Microsoft has made great efforts to help ease the growing pains of migrating Windows XP and Windows Vista to the new and improved, feature rich, user-friendly Windows 7.  The creators of the latest Windows OS have designed several useful tools and an installation method that will help users make a smooth and seamless transition from an older Windows OS to Windows 7.

By using one or more of the migration aids, Microsoft hopes that all users will experience an uneventful transition from an older OS to Windows 7.
Four installation aids are available to help IT staff upgrade machines that are currently running XP or Vista.  These tools will help preserve all existing user data during the upgrade process while keeping customized settings intact.

1.    Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) – is a downloadable set of tools that will help IT administrators create a customized set of installation preferences that can be applied to every computer in the network from one location.

•    Customizing an AIK allows for “one-touch” installation where all of the configurations are pre-set and the IT administrator only has to click the “GO” button once to install the entire Windows 7 OS on the entire IT network.
•     All Microsoft workstation and many third party applications may be bundled into an AIK and upgraded at the same time that Windows 7 is deployed.

2.    User State Migration Tool (USMT) – is a utility that comes prepackaged with Windows 7.  This tool works with the downloadable AIK tool during the OS installation process to transfer custom user settings and files from a specific Windows XP or Vista machine to the upgraded Windows 7 OS on the same machine.

•    This new tool will keep files and settings protected on the workstation during the upgrading process and will save time since data won’t have to be transferred to a portable drive during upgrade and then later reinstalled.
•    Updates typically take less than 30 minutes.

3.    Windows Easy Transfer – is another prepackaged utility that comes with Windows 7.  It works with Windows XP and Vista machines to relocate user data from one machine to another.

•    This tool is ideal when migrating a small number of machines.
•    With Windows Easy Transfer, files and settings can be transferred using a network, a USB drive, or other external storage.

4.    In Place Upgrade – in addition to the above tools, for Vista OS users, Microsoft also offers an installation method that that will automatically preserve all user applications and data during upgrade.

Whether your IT network is currently running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or a combination of both, Microsoft has made great efforts to make upgrading to Windows 7 as easy as possible. 

To learn more speak Your IT Department – 01158 220 200

The Windows 7 OS provides many new tools and features that focus on improved productivity through improved usability.  This new OS has been constructed to be more intuitive and less distracting (no more annoying and unnecessary pop-ups notifying the user that there is a notification for the user). 

 Users that upgrade to Windows 7 will benefit from increased productivity while enjoying the following resources:

Decreased boot time- the average windows 7 machine will boot will boot up in under 60 seconds.  With the decreased boot time, users will no longer have time to run across the street for a mocha while their system starts up.  Instead, users can get to work as soon as they sit down.
Compatibility- The flexibility of Windows 7 gives users the ability to run almost any software that is Windows compatible.  Windows 7 will work with more accessories and programs than its predecessors, Windows Vista and Windows XP.  Microsoft has designed this OS to automatically run any program that was designed for Vista, and it will also be able to run most XP applications in an XP compatibility window.

Libraries- Windows 7 provides a new, more intuitive way of organizing and locating documents.  Instead of wasting time trying to remember where a previously created document is stored, a user can now search for their documents by type in different “libraries” such as communications, contacts, documents, downloads, music, pictures and videos.  Not only will a user see a shortcut for the document they need, they will also gain immediate access to specific data that is pertinent for each type of library.  For example: when the “contacts” library is opened, it will show phone numbers and e-mail addresses and when the “downloads” library is opened, it will list the URL source for each download. The libraries are customizable, allowing users to create personalized folders that will keep project documents and files accessible.

Jump Lists- This updated menu is a timesaving tool that allows a user to preview open applications and folders.  When the mouse is moved over the taskbar, a popup menu appears and lists all open windows.  Right clicking will provide a brief history of recent changes and other useful information.

Windows Search- This enhanced search feature resembles the “auto-complete” function that is a familiar tool in Microsoft Word.  The moment a user starts to type a word in the search field, Windows 7 will list items that match the typed characters.  The list will decrease as characters are added.  At any point, a user can preview the search results—without having to open the document.

Microsoft has confirmed that the UK will now get upgrade versions of Windows 7, following last week’s decision to drop the E editions. The company has been in a state of turmoil since last Friday, when it was announced that Microsoft was abandoning plans to launch Windows 7 without Internet Explorer in Europe.

Full Story article – http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/265027/at-last-microsoft-confirms-windows-7-upgrades-for-uk.html

Windows 7’s XP Mode has been released to RC status. The RC build of Windows XP Mode is now available as a download on the Microsoft Windows website. Windows XP Mode is designed to work with Windows Virtual PC to help ease the migration process to Windows 7 by providing additional compatibility for their older productivity applications.

Windows XP Mode ensures that applications designed for XP run seamlessly on Windows 7. Although legacy Windows XP apps run from within a virtualized environment, they can be accessed in exactly the same fashion as native Windows 7 apps.

Windows 7 users will have to ensure that their CPU supports Intel Virtualization Technology or AMD-V for Windows XP Mode to work. It is also important to check whether hardware virtualization, if supported by the CPU, is turned on or not. If this feature is disabled, it will have to be enabled in the BIOS settings.