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Windows XP to Vista to Windows 7 Upgrade advice

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MilesAhead:
There must be a hardware test you can get to see if the machine will run XPmode once W7 is on. If that passes, you could install 7 and try to run the custom apps in XP mode.  If you have the disk space I would leave the native XP on until you find out what's what.

If all indications are she can run XPmode I would slice off some HD and put W7 on in evaluation mode.  That gives you time to try the XPmode in actuality(assuming evaluation mode isn't in some way hobbled to prevent it) with the apps.  If you know it's going to work, then you can make decisions about which W7 to buy or use depending on upgrade options of the machine.

I wouldn't put too much hope in the in place upgrade option.  But if the install(when you finally put on the one you are going to activate) allows a Custom Install option, I've had good luck with that method.  Everything under Program Files is gathered up and stuck in Windows.old but at least you still have the files to mess with.  Many "portable" apps if located in another folder, will work just by making a new shortcut.  Stuff with registry settings will need to be reinstalled.  But that's why I suggest if at all possible to keep a working XP partition until you are certain you can migrate the custom apps or run them in XPmode.  She may have to boot into XP for awhile until you see what the deal is with XPmode, or migration etc..

Ath:
Well, you'd better not try to press the current XP installation into XPMode: that's not going to happen.
Get a real virtualization tool like VMWare (Server, Player 3, Workstation) and try to import the XP install into a virtual machine (either local or remote though the network, then both should be same cpu-brand AMD or Intel). If that works (ymmv, did it several times, but not always successfully), run the VM and see if all is well (turn down the memory setting for the VM by about 50% to be able to start it properly) If all still is well, store the VM and enhance :-[ the PC to a clean install of Win7, install the VMware product you used earlier, and run the VM if & when needed. Presto! you're done :Thmbsup:

f0dder:
First, I'd try simply "extracting" the installed critical software. you say it's dotNET, it's probably going to be pretty easy, without too much registry/filesystem entangling. If that works, simply do a clean Win7 install on her hardware, problem solved :)

I'd probably still do a P2V of the existing XP install first, just to be on the safe side... sometimes it takes a couple of months before you realize that you forgot backing up or extracting whatever single item.

40hz:
First, I'd try simply "extracting" the installed critical software. you say it's dotNET, it's probably going to be pretty easy, without too much registry/filesystem entangling. If that works, simply do a clean Win7 install on her hardware, problem solved :)-f0dder (March 04, 2010, 05:52 PM)
--- End quote ---

My thoughts exactly. I'm in the process of doing that as we speak. Looks to be done in C++ with a few oddball private DLLs thrown in just to keep it interesting. I'm not a C++ programmer, but I'm pretty good at troubleshooting software installation issues, so I should be OK. If not, I've got a few friends (who are real C++ wizards) that I can call on.

I'd probably still do a P2V of the existing XP install first, just to be on the safe side... sometimes it takes a couple of months before you realize that you forgot backing up or extracting whatever single item.

--- End quote ---

I'm not that comfortable when it comes to VMs yet (although I plan on budgeting some serious 'lab' time to get up to speed on it before June is over), so just I imaged and cloned the HD to a new one and am working off that. One less layer of abstraction to deal with. And easier since I have a small supply of old 160-250 Gb HDs to play with!

Once I've got things straightened out I'll most likely put her original HD into 'cold' storage and just give her a new one in case she ever needs it back. I'll also archive the drive image as a second backup to be doubly safe.

40hz:
btw:
"LOGIC is no longer an option"
that's great, love it.  ;D
-mouser (March 04, 2010, 01:53 PM)
--- End quote ---

Glad you liked it. It's my private mantra.  ;D

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