You are running Windows XP Professional and you’d like to upgrade directly to Windows 7 Professional. Which of these would be the best upgrade path?
A) From the Windows XP desktop, start the Windows 7 Professional setup program
B) Restart your Windows XP system with the Windows 7 Professional media in the DVD-ROM drive
C) Use the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to launch the Windows 7 Professional upgrade process
D) Back up your data and install a clean version of Windows 7 Professional
E) Put the upgrade media on your desk, step out for some coffee, check Reddit on your phone, and then forget what you were planning in the first place
The answer: D) Back up your data and install a clean version of Windows 7 Professional
Unfortunately, there’s no direct path to perform an in-place upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7. Your only one-step option requires the backup of your data and a clean install of Windows 7. If you wanted to do in-place upgrades, you could alternatively upgrade to Windows Vista and then upgrade to Windows 7 (best of luck with that).
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Want to know more? Watch “Planning a Windows 7 Installation.”Windows 7 is one of the newest operating systems on the market, and it’s important to know the details prior to performing an installation. In this video, you’ll learn about the different Windows 7 editions, the Windows 7 hardware requirements, and the upgrade and installation paths to consider with Windows 7. |