PitViper

Yes, it is an upgrade. But unlike the Windows XP upgrade where you only had to put you old CD of Windows 98, ME or 2000 into the CD drive to verify a license, Windows 7 requires the older operating system to be present on the computer. So you have to install XP or Vista on the new equipment first. You can then do a completely fresh install with Windows 7 where all the old files will be removed/overwritten or the drive reformatted.

I just built a new system and putting XP back on it was a pain in the butt. The new motherboard required service pack (SP2) before I could even boot into Windows. I could not load any software or drivers. The SP2 download (to a different computer) from the Microsoft server was slow. The files then had to be extracted/unzipped and burned to disk. The biggest problem occurred when XP did not know where to find the extracted files it was looking for. If XP did not automatically find a file, you had to type in the path (no active “browse” feature). That meant locating the file through a “file search” on the second computer, then telling the new computer where to find it on the CD. So much for “user friendly”.

I’m hoping to create a dual-boot system with Windows 7 & XP. But some of the forums I’ve visited stated that when the Windows 7 upgrade is installed and activated, the XP or Vista license will be deactivated. Let’s hope not… We will see.

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"I prefer a man who will burn the flag and then wrap himself in the Constitution to a man who will burn the Constitution and then wrap himself in the flag." - Craig Washington