XP upgrade

my software is finally leaving me... I have to upgrade my XP to keep using quick books etc.
I ran 7 advisor and it looks like it should be no problem. Then when I look at windows 7 upgrad disks on ebay, amazon. etc. I am confused. range is 70-200 dollars for windows 7 pro upgrade. and some say that they upgrade the vista and XP requires "Clean install"
I need the upgrade process to preserve my installed programs and data.

Any help here understanding the options?

Thank you
DC

 

DocCountry...

Don't think there is a way to perform an upgrade installation of Windows XP to Windows 7.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7#T1=tab01

Is this a desktop? If so, have you considered buying an off lease PC on ebay that has Windows 7? Many of them are almost like new PCs. Also, if you look for a PC with W7 64 bit, you will be able to take the RAM up to 8 or more GB, and you will probably getting an upgrade over your current processor at least a little bit going this route...

$100 to $150 will get alot of desktop on ebay, and I am finding that basically everything ever written for Windows (XP and beyond but even some 2000 and before) will run on W7...

 

What programs and what is the nature of the data? Someone may have a solution for your problem.

 

the data is really just quikbooks whick I know can be moved to a new machine.
I just know where everything is on the computer. AND I cannot be sure I have all the disks and passwords to reinstall the downloaded apps and so On.
I am looking into a switch to keep old XP and a new one under my desk.
maybe I can find someplace else to put my feet. and by switch, that may not be the correct term. but you just use one keyboard and monitor .
Thanks all.

 

Google KVM switch. It enables you to have two computers connected to one screen, one keyboard and one mouse. We've used one here for years and it's a great space saver and works well. The alternatives are to set up a XP/Win 7 dual boot or to run one of the two in a virtual machine. Both of the latter depend very much on your XP machine specs.

 

I've done many XP->Vista->7 upgrades. The only Windows XP app that won't make the upgrade is Media Player 6.4. Gawd I loved that version.
Buy Vista on ebay and get Windows 7 as well if you want to upgrade

 

So you use Vista upgrade and when complete you then run a windows 7 upgrade? Thus avoiding the "clean install" ?

does it matter which version ? home, pro, ultimate?

DC

 

I suggest you go with Earthling's alternative solution.
Partition the hard disc and install Windows 7 on the new partition. I used Paragon Partition Manager (there's a free version), but there are others.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/mg/sortlicense/partitioning.html

You can then at your leisure learn Windows 7 and install the programs you need. All your personal files will be intact and you can access them from Windows 7.

FYI I have done this using just an 80 GB HDD.

 

You can use a Vista upgrade disk or the full disk to do the upgrade. Same with the Windows 7 upgrade.

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista

Windows XP Professional (32-bit) to Do this

Windows Vista Business Upgrade

Windows Vista Ultimate Upgrade

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-vista

Then you will use Windows 7 Pro

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-vista-to-windows-7#T1=tab01

If you want to use 64bit Windows then a clean install or dual booting is needed

Do you have XP Home or Professional?

 

Finally got a Vista Ultimte upgrade.
Stopped by a powershell issue. It says I need to remove. It may have been there at one time but it is not showing up in pgms, even with the show update check in place.
I searched for files and there are about 5 files or folders that show up.
any help on removing the traces of the powershell so the upgrade can proceed?
( i made a clone of my hard drive and tested it before proceeding just in case )
Thanks.

 

Use a couple of registry cleaners to locate powershell remnants

you can also search the registry

 

Hey it worked. Kinda. I ran regedit and deleted anything with powershell.
then ccleaner, then wisefixer.

upgrade to vista ultimate worked. BUT. the windows update inside vista does not seem to work consistently. some download and install and others say downloading. but the 0% downloaded has been there for an hour. I rebooted and same.

good news is I have vista, bad news is I cannot seem to get IE9 to download either. I think the computer and I needs some space. ;-)