays the file name and location of the Easy Transfer file you just created. Write down the file name and location so you can get to it when youre ready to transfer files to Windows 7. Click Next, and then click Close. 12. Ensure that the file is saved to your storage device, and then disconnect the device from your computer.

Gather program installation discs and files

Its important to remember that the Custom installation option doesnt preserve any of your programs, so youll need to reinstall the programs that you want to use in Windows 7. 1. 2. Make sure you have the installation discs or setup files for the programs you want to keep. You might have downloaded some programs from the Internet. If you still have the installation files on your computer (often called setup.exe or similar), copy those to your external hard drive as well. If you dont have the installation files, youll need to download them again after Windows 7 installation is complete.

Step 3: Install Windows 7

Before you begin, do the following:
We highly recommend printing out this tutorial. The Windows 7 installation process will restart your computer. If you can't return to this webpage, the printed instructions can help guide you through the rest of the installation process. Connect your PC to the Internet so you can get installation updates during the installation process. (If you dont have an Internet connection, you can still install Windows 7.) Select either the 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 installation disc, depending on whether you want to install a 32-bit or 64-bit edition of Windows 7. If your computer is currently running a 64-bit version of Windows XP, you can use the 64-bit installation disc.

Step 3: Install Windows 7

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

Find your 25-character Windows product key. You can find it on the installation disc holder inside the Windows package.

Perform a Custom installation of Windows 7

1. 2. Turn on your PC. After Windows XP has started, do one of the following: If you downloaded the Windows 7 installation file, double-click on the file. If you have a Windows 7 installation disc, insert the disc into your computer. Setup should start automatically. If it doesn't, click Start, click My Computer, open the Windows 7 installation disc on your DVD drive and then double-click setup.exe.

3. 4.

On the Install Windows page, click Install now. On the Get important updates for installation page, we recommend getting the latest updates to help ensure a successful installation and to help protect your computer against security threats. You computer will need to be connected to the Internet during Windows 7 installation to get these updates. On the Please read the license terms page, if you accept the license terms, click I accept the license terms, and then click Next. On the Which type of installation do you want? page, click Custom. Select the partition containing Windows XP (this is often the computer's C: drive), and then click Next. (Do not select your external USB hard drive.)

5. 6. 7.

If Windows can't be installed to the partition you selected

If an error states that Windows can't be installed to the partition you selected, and Show details reveals a dialog stating Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS, then your computers hard disk is likely formatted using the older FAT32 file system. Youll need to convert your hard disk to the latest version of NTFS prior to installing Windows 7. To do this: a. Cancel Windows 7 installation, and remove the installation disc.

Step 3: Install Windows 7

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

b. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, right-click Command Prompt and then click Run as c. Select The following user, select a user with Administrator permissions, type the password, and then click OK.

d. In the Command Prompt window, carefully type convert <drive>: /fs:ntfs where <drive> is the letter associated with your Windows XP installation. For example, if Windows XP is on your C: drive, type convert c: /fs:ntfs (When you type, be sure to include a space immediately before /fs:ntfs)

e. f.

Press ENTER. When asked Would you like to force a dismount on this volume?, type Y, and then press ENTER.

g. When asked if you want to schedule the drive to be converted the next time the system restarts. Type Y, and then press ENTER. h. i. j. k. 8. 9. Close Command Prompt. Click Start, click Turn Off Computer, and then click Turn Off. (You need to shut down the computer completely rather than simply selecting Restart.) Turn on your computer. Windows will proceed to convert the hard disk to NTFS and then restart your computer. Do not use your computer during this time. When Windows XP starts again, return to Step 2.

In the Windows.old dialog that appears, click OK. Continue to follow the instructions to finish installing Windows 7, including naming your computer and setting up an initial user account. You can give this first user account the same name that you used in Windows XP, or you can give the user account a new name.

Step 3: Install Windows 7

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

Step 4: Restore your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer
After youve installed Windows 7, use Windows Easy Transfer again to move your files and settings back to your computer. Then, you can install your programs and check for new or updated drivers.

Choose which accounts and files you want to transfer

Move files and settings back to your computer using Windows Easy Transfer
1. 2. 3. Plug in the storage device that contains your saved Windows Easy Transfer migration file. Click the Start button, click Computer, and under Hard Disk Drives, double-click your storage device. Browse to the location where you saved the Easy Transfer file, called Windows Easy Transfer Items from old computer, and double click the file. (If you gave the file a different name when you originally created it, browse to that file and double-click it.) If you entered a password when creating the Easy Transfer file, type the password and then click Next. Note: If you receive an error that you don't have enough free disk space to migrate your files back to your computer using Windows Easy Transfer, you can use Disk Cleanup to delete temporary files left over from Windows 7 installation and free up additional disk space. To learn how to do this, read the Post-install clean up (optional) section at the end of this page. 5. By default, Windows Easy Transfer moves, or maps, the original account you used in Windows XP to create the Windows Easy Transfer file into the account you are currently logged in to. If there are other accounts you are transferring, Windows Easy Transfer will create those accounts automatically. Do one of the following: 6. 7. To change how the Windows XP accounts are mapped in Windows 7, click Advanced Options. To accept the default account mapping, click Transfer.

4.

After the transfer is complete, you can view a report listing the files that were moved from Windows XP to Windows 7, and a list of programs that you might want to reinstall. Click Close. If you are prompted to restart your computer, click Restart now.

Step 4: Restore your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

8.

When you log on to a transferred user account for the first time, yo ull be prompted to change the user accounts password. Click OK, and in the dialog that appears, do one of the following: If you want to give the user account a password, (recommended), type a new password in New password, retype it in Confirm password, and then press ENTER. Theres no need to type the old password from Windows XP in the Password box. If you dont want to give the user account a password, leave the boxes empty and then press ENTER.

Reinstall programs
Windows Easy Transfer also provides a report detailing the programs you used in Windows XP that you might want to reinstall. To reinstall your programs, you'll need to use the installation discs or setup files that you gathered earlier.

See a list of programs you might want to reinstall

If your computer came with several programs preinstalled, you might see programs listed in the report that youve never used before or have used rarely. When you begin reinstalling programs, start with the ones that you know and use regularly. The first program we recommend installing is new antivirus software for your computer. If you dont have new antivirus software for your Windows 7-based PC, you can browse for new programs online at the Windows 7 Compatibility Center (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/).

Step 4: Restore your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

10

Note: Some programs such as Windows Mail are no longer included in Windows 7. If you used Windows Mail or Outlook Express as your e-mail program, youll need to install a new e-mail program to read your saved messages or send and receive e-mail. You can get similar programs from other software manufacturers or from the Microsoft website (http://download.live.com/wlmail).

Update drivers
A driver is software that allows your computer to communicate with hardware or devices. Without drivers, the hardware you connect to your computerfor example, a video card or a printerwon't work properly. In most cases, drivers come with Windows or you can find them by using Windows Update and checking for updates. Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update. If Windows doesn't have the driver you need, you can usually find it on a disc that came with the hardware or device you want to use, or on the manufacturer's website. For more information, see Update a driver for hardware that isnt working properly Small notebook PCs and drivers Some small notebook PCs that were running Windows XP might not have specific Windows 7 drivers for features such as function buttons. If Windows Update doesnt find a driver, visit your computer manufacturers website and search for a download or support page where you can search for drivers for your PC. You can try to install a driver made for Windows XP onto your Windows 7-based PC. If the Windows XP driver wont install, you can try changing the compatibility settings on the drivers in stallation file.

Step 4: Restore your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer

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Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

Choose the version of Windows you were running before

1. 2. 3. 4.

Download or copy the driver installation file to your computer. Right-click the file, click Properties, and then click the Compatibility tab. Under Compatibility mode, select the check box, select your earlier version of Windows from the drop-down menu, and then click OK. Try reinstalling the driver.

Post-install clean-up (optional)

During Windows 7 installation, if you dont format the partition, files that were used in Windows XP are stored in the Windows.old folder. The type of files in this folder depends on your computer. After youve used Windows 7 for a while, for example one or two weeks, and youre confident that your files and settings are back where you want them to be, you can safely reclaim disk space and use Disk Cleanup to delete the Windows.old folder. Note 1. 2. Before you use Disk Cleanup, make sure that all of your files and settings migrated correctly to Windows 7 where you expected them to be. Deleting the Windows.old folder cant be undone. Click Start, type Disk Cleanup in the Search box, and then click Disk Cleanup. Click Clean up system files.

Step 4: Restore your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

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3. 4.

Select Previous Windows installation(s) and any other categories of files you want to delete. Click OK and then click Delete Files.

Step 4: Restore your files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer