Why upgrade to Windows 7?

It's a fact of life that computers need upgrading regularly. You may no doubt be used to Windows update running regularly or your Anti-Virus software downloading the latest updates, but have you considered upgrading the operating system itself?

For users of Home versions of Microsoft Windows, there are a number of benefits available through switching to Windows 7 Professional including enhanced security and office networking. Users of older versions of Microsoft Windows can benefit from active support and development from Microsoft and other vendors, with compatibility with the latest advances in technology.

Why upgrade from Windows XP?

Windows XP is no longer being developed by Microsoft so it can’t take advantage of new technology such as ultra high speed USB3.0 and DirectX10 or 11. It is also no longer available to purchase as a standalone product so if you want to run the same version of Windows on all your PCs it is time to think about a Windows upgrade strategy for your business.

Although not all computers that were supplied with Windows XP meet the hardware requirements to run Windows 7, many that were designed to run Vista were actually supplied with Microsoft Windows XP Professional. If your PC fits in to this category then it should be able to run Windows 7. The easiest way to find out if you have any PCs in this category is to look and see if they have a designed for Windows Vista sticker on the front of them.

If you would like assistance in assessing your PCs to see if they are suitable to be upgraded to run Windows 7 or need assistance with the upgrade please give us a call.

Why upgrade from Windows Vista?

• Windows XP mode for better backwards compatibility (Pro Edition only)
• Windows 7 backup and restore (network backup support Pro Edition only)
• New User Interface
• Faster sleep and resume for laptop users
• Improved power management for better battery life

Why upgrade to a business version of Windows from a Home user version?

• Windows XP Mode for better backwards compatibility (Windows 7 Pro)
• Per user file permissions to allow control over who has access to individual files
• Encrypted file system support for better security
• Remote desktop (for remote access to your computer)
• Support for joining a windows domain
• Support for offline files (a way of storing files on a server but still having them accessible while not connected to the company network.)

How do I upgrade?

If you are running Windows 7 Starter Edition or Windows 7 Home Premium, it is as easy as purchasing the license upgrade or upgrades from your current version of Windows 7, then using Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade. Please see Windows Anytime upgrade section of this page or give us a call for more details.

Windows 7 Anytime upgrades

Unlike with previous versions of Microsoft Windows, Windows 7 makes it possible to do an in situ upgrade from one of the home versions of Windows such as Windows 7 starter edition (as used on many netbook computers) or Windows 7 Home Premium (as supplied on many laptop computers) to Windows 7 Professional.

This is a significant improvement on previous upgrades, which required a full re-installation of the operating system.