| Mr. Fixit's PC Upgrade and Repair |
| Windows 7's Overview |
Windows XP users planning to upgrade to Windows 7 must perform a clean install. Windows XP is not compatible with Windows 7. Back up all of
your programs and data, install Windows 7, then reinstall your programs and data. XP users can use 'Dual Boot' as an alternative. Windows Vista/
Windows 2000 users can either upgrade your existing version to Windows 7 or perform a clean install. When upgrading Vista, you can only upgrade
to same version of Windows 7. For example, Vista Home Premium can only be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium, otherwise a clean install or
dual boot is required.
your programs and data, install Windows 7, then reinstall your programs and data. XP users can use 'Dual Boot' as an alternative. Windows Vista/
Windows 2000 users can either upgrade your existing version to Windows 7 or perform a clean install. When upgrading Vista, you can only upgrade
to same version of Windows 7. For example, Vista Home Premium can only be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium, otherwise a clean install or
dual boot is required.
Minimum System Requirements
32-bit Windows
 | 1GHz 32-bit (x86) processor | |
| 1GB of system RAM (4GB max) ** | |
| 16GB available Hard disk space | |
| DirectX 9 with WDDM 1.0 support or higher | |
| DVD/CD drive | |
Other requirements to use certain features:
| Some features of Windows Media Center requires a TV-Tuner and other hardware. | |
| Higher performance Graphics card | |
| To use HomeGroup ALL PCs must use Windows 7 and connected to a network | |
| BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module v1.2 (Win7 Ultimate only) | |
| BitLocker-to-go requires a USB Flash Drive (Win7 Ultimate only) | |
| Auto back-up (Win7 Pro and Ultimate only) | |
| WinXP Virtual mode (Win7 Pro and Ultimate only) | |
64-bit Windows
| 1GHz 64-bit (x64) processor | |
| 2GB of system RAM (192GB max) ** | |
| 20GB available Hard disk space | |
| DirectX 9 with WDDM 1.0 Support or higher | |
| DVD/CD drive | |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
**NOTICE**: Regardless of maximum memory BIOS
supports, ALL 32-bit OS supports up to 4GB, Home
Basic 64-bit version supports up to 8GB, and Home
Premium 64-bit version supports up to 16GB.
Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate 64-bit versions
supports up to 192GB.
supports, ALL 32-bit OS supports up to 4GB, Home
Basic 64-bit version supports up to 8GB, and Home
Premium 64-bit version supports up to 16GB.
Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate 64-bit versions
supports up to 192GB.
Released in 2009, Windows 7 is an incremental upgrade designed to work with Vista-compatible applications and hardware. Looking in System Information,
you'll find that Windows 7 is actually version 6.1 where as Vista's version is 6.0. Windows 7 is focused on multi-touch support, has an updated Windows shell
with a new taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements. Some standard applications that have been included with
prior releases of Microsoft Windows, including Windows Calendar, Windows Mail, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Photo Gallery, are not included in this
version of Windows, however, most are offered separately at no charge as part of the Windows Essentials suite. Other advances include touch and
handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors, improved boot performance, DirectAccess, and kernel
improvements.
Windows 7 is available in 6 editions. Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions are available for retail sale to consumers in most countries. The
Starter edition is only available preinstalled by OEMs on new PCs, the Enterprise edition only by volume licensing, and Home Basic only to certain developing
countries' markets. Each edition of Windows 7 includes all of the capabilities and features of the edition below it. All editions support the IA-32 computer
architecture; except Starter edition supports the x86-64 architecture. Retail copies of Windows 7 are distributed on two DVDs: one for the IA-32 version and the
other for x86-64. OEM copies include one DVD, depending on the processor architecture licensed.
you'll find that Windows 7 is actually version 6.1 where as Vista's version is 6.0. Windows 7 is focused on multi-touch support, has an updated Windows shell
with a new taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup, and performance improvements. Some standard applications that have been included with
prior releases of Microsoft Windows, including Windows Calendar, Windows Mail, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Photo Gallery, are not included in this
version of Windows, however, most are offered separately at no charge as part of the Windows Essentials suite. Other advances include touch and
handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors, improved boot performance, DirectAccess, and kernel
improvements.
Windows 7 is available in 6 editions. Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions are available for retail sale to consumers in most countries. The
Starter edition is only available preinstalled by OEMs on new PCs, the Enterprise edition only by volume licensing, and Home Basic only to certain developing
countries' markets. Each edition of Windows 7 includes all of the capabilities and features of the edition below it. All editions support the IA-32 computer
architecture; except Starter edition supports the x86-64 architecture. Retail copies of Windows 7 are distributed on two DVDs: one for the IA-32 version and the
other for x86-64. OEM copies include one DVD, depending on the processor architecture licensed.
