Katie Boehret Explains PC Mover XP To 7 "In Place" Upgrade

The Wall Street Journal's Katie Boehret explains how you can do an "in place" upgrade from Windows XP Home To Windows 7 Home Premium. Microsoft says its impossible and you have to do a "custom" install, which means a clean install that involves wiping all your previous installed programs, settings and files along with your previous operating system before Windows 7 moves in. Its a hassle for a lot of people to have to back everything up to external media or get all their software CDs and DVDs together to reinstall everything when its time to do the Windows 7 upgrade.

A company called Laplink offers a simpler software-based solution to the upgrade dilemma by allowing Windows XP users to do their own "in place" upgrade. Basically, they download and install a program called PC Mover Windows 7 Upgrade Assistant. They then run and port over all their previous installed programs, settings and files into what's called a "moving van" that stores the migrated data for later transfer into Windows 7. This is done using the old computer mode. Then the Windows XP user runs the custom Windows 7 upgrade but does NOT format the hard disk. After Windows 7 is installed, the next step is to simply reinstall PC Mover Windows 7 Upgrade Assistant and choose new computer. It will find the "moving van" files into which the user saved all the settings from Windows XP and transfer them over into Windows 7. It couldn't be easier!

And it costs only $15!

The article and embedded video, subtitled for hearing-impaired Windows XP users can be found here:

http://solution.allthingsd.com/20091013/safeguard-a-pcs-contents-in-an-upgrade/

That should make everything much easier. The last thing any Windows XP user wants to do is spend hours having to put everything back the way it was on Windows XP.

 

I have tried one of these PC mover programs in the past. It didn't work and I spent much more time than I would have if I had done the right way the first time.

I'm NOT saying the above method doesn't work. It may well be a good alternative to the official MS method. But I only need to be spanked once to learn my own lessons...

 

They won't carry over everything. They won't carry over hardware drivers and incompatible programs that don't work in the new version of Windows have to be uninstalled anyway. With those limitations in mind, being able to move over saved settings means being able to set every thing up without hassle.

As you also mentioned though, they won't work for every one. I'm only trying it because I have to do a clean install from Windows XP to Windows 7.

 

Josh Smith was somewhat more clear about happens with using PC Mover during a Windows XP to Windows 7 upgrade. If you don't format the disk, Microsoft will keep the previous information in what's called a Windows "old" folder that's tucked away somewhere on the hard drive during the upgrade installation. Its normally inaccessible to users and PC Mover parks its "van" there until you can retrieve it and unload it later. A custom install without a format is kind of a hidden "in place" upgrade though Microsoft never says it hasn't really deleted anything! You would need a key to recover the contents and PC Mover is that key. There are a few cons to this procedure but as Smith notes for the vast majority of users an upgrade should occur without a real hassle.

Here is another good writeup:

http://www.notebooks.com/2009/10/22/laplink-hasslefree-way-to-upgrade-from-xp-to-windows-7/

 

While reinstalling applications, etc. can be a hassle, so is car maintenance. It takes time. We live in a society where everybody wants it now with shortcuts and easy outs. Why not take your time and do it right? If you're too busy for that, then you have bigger problems to deal with than a computer operating system. The instant I-want-it-now society only produces harried people with no time to actually live. Bottom line: all these shortcuts to keep from doing it right is of no interest to me, though others may love it, so they have more time to twitter!

 

People's time is valuable. You can do it right and save time and effort. A Windows installation takes several hours anyway. So why not restore all your previous data with one mouse click?