Teching It Easy: with Windows

If you are a Mac user running Windows XP/Vista or would like to run Windows 7, Apple has released an important update to its dual boot software Boot Comp which improves compatibility when running Microsoft's latest desktop operating system.

Boot Camp 3.1 allows you to create a partition just for Windows so you can switch between either Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows. It also includes Windows 7 device drivers which improves compatibility and performance with components such as the Apple trackpad, turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used, and supports the Apple wireless keyboard and Apple Magic mouse. Boot Camp supports the following editions of Windows 7: Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate. Enterprise edition should also be compatible.

If you are planning to upgrade an existing installation of Windows Vista to Windows 7 on an Intel based Macintosh, please make sure you install the Boot Camp Utility for Windows 7 Upgrade, this will safely unmount the read-only Macintosh volume in Windows Vista.

Boot Camp 3.1 is available in 64-bit and 32-bit versions and requires a genuine copy of Windows 7, as well as an Intel-based Mac computer.

Windows 7 includes many advancements to networking that simplify communication, access to information and resources whether in the home or workplace. Of course, networking can become a complex and daunting task depending how you approach it. Even the most simple projects can develop into frustrations. The Windows Team realized this and focused on incorporating tools that focused on making it easy to setup a home network. HomeGroup, an exclusive feature to Windows 7 is one of the many new networking capabilities that makes it easy to network and share documents, pictures, videos and resources such as a Printer with other Windows 7 PC's with only a password. In this article, we take a look at some of the ways we can fix common issues associated with networking, whether its connecting two computers or connecting to the Internet.

Tip 1: Fixing Common networking connectivity issue:

This article references Windows Vista but also applies to Windows 7 also. To reset the TCP/IP stack go to this article and either click on "Fix it for me" or follow the instructions to fix it yourself: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357

Disable the IP Helper service
1. Hold the Windows key and type R, enter "services.msc" (without the quotes) and press Enter
2. Scroll down to the IP Helper service, right click on it and select Properties
3. In the drop down box that says "Automatic" or "Manual", set it to Disabled and then click on "Apply"
4. Then click on "Stop" to stop the service from running in the current session
5. Click OK to exit the dialog

Disable IPv6
Try uninstalling IPv6 on all interfaces, removing any IPv6 virtual adapters, and resetting the TCP/IP stack. To remove IPv6, go into the properties for each network adapter and either uncheck the box next to the protocol "Internet Protocol version 6 (TCP/IPv6), that will disable it, or select it and click uninstall, which will remove it off the computer. Then go into device manager and remove any 4to6 adapters, WUN miniport adapters, or tunnel adapters.

NOTE: You should do this for each network connection.

Disable the DHCP Broadcast Flag
Link: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233

Important: This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756 (How to back up and restore the registry in Windows)

Windows cannot obtain an IP address from certain routers or from certain non-Microsoft DHCP servers.

To resolve this issue, disable the DHCP BROADCAST flag. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type “regedit” in the Start Search box and then click “regedit” in the Programs list.
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{GUID}”
3. In this registry path, click the (GUID) subkey that corresponds to the network adapter that is connected to the network.
4. 4. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. In the New Value #1 box, type “DhcpConnEnableBcastFlagToggle” and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click “DhcpConnEnableBcastFlagToggle” and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type 1 and then click OK.
8. Close Registry Editor.

By setting this registry key to 1, Windows will first try to obtain an IP address by using the BROADCAST flag in DHCP Discover packets. If that fails, it will try to obtain an IP address without using the BROADCAST flag in DHCP Discover packets.

• Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security and then, under System, clicking Device Manager.‌

If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

• Double-click Network adapters.
• Look for a network adapter that includes "wireless" in the name.

If it is not set then follow the article mentioned below to set the Wireless network connection.

Setting up a wireless network

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Setting-up-a-wireless-network

Tip 3:

You could also try ipconfig/release and renew command from the command prompt.

Follow the steps mentioned below.

1. Click on start button.
2. Type cmd in the start search box and press enter.
3. Right click on the “cmd” and run as administrator.
4. Type the commands “ipconfig /release” and “ipconfig /renew” without the quotes.

HomeGroups

If you are unable to access a HomeGroup, try the following:

• Check your Windows Firewall to make sure that HomeGroup and Network discovery are not blocked.
• Make sure you enter the case sensitive password correctly.
• Are both PC’s properly networked? Ethernet cable connected properly, are you connected to your wireless access point? You can check by clicking the Network icon in the Notification Area.
• Ensure that your Network Location is set to ‘Home Network’. In Network and Sharing Center, under View your active Networks > click the link to your Network type (usually defaulted to as unidentified). When the ‘Set Network Location’ window appears, select ‘Home Network’ from the available options. After selecting this option, the Homegroup wizard should appear prompting you to join an available HomeGroup and requesting the type of information and resources you will be able to share and access.
• If you encounter a problem with your HomeGroup Password, try changing it on the computer you setup HomeGroup on and try joining again.
• If none of the above works, try running the HomeGroup Troubleshooter, In Network and Sharing Center under ‘Change your network settings’, click ‘Fix a network problem’ under ‘Network’, click HomeGroup troubleshooter and follow the wizard that appears. To learn more about Troubleshooters, click here

Resolving networking issues with previous versions of Windows

Some persons have reported of issues connecting other versions of Windows from Windows 7 and vice versa. Please note that exclusive features such as HomeGroup is not available to Windows Vista and XP, so you will have to use the standard Network Explorer to share and access resources. The first tasks you can try to resolve networking issues in this regard is to ensure the basics are in place:

• Make sure both computers are within the same WORKGROUP (for Windows XP, click HERE for Windows 7/Vista, click HERE), additional resources HERE
• For Windows Vista in Network and Sharing Center, ensure that you have your network configured as Private and that the Sharing and Discovery Settings are set to ON except for Password Protected Sharing.
• For computers running Windows XP to appear on the Network Map diagram, you must download and install the LLTD Responder component. With the LLTD Responder, a computer running Windows XP can respond to other Windows Vista computers on the network that are attempting to create a network map.

To install the LLTD Responder to a computer running Windows XP 

1. Download the update for Windows XP from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=70582
2. Run the update on the computer running Windows XP that you want to appear on the Network Map.
3. On the Software Update Installation Wizard, click Next.
4. On the License Agreement page, read the license agreement, and if you agree to the terms, click I Agree, and then click Next.
5. On the final page of the wizard, click Finish.
6. If you are prompted to do so, restart your computer.
7. After your computer running Windows XP restarts, generate a new Network Map with the computer running Windows XP included.

• Check the registry on the Windows XP machine for the error message when you try to access a Windows XP-based network computer: "You might not have permission to use this network resource". See the article at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913628. This finally did the trick for my network.

Additional task that you can do when attempting to troubleshooting, try disabling all Firewall software (including the Windows Firewall temporarily).

Zone Alarm - Ensure that all machines on the network were in the trusted zone. Go to the Zone tab of Firewall settings in ZoneAlarm free version. Ensure all of your machines’ IP addresses are listed, as well as that of your router or wireless access point.

Norton Internet Security - Go to Norton Internet Security tab, open settings, scroll to bottom, open internet security and firewall options, open advanced settings, open configure, change default inbound NetBIOS, inbound NetBIOS name, and Block Windows File Sharing to ALLOW. Configuring this beast of an app required a lot of trial, error and googling the Symantec site and others.

Windows Firewall - Turn Windows Firewall on or off

Check with the developers documentation if you are using another brand.

If you have any comments or additional tips that you have discovered, please feel free to share them.

So we are now at the start of a new year, there are many challenges and opportunities ahead. I do hope you enjoyed your holidays this past December. I am sure many of you have gotten new toys to play with it, especially new gadgets like MP3 Players and new PC's. Computers in particular are one of the many gifts persons wish for or you might be upgrading an existing machine with Microsoft's new Windows 7. One of the things you might encounter after upgrading your computer or starting a new computer for the first time is the amount of stuff that might make the operating system start a little groggy at first. This article will show you some of the common task you can do to speed up that old computer or squeeze as much performance performance out of that new PC.

If you are using an old computer, there are some things you should take into account if you are upgrading to Windows 7 - System Requirements. Doing a house cleaning in the operating system might not necessarily be enough to speed up that old computer. Instead a hardware upgrade of components might just be what you need to achieve better performance. The first three things that come to mind are Memory, Processor and Storage. These three components can add a dramatic improvement to your computers performance. One of the great things about running Windows 7 is the memory foot print is about the same as Windows Vista and its more efficient because of a lot of complex low level changes the Windows Team made to the operating system with how it loads programs, services and devices. Anyway, if you do upgrade to Windows 7, here are few things you can do to speed things up even more.

Preparing Disk cleanup

Disk Cleanup - This is always a favorite place to start, because it list many of the common locations where old unused files that are often not needed any more are stored. To find Disk Cleanup, click Start, type: Disk Cleanup. Alternatively, you can find it under Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools. When Disk Cleanup is started, you are prompted to select the drive on which you would like to do the cleanup. In this case, its the operating system drive where Windows 7 is installed, usually C:\. If you are running Windows 7 in a dual boot configuration with another operating system, click in the list box and select the drive on which it is installed. Click OK.

Disk Cleanup dialog

An initialization wizard will scan you hard disk to check for areas of the system you will be able to run the clean up on. After the scanning is complete, the Disk Cleanup dialog appears. This window provides a list of areas of the system you can clean up safely. The most common locations are Temporary files, Temporary Internet Files, Recycle Bin to name a few. Other not so common locations include the Thumbnail Cache which stores previews of your images allowing you load them faster when you open the Pictures Library or Windows Live Photo Gallery. This I do not recommend you delete for obvious purposes. Lets dig a little deeper. Disk Cleanup provides a list of areas where you can free up disk space and gain additional speed in some cases.

In addition to these common locations, Windows will also store information related to Error reporting and solution checking, leave these for diagnosis that can help resolve issues with applications or devices. Also, if you do an upgrade from Windows Vista or clean install, Windows 7 might store information related to servicing which are logs used to assist the installation of the operating system. Once you have checked these locations for clean up, click the OK button and these locations will be cleaned out.

A folder you might be familiar with is the Windows.old, in a future article I will be taking a closer look at this directory. Its basically a backup of your old installation of Windows, which you can use to reinstall Windows if you decide to return to your previous installation. Also, its used as a last resort in case you didn't backup your files and need to recover personal files and settings. The Windows.old folder can use up a considerable amount of your hard disk space and reduce the systems performance. Its normally stored at the root of your hard disk where Windows 7 is installed. Before you delete it, make sure you check through the directories and ensure that everything migrated successfully to Windows 7.

System Restore - The Windows Team has added some nice enhancements to Windows 7's System Restore feature, allowing you to keep a larger collection of System Restore Points in addition to storing them in your System Images of Windows 7. A friend had recently upgraded to Windows 7 and he asked me why he was low on hard disk space. He had a 320 GB drive and only had about 70 GBs of free disk space left after doing a disk cleanup. It was then I discovered that System Protection had been configured to use about 200 GBs of  disk space to keep System Restore Points.

Configuring System Protection settings

To configure System Protection, click Start, type: System Protection, hit Enter. Under Protection Settings, click the Configure button. A dialog will appear with various settings for configuring Restoration and Disk space usage. Under the Disk space usage tab, you will see the current amount of space in use by System Restore while the Max usage displays the amount allocated. Use the Max usage knob to configure how much disk space you want to allocate to System Protection. In the above screenshot, you will see that I am using 21.05 GBs for Restore Points, while I have allocated 22.36 GBs of disk space for System Protection. You also have the option of deleting all Restore Points which stores System settings and previous versions of files. I suggest you leave this, since you will be able to individually restore changes to files you are working on. So for instance, if you edited an image and would like to restore it to a previous version or original version of the file. 

Performance Information and Tools

Introduced in Windows Vista, it provides a lists of your computer's Windows Experience Index base score, which indicates the performance and overall capability of your computer's hardware. If you look under the Task pane in Performance Information and Tools, you will see Tasks where you can make further adjustments to improve the performance of your computer.

Performance Information and Tools options

Visual Effects - Back in November I discussed some of the theming capabilities built into Windows 7. Some of these themes are designed for PC's with limited capabilities. Microsoft calls these Basic and High Contrast themes. To access them, right click your desktop, click Personalize.

Windows Aero Basic – For computers that cannot support the minimum graphics requirements of Windows Aero Glass. Aero Basic features the standard elements of the Windows 7 interface except for the translucent effects and animations. Instead, areas such as the Taskbar, window borders display a blue/grayish color scheme. Other unavailable features include the inability to choose a Window Color, see and interact with thumbnail previews, Alt-Tab Preview, Flip 3D and Aero Peek.

Windows Classic - First introduced with Windows 95, this experience was the flagship theme for Windows for many years and was replaced by Windows XP’s Luna in 2001 but is still included in Windows for persons who are not quite ready for the changes in Windows 7. Microsoft has made some changes to Windows Classic in Windows 7 where menus are concerned. The standard look and feel still exist, but Microsoft has decided to remove the Standard Classic Menu that was available as an option in both Windows XP and Vista. Personally, I agree with this, since the new Start menu offers so many benefits such as Instant Search, easier access to programs, better control (no cascading/off screen sub menus), ability to search HomeGroups, Public directories and detailed results when presented. The new Start menu also introduces support for features unique to Windows 7 such as Jump List providing access to task and recently accessed files associated with a program.

High Contrast themes - If you have difficulty reading or viewing your screen, Windows has for years included high-contrast color schemes that heightens the color contrast of some text and images on your computer, making those items more distinct and easier to identify.

Indexing Options

Indexing Options - Instant Search makes it quick and easy to find personal files and folders you commonly use. To improve the performance of your search experience, make sure the Index is not set to search the entire computer, searching areas such as System and Program Files directory can greatly slow down the performance of your searches and provide less reliable results. You can instead add folders you often search or store files.

Power Settings - In December, we talked about some of the energy efficiency improvements built into Windows 7 that allow you be more productive on the go and also provide better performance in certain scenarios.

Windows 7 extends battery life for your mobile PC, helping you be productive longer while still getting great performance. Power-saving enhancements include increasing the idle time for the processor, automatically dimming the display, and more power-efficient playback for DVDs. With Windows 7, you’re also kept better-informed about battery status.

Get Idle and Stay Idle Longer. An idle processor reduces battery life. Windows 7 reduces background activities and supports the trigger-starting of system services, so your computer’s processor can be in an idle state more often.

Adaptive Display Brightness. The display on a typical mobile PC consumes more battery power than any other part of the computer. Windows 7 automatically reduces display brightness after a period of inactivity, much like cell phones do today. And Windows 7 intelligently adapts to your activity. For example, if the screen dims after 30 seconds and you immediately move the mouse to brighten
the display, Windows 7 will wait 60 seconds before dimming the display again. Learn more here

Startup Performance

We install a lot of applications on our computers. Sometimes, those applications will place special files in areas of the operating system such as the Startup Folder to make launching the application faster. Sometimes a program might even create a special Service that prepares itself when Windows is starting up. If you have a lot of these types of programs installed, some of them can have a adverse effect on your systems performance. To resolve this, you can simply launch the Microsoft Configuration Utility (msconfig). MSCONFIG provides a host of options for managing how your computer starts up and also for diagnostic purposes when your system might not start properly. To launch MSCONFIG, click Start, type: msconfig.exe, hit Enter on your keyboard, or click msconfig.exe result in the Start menu.

System Configuration Utility (MSCONFIG)

When msconfig is displayed on your screen, you will see the main interface, General (tab), which manages how your computer starts. The main tab we need to go to is Startup. At this tab, we will see a list of items that startup with the system when Windows is loading. Now, there are some programs in here that are essential, but some might not be needed when the computer starts, check out the following table of some of the applications I have that load programs during start up and the ones I have unchecked:

There is my list, of course yours will vary because of the hundreds of millions of configurations that exist and the millions of applications available for Windows. If you are unsure about a program, do a search on the Internet about it before unchecking. Keep a small inventory of the programs you are using, look in the notification area of the Windows Taskbar to see what is displayed. Hover the mouse pointer over the icon, which will display a balloon about that program. Also, do a backup before unchecking anything. If you do get confused, the Startup tab displays a button near the bottom of the window called Restore Startup Programs..., which will restore the startup items to their default configuration.

Other things you can do to keep your system running tick tock include making sure Windows, your applications and Security programs are updated. Uninstall applications you are not using anymore (click Start, type: Programs and Features, hit Enter. Right click a Column, click More.. > Under Details check the 'Last Used On' box > click OK. This will give you a clear idea of which programs are regularly used and which programs are not. You can also move files such as videos and pictures that are not in use to a secondary storage medium such as an external hard disk or DVDs. Windows 7 includes the ability to remove bundled components that you are not using from the Turn Windows features on or off component, to learn more check out the following article here

I would like to wish Happy Holidays and a Happy/Prosperous 2010 when it comes to all readers of Teching it Easy.

Andre

Making your operating system communicate with you can be a daunting task. Its something researchers have been working on for many decades now. Microsoft with Windows 7 might have just found a solution. The way Windows has communicated a problem for many releases has varied over the years. We are all aware of the blue memory dump screen affectionately called the blue screen of death or random dialogs featuring stop sign or exclamation triangle with some unintelligible text. Windows has evolved over the years by making the experience more friendly and human, with Windows XP some problems or items that needed attention were moved to tool tip balloons in the Notification Area. Users complained they were annoying and a bit too intrusive at times. Vista focused on centralizing messages the system gave out through the Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel item. This was a respectable effort that made finding and managing the problems associated with a variety of aspects of your system (hardware, software) less daunting, there still existed the problem of tool tip notifications and scattered experiences across a variety of activities associated with Windows.

Enter Action Center, a new Control Panel item in Windows 7 that integrates Problem Reports and Solutions,  Security Center, Windows Update, Windows Defender, Network Access Protection, Backup and Restore, Recovery, User Account Control consolidating numerous notifications into one centralized environment for maintaining and keeping your PC secure and running smoothly. Lets learn a bit more about these tools:

To access Action Center, click Start, type Action Center, hit Enter.

As you can see in the above screenshot, Action Center shell features a clean well organized layout categorized into two main areas Security and Maintenance and additional quick links to Troubleshooting, Recovery and other available options under the Control Panel Task Pane.

Security

The Security Area of Action Center provides vital information about your security status, with colored notifications that indicate the severity of a problem. As you can see, my current status is red along with a summary noting that my Antivirus program is out of date. With one click I can immediately update my Antivirus right there to resolve that problem.

Red indicates that there is a security threat or potential for loss of data if the problem is not corrected.

Yellow indicate that you should attempt to fix the problem but there is no risk to your computer if you don't.

If I need additional information, simply click the chevron button, this will reveal information regarding areas of the system such as Network Firewall, Windows Update, Internet Security settings, User Account Control and Network Access Protection. The key aspect here is the centralized summary of the systems health which makes it easier to manage and maintain. For consumers and business users, User Account Control and Network Access Protection provide greater ease of use when working with your computer and simplifies the security experience for users who connect to a business Network. If your Administrator has enabled support for NAP, when you connect your PC, it is checked to see if it is in compliance with standards implemented by the Administrator, such as software, settings and updated Antivirus. If everything is not updated, your access to the network can be limited until all those outstanding issues are resolved.

User Account Control notifications can be better controlled when it comes to notifying you about changes to your system. If you had upgraded to Windows Vista, you will remember the numerous User Account Control dialogs you had to contend with, whether its accessing an area of the system, installing a program or doing some random task.

Windows 7 provides a more passive experience with UAC, you will still see a few, but it’s not triggered for every action taken. UAC also gives the user more information about why it does what it does. For instance, an application is shown which part of the system it needs to access or need to write to. UAC is still annoying, but it’s not in your face. The enhanced settings provide users the option of controlling how they are notified of potential changes to the system. Similar to Internet Explorers ‘Security level for this zone’ setting, users have a choice between Never and Always Notify.

• Never Notify is the most drastic option and is pretty much similar to turning of UAC all together. I don’t think you want to choose this option because UAC still has a place in Windows, just that it needs to be more intelligent. For this there are more flexible options.
• The option to only be notified when programs attempt to make changes to the system, but exclude user initiated actions. It kind of defeats the original premise of UAC protecting novice users from themselves, but for those who are novices and experts who find UAC in its current state too intrusive should find this to be the right balance.
• Two other options, ‘Always Notify Me’, notifies the user, but does not wait on a response from the user, which the obvious ‘Always notify me and wait for my response’ does.

Overall, I consider this to be progress; users finally have choice on this critical area of the system. Its clear Microsoft has listened and users should feel more confident with changes they make to UAC. In Vista there is this nagging paranoia even for those who willingly turn it off, with Windows 7, its all about choice and confidence.

Maintenance

This area of Action Center deals with Problem Reports/error messages that the system has encountered. If you have not submitted them yet, you can click the Check for Solutions link that might be available to resolve the problem. Backup is also featured here and notifies you about out of date backups or files that need to be backed up. When you click the Chevron button, it reveals additional details such as whether you need to check for updates or if an action is required for a particular problem you might be experiencing.

Check out Notebooks.com Windows 7 backup tutorial here

Problem Reports and Solutions which was introduced with the release of Windows Vista is now a part of the Action Center shell. Whenever your computer encounters errors software or hardware related, Problem Report keeps a log of all these problems. If you click the 'View problems to report' link under Maintenance you might see a backlog of problems that you can check for possible solutions.

Problems are organized into categories that allows you to easily associate an issue with a particular area of the system. As you can see in the above screenshot, I have multiple issues related to my Antivirus program, Network, third party application installer and the Windows Explorer shell. You have the option to pick and choose how you want to report problems. If you want to check for solutions to all problems, just check the 'Select All' box, if you consider some problems to not be detrimental you can check for solutions on a case by case basis. Other factors can include your Internet Connection, because a lot of diagnostics data is sent to assist with the resolution of the problem, it can take some time to send the information.

In addition to these main aspects of the Action Center, you will find additional tools such as Troubleshooting and Recovery. In our Troubleshooting Heroes article, we discussed the benefits of this new experience which bundles packaged wizards to help diagnose and resolve up to 27 of the most common problems with additional troubleshooters available from Windows Update. We also took a look at the new Recovery Options included in Windows 7, which provides more effective options for correcting issues whether its associated with reinstalling Windows or repairing your computer if it is not starting properly.

Accessibility and Notifications

This probably is the highlight of Action Center in Windows 7, the subtle notification experience and quick access to items that need attention. Situated in the Notification area of the Taskbar is the Action Center Flag, if you hover your mouse pointer over the icon, you will see a tool tip revealing the amount of pending messages that need attention. When clicked it reveals additional details and you can click an individual message to resolve the issue right away or just open the Action Center to review all messages.

Options

Another thing I like about Action Center it is very customizable, you are not restricted to doing what the program says. If you click on the Action Center settings link under Control Panel Home, you will see the option to fine tune what types of items you would like to receive reports and messages about or what type of information you would like Windows 7 to diagnose and send to resolve.

Conclusion

If you have not checked out Action Center, now is the time to do so. The centralized experience makes it seamless for managing and maintaining the health of your PC. The simplified convenience of the interface, ability to customize and mitigate issues quickly makes this addition to Windows, a definite winner!

Its been over a month since the general availability of Windows 7 world wide. Since then there have been numerous experiences shared about upgrading to the new OS. If you have not upgraded yet, but planning to or about to upgrade, here are some tips based on experiences installing the OS with some first hand knowledge about what you should do before or after installing Windows 7.

1.) Windows 7 Checklist:
* Back up your files to an external hard disk, DVD, CD or USB flash drive. For assistance in backing up your files, pleas visit windows.microsoft.com/upgrade-windows-xp.

Also check out Notebooks.com detailed article about using Windows Easy Transfer for backing up your personal files and settings here

* Make sure your PC is connected to the Internet, so you can get installation updates. (If you don't have an Internet connection, you can still install Windows 7).

* Check the Windows 7 Package to make sure your PC meets the system requirements.

* If you have Windows XP on your computer, you will have to completely replace Windows XP with Windows 7. Before you begin, make sure you have the original installation disks for your programs. After you install Windows 7, you will need to manually reinstall your programs and restore your files and settings.

2.) If your PC is currently running a 64-bit version of Windows, use the 64 bit disc. To find out which version your PC is running:
1. Click the Start button
2. Right-click Computer or My Computer
3. Click Properties. You'll see the version listed next to System type.

- Find your 25-character Windows product key. It's inside your Windows package.
- If needed, first update your antivirus program, then follow these steps:

1. Run your Antivirus program
2. Turn it off by choosing to disable it.
3. After you install Windows 7, remember to turn it on again by choosing to enable it. Or, install new antvirus software that works with Windows 7.

Resources:
Windows XP and Windows 7 Activation procedures:
Windows XP users who are performing a clean upgrade to Windows 7 are advised not to enter their product key when prompted during installation. Rather, they should move on to the next step and only enter the key once full installation is complete.

Start the Installation:
1. Turn on your PC.
2. When you get to the Windows desktop, inset the Windows 7 installation disc. Setup should launch automatically. If it does't, just:

- Click the Start button
- Click Computer or My Computer
- Open the Windows 7 installation disc on your DVD drive.
- Double-click setup.exe

3. On the Windows "Install Windows" page, click Install Now and follow the instructions.
4. When you're asked "Which type of installation do you want?. choose of the following:

* Click Upgrade if you are running Windows Vista to keep your files, programs, and settings and install Windows 7.
* Click Custom if you are running Windows XP or want to completely replace your current version of Windows with Windows 7. You will need to manually reinstall your programs and restore your backed up files after installation. Visit Windows.microsoft.com/upgrade-windows-xp for details.

5. Continue to foll0w the instructions to complete the setup.
6. When you're finished, you'll see the Windows desktop.

Resources: How to Upgrade to Windows 7

If you are experiencing problems or seeing error messages, try the following in your existing version of Windows (XP or Vista) before continuing with the Upgrade:
1. Disable any security software before attempting to upgrade or do a clean install.
2. Make sure your computer is updated (devices and applications)
3. Disconnect any non-essential devices before installing.
4. Check your hard disk for any errors:

Click Start
Type: CMD, from the results, right click CMD
Click 'Run as Administrator'
At the Command Prompt, type: chkdsk /r
When you restart your system, your computer will be scanned for errors and attempts will be made to correct them.

Click Start
Type: CMD, from the results, right click CMD
Click 'Run as Administrator'
At the Command Prompt, type: sfc/scannow

This will check for any integrity violations

Restart your system

Run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor which you can use to help determine which features and editions of Windows 7 will run on your computer; visit http://windows.microsoft.com/upgradeadvisor.

3.) How do I receive Technical support for Windows 7?

Call: United States: (866) 234-6020, Canada: (800) 668-7975

Digital River Support: 1-877-244-8653

Microsoft Store: 1-877-my-ms-store

Digital River support.url

4.) How do I enable Windows Virtual PC with XP Mode?
There is no product key necessary to enable Windows XP Mode. You simply need to have a CPU (processor) that supports hardware based virtualization: Intel-VT or AMD-V, you need to install two files:
1. Windows6.1-KB958559-x64 or x86 depending on the architecture you are running
Restart the system, then install:
2. WindowsXPMode_en-us

Please follow these steps to enable hardware virtualization:
    - Restart the computer and enter BIOS setup.
    - Search virtualization setting in BIOS and enable the setting.
    - Save BIOS settings.
    - Power off the computer, wait for few seconds and start the computer.

Both Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC can be downloaded from http://www.windows.com/business/downloads.
For more information on system requirements, go to http://www.microsoft.com/virtual-pc

Notebooks.com Using Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode

5.) If you are experiencing difficulty Activating Windows or entering your product key:
Try Activate Windows 7 manually:
1. Click Start, and in the Search box type :  slui.exe 4

2. Press ENTER on your Keyboard

3. Select your Country.
4. Select the Phone Activation option, and hold on for a real person.

At the enter your product key page, do a keyless installation (do not enter a key).
Once you have reached the desktop, click Start, type: CMD
Right click CMD, click ‘Run as administrator’
At the command prompt, type, regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersionsetup/OOBE
/mediabootinstall
changed its value to 0
Go back to the Command Prompt, type the following:
slmgr /rearm
Restart the pc and use the activate windows to re-enter my product key

For more information on Windows Product Activation, please see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Activating-Windows-frequently-asked-questions.

6.) What is the Windows 7 Family Pack?
For information on the Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade family pack, please see: http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-7-Home-Premium-Upgrade-Family-Pack/product/87DFFF11.

Notebooks.com A Look at the Windows 7 editions

7.) What is the difference between Windows 7 OEM and Windows 7 retail licenses?
OEM versions of Windows 7 are identical to Full License Retail versions except for the following:

- OEM versions do not offer any free Microsoft direct support from Microsoft support personnel

- OEM licenses are tied to the very first computer you install and activate it on

- OEM versions allow all hardware upgrades except for an upgrade to a different model motherboard

- OEM versions cannot be used to directly upgrade from an older Windows operating system

8.) I installed Windows 7 successfully, but its starting up with a blank screen?
Run Windows Low-resolution

1) Detach all non-essential peripheral devices from your computer, such as printers, scanners and removable storage devices.

2) Restart the computer.

3) Keep pressing the F8 key until the Windows Startup menu appears.

4) Choose Enable Low-resolution video (640*480) option, and press Enter.

5) Then install the right display card driver compatible with Windows 7 in Windows Low-resolution mode.

Note: In Low-resolution Mode, your system display and Desktop will look and perform differently than in Normal Mode. This is only temporary.

You might go to Device Manager, right click your hardware device in the list and select Update Driver Software; then click Search automatically for updated driver software.

Note: Drivers on the Windows Update site are directly provided by hardware manufacturers. Microsoft tests drivers in various environments before they are published; however, we cannot guarantee all drivers will work on all hardware platforms as there are too many different models, although their hardware ID are the same as the standard version. In some cases, due to hardware modifications by different manufacturers, the driver updates may cause some error.

If it does not work on your issue, I'd suggest you installing the Vista driver in Compatibility mode. Remove and rescan that hardware device in Device Manager, right-click on the driver executable/installer file -> Properties and select the Compatibility tab; click the checkbox before Run this program in Compatibility mode for option and select Windows Vista in the list-down box; then try installing the device driver via Run as administrator. In addition, you can use the Windows XP driver for testing.

9.) How can I purchase Windows 7 for an alternate location?
Set your 'change' feature at the top of the Microsoft store page to the country in which you live. If the country is not available, try purchasing from a reputable third party dealer that does International shipping such as http://amazon.com/software

10.) What are the upgrade paths and what should I do before deciding whether to upgrade my version of Windows?
When making significant changes to your computer such as an upgrade, it is always recommended you backup your system prior to installing a new version of Windows. In your case, you can upgrade to Windows 7 depending on edition and architecture of Windows Vista you have installed. If you are running a 32 bit version of Vista and want to upgrade to a 64 bit version (edition of Windows 7), you will have to a do clean install, this applies vice-versa.

If you are running consumer editions of Windows Vista such as Home Basic or Premium, you can only upgrade to either Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate. Also, you can do downgrades, which means, if you are running Windows Vista Ultimate now, you cannot downgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. You must do logical upgrades:

Windows Vista Home Basic > Windows 7 Home Basic, Premium or Ultimate
Windows Vista Home Premium > Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate
Windows Vista Business > Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate
Windows Vista Enterprise > Windows 7 Enterprise
Windows Vista Ultimate > Windows 7 Ultimate.

11.) When attempting boot from the Windows 7 installation media, I receive an error that my DVD drive is missing:
When you boot your computer, press [F8] on boot and disable driver signing checking. The drive should show up.

If you are attempting to start your Windows 7 installation from within a running version of Windows and the disk does not start or auto-run:

Click Start, type: Device Manager
Expand your DVD/CD listing in the device manager tree
Right click the optical drive
Click Uninstall
Restart the system
Insert the Windows 7 disk and attempt the installation again.

1. Press Windows R keys on the keyboard simultaneously, type regedit and press enter.

2. Open the Registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

3. In the right pane, right-click UpperFilters, and then click Delete.

4. Click Yes to confirm the removal of the UpperFilters registry entry.

5. In the right pane, right-click LowerFilters, and then click Delete.

6. Click Yes to confirm the removal of the LowerFilters registry entry.

7. Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.

If you find any difficulty in performing the above provided steps then you can follow the below provided link for further reference.

The CD drive or the DVD drive does not work as expected on a computer that you upgraded to Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929461

12.) I keep getting the Windows 7 hanging at certain points in the installation:
Fix it Fix for Upgrade hangs at 62% when you upgrade to Windows 7 from Windows Vista - http://bit.ly/3iDqs3

Hanging at 62% when you upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7install/thread/f088fcd7-9852-41dc-aa4b-a59038c51da8

What about the Reboot Loop when upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7:
http://www.webtlk.com/2009/09/28/how-to-fix-endless-reboot-while-trying-to-upgrade-windows-vista-to-windows-7/

13.) I am running Windows Vista Home Premium, but I found out I cannot do an in place upgrade to , what should I do?
You will have to do a clean installation, there is no in place upgrade path from Windows 7 Home Premium to Professional.

when you receive the Windows 7 Professional DVD, install the Windows 7 Windows Easy Transfer Utility from the DVD (To find it, just navigate to x:\support\migwiz, 'x:' represents the name of your disk drive. In this folder, you will see a collection of files, the important one you need to look for and double click is 'migsetup'.) , run it and create a WET file (Windows Easy Transfer file), if you have an external hard disk, you can have it stored there so you can access it later when you do a clean install of Windows 7 Professional DVD.

Once you have done that, simply do a clean install of Windows 7 Professional DVD. In Windows 7 Professional DVD, launch Windows Easy Transfer, follow the on screen wizard, point to where you stored the the WET file (external hard disk), and it will restore your personal files and settings. Reinstall any necessary applications.

Resources:
http://www.notebooks.com/2009/10/07/using-windows-easy-transfer-in-windows-7/

14.) I received a complimentary copy of Windows 7 from the Windows 7 Launch event, but I only got the 32 bit version, why?
I assume the reason why 32 bit was provided was to avoid complications considering that device driver, application compatibility and system requirements must be taken into account when choosing 64 bit. Considering that not everybody has 4 GBs or more RAM installed, Microsoft made a safe bet choosing 32 bit.

Resources: Alternate media:
You can contact:

Microsoft Supplemental Parts Department at 1-800-360-7561, Monday through Friday, 5:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Pacific Time.

15.) I bought a computer and was eligible for the free upgrade, but I didn't get the version I wanted.
If you are receiving this free upgrade as part of a purchase of a new PC, you will receive a corresponding edition of Windows 7 to the currently installed version of Windows Vista. Example: Windows Vista Home Premium 32 > Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit. If you need alternate media, you need to contact the manufacturer of the computer.

16.) I upgraded from Windows Vista, but there is no email program included:
Windows Mail has been replaced by the free Windows Live Mail included as a part of the free Windows Live Essentials. To get it, go to: http://download.live.com

17.) Some of my devices and applications are not working, what should I do?

A: If your Internet connection is working in Windows 7, I suggest you try obtaining the drivers through Windows Update. Click Start > All Programs > Windows Update > Turn on Windows Update. A list of available updates will then be downloaded, you will have the option to view them, do so and check off the appropriate drivers or software patches you need and click Install. You can also check the manufacturer’s website for patches, updated drivers or to simply find out about Windows 7 support for the particular product.

18.) How do I uninstall Windows 7?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971762

How to uninstall Windows 7 using the Windows.old folder:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971760

19.) When attempting to install Windows 7, setup reports it cannot save temporary files?

This can be caused by a number of factors, please see the following thread here for possible solutions.

20.) I just did an upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7, but I am seeing a dual boot entry for Windows Vista although that installation has been deleted?
To remove the entry from the boot manager, please install EasyBCD 2.0 beta in Windows 7: http://j.mp/EBCD2

21.) Can I downgrade my OEM version of Windows 7 Professional to Windows XP Professional?

For a limited time of 18 months after the general availability of Windows 7 or the release of a Windows 7 Service Pack, whichever is earlier, the OEM license of Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate will include downgrade rights to Windows XP Professional. After that period the OEM license will enable downgrade rights to Windows Vista Business.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4F4B3CFD-7F4E-46CB-8117-8275F7683D3F&displaylang=en

22.) How do I resume a digital download of Windows 7?

If it was downloaded from Digital River, please click on the link below which corresponds to which country you reside in:

United States – http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354000
Canada – http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354400
Europe – http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354500
Australia – http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354600

Microsoft Store: Download Manager Help

23.) I keep receiving a Windows Installer cannot be accessed error when I attempt upgrade to Windows 7?

Try editing the 'image path' entry in your registry. See Method 2 in this article
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324516
If no help, try the rest of these fixes:
319624: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319624/

24.) I keep receiving a .NET Framework 2.0 error message everytime I start Windows 7

How to repair the .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0 on Windows Vista.url

25.) Can you use Windows 7 retail product keys for Windows Anytime Upgrades?

Yes you can, both upgrade and full versions of Windows 7 retail product keys can be used with Windows Anytime Upgrade in editions of Windows 7 that include it (Starter, Home Premium and Professional).

26.) When Windows 7 is booting up for the first time to be used, I encounter a delayed black screen that indicates the machine has hung:

A black screen may occur if there is a problem with the video card drivers and Windows 7. To resolve this problem please follow these steps:

1. Restart the computer.
2. Press the F8 key before it enters Windows.
3. Select the Safe Mode option in the Advanced Boot Options menu and press Enter.

NOTE: If Safe Mode does not work please retry the first two steps and select the Enable low-resolution video (640x480) option instead. If this option is selected your desktop will be bigger than usual – this is by design.
4. Once in your desktop, click on Start and select the Control Panel.
5. Select the Hardware and Sound option and then click on Device Manager under Devices and Printers.
6. Expand the Display adapters list – this should display the video card that is currently installed on your computer. Please note the make and model before proceeding.
7. Right click the video card under Display Adapters and select Disable.
8. Repeat this step if more than one video card is showing under Display Adapters.
9. Once all display adapters have been disabled restart the computer in normal mode.

At this point you should be able to get into your computer without a problem; however, your video card is disabled so you will need to download and install the latest drivers for it. If you had noted the make and model of card when you were in the device manager you can search for this on the Internet and/or contact the hardware manufacturer for help. Once the drivers are installed correctly on the system you should be able to boot normally without any resolution problems.

I will continue to update this regularly with new answers to common questions associated with deploying Windows 7. If you have any questions of your own, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

Compatibility is always a sensitive issue when it comes to a new version of Windows. Microsoft takes it very seriously and considers it a hallmark of the Windows platform, making it easy for users to transition to a new release with little or no hiccups. With the release of Windows XP, Microsoft introduced Compatibility Mode, which let older applications run on the OS emulating supported versions of Windows with the ability to save settings so that your applications will start in the correct mode every time. Compatibility Mode worked in some cases and others it did not.

Windows Vista's compatibility story was a tough one, simply because of the fundamental changes that were made to enhance the system's security foundations. This ultimately affected how older applications would function, because many older applications were written with the intention of running under Administrative privileges. Meaning, some applications were designed to write to parts of the system that were considered vulnerable to attack and malicious activity. It is a beneficial change that has greatly helped the security initiative in Windows. Windows Vista's kernel version change also affected how certain applications tried to install on the system, since applications were hard coded to check for a specific version of Windows. Microsoft's solution to Vista's compatibility woes included the Virtual PC 2007 utility which allowed Windows customers to run a virtualized copy of Windows XP or 2000 and still run their legacy applications in a suitable environment while transitioning to the latest version of Windows. Although it was a solution it required a costly overhead in resources while being a cumbersome experience of having to switch between the host operating system (Vista) and the guest operating system (XP or 2000).

I recently migrated from Windows 7 RC to Windows 7 RTM, I also moved to the final version of Microsoft's virtualization solution for small businesses and power users running legacy applications; Windows XP Mode. Back in July I started using the first beta and found it a handy solution on Windows 7 64 bit since my GPRS modem is not compatible with Windows 7 64 bit, so I was able to use the Internet through XP Mode. I also benefited from XP mode for 3 key legacy applications: Microsoft PhotoDraw 2000 v2, Print Shop 5.0 and Hallmark Card Studio 1.0 This article takes a look at some of the improvements since the beta and RC were released. Prior to Windows Virtual PC with XP Mode, Microsoft's most popular virtualization solution was (and in some way, still is) Virtual PC 2007 which supports systems that do not have a processor with hardware based virtualization technology. XP Mode is a more sophisticated solution, in addition to the ability to running Windows XP in a virtual environment, you can publish applications from within the Virtual Machine and use them along side Windows 7 applications without the need for the operating system layer.

What is Virtualization?

Virtualization is jargon that has caught on with many who are in the Information Technology realm. Virtualization involves using non-physical solutions that would often involve deploying physical hardware resources. In the world of Virtualization a Virtual Machine takes the place of a physical machine, providing similar resources, only non-tangible, this is done on a machine with appropriate resources such as a powerful CPU, lots of Memory and in some cases a GPU (graphical processing unit) depending on the desired capabilities to efficiently run one or more "virtual" instances of an operating system. For instance, I could own a computer with a 2 GHz processor, 3 GBs of memory and be able to run an additional operating system on top of the included operating system, whether it be Windows or Linux without the need to have another machine by sharing some of the resources of the computer with the virtual machine.

Setup

As I noted earlier, to use XP Mode, your computers processor (CPU) needs to support hardware based virtualization. This can be recognized by standards such as Intel-VT and AMD-V. Some computers might not have this capability built in, so I recommend you check Intel or AMD's website to find out if your processor is supported. Some PC Manufacturers might have the technology disabled on certain models requiring that you enable it. Enabling Virtualization support might be a bit complex for novices which requires that you enter your computers BIOS, the experience can vary depending on the manufacturer of your computer.

On my Computer, I had to hit the F10 key, select my language, select Security > System Security and enable the following:
* Virtualization Technology (VTx)
* Virtualization Technology Directed I/O (VTd)
    - Search virtualization setting in BIOS and enable the setting.
    - Save BIOS settings (usually F10).
    - Power off the computer, wait for a few seconds and start the computer.

After downloading and installing Windows6.1-KB958559-x64 you will have to restart your system, then install the WindowsXPMode_en-us file, installation is quick and easy.

After Installation is complete, go ahead and launch Windows XP Mode from the Windows Virtual PC (Start Menu > All Programs group). The software will go through a quick configuration wizard while it details some of the benefits of the software users new to virtualization.

Starting Windows XP Mode

Installing and using an application in Virtual XP Mode

Installing applications is the same as installing in Windows, simply insert the application disk or connect to your Network resource of your choice, double click the setup file or the auto-run program will begin the installation. Once the installation is complete you can launch the application from the All Programs menu and use it from within Windows XP Mode normally.

Using the application in Virtual Windows XP is very similar to working in Virtual PC, but the key differentiation happens when you virtualize your applications. My next step was to see how I could benefit from Integration Features without having to use the operating system layer. When you install an application, automatically it places a shortcut in the Windows Virtual PC programs group called Virtual Windows XP Applications in Windows 7. When you launch the application from there, Virtual Windows XP will request to close the Virtual Machine (if it is open) because a virtual application cannot run while the virtual machine is open. If you close the virtual machine, any unsaved data will be lost. After this is done, Virtual Windows XP starts the Virtual Application which runs outside of the guest operating system (Windows XP). And that's it, you are able to use the application just as you would a native application installed in Windows 7. The only thing is, you will notice that the application continues to use the guest operating systems look and feel.

If I want, I can use the application in the virtual machine itself

...or I can simply use the program as a virtual app from within Windows 7

So after installing PhotoDraw 2000, I decided to run Hallmark Card studio 1.0 and The Printshop 5.0 to see how that would function. Yup, installed and functioned just fine.

Installing Legacy applications

Understanding Integration Components

Integration components make it easier to use a virtual machine by improving the interaction between physical resources and a virtual machine environment. These are installed automatically when you set up Windows XP mode. For other operating systems, you install them separately after you set up the operating system. Integration components provide access to the following resources:

• Clipboard. You can cut, copy, and paste data between the host operating system and the guest operating system. For example, you can copy a URL from the browser in a guest operating system, and paste it to a browser in the host operating system.
• Hard drives. This feature makes all the drives on the host available to the virtual machine. You can easily access all host data from within the virtual machine. Note

NOTE: Host hard drives are listed in the guest by using the computer name of the host operating system. For example, on a host computer named WindowTest, the C drive would be listed in the guest operating system as 'C on WindowsTest‘.

• Printers. This feature makes it possible to use the same printers in a virtual machine that you can use on the host. To share printers, when Windows XP is the guest operating system, you must also install the printer drivers.
• USB devices. Printers, storage devices and smart card readers are automatically shared with virtual machines. Other types of supported USB devices are supported by redirecting them to the virtual machine. For more information, see ―To use a USB device in a virtual machine.

Integration components also make it possible for you to move the mouse seamlessly between the desktops of the host operating system and the guest operating system.

There are some integration limitations with the host operating system

...giving old applications new life

Integration is also a bit different, instead of files saved to the host OS's common directories such as Documents, Pictures, they are saved within the Virtual Machine installation. Some other things users will notice,  Virtual applications do not benefit from window management functionality in the host OS such as thumbnail and live previews. Apart from these minor limitations, the application continues to function just as normal. I can use the application without any problems while utilizing the benefits of Windows 7 which is probably the best thing about it. The other cool feature is not having to interact with the operating system layer, just being able to use the application is a great benefit. When you close a virtual machine, it can be hibernated, shut down, or turned off. When a virtual machine is opened from hibernation, it does not go through the boot sequence, so it is available for use faster than if it was turned off or shut down. You can even create shortcuts of your Virtual applications in Windows 7 and even pin them on the Taskbar for quick access.

  What about other versions of Windows?

Windows Virtual PC is not limited to Windows XP, although the software is not licensed for other versions of Windows so you will have to provide yours. Windows 7 is known to work in addition to supporting Windows Aero Glass effects. For other operating systems such as MS-DOS or Windows 98 for instance, I suggest you continue running those through Windows Virtual PC 2007 SP1 or SUN Microsystems Virtual Box.

Conclusion

Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode is probably the solution a lot of users have been looking for, the seamless experience it provides users running legacy applications along side Windows 7 makes the compatibility story a better one. There is a level of complexity involved and at the same time I am disappointed to know this is only an option for certain Windows 7 SKU's. Also, the system requirements still exist, a machine with a minimum 2 GBs of RAM is required, more recommended. Knowing if your computers processor supports hardware based virtualization might make it a bit complex.  Users must also remember that they are running another computer even though its virtual, which require maintenance just as the physical machine, which includes installing an Antivirus and keeping it up to date along with keeping the OS updated too. I wish the coherence could be a bit more detailed where UI is concerned, such as making the windows of Virtual Applications adapt the Aero Glass window frames, just to match the look and feel of Windows 7. The ability to install legacy applications outside of the Virtual Machine would have been a nice. Its a minor complaint considering the boost it gives users to breath new life into old applications while moving forward with the benefits of Windows 7.

In my next article, I will be discussing some tips for getting the most out of Windows XP Mode.

There is more to owning a PC than just having one, whether its a laptop or desktop. With the many generic brands out there to choose from, its not unlikely for you to know someone who has an exact configuration and model as you do. Many PC OEM's have tried to differentiate their models with different finishes and form factors that make them stand out. Its one of the key aspects of WINTEL machines, there is definitely choice to be found and opportunities to customize. Consumers also have the choice of carrying their computer to an after market customization expert and have them do a custom paint job to add a bit more personality/style to a computer that defines them. Some high-end boutique vendors such as Falcon Northwest bundle that option as a part of their computer models.

What is a Theme?

A theme in Windows combines photos, sounds, color along with wallpaper background, sound scheme, screen saver and special icons/mouse pointer.

The personalization story gets much deeper when we enter the world of software and Windows 7 makes the experience even more interesting. Windows has for a long time included theming capabilities, probably as far back as the first version. Microsoft's first major overhaul of making Windows more customizable was with the release of Windows 95 in 1995 and the companion pack, Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95. This allowed customers to customize their PC experience with additional window themes, icons and sound schemes. Eventually, this was incorporated into Windows 98 and future releases. Windows XP released in 2001 introduced a bold experience called Luna, which featured thicker title bars with three optional colors called Blue, Olive and Silver. Some of the qualities of this theme include, large self explainable icons, rich in color and depth, bright vibrant wallpapers and overall richer palette of colors. Subsequent themes were released outside of Windows XP by Microsoft, such as a ZUNE theme, Royale introduced with the release Windows XP Tablet PC/Media Center 2005. Microsoft also released a companion update to Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP. Consumers described that release as offering little to be worth $39.

With Windows Vista, Microsoft took another bold step, redesigning the Windows user experience now called AERO. Windows Vista introduced real life effects such as translucent windows, life like icons and a cleaner design that made using Windows daily a pleasure. Microsoft added numerous effects and color schemes for changing the color depth of Glass along with high quality wallpaper backgrounds. Microsoft also used Windows Vista as an opportunity to update the Display Properties dialog creating a new Explorer shell called Personalization. In this new interface, in which elements were categorized into different sections explaining what each does, users clicked a different link which led to a shell or dialog for customizing the Windows interface, whether it was Window color, Desktop background, Glass color, Screen Saver, Sound scheme etc.

Windows 7 improves on this, by enhancing the layout for quicker access to elements, but also adding more options for theming the Windows interface and making Windows connect better with locals. Themes are now bundled packages that feature a collection of high resolution wallpapers and an assigned glass color. Of course, there are some additional changes for users upgrading from versions of Windows such as XP or as far back as Windows 2000 Professional. Lets discuss some more about the different aspects of the Windows 7 Personalization Explorer shell. To access it, right click your desktop, click Personalize.

Users should note, Windows 7 offers varied experiences depending on the capabilities of your hardware and the edition of Windows 7 you are using. Lets learn some more about these tier of capabilities:

Windows Aero Standard - Combines some of the capabilities of Windows Aero Glass with some features of Aero Basic. Users will notice that window borders are more glass like in appearance, but do not have the option for translucency. The Taskbar is similar Aero Basic, except for the option of Thumbnail previews is now available.

Windows Aero Glass - What some would call the crème de la crème, Aero Glass offers the ultimate user experience for Windows users. The Windows Aero Glass encompasses every aspect of the Windows desktop experience: Start menu, Desktop, Taskbar and Windows Explorer. The immediate differences users will note is the ability to have translucent glass windows and a Taskbar with powerful effects such as interactive thumbnail previews, ability to see running videos with the ability to hover them and see a full size preview. If you invoke the Alt+Tab command, you can also see a live preview of windows on the fly. Users can also customize the color of the windows with up 16 different colors to choose with the option of controlling the intensity of the window color itself.

In addition to these themes, Microsoft also provides different that are grouped as Basic and High Contrast themes.

Windows Aero Basic - For computers that cannot support the minimum graphics requirements of Windows Aero Glass. Aero Basic features the standard elements of the Windows 7 interface except for the translucent effects and animations. Instead, areas such as the Taskbar, window borders display a blue/grayish color scheme. Other unavailable features include the inability to choose a Window Color, see and interact with thumbnail previews, Alt-Tab Preview, Flip 3D and Aero Peek.

Windows Classic - First introduced with Windows 95, this experience was the flagship theme for Windows for many years and was replaced by Windows XP's Luna in 2001 but is still included in Windows for persons who are not quite ready for the changes in Windows 7. Microsoft has made some changes to Windows Classic in Windows 7 where menus are concerned. The standard look and feel still exist, but Microsoft has decided to remove the Standard Classic Menu that was available as an option in both Windows XP and Vista. Personally, I agree with this, since the new Start menu offers so many benefits such as Instant Search, easier access to programs, better control (no cascading/off screen sub menus), ability to search HomeGroups, Public directories and detailed results when presented. The new Start menu also introduces support for features unique to Windows 7 such as Jump List providing access to task and recently accessed files associated with a program.

High Contrast themes - If you have difficulty reading or viewing your screen, Windows has for years included high-contrast color schemes that heightens the color contrast of some text and images on your computer, making those items more distinct and easier to identify.

System Requirements - To run Windows Aero Glass, you need appropriate hardware. The capabilities will vary depending on what you have installed, here is a list of suggested requirements from Microsoft:

• 1 GHz CPU (processor) 32 or 64 bit
• 1 GB of RAM
• 128 MB video card
• DirectX 9 compliant video card that supports Windows Display Driver Model 1.0 or later, Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware, and 32 bits per pixel. (To find out if your card is DirectX 9 compliant, open the Run command (Windows key + R), type dxdiag. Under System Information, DirectX Version: you should see the version of DirectX

For best results, you might also want to follow these graphics processor recommendations:

• 64 MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor with a resolution that is less than 1,310,720 pixels (for example, a 17-inch flat panel LCD monitor that has a 1280 x 1024 resolution)
• 128 MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor with a resolution from 1,310,720 to 2,304,000 pixels (for example, a 21.1-inch flat panel LCD monitor that has up to a 1600 x 1200 resolution).
• 256 MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor with a resolution greater than 2,304,000 pixels (for example, a 30-inch wide-screen flat panel LCD monitor that has up to a 2560 x 1600 resolution)

How do I personalize Windows 7?

Aero Background - You can easily turn your desktop into a slideshow of your favorite photos.

From the Personalization window, click Desktop Background

Choose the images you want to cycle and display on your screen. You have the option of choosing how long a picture is displayed on your screen.

-------------------------------

Glass Color - You can make your windows look the way you like with your favorite color. Windows 7 Color and Appearance now includes a total of 16 different colors to choose from.

From the Personalization window, click Windows Color

Choose the color you want. You also have the option of controlling the intensity of the color by using the Color Intensity slider. The transparency effects can optionally be turned off.

--------------------------------

Windows 7 bundles a set of 6 pre-packed themes for you to get started with, these include the default branded Windows 7 themes: Architecture, Characters, Landscapes, Nature and Scenes. The Windows Team went the extra mile with Windows 7 where themes and local cultures are related. Windows 7 offers themes tailored to different regions and languages, with special wallpapers, sounds and Aero Glass colors to provide a more locally relevant experience.

The Sounds Area of Personalization includes a collection of 13 new sound schemes that are also related to the new Windows 7 bundled themes.

Windows 7 does not stop at what comes bundled on the installation disk, users can create their own Slide show themes and download additional ones from Microsoft’s Windows 7 website here Simply click a theme to Download and it will install your chosen theme. If you want to create your own theme and save it, learn more in the following Notebooks.com article here 

You can download additional themes and backgrounds from the Windows 7 website

Themes are a great way to have fun with your PC and make it represent you and your experiences. Of course, you are not limited by what Microsoft provides, third party solutions are also available for you to customize the Windows interface to an even greater degree. StarDock Object Desktop which is partly responsible for the now defunct Windows Dreamscene once available to Windows Vista provides artistic themed interfaces for Windows, allowing you to change up your Windows experience as much as you like. You can learn more here So, don't be afraid to have fun with Windows 7 and change it up the way you like, as Microsoft says After all, it's yours.

Resources

Using the Windows 7 Desktop - Fun Time Savers
Using the improved Taskbar and Start menu in Windows 7
A Guided Tour of Windows 7 for new users

Today I got a call from FedEx that a package from Microsoft is available for me to pickup. I wondered what it could be, so I hurried down to FedEx and hurried back home to unpack. Ah, there it was, my very own, special commemorative edition of Windows 7 Ultimate for participating in Microsoft's Technical Beta Program since January 2009. The folks behind this special edition added a little something extra to the packaging to make it standout as a memento from the great experience we had testing this exceptional release of Windows upgrade. At the back of the box is a special note from Steve Ballmer thanking testers for their hard work:

Thank You.

On behalf of all the people who helped to create Windows 7, I want personally
thank you for the interest, collaboration, and support you've extended to Microsoft
over the years.

Steve Ballmer

Check out the slide show here

This is certainly a lovely gesture and I would like to extend my thanks to Microsoft again and the Windows Team for allowing me to participate in such an excellent release. The experience I have had testing Windows 7 was one I will never forget. Also, I must extend congratulations to fellow testers for the great job they did testing Windows 7, the feature focuses, chats and filing of reports help to shape this release that millions will enjoy world wide on their PC at work and home.

Over 8 million people tested Windows 7 when it was in development and I am sure many of you are still running the Windows 7 Release Candidate which expires in March 2010. You might have be running the RC in a production setup because of how stable and impressive the software is, especially for a pre-release product. At the same time, you are contemplating, how do I move to the final version of the software with my accumulated data on it? Can I simply do an in place upgrade from the RC to the final release? What about all my installed applications?

These are all good questions and its something I was curious about myself and decided to document. The first thing you should understand as a tester of pre-release software, means its pre-release and Microsoft is in no way responsible for anything that can happen running the software in a production environment. Yes, the software is very stable, especially since the first beta released back in January 2009, but there are a few things users must know before deploying it and what happens when the software is going to expire. Here is a bit of information from Microsoft about the Windows 7 Upgrade path policies:

Upgrades to Windows 7 from the following operating systems are not supported:

• Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows XP, Windows Vista® RTM, Windows Vista Starter, Windows 7 M3, Windows 7 Beta, Windows 7 RC, or Windows 7 IDS
• Windows NT® Server 4.0, Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server® 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2
• Cross-architecture in-place upgrades (for example, x86 to x64) are not supported.
• Cross-language in-place upgrades (for example, en-us to de-de) are not supported.
• Cross-SKU upgrades (for example, Windows 7 N to Windows 7 K) are not supported.
• Upgrades from Windows Vista to Windows N, Windows K, Windows KN, or Windows E are not supported. Cross-build type in-place upgrades (for example, fre to chk) are not supported.
• Pre-release in-place upgrades across milestones (for example, Windows 7 RC to Windows 7 RTM) are not supported.
  For more details check out the link http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772579(WS.10).aspx

Q: Can computers running Windows 7 Release Candidate upgrade directly to Windows 7 Release to Manufacturer build?
A: Yes, but this is not a recommended or supported scenario. Microsoft recommends persons running the Release Candidate released in April 2009, reinstall Windows Vista and do upgrades from that release to Windows 7 RTM.

Q: Didn’t previous development versions of Windows support build to build upgrades?
A: True, but Microsoft has changed this policy for the Windows 7 release. They want users to test against real world scenarios. A build to build upgrade introduces unexpected complications that make it difficult to diagnose problems considering such scenarios do not exist in real world deployments.

You can learn more about the Windows Teams decision:
http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/04/07/delivering-a-quality-upgrade-experience.aspx

Q: What is the difference between Windows 7 RC and RTM?

Windows 7 RC software is a time limited build of the product that focuses on a phase of development. The Windows 7 RTM final release is a complete copy of the software that is designated as ready and fit for use in production environments. To reach Windows 7 RTM, a particular build has to go through a series of thorough regression test and optimizations to reach a level of quality satisfactory for production. Build 7600.16385 is that build and was completed on July 22nd 2009. Another major difference between Windows 7 RC and RTM (in particular Ultimate), with the RC it goes into Reduced Functional Mode on June 1st 2010, bi-hourly shutdowns will begin March 1st 2010. Windows 7 RTM does not expire, also the Windows 7 Ultimate RC are missing or won't receive additional key updates and features such as Language Packs which was recently made available to RTM customers.

Tools of the trade:

So you want to move to the final product, but we now understand that in place upgrades are not supported and you must return to the prior installation of Windows and then upgrade to the final release. To make it easy, the first thing I recommend you do is have an external hard disk on hand, you are going to need this for Windows Easy Transfer, I am sure some of us have data that ranges in many gigabytes and a DVD disk is not gonna be enough or reliable for such a scenario. External hard disks are cheap and easy to use and make the migration process seamless.

The the next thing you will need to do is have your Windows installation disk nearby, if your computer previously had Windows Vista or XP installed, you will need to reinstall it after backing up your personal files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer the External hard disk. Also keep any necessary application disk nearby just in case you will need to reinstall any of your favorite programs. My migration was a unique one particularly because I was using Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit SP2 prior to Windows 7. So, I was able to take advantage of the Complete PC Backup feature which is unique to Windows Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate. Complete PC Backup allows you to create a backup replica of your Windows Vista installation, so in case something catastrophic happens, you can restore your system from a image of your installation when it was working. No need to reinstall applications or device drivers. It is exceptionally convenient and easy to use. With the release of Windows 7, Microsoft has made System Imaging capabilities available in all editions of Windows 7.

If you are a tester who originally had Windows Vista Home Basic or Home Premium installed, prior to installing Windows 7 RC, you would have had to protect your files and settings using the Standard Backup and Restore tools or Windows Easy Transfer, since those editions do not include Complete PC Backup. This also means, if you reinstall Windows Vista Home Basic or Home Premium and restore personal files and settings using Windows Easy Transfer or Backup and Restore Center, your programs and device drivers must be reinstalled. Persons who used third party drive imaging tools such as Acronis Disk Director should not have to go through those steps since the capabilities available in that utility are identical in functionality where disk imaging is related.

Lets begin

Here I am I booted to my Windows 7 Release Candidate desktop, the first thing I did was turn on my external hard disk, since that is where we will backup our Windows Easy Transfer .mig file. To start Windows Easy Transfer,

click Start, type: Windows Easy Transfer

Hit Enter

The Easy Transfer wizard will now begin, click next and follow the on screen wizard. Our particular choice for backup method will be done by saving the .mig file to a External hard disk.

Windows Easy Transfer Wizard

Select the method for assisting the transfer of your personal files

Identify the computer you are backing, in this case, it would be the "old computer"

Windows Easy Transfer scans your accounts for files to transferred, along with shared files

Estimating how many files will be transferred

You will now see the total size of the Easy Transfer File that will be created which includes all accounts, in addition to your personal settings. Please note, no programs are backed up.

Next step involves securing your Windows Easy Transfer file (optional) and save it to the external hard disk.

Windows Easy Transfer file is now being saved.

Once we have safely stored our Windows Easy Transfer file on our external hard disk, the next step is to return to Windows Vista. Returning to Vista for some persons might involve, restoring your Complete PC Backup, if you are running Windows Vista Ultimate, Enterprise or Business. If you don't have these capabilities in your edition of Windows Vista (Home Basic or Premium), you will instead have to reinstall the operating system from the DVD, then do the upgrade to Windows 7.

Another thing I have noticed is depending on the edition of Windows 7 you upgrade to, the Windows Easy Transfer file we created might not be able to restore, because they are not corresponding editions. For example, a Windows Easy Transfer file created in Windows 7 Ultimate will not able to be restored in Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional. The only work around for this is to create a standard backup of your files using the Backup and Restore features of Windows 7 Ultimate RC or manually copy and paste files to backup medium.

Restoring our Windows Vista Backup:

As I had noted earlier, I had my Windows Vista Ultimate installation backed up as a Complete PC Backup. In the above I am restoring it back to my hard disk. To learn more about backing up your Windows Installation and Improved recovery options, check here and here

So we are now back on Windows Vista and we have booted to the desktop. Our next step, will involve, doing an in place upgrade using the final version of Windows 7 (upgrade or full version). Of course, I am upgrading from Windows Vista Ultimate SP2 64 bit to Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit because they are logical, corresponding editions. To start the installation, insert your Windows 7 DVD, click Install Now. To learn more about doing an in place upgrade, please check out the following article here

Pre-requisite Upgrade Notes:

1. Disable any security software before attempting to upgrade or do a clean install.
2. Make sure your computer is updated (devices and applications)
3. Disconnect any non-essential devices before installing.
4. Check your hard disk for any errors:

Click Start
Type: CMD, from the results, right click CMD
Click 'Run as Administrator'
At the Command Prompt, type: chkdsk /r
When you restart your system, your computer will be scanned for errors and attempts will be made to correct them.

So we have successfully upgraded to Windows 7, but there is one set of task left, restoring our personal data and updating the operating system. The next step now is to launch Windows Easy Transfer in Windows 7 RTM. Make sure the external hard disk where you backed up the Windows Easy Transfer (.mig) file is turned on.

Click Start, type: Windows Easy

Hit Enter

Windows Easy Transfer Wizard begins

Earlier, we had backed up our Windows Easy Transfer file to an external hard disk, so we will select that option from the three available methods.

Select new computer, since we are now on the final version of Windows 7.

Make sure the External hard disk is plugged in and turned on, click Yes

We now browse to the external hard disk where the WET file is stored and click Open

Opening the Windows Easy Transfer file

Here you will see the list of accounts and folders that were backed, you can select which accounts you would like to transfer. Click the Transfer button to begin restoring your personal files and settings.

Windows Easy Transfer is restoring your personal files and settings. Please avoid using your computer during the restoration.

Once you have successfully transferred your personal files and settings, you can see a list of what was transferred along with a list of programs you might need to reinstall.

The Windows Easy Transfer Report provides a detailed list of items that were transferred from your old computer, these include: Accounts, Documents, Program settings and System Settings.

The Windows Easy Transfer Program report, list all the programs that you might need to reinstall. In my case, most of my programs needed are already installed because I did an in place upgrade from Windows Vista.

Before we complete the transfer, we must restart the system to permanently apply the changes.

And that's it, we have successfully migrated from Windows 7 Ultimate Release Candidate to Windows 7 RTM. Now you can enjoy the benefits of the final product which includes key updates and support. Migration will vary depending on the final edition of Windows 7 you purchased and the edition you reinstall and upgrade from. To ensure a smooth upgrade, make sure you do a few things such as:

Install the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor - This utility provided by Microsoft can help you assess your current hardware devices and software programs before upgrading and make appropriate recommendations before attempting an installation.

Compatible Antivirus utility - A compatible antivirus for Windows 7 will ensure that you have stable, secure and always protected system.

Some of my devices and applications are not working, what should I do?

A: If your Internet connection is working in Windows 7, I suggest you try obtaining the drivers through Windows Update. Click Start > All Programs > Windows Update > Turn on Windows Update. A list of available updates will then be downloaded, you will have the option to view them, do so and check off the appropriate drivers or software patches you need and click Install. You can also check the manufacturer’s website for patches, updated drivers or to simply find out about Windows 7 support for the particular product.

Additional Resources:

Windows 7 System Requirements
Windows 7 Editions

Related

Using Windows Easy Transfer in Windows 7
How to migrate from Windows XP to Windows 7
How to upgrade to Windows 7
How to backup your installation of Windows 7