Upgrading to Windows 7 – Part 2
c) Transition of the applications
Once the upgrade is done, all necessary applications will remain as they are. If you are opting for the clean install, then you need to make use of the original disks related to each application or the relevant file that you had downloaded from the internet the first time of that particular application. Some of the applications may be downloaded again from the internet and the advantage is that you will get the newest version. In other cases, you will need to keep the license numbers of the applications handy to prove that you are indeed the legitimate user of those applications.
d) Be prepared to allocate time for the process
Though the upgrade is a smooth process, it is the back ups and the transfer of files that is time consuming and there is nothing you can do to speed it up. If your internet connection is WI-FI enabled then you will do well to keep an Ethernet cable handy to be able to connect it into the modem if there is a need for the Wi-Fi card to have a fresh driver.
Though this appears to be a relatively simple process of just inserting the Windows 7 CD and wait for the process to take over, it is not that simple. The advisor anticipates possible problems with the printer drivers as well as with the Wi-Fi card that needs to be reloaded once the upgrade is complete and it therefore prompts you to uninstall the anti virus program, Open Office and the IntelliType Pro as well.
You can now do the back up and transfer everything important through the Easy Transfer facility to the external hard drive. Insert the Windows 7 disk and you will be faced with a second check about system compatibility. It will tell you to uninstall any iTunes and “de-authorise” the PC. Any toolbar applications like Google and other software running the ATI Radeon video card also need to be uninstalled till the upgrade is completed.
It is possible that the installation may apparently start and you would think that everything is smooth till you get a message saying that the upgrade was not done fully. This could be due to the Wi-Fi card and printers and it is better to make use of the Ethernet cable and do a wire line internet access to solve the Wi-Fi problem. You need not panic though as your earlier Windows version will be restored and everything will be as it was.
This roll back feature is thus a very good facility as it does not create any untoward damage to your system in the event of the up gradation failing due to any reason. Upgrade duration is also a function of any extra application or file that you may have on your PC when the upgrade is in progress and it is therefore important not to have any such surprises as it can prolong the process.
A successful upgrade ensures that all applications – whether freeware or not along with any device works perfectly. The different user accounts work fine and any settings that had been in place continue their functions seamlessly. The PC is now able to work much faster and applications do not take time to function. Moreover, you will no longer face crashes of the kind you had with the Vista.
