#1 - Don't just do something, sit there!
Sit there and open Control Panel, do the required wiggling and get to your hardware settings. VERY carefully, make note of every single thing Windows XP is telling you about your hardware. WHO MADE your hardware? Are they still in business? Do they still have a Web presence? Are DRIVERS for your hardware still available from that source? WRITE THIS DOWN because I promise you it will be helpful later.
Collect, as best you are able, drivers and installation packs for your current hardware. Microsoft has not empowered Windows 7 to find them for you. Yet.
My acer WebBook camera has been out of service for about a month now because I don't have drivers and software for it any more. One is hoping that acer will address this SOON.
#2 - Copy your install disks
Especially if you are working with a WebBook without a CD/DVD drive, this step is useful. Even if you have an external drive available, this step is STILL recommended, as a single read error can cripple your install process. The 64-bit version of Windows 7 is 3.9 GB, the 32-bit is 2.3 GB. They will fit comfortably on any thumb drive 4 GB or larger.
This is also recommended for "essential" other software installs like OpenOffice (or its Microsoft superset), antivirus protection, etc. etc. etc. Anything you believe is a "must-have-immediately" item should go on the thumb drive. It'll work, I promise.
#3 - Plan "busy work"
There is an almost-invaluable ~5 MB file waiting for you at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer And when WAS the last time Microsoft gave you something useful for free?
Easy Transfer will allow you to back up your Windows and "Documents and Settings" folders to an external drive, along with anything else you tell it to archive (Windows 7 will put those two folders into a Windows.old area of your install, but you may be well-advised to think of that as a last resort). Obviously, this goes on that thumb drive you're working with. Make sure you get the right version, as Easy Transfer (like Windows 7 itself) comes in 32- and 64-bit versions.
The problem with Easy Transfer is that it is PAINFULLY SLOW on both the backup AND restore end. My mileage was ten minutes per GB, so that backing up the 37 GB of data on my acer 100 GB drive took, yes, more than six hours. This is easy if you remember to do it before leaving the house for work...not so much if you start at 9 p.m. and expect to finish before dawn. Happily, external drives are remarkably cheap these days and there have been enough news reports (even the Wall Street Journal got into the story!) warning you that you should already be prepared.
#4 - How much memory DO you have?
I have a delightfully large, heavy, cumbersome eMachines laptop with a wide monitor. It's great to watch movies with while traveling. However, I learned two interesting things about it during this process - 1) the memory chip it contains cannot exceed 2 GB and 2) the machine can't address more than 750 MB, so even the 1 GB chip in it now is careless overkill.
Yes, I tried to install Windows 7 into this sweet monster, which I love for every one of the 49 minutes its battery can provide without the AC cord. The "are you ready for Windows 7" application cautioned me that it MAY NOT function optimally without more memory, but didn't say "Don't even try."
After install was completed, I clicked the new and much-better respected version of Windows Explorer to open a window. It took TWENTY MINUTES. Happily, I still had the eMachine repair kit, and Windows XP continues to work fine on this aging beast. I believe Linux looms large on its horizon.
#5 - Final check
Okay:
- Hardware data, drivers and useful information links?
- Install disks tucked onto a speedy USB drive?
- All your good data stored externally?
- Several good movies from Netflix waiting to help you while away the hours?
- ABSOLUTELY sure you have at least 1 GB of memory (the acer hums nicely with what appears to be this minimum requirement)?
Oh, yes - is your Internet service provider account in good standing? It may be possible to install without the Web waiting and ready, but it is not recommended. Many ISPs accept on-line payment and/or offer 24-hour telephone support; certainly all of them accept credit cards.
So now, go for it. There will be a few interactions with the install along the way, as 7 is a bit more user-intensive than XP, but not tediously so.
Best of luck - and here's hoping SP1 arrives soon.
Happy holidays from your ever-lovin' Unclejack - UnclejackDC@Yahoo.Com
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