XP to 7 Professional installation- Any pitfalls lurking?

You cannot upgrade in place, so you must back up all your data, format and do a fresh install of Windows 7. I assume (since you are running XP) that you will be using Windows 7 32-bit. In that case, most of your applications should run.

I prefer and use Windows 7 64-bit as that is the way forward now. But that likely means a new computer and new applications. ... Thinkpads_User

I would recommend running upgrade advisor to find out which hardware or software might not work after installation. If upgrade advisor give a green signal then you can install windows 7

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b544e90-7659-4bd9-9e51-2497c146af15



Ded9

Upgrades only work if you install Vista over XP, then W7 over Vista. However, I would advice not to do that - not only because that is a lengthy process, but because many unnecessary settings will be taken over. IMHO it is a much better idea to take the approach as thinkpads_user stated, doing a fresh install. That results in a speedy, (more) lean system.

Let me second ded9's suggestion ... not only with the Upgrade Advisor give you an idea of what software may not work with Windows 7, it will also give you and idea what hardware may not work with Windows 7.

Also a third for the clean install ... you can avoid many of the pitfalls by simply backing up your data and wiping clean to install Windows 7.  You might look into Windows Easy Transfer to backup settings/files to restore to Windows 7:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer

My presumption is that the installation (I have complete edition, not upgrade) process will wipe and reformat my drive?  Have purchased additional memory and my processor is 64 bit capable.  The Upgrade Advisor makes me optimistic.  Have backed up all of my data and have original SW for everything I wish to use.  It appears that I had already done the requisite due diligence and am primarily concerned about things that aren't mentioned in the general instructions.  I seem to get caught with those occasionally and was hoping to get a heads up if any of you discovered something.

Here's something else I'm considering.  Buy an additional drive and do the install to that in the hopes that I will wind up with two separate OS and can boot from whichever I choose?

That's an option, of course, but only if you do not have to switch often between OS. You might consider to use the XP Mode VM of W7 instead of keeping your XP machine in dual boot.

I dont recommend two operating system in a computer becuase in the future you might end up with lots of  problems but its your choice.


Virtualization  is a better option.


Ded9

Virtualization is a great option, but many people dual boot their systems without problems, and on a machine that shipped with XP, chances are that it will not be suitable for running VM's with any degree of performance.

Installing Windows 7 after XP is actually very easy and does NOT require a second disk ... you can follow this very good tutorial:
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_windows_xp_and_windows_7_xp_installed_first.htm

That was my exact intention.  And I'm going to look into the boot managers referenced here as well.  They might make it easier than addressing the BIOS, which certainly is not difficult.

Don't know if it was accurate or complete because I haven't done the install yet to find out.

Thank you, and good luck going forward with your decisions. ... Thinkpads_User

Thank you much.   : )

I thought I had "solutioned" you all evenly.  Am new in this site and learning how it all works.  Thanks to everyone for taking the time to help.