Xp/vista data and settings several options for migrating to Windows 7

From Beta to RC, as Windows 7 leaks faster and faster, this new generation of operating systems is getting closer to us. A handful of innovative testers have already used Windows 7, which has not yet been officially released, as the primary operating system for day-to-day applications, and for most ordinary users who still use Windows XP or Windows Vista (especially business users who focus on efficiency and benefits), how to put existing applications, important The smooth migration of data, personalization, and usage habits to Windows 7 will be a challenge for every user.

In accordance with the conventional thinking, the face of this problem is no more than three kinds of choices:

1. Install the old version of Windows in-place upgrade to the new version, in-place upgrade installation will retain the entire set of old windows, installed software does not need to reinstall;

2. Install a new version of Windows, and make a multiple-system coexistence with the old version of Windows, and then let the newly installed Windows share some of the settings for the old version of Windows;

3. Delete (format) The old version of Windows, the new installed version of Windows, all the data must be manually backed up transfer, all the software needs to be reinstalled.

Let's take a look at several options for Windows XP or Windows Vista migration to Windows 7.

Windows XP to Windows 7:

Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 7 will not support an in-place upgrade from any version of Windows XP, which is not good news for users who have been using Windows XP for a long time and have retained large amounts of data and personal settings. Although Windows 7 differs little from the Windows Vista kernel, Windows 7 can theoretically do what Windows Vista does, but because Windows 7 adds new features, Windows XP and W indows 7 Each representative of the era has been a long time, software, hardware, drive, and so has undergone great changes, Microsoft is difficult to ensure that the installation of Windows XP from Windows 7 after the install of all the problems that may occur, so finally chose to give up.

If we are going to install Windows XP as Windows 7, only Windows Vista as a "broker" and a two-time upgrade installation is a "curve salvation" approach, like upgrading Windows 98 to Windows 2000 and then upgrading Is the same as Windows XP. However, the two upgrade installation process is believed to be enough to make the user mad, and the two upgrade installation does not mean that all possible compatibility issues can be resolved, so it is generally not recommended to use this slightly extreme approach. Another point is that even if you take a two upgrade installation, you can only upgrade Windows XP to x86 Windows 7,x64 Windows 7 is never upgraded, unless Windows XP is also x64 version.

Typically, Windows XP users can only choose to have a new installation of Windows 7 after formatting Windows XP, or to make Windows XP co-exist with a new installation of Windows 7 in multiple systems. However, a completely new installation of Windows 7 would have to reinstall all the software required, which would be a huge project for old users. The author believes that since the process of reinstalling all the software has become inevitable, it is better to take this opportunity to complete the transition from 32-bit systems to 64-bit systems and directly select 64-bit Windows 7. Anyway, 32-bit Windows XP is no longer able to upgrade to 64-bit Windows 7, the transition from 32-bit systems to 64-bit systems will sooner or later need to reload the software, and take advantage of the opportunity to migrate to Windows 7 to complete, so the psychological may be a little more balanced. In particular, with the gradual popularization of 4GB memory and 64-bit software, it is now time to turn to the 64-bit system in a comprehensive way.

If we choose to make Windows XP and Windows 7 a multiple-system coexistence (the coexistence configuration method is no different from Windows Vista), you can set some of the two system settings to be shared through the method of profile redirection, which can be used in the new and old two departments Form a transition between the use of a habit. Windows VISTA/7 provides a command mklink to establish a directory symbolic link that redirects the specified NTFS folder to a new target, such as executing:

mklink-d "C:\Users\% user account name%\appdata\roaming" "C:\Shared AppData"

REDIRECT appdata\roaming to C:\Shared AppData, the established symbolic link can be accessed and point to the real location.

We can then also create configuration directory redirection in Windows XP and redirect Windows XP Documents & settings\% user account name%\application Data to C:\Shared AppData, which Like Windows XP, you can share the same AppData settings as Windows 7. Although Windows XP does not provide the Mklink command, it can download JUNCTION. EXE to complete this operation:

Http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/Junction.zip

If we choose to format Windows XP and install Windows 7 completely, you can perform the Windows Easy Transfer (Ease of delivery) wizard that Windows 7 provides in Windows XP before you format it through cables, Removable Storage, or network Back up some of the Windows XP settings with the data, install Windows 7, and then import Windows 7 with Easy Transfer. This is Microsoft's official recommendation to migrate from Windows XP to Windows 7. Easy Transfer Wizard Migsetup. EXE can be found in the Support\migwiz folder of the Windows 7 installation CD.