Hello all,

Took the plunge this weekend and upgraded my machine from Windows XP to 7 Professional. Some notes:

Backups

Make sure you backup your data, there is no upgrade path from XP to Windows 7. You must re-create your partition or at least format the one you have and install from scratch. Make sure you have your profile backed up for COD4/5 etc.

Process

It was fast and easy, taking no longer than 15 minutes from start to finish

Notes

SLI is not enabled by default with the default drivers for the NVIDIA card. Make sure you download the latest drivers. As soon as they are installed you will be prompted asking if you want to turn SLI on.

Not all manufacturers have 7 drivers available yet, but they are coming. I found that all of my equipment still worked after 7 even without the 7 drivers. For example, I have a Kodak printer (no laughing, it rocks) that has no support for 7. The full functionality of the hardware is not realized but they are a week away from releasing their drivers (go figure).

Overall it was a very easy thing to do. 50 minutes backup up data to an external drive, 15 minutes to install, 10 minutes loading drivers, 60 minutes loading COD5 and all the patches....a happy OS...priceless.

Cheers

Bernard (AstroDad)

thanks for the info astro any chance of seeing a review of windows 7  in a day or two after you had chance to use it

My pleasure, but since I have been using 7 since before RC1 all I can say is this:

It makes everything faster
it makes everything look better
It is the BEST MS OS I have ever used (and I have used them all)

If I could offer some advice:

If you can afford it, get it. I think it is better than XP
If you can't afford it, wait and use XP because it is the second best OS I have ever used.

There is nothing I can't run, and I run a lot of things on my machine, from video editing to games that all of you would mock me for still playing. It utilizes RAM better, runs your CPU more efficiently and will even make the grass appear greener on the other side of the OS.

The only tale of caution, make sure you have anti-virus that is compatible. I am using Trend and love it.

Clean and Fast....I love my Windows 7 and have since before RC1

Hello

As long as there are no Windows 7 drivers available  you are able to use the Vista drivers ( both, 32 bit and 64 bit Drivers ). I was one of the first who installed the Windows 7 RC1 and I never have had any driver problems.

Hijaker

I installled 7 on 3 of my computers this weekend. Only had problems with my sons Toshiba laptop.  Had to go to Toshiba's website to get info on the install.  Had to delete or remove a few incompatible programs.  Once removed installed fine and he is happy with his laptop.  Just remember to back up all your pics, music and docs even if only upgrading.  I too was using the RC, but I also liked Vista and used it from its release. I thought a lot of people overreacted to the bad hype Vista got.