How to upgrade your PC to Windows 7

Windows 7 is here – but how do you get it and what do you need to know before installing it on your PC? We explain all

If you read our feature outlining 10 reasons you should upgrade to Windows 7, you’ll know that the latest version of Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS) brings with it a number of useful benefits, including new desktop features, improved home networking support, better overall performance and more.

In this feature we’re going to look at the practical question of how you upgrade; which version to opt for, how to make sure your PC is ready for Windows 7, what you need to do before installation and how to make the transition as smooth and painless as possible.

There are two main ways to get hold of Windows 7; you can buy a new PC with the operating system pre-installed or buy a copy of the software on its own and install it on an existing computer yourself (although PCs with Vista pre-installed are still on sale, and many offer a free upgrade to Windows 7). If you take the former route, you won’t have to worry about installation at all.

What you will need to do, though, is transfer the documents and folders from your old PC. This can be done using a handy utility called Windows Easy Transfer, which enables you to import user accounts, personal files, contacts, emails preferences and so on from one computer to another via a network, USB cable or external storage device.

On your Windows 7 PC, go to Start, click All Programs, go to Accessories, then go to System Tools, where you’ll find Windows Easy Transfer. Click it to run it and follow the simple wizard-based instructions to complete the process.

Windows 7 on a new PC First of all, you’ll have to find out whether or not your current computer is up to running the task. As a general rule, if the PC is currently running Vista, it will be able to run Windows 7.

The minimum hardware requirements set out by Microsoft for Windows 7 are surprisingly low, which means that even if your computer runs Windows XP, there’s a good chance it will be able to run Windows 7 too.