The Epic Mission To Upgrade From XP To 7

NomNom

NomNom

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Ok so I have been reading into this for some time and apparently it should work. My mission is simply this: To upgrade a Windows XP Professional SP3 PC to Windows 7 Professional. Obviously the problem is simple; it can not be done directly. My plan is this: Upgrade from Windows XP Professional SP3 to Windows Vista Business (I have downloaded an ISO, 32bit just to help me with this, I don’t intend to use it longer than I have to) then from that to Windows 7 Professional 32bit.

In theory it should work. Why can't I just format and put on windows 7 directly you ask? Cause the PC I am thinking of upgrading needs to have as little impact to the programs that it has installed on it as possible. I need to make this transition as painless and possible.

I do however require a backup solution in case this does unfortunately fail (which I highly doubt) I have thought of imaging the whole drive which is a 160GB but only has 70GB+- used. There was/is a thread on mybb about using such an imaging program somewhere (too tired to look at this time) I need it to make an image of the drive and send it over the network to my networked PC (my PC), then if the plan above fails I need to be able to send the image back so that the owner may use the PC again just as it is currently now, can this program do it? is there one out there that can?

I need the IT hardware/software gurus to help me please with this; I need to iron out any small details in this plan. One detail is to remove the anti-virus program (Bitdefender 2012) is minimize any potential problems.

So I'm reaching out to you guys, have any of you tried this? Is it plausible?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)
 
Well I see no problem with upgrading in stages, it may however be quite a lengthy session. To find any other issues before upgrading to Vista, I found that the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor works quite well, in detecting incompatible applications and the like. Download @ CNET

Sadly this is all the help I can offer for now.
 
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oh my. i say get a new HDD and install from scratch. Then mount the XP drive and get everything you need gradually off of it.
 
NomNom said:
Ok so I have been reading into this for some time and apparently it should work. My mission is simply this: To upgrade a Windows XP Professional SP3 PC to Windows 7 Professional. Obviously the problem is simple; it can not be done directly. My plan is this: Upgrade from Windows XP Professional SP3 to Windows Vista Business (I have downloaded an ISO, 32bit just to help me with this, I don’t intend to use it longer than I have to) then from that to Windows 7 Professional 32bit.

In theory it should work. Why can't I just format and put on windows 7 directly you ask? Cause the PC I am thinking of upgrading needs to have as little impact to the programs that it has installed on it as possible. I need to make this transition as painless and possible.

I do however require a backup solution in case this does unfortunately fail (which I highly doubt) I have thought of imaging the whole drive which is a 160GB but only has 70GB+- used. There was/is a thread on mybb about using such an imaging program somewhere (too tired to look at this time) I need it to make an image of the drive and send it over the network to my networked PC (my PC), then if the plan above fails I need to be able to send the image back so that the owner may use the PC again just as it is currently now, can this program do it? is there one out there that can?

I need the IT hardware/software gurus to help me please with this; I need to iron out any small details in this plan. One detail is to remove the anti-virus program (Bitdefender 2012) is minimize any potential problems.

So I'm reaching out to you guys, have any of you tried this? Is it plausible?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)
Click to expand...

Why?

If it aint broke don't fix it (alternatively copy your XP installation, install 7 and run xp under VM-ware for those important programs.)
 
Xzib1t said:
Well I see no problem with upgrading in stages, it may however be quite a lengthy session. To find any other issues before upgrading to Vista, I found that the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor works quite well, in detecting incompatible applications and the like. Download @ CNET

Sadly this is all the help I can offer for now.
Click to expand...

Yeah thanks for this I have looked into this already and it was found that the vista adviser have been superseded by the Windows 7 one, the Windows 7 one confirms that everything is in the green.

stricken said:
oh my. i say get a new HDD and install from scratch. Then mount the XP drive and get everything you need gradually off of it.
Click to expand...

This is plan E, will just need to come up with plan B, C, D first :) I had thought of this and yes it would be the ideal way to go but the owner has voted against this course of action. The PC needs to be up and running asap if this plan goes into action.

alloytoo said:
Why?

If it aint broke don't fix it (alternatively copy your XP installation, install 7 and run xp under VM-ware for those important programs.)
Click to expand...

The Windows has degraded quite abit and unfortunately there simply isn't much more I can do to keep it alive. I have given some thought to simply reinstalling thee windows but in this day and age I might aswell do the upgrade. I will however pursue your suggestion to run the xp under VMware thanks.
 
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NomNom said:
The Windows has degraded quite abit and unfortunately there simply isn't much more I can do to keep it alive. I have given some thought to simply reinstalling thee windows but in this day and age I might aswell do the upgrade. I will however pursue your suggestion to run the xp under VMware thanks.
Click to expand...

May be necessary to run some older apps.
 
You can always use something like USMT (User State Migration Tool) from Microsoft if you are worried about application settings that may be lost. USMT will allow you to backup your user settings and files from XP and restore them on Win7.
 
iblade said:
You can always use something like USMT (User State Migration Tool) from Microsoft if you are worried about application settings that may be lost. USMT will allow you to backup your user settings and files from XP and restore them on Win7.
Click to expand...

Will look into that thanks. :)
 
Similar to what alloytoo said:

Some windows 7's, like ultimate, have XP mode, as far as I remember, it's basically like running XP in a VM, yet it integrates that VM into your win7, so apps show in your win7 start menu, and run on it's desktop, yet it wouldn't clutter your win7 up at all.
I think it's similar to crystal or coherence or whatever they call it in other VM software, could be worth investigating if you aren't already aware of it.

I did give it a test when I had win7 RC, and it worked well enough. USB worked fine as well.

I don't really like the idea of your solution or this really, but at least with this (if it worked) you could gradually move into your windows 7.
 
xera said:
Similar to what alloytoo said:

Some windows 7's, like ultimate, have XP mode, as far as I remember, it's basically like running XP in a VM, yet it integrates that VM into your win7, so apps show in your win7 start menu, and run on it's desktop, yet it wouldn't clutter your win7 up at all.
I think it's similar to crystal or coherence or whatever they call it in other VM software, could be worth investigating if you aren't already aware of it.

I did give it a test when I had win7 RC, and it worked well enough. USB worked fine as well.

I don't really like the idea of your solution or this really, but at least with this (if it worked) you could gradually move into your windows 7.
Click to expand...

I see on here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

That I am able to download it if I have Windows 7 Professional. Hmmm might be the way to go hey. I will just need to read into how to do this now, so I install a new hard drive into the machine and install windows 7 Professional on it then download and install Windows XP mode then somehow move the XP from the other drive into the XP mode? :confused:

What I think will be done before this is I will get a new hard drive for the PC to install Windows 7 on then see what I can do from there.
 
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NomNom said:
I see on here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

That I am able to download it if I have Windows 7 Professional. Hmmm might be the way to go hey. I will just need to read into how to do this now, so I install a new hard drive into the machine and install windows 7 Professional on it then download and install Windows XP mode then somehow move the XP from the other drive into the XP mode? :confused:

What I think will be done before this is I will get a new hard drive for the PC to install Windows 7 on then see what I can do from there.
Click to expand...

this might help you http://windowssecrets.com/newsletter/using-windows-7s-xp-mode-step-by-step/#story2
 
I reckon it would be quicker to do a fresh install of 7, apps used & data restore. Doing two updates on a already dodgy system is looking for schit imho but all the best.
 
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