Upgrade from XP to Windows 7

Windows XP’s Files and Settings Transfer wizard is incompatible with Windows 7, but your Windows 7 installation disc provides an easy way to make the move.

By , 22 Oct 2009 at 10:57

The best way to move to Windows 7 is always a clean install, as it ensures everything is precisely how Microsoft designed it to be from the start.

However, that can be a real pain if you already have an XP PC set up to your liking. Thankfully, Windows 7 provides an easy way to move your files and settings to the new operating system.

If you don't have a lot of files to transfer, and you don't need to transfer anything as complex as application settings or user accounts to your new PC, it can be just a simple to plug in a flash memory drive and manually copy across the files you need.

You run the risk of missing files if your data is poorly organised, but being selective about what you keep is a great way of making a fresh start on a pristine new computer.

Start the tutorial

Start easy transfer

Choose your storage location

Choose files or settings

Save your vital data

Finish with XP

Continue in Windows 7

Select your files

Restore your data

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User comments

... and at some point install W7?

Between step 6 and step 7 is there an upgrade to Win 7? One presumes so but perhaps a note to say whether this is basically a clean install that will not only require the restoration of files and settings from the from the backup but will also require re-installation of all the software!

By jecook on 29 Oct 2009

... and at some point install W7?

Between step 6 and step 7 is there an upgrade to Win 7? One presumes so but perhaps it would have been useful to include a step to say whether this is basically a clean install that will not only require the restoration of files and settings from the from the backup but will also require re-installation of all the software.

By jecook on 29 Oct 2009

Clean install with Upgrade Win 7...

Doing a clean install has it's problems if you have an Upgrade copy of Win 7, as us academic licence folks do. Thankfully there was a fix in the help forum:

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/how_use_yo
ur_windows_7_upgrade_disk_fresh_pc

(Greemble posted it)

By cats_five on 24 Nov 2009

Print tutorial

I there a way to prin the XP to 7 tutorial?

By CliffordKay3 on 18 Dec 2009

Don't upgrade

You really are only wasting time and money.... if you really wanna try something new - try a completely different OS! Linux or Mac

By nicomo on 20 Feb 2010

Firing Squad...

Don't do it. If you must do it Dual boot it.

If your buying Vista or 7 go for the ones with downgrade rights so you can keep XP as needed.

Looking back in 10 years I'll wager Vista and 7 will be seen at least as a black spot in Microsoft's record, or at worst the start of their decline.

By Gindylow on 13 Apr 2010

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