Over the past few years computers have gotten extremely powerful, which has made things once possible only on large server computers common on desktops and laptops. Virtualization is one such utility which is now available and affordable on most systems.

What is Virtualization?

Virtualization is the ability to run more than one operating system on top of another operating system using virtualization software. Virtualization makes running multiple operating systems convenient and less invasive than older methods, such as setting up partitions and configuring boot options. Virtualization is also a great solution for handling compatibility with older applications.

In this article, we take a look at some of the other virtualization programs out there, and how to install and set them up.

Windows Virtual PC

We took a look at installing and using Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode a couple years ago, so I will not go into too much detail since you can refer to that article for detailed instructions. Windows Virtual PC is provided as a free download to customers running Windows 7. If you are running Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise or ultimate editions, Windows Virtual PC is included along with Windows XP Mode. This is a preconfigured Windows XP Professional SP3 .VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) file you can use to run your older programs that are not designed for Windows 7. If you are running Windows 7 Home Premium, you can download Windows Virtual PC and use it with your own Windows license if you wish.

Let’s take a look at setting up a Virtual Machine in Windows Virtual PC.

First you need to download Windows Virtual PC:

You need to install Windows 6.1-KB958559-x64 or x86 depending on the architecture of Windows 7 you are running, 32 or 64 bit.

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.

Once Windows Virtual PC is installed, click Start > All Programs > Windows Virtual PC > Windows Virtual PC. If it is not listed, try the following:

Click Start, type: turn windows features on or off, then hit Enter on your keyboard.

Make sure that Windows Virtual PC is checked. Click OK, restart your computer if prompted.

If all goes well, launch Windows Virtual PC from Start menu > All Programs.

The Windows Virtual PC interface looks like a typical Windows Explorer. I already have a virtual machine setup, but if I would like to add another one I can do so. Let’s take a look at doing that. On the command bar, click the ‘Create virtual machine’ button.

This will start the Create a virtual machine wizard. In the above wizard page, you can enter details about the Virtual Machine such as its name to help identify it if you have more than one Virtual Machine setup. You can also choose a location where you would like to store this virtual machine. In regards to virtual machine, just go with the defaults. Once you have filled in these details, click Next.

Depending on the version and edition of Windows you would like to run, you might need to allocate more memory than the default 512 MBs of RAM. Versions of Windows such as Windows Vista and Windows 7 will need more. This also means the host system will need to have enough memory to run it and the virtual machine at the same time. When it comes to virtual machines, the more memory the better. Since I am using Windows XP for this article, 512 MBs should be more than enough. But if you plan on running many older programs, consider increasing that to at least 1 GB (1024 MBs).

Another option is Networking, if you plan on keeping the virtual machine maintained and updated, you will need to have an Internet connection for Windows Updates, and obtain any available application updates. This is especially important for protection software such as Antivirus utilities in your Virtual Machine. Once you have made the appropriate adjustments, click Next.

The above screen provides several options for adding a virtual hard disk which will be used to store and access the operating system. I recommend you go with the default since it will be less complicated and easier to manage. You can run into limitations if you create a fixed virtual hard disk and later find out you didn’t create it with enough space. If you already have an existing .VHD file, you can add it and use it. In this particular case, we are creating a new one. After selecting the appropriate options, click Create.

Go back to the Virtual Machines window. There you will see the virtual machine we just created listed. Its status at the moment is powered down. To install Windows, insert your Windows disc in the disc drive. Select the virtual machine and click Open on the command bar.

The virtual machine will boot from the Windows disc and setup will begin loading files. It functions just like you normally would expect on a physical machine. Follow the on screen instructions to install your desired version of Windows.

Installing Windows XP in Windows Virtual PC on Windows 7

Using a virtual machine is just like using a physical PC

The above screenshot shows virtualization software, which is a computer within a computer.

After you have setup Windows in Windows Virtual PC you can do some additional tasks, like install the integration components which will make the virtual machine perform better and easily switch between the virtual machine and host operating system.

At the top of the Windows Virtual PC window, click the Tools menu and click Install Integration Components.

Click Continue.

This will start the setup wizard in the virtual operating system. Follow the on screen instructions. If you don’t meet the minimum requirements you will need to resolve those issues first before continuing. As you can see, Windows Virtual PC requires that Windows XP has SP3 installed before it can proceed.

When you are finish using the virtual machine, you can shut it down by clicking the close button. You will be prompted for an action, whether you want to put it to sleep, shut it down or turn off the computer. Choose the desired action and click OK.

How to Use Virtualization Software: Virtual PC is a post by Andre from Notebooks.com.

As we go further into 2011, the user base for Windows 7 will increase, at the same time, there will be users who still want, or need, to use legacy applications that will not work with the new operating system. Of course, there are solutions available for Windows 7 such as Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode, but because of certain performance issues, like memory and the lack of accelerated graphics, it’s not such a viable solution.

So what is a former Windows XP user to do to get those applications or games you still want to use and play working? Compatibility mode might be an answer (and it might not be an answer). If your intention is to use an old hardware device or game that will never work or be updated to support Windows 7, then the next best option is to dual boot Windows XP with Windows 7. This guide will show you how to dual boot Windows XP and WIndows 7.

Nothing is wrong with that and its part of the concession of running the latest in technology. Some might ask, why upgrade then? This is really about getting the latest advances in computing, while still being able to use what you want, it’s a tough compromise sometimes and there will be some chores. For instance, if you set up a dual boot with Windows XP just for games, then you decide you want check some email or do some Office productivity you will have to restart your computer and boot into Windows 7 to do that.

What is dual booting?

Dual boot is a method of configuring your computer to run more than one operating system. In fact, you can setup your computer to run multiple copies of the same operating system, different versions of the OS or even different types of operating system as long as your computers processor supports it. Doing so takes planning though and you need to evaluate, what your needs are. If your intention is to run an old legacy application such as Microsoft Word 2000 or Photoshop 4.0, then Windows XP Mode would probably be best. If it’s a game, a custom written application or a legacy hardware device, then dual booting might be a better option since it will be running on real hardware and will be running on an operating system its specifically designed for.

What you should know be fore dual booting?

Because a lot of modern laptops and desktops are phasing out support for Windows XP, you need to first check the manufacturer’s website where you purchased your computer to find out if the machine still supports Windows XP. This means, things like drivers for each component in the system are supported, whether it’s the chipset, SATA drivers, the track pad, the card reader, bluetooth, video card etc. Make sure they are all supported before attempting to setup a dual boot configuration since you might likely need these components working in Windows XP to do what you need with it or even to complete a successful installation

Setting up a partition

You will need to install Windows XP somewhere. For this, you need to set aside some storage for Windows XP. You need to also make sure its ample space for your needs. Games tend to use a lot of space and while you are in Windows XP, you probably will want to run a few applications while you are in it. So making sure you configure the system to support your needs is very important. So, the first thing we are going to do is setup the partition to run Windows 7. Windows XP needs a minimum 1.5 GBs of disk space, but to be realistic, 30 to 40 GBs would be recommended. This is my personal recommendation, look at your setup, your application usage patterns and determine what’s best for you.

Licensing

Of course, you will need to have a valid license for Windows XP, this means, you will need to have a full version Windows XP Home, Professional or Media Center 2005 disc to do the installation. If you don’t, then you will need to buy one or purchase an OEM System Builder license from a reputable source.

How to Create the partition

What is a partition by the way?

A partition, sometimes also called a volume, is an area on a hard disk that can be formatted with a file system and identified with a letter of the alphabet. For example, drive C on most Windows computers is a partition.

Click Start, then right click Computer then click Manage

This will load the Computer Management Microsoft Management Console. In the left pane, expand Storage then click Disk Management. In Disk Management we will see all our installed and connected storage devices, whether it’s the local system partition, recovery partition, external hard disk, thumb drive, they will all show up here. The important one we will be dealing with is the system partition, often called the C: drive or where Windows is installed.

Select the C: drive, we will be reducing the size of it to make enough disk space to install Windows XP. Right click the C: drive then click Shrink Volume.

Please wait while it initializes

On the Shrink window, you will see various fields and options available. The important one is Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB. Here you will enter the amount of space you would like to allocate to Windows XP. In my case, I am using a small drive, so I will give it about 5.8 GBs of disk space just for the purposes of this article. You can choose more depending on the amount of space you have. This will also indicate how much space is left for Windows 7, as you can see, I will have 14.5 GBs remaining. Once you have confirmed everything, click Shrink to create the partition.

You will now notice the new drive appears, but it’s still not ready, since it’s in a state called unallocated. We will need to prepare it to be ready for use, this means formatting it with a file system supported by Windows XP which is NTFS.

To do this, right click on the Unallocated disk space and click New Simple Volume.

This will start the New Simple Volume Wizard, click Next to continue

We have confirmed the amount of space we will be using, you have the option of further reducing the size if you believe it’s too much. Click Next

We will assign a driver, a default should already be selected, Click Next

By default, the option to Format should already be pre-selected, the default file system is NTFS. For identification purposes, we will give the partition a name, in this case WINXP, Click Next

A summary of the changes made, click Finish to confirm and apply

You will now see the partition appear in Disk Management along with its file system and partition size.

The drive should also show up in Computer explorer.

This means we are now ready to install Windows XP. But before we do so, let’s do a few things to be on the safe side.

• Create a backup, learn more here
• Create a recovery disk
• Download EasyBCD by NeoSmart Technologies – a very important utility, store it on a thumbdrive

Insert your Windows XP CD, then restart your computer.

When prompted to boot from the CD, do so. This requires pressing any key on your keyboard.

Windows XP will go through its setup process.

Once you arrive at the Welcome Setup, press Enter on your keyboard to begin the setup process

Press F8 on your keyboard to accept the license agreement

You will see a list of partitions, select the partition we created earlier in Windows 7. Choose the one we just created.

Select Format the partition using the NTFS file system

Press F on your keyboard to begin the formatting.

Installation files will now be copied to your hard disk

Your system will be restarted, Windows XP setup will continue

Warning: Do NOT press any key, this will only start the setup process all over again.

We have now reached the graphical portion of setup, let Windows XP do its thing, when prompted to select a language, account name and other usual task required of the Out of Box Experience, do so.

We are now back in Windows XP. So you will be able to run those game, applications, devices that you need from time to time.

Before we do that though, we need to get our Windows 7 installation back in working order. To do that, insert your Windows 7 DVD. Restart your computer.

Press any key to boot from the DVD

Windows 7 is loading files

Select a language, a time, a currency, and a keyboard or another input method, and then click Next.

Click the link that says Repair your computer

Wait while Windows 7 diagnostics tools are loaded

Click the operating system system that you want to repair, and then click Next

In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt

Type BOOTREC /FIXMBR and then press Enter

Next, type BOOTREC /FIXBOOT and then press Enter

Type x:bootBootsect.exe /NT60 ALL then press Enter

x: represents the name of your Optical Drive where the Windows 7 installation media is located. In my case, E: is the name of my DVD drive.

The output from the command which indicates the Boot Manager has been fixed.

Close the command prompt

Click Restart

We are now able to boot into Windows 7 once again, but we have once again lost Windows XP. To fix that remember that tool named EasyBCD by NeoSmart Technologies I told you to download? Now is a good time to have it.

EasyBCD provides a graphical front end to the BCDEdit Command line that makes it easy for you to define start-up settings and edit boot entries on the Windows 7 Boot Manager. You can download it at from Neosmart.

Go ahead and install EasyBCD

Launch EasyBCD when Setup is complete and go to Add/Remove Entries area of the program

Click in the Type: list box and select the type of boot manager you want to add, in this case, select the Windows NT/2K/XP/2K3 option.

Give it a name, then click Add Entry then click Save under Manage Existing Entries

When you restart or start your computer, you will now see a boot entry for Windows XP, use the navigation arrows on your keyboard to select it and press Enter on your keyboard. You can now boot into Windows XP or Windows 7 anytime you want.

Back in business.

How to dual boot Windows 7 and Windows XP (Part 1) is a post by Andre from Notebooks.com.

If you use Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode on any of the supported editions of Windows 7 (Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate) you might realize that the default allocated memory (256 MBs), just might not be enough for your needs. There is a quick solution for that, give it more RAM.

Now this all depends on your system, as you need to have enough memory to run both the Host operating system (Windows 7) and the Guest (XP Mode) so this tip might not be an option until you install additional physical RAM in the system.

If you do have the additional memory to allocate, here is how you do it. First, you need to make sure you have shutdown the Virtual Machine entirely or else the option to give it more memory will be grayed out. To do that, close the Virtual Machine, click in the list box and select the option to Shutdown, click OK.

If you don’t get that option, then it means your virtual machine has not been set to prompt you for an action. To change this setting, click Start in Windows 7 > All Programs > Windows Virtual PC > Windows Virtual PC.

Select the Windows XP Mode.vmcx file and click Settings on the Command Bar.

On the Settings dialog, select Close, then select the Prompt for action radio box and click OK to apply. This will now give you the option to shutdown the virtual machine.

Once you have shutdown Windows XP Mode, go back to the Windows XP Mode – Windows Virtual PC Settings window and select the Memory option.

You will now be able to enter additional memory in the Memory (RAM): box. Again, this depends on the total amount memory you have installed in the system. Allocating too much can adversely affect the performance of the Windows 7 host. The good thing about this though is, you will be able to increase the performance the the Virtual Machine and applications running in it. That’s it!

Quick Tip: How to add more memory to Windows XP Mode is a post by Andre from Notebooks.com.

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.

Using Windows Virtual PC with Windows XP Mode is a post by Andre from Notebooks.com.

If you have decided to upgrade to Windows 7, you have one other thing to to do, choose an edition. This will depend on a number of factors, whether you are doing a clean install, upgrading from a previous version of Windows, or you have multiple PC’s in your home. Microsoft has made choosing an edition of Windows 7 a little easier in comparison to Windows Vista. Instead of 6 editions, you will now see 3 editions in mainstream markets. Cost is also a factor and users need to evaluate their needs. Do I need all the features of Windows? Am I really using all the features of Windows? This article takes a look at whats included, hopefully you will be guided in the right direction.

Editions

I mentioned that Windows 7 is available in 3 editions, true, but there are still 6 editions. No, I wasn’t lying, its just how Microsoft is marketing the editions. If you go into a Best Buy or wherever software/computer products are sold you will see only 3 mainstream editions in pretty product boxes, but Windows 7 is available in the following 6 editions:

Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate.

Starter: Broad app and device compatibility, unlimited application support, Safe, reliable, and supported. Ability to join a Home Group, Improved taskbar and Jump Lists. Windows 7 Starter will be distributed only on new systems that meet a certain requirement: 10.1″ screen display with 1024×600 resolution, 1.66Ghz Intel Atom N280 processor, 1 GB of RAM, and a 250 GB hard disk – otherwise known as Netbooks.

Home Basic: Another OEM only version of Windows 7 will available on new systems in emerging markets. Microsoft describes this edition as a product for cost concious consumers. Users should note, that Home Basic is 32 bit only, (Vista Home Basic had a 64 bit edition). Home Basic includes enhanced visual experience, Advanced networking support (ad-hoc wireless networks and internet connection sharing), Mobility Center.

Home Premium: Now this edition is probably the sweet spot for many consumers who decide to move to Windows 7. You get all of the cool user interface features: Aero Glass & advanced windows navigation, Easy networking & sharing across all your PCs & devices through HomeGroups, Improved media format support, enhancements to Windows Media Center and media streaming, including Play To, Multi-touch and improved handwriting recognition. Windows 7 Home Premium is available in both 32 and 64 bit editions supporting up to 16 GBs of RAM if you have such a configuration (both disks are included in the product box too). If you have multiple PC’s, you can purchase the Windows 7 Home Premium Family Pack Upgrade for 3 PC’s. This entitles you to upgrade 3 computers for just $149.99, great value. Learn more here

Professional: If you consider your self an advanced user, then Professional would be the right choice for you. Windows XP Professional or Windows Vista Business users, if you are running those editions, its most likely you will need this one. Professional gives you the ability to join a managed network with Domain Join, Protect  data with advanced network backup and Encrypting File System, Print to the right printer at home or work with Location Aware Printing. In addition to this, Windows 7 Professional includes Group Policy Editor for controling access and behavior of your computer. Windows 7 Professional supports up to 192 GBs of Random Access Memory and includes support for multiple physical processors and its also available in 32 and 64 bit editions.

Enterprise: This is a unique edition of Windows that you won’t find in stores. It is sold to businesses who need Windows licenses in volume to install on hundreds or thousands of computers. Basically, Windows 7 Enterprise is like Windows 7 Professional on steroids, you will find all the features of that edition along with some additional tools called BitLocker Drive Encryption and BitLocker To Go for encrypting your laptop hard disk or an external storage device such as Thumbdrive, in addition to this, Enterprise features World Wide Language support (Multi-Lingual User Interface or MUI’s) support, with up 35 available languages. Enterprise edition also works best when deployed with Microsoft’s Windows Server 2008 R2 network operating system to provide unique features such as AppLocker support, Direct Access, BrancheCache, features that protect what type of applications employees have access to, speedy access to network resources and faster access to Virtual Private Networks.

Ultimate: Combining all the features of Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Enterprise, this edition of Windows 7 gives you every single feature available. Microsoft dubs it, ‘the most complete edition of Windows’. Feautures such as BitLocker data protection on internal and external drives, DirectAccess provides seamless connectivity to your corporate network.  (requires Windows Server 2008 R2), Decrease time branch office workers wait to open file across the network with BranchCache. (requires Windows Server 2008 R2), Prevent unauthorized software from running with AppLocker are all available in Windows 7 Ultimate. If you want it all, this is the Windows for you.

Ultimate, Professional and Home Premium, are the editions you will see in stores this October.

How much will Windows 7 cost?

Windows 7 will be available in 6 editions, but primary emphasis is being put towards Home Premium and Professional for mainstream markets.

Pricing:

• Windows 7 Starter Entry-level OEM SKU in all markets for cost conscious consumers.
• Windows 7 Home Basic Value SKU in emerging markets for cost conscious consumers on value PC’s.

Windows Anytime Upgrade makes it easier to get more features.

Anytime Upgrades allow you to move from one edition of Windows 7 to another without the need to reinstall from scratch or purchase the desired edition at retail upgrade pricing. Its great if you have exhausted the features of the current edition of Windows 7 installed and you need more. Another great thing about Windows Anytime Upgrade under Windows 7 compared to Vista’s, you don’t need a special disk and you don’t need to be online to do the upgrade, just have a key for the edition you want and you are good to go. Microsoft will be offering Windows Anytime Upgrades online in 13 countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK or the US. While the Windows 7 Home Premium Family Pack will be available in the US and 8 European countries (UK (£149.99), Ireland (£149.99), Germany (€149.99), France (€149.99), Switzerland (€149.99), Austria (€149.99), the Netherlands (€149.99), and Sweden (€149.99) on October 22nd 2009 while supplies last.

Which should you choose?

I have been reading through a number forums, and persons keep asking, which edition is right for me? Other questions that pop up, I have xyz amount of PC’s, how do I get to upgrade all of them. First of all, you need to evaluate your needs. A person who has 6 PC’s in his house hold used by four individuals in his family with 4 PC’s running Windows XP Professional SP3 and one system Vista Home Premium and the other Vista Ultimate would have to invest in a lot of licenses if they wanted to upgrade to corresponding editions of Windows 7. Considering that 4 of the PC’s are being used at home, do most of the PC’s running Windows XP Professional need the unique functionality of Professional (most of which are business oriented)? You probably could reduce the expenditure by investing in two Windows 7 Home Premium Family Pack Upgrade Licenses for 3 PC’s. Home Premium features easier networking and sharing of resources such as Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos and even Printers. You can do things like stream music and videos to other PC’s and you get all of the major user experience features in that edition.

Windows 7 Home Premium Family Pack provides an affordable way to upgrade multiple PC’s to Windows 7.

Another way to reduce the cost of licensing, if you have a student enrolled in college with a valid .edu, you could let them take advantage of Microsoft’s Student discount offer that gives you the option of purchasing either Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional for just US $30. Please note, these are upgrade licenses, meaning, you need to have a qualifying operating system such as Windows 2000 Professional, XP or Vista. Learn more here and here

Microsoft is putting less prominence towards Windows 7 Ultimate with this release too and you can see the reason why when you compare it to the Professional edition. The Windows Team has made each successive edition a subset of the other. So for instance, Professional is a subset of Home Premium including all its features and more. Unlike Vista Business which only included business only features, users will be pleasantly surprised to know functionality like Media Center is now available in Professional. The pricing is also another factor. Windows 7 Professional cost $300 (upgrade $200) for the full version, while Ultimate cost $320 (upgrade $220), this probably should be a time for reevaluating the need to upgrade from Windows Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate or choose an edition that is more inline with your needs.

Upgrade paths

This is probably the tough part. Users of Windows XP and prior versions of Windows must understand you cannot do an in place upgrade to Windows 7. Windows Vista users too must also evaluate their upgrade paths, because certain editions cannot do in place upgrade to certain editions of Windows 7. An in place upgrade allows you to upgrade to Windows 7 while preserving your personal files, settings, applications and installed drivers.

Don’t let this surprise you, if your are running Windows 2000, XP or Vista you are eligible for upgrade pricing to any edition of Windows 7. Customers who are running Windows Vista that can do in place upgrades to respective editions of Windows 7 must ensure they have Service Pack 1 or later installed.

Netbooks

Prior to Windows 7 users had two choices for operating systems on Netbooks, Windows XP or Linux. Microsoft has really improved the performance in areas such as disk and memory foot print, making any edition of Windows 7 suitable for that form factor. Most manufacturers might pre-load their Netbook devices with Windows 7 Starter, but you will have the option of using Windows Anytime Upgrade to move to a more feature rich editions such as Home Premium.

Conclusion

The information provided in this article might come across a bit overwhelming, but that really is the case when it comes to choice. Microsoft develops multiple editions to meet different needs and market trends. Hopefully with a simplified retail line up and more value added features available in Home Premium and Professional, users can make better choices without feeling there are trade offs in the process.

Resources:

Windows 7 Compare Editions

Windows 7 System Requirements

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

Purchase Windows 7 at the Microsoft Store

A Look at the Windows 7 Editions is a post by Andre from Notebooks.com.