What Your Clients Will Ask About Windows 7

We can't begin to predict every question Microsoft Partners will face from their clients about the Windows 7 operating system, but many of the same questions come up again and again.

People seem to be very interested in Microsoft’s new OS. Yet at the same time they seem apprehensive about making the move to upgrade. Here are eight tips for getting to know Windows 7 and the upgrade process. These tips are based on the questions that I’ve been asked most frequently over the past few weeks.

No. 1: What are the system requirements for Windows 7?
The Windows 7 system requirements are very similar to those of Windows Vista. Here are the base system requirements:

• 1GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) CPU
• 1GB RAM for 32-bit OS, 2GB RAM for 64-bit OS
• 16GB hard disk free space for 32-bit OS, 20 GB for 64-bit OS
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Above and beyond these base system requirements, you’ll likely want to add one of more of the following:

• Internet access
• Depending on screen resolution, video playback may need more RAM and more powerful graphics processing unit (GPU)
• A TV tuner to take advantage of Windows Media Center functionality
• To use HomeGroup you will need a network and PCs running Windows 7
• DVD/CD burning requires a compatible optical drive
• BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2.
• BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive.
• Music and sound will require audio output.
• Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware.
• Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on.

No. 2: How much of a hassle is upgrading?
This depends where you're starting from. If you are getting Windows 7 with a new PC then most of your hardware issues are sorted right from the start.

If you're dealing with existing hardware then you might run into issues where either something is incompatible (if it worked with Vista, chances are good that it’ll work with Windows 7), or you’ll have to search for a driver. The same goes for software; you might be OK or you might find yourself needing to find updates or even buy new software.

Your best experience will be when you're upgrading to Windows 7 from Vista. Your hardware should be OK (you might need new drivers); software compatibility should also be very good.

If you are upgrading to Windows 7 from XP, the process is more complicated. Datamation offers a guide to Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 written by the author of the Windows for Dummies books.

Clients planning on upgrading to Windows 7 can download and install the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from Microsoft. This handy bit of software will scan their PC and generate a report with any compatibility issues that you are likely to encounter.

No. 3: Can you upgrade directly to Windows 7 from XP?
No, you can't. Windows XP users who want to upgrade to Windows 7 can’t carry out what Microsoft calls an in-place upgrade, where they install Windows 7 over the top of their existing OS and get to keep their applications, settings, and data intact.

Instead, they have to do a clean install-- basically starting from scratch, which is annoying to say the least. As annoying as it might be to do a clean install, however, it’s always the route I recommend.

It's best to backup your data, do a clean install, and reinstall all your applications and then copy your data back over onto the system. This method gives you the best possible start for your OS experience.

No. 4: Which edition of Window 7 do I need?
Users who ask the question will probably be perfectly happy with the Home Premium edition of Windows 7. This OS is the least expensive consumer edition of Windows 7 and includes everything that the average user will need. Business users will probably be satisfied with the Professional edition. (There's also an Ultimate edition.)

The differences between the editions are subtle. To determine what's best for your clients, I recommend that you take a look at the editions chart over on the Microsoft Web site.

No. 5: What if I pick the wrong edition?
Don't panic! There are a pair of options available in this case:

• Microsoft's Anytime Upgrade feature allows users to purchase a higher edition. This is a quick, 10-minute process and prices are reasonable.
• Third-party software might be able to add the feature you need. In fact, there's almost no feature that you can't add using third-party software.

No. 6: Should I go for 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7?
That depends on the hardware. If the hardware can handle it, there’s essentially nothing preventing you from going 64-bit and being able to break the 4GB memory limit that has plagued the 32-bit operating system.

If you have any doubt about your hardware, consult the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from Microsoft.

No. 7: What's the quickest way to install Windows 7?
Believe it or not, I suggest that you copy the files off the DVD onto a USB key if you have one that’s big enough. You can then install from the USB key.

Why? Because it's faster than doing an installation with the DVD. If you have more than one PC to upgrade, then the minutes that you save start adding up. Once you copy the files to a USB key you can put the DVD disc away for safe keeping.

No. 8: What should be the first thing I do after installing Windows 7?
First, get all your hardware working right. After that, install all your must-have software. Then, make a backup of your system and store this safely on an external drive if you have one.

With the backup made, you'll have a nice, clean image of your system that you can onto your PC in a matter of minutes when it comes time to reinstall. It's an additional hassle at the beginning, but when you need that image, you'll thank yourself that you did it.

This article was originally published on Internet.com's Datamation Web site.