subject: Making the Move to Windows [print this page] Making the Move to Windows Making the Move to Windows
Microsoft has come up with many new programs especially for the people, who want to upgrade their operating system. XP is now an outdated operating system. Once the computer has started showing the signs of ageing, there is an option to go for either a new computer with Windows 7 already on it or install Windows 7. Any of the choices will work.
There are two ways to install Windows 7. The first technique is to clean the floppy disk and start a new installation all over again. The second method is to save all the files, applications and other customized settings if the up gradation is done from Vista.
Surprisingly, six different products help in the transfer from XP to Windows 7 and they have good and bad points as well. Two products are perfect for bulk migration. These are Zinstall and Laplink's PCmover.
Zinstall is very stylish, because it creates an XP virtual machine, whereas the Windows 7 will still run on the desktop. In this new virtual machine, new applications can be added that can be done with the regular XP computer. Laplink software can modify the things according to the user's expectation, but once the up gradation is done, there is no other option of going back to XP operating system.
The other four tools are Microsoft's Windows Automated Installation Kit, the Dell/Kace Xbox 2100 Microsoft Points, Viewfinity User Migration and Prowess' Smart Deploy. These software programs help in keeping XP operating system away from the computer. They work as follows:
* The tools begin with a fresh copy of Windows 7 as a master image.
* The complete device is reframed with Windows 7- the installation DVD will perform all the functions.
* The particular applications will organize the activity, not taking much time and giving the users more time to clean house and manage the atmosphere more easily.
* Each tool has different ways of dealing with the range of hardware configurations. Some make it easier to copy the application settings and data files to the new world of Windows 7.
* The final step is to reboot the desktop with new coy of Windows 7.
