Compatibility and communication key to smooth Windows 7 upgrade
Seven. It’s a lucky number in many cultures and it has turned out to be so for Microsoft: following the perceived failure of Vista, Windows 7 is reaping accolades from users, IT pros and analysts.
By Lawrence Cummer
February 12, 2010
February 12, 2010
If that praise has you interested in upgrading your computers, the good news is the path to 7 is largely a clean one, as long as it’s handled well. Although it might seem more akin to advice from dating experts, a successful Windows 7 upgrade relies heavily on compatibility, strong communication and working to create excitement, according to experts.
Start with compatibility
According to Elliot Katz, Windows Client product manager at Microsoft Canada, the first step for any individual or organization looking to upgrade is to take stock of the existing IT assets (hardware and software)and check compatibility with the new OS.
When its predecessor, Vista, launched in 2006 after about five years of development, the Internet was rife with chatter about incompatibilities. Many users simply decided they’d stick with XP and skip Vista altogether.
Mindful of the Vista history, many are concerned about this upgrade. Rather than worrying, simply deploy the right tools, IT consultant and Microsoft Certified Trainer Mitch Garvis of SWMI Consulting said. If upgrading directly from Windows Vista, Garvis said there are likely to be few compatibility issues, because nearly anything that runs Vista can run Windows 7. He suggests there’s not a lot of rhyme or reason to what is compatible and what is not, pointing to a seven-year-old PC he calls “the junkyard” that upgraded to Windows 7 just fine, while the three-year-old computers of a school he upgraded had incompatible video cards that needed to be replaced.
No direct upgrade exists from Windows XP to Windows 7, so he recommends a full install of Windows 7 on XP machines, unless there are particular incompatibilities that can be overcome by first upgrading to Vista and then to Windows 7. He stresses that for Windows XP shops it’s a change that has to happen sooner or later: someday support and updates for XP will disappear.
Tools exist to check compatibility of hardware and software on a single machine. Katz points to the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor (see sidebar), which scans for potential issues with hardware, software and peripherals. Microsoft recommends using the Advisor even in upgrades from Vista and recommends that all peripherals, like USB drives and printers, are plugged in when running the program.
Upgrade Advisor also ships with the Windows 7 discs, Garvis added.
While fine for an individual, the tool can be cumbersome for a business trying to manage an upgrade for a number of PCs. For larger organizations, Katz recommends using Microsoft’s Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), specifically the feature called Microsoft Asset Inventory Service, which takes stock of and manages software across numerous PCs. Microsoft says that MDOP can be added to volume purchases of Windows 7 for approximately $14 per license in most cases.
Before starting any upgrade, Garvis reminds users to conduct a thorough backup. “That’s the main thing: back up your data. If you’ve done that, my mother can install Windows 7.”
Communicate the change, train the users
Training on new software or an OS is crucial to ensure continued productivity and to reduce the malaise users instinctively have around any major change. Katz recommends looking to any of numerous Microsoft certified trainers, which can be found on the Microsoft Canada Partner Web site.
Garvis agrees with the importance of training and said bringing staff in for training in advance also generates excitement. “If I tell my son, ‘You know buddy, we’re going out for dinner, where would you like to go?’ he’ll look forward to it. If I put him in the car and tell him, ‘OK, we’re going somewhere and when we get there, then I’ll tell you what it’s about,’ he’s going to be anxious, nervous and upset. And in many offices [that approach] foments discontent.”
According to Barry Heathers, manager of data centre and hardware services at the City of London, upgrading to Windows 7 can generate an unexpected amount of excitement. Heathers recently oversaw a migration from XP to Windows 7 on what was planned to be a pocket of machines. Heathers said once the first 20 upgraded PCs were in the field his office “had an onslaught of requests” for the new OS. The initial launch group turned into 350 installs over seven weeks, and the group decided to upgrade the entire organization before the end of 2009.
Heathers also moved from a 32-bit XP environment to a 64-bit environment with Windows 7, which he said breathed new life into the equipment but also meant it was much more important to test each application to ensure it would work.
Katz notes that MDOP includes Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization, which allows another operating system (for example XP) to run virtualized on the Windows 7 computer, sidestepping what might otherwise be an application conflict.
In an enterprise deployment, Garvis recommends using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (formerly called Business Desktop Deployment), a free tool designed to push Windows deployment out across a network. Garvis said a typical deskside upgrade takes 30 to 60 minutes (including reinstalling applications when necessary), but said that’s too much time to spend on each computer across an enterprise.
Garvis called the tool “the cat’s meow,” pointing out that it deploys the operating system, applications, security patches and drivers. It takes about one hour to install the toolkit and have Windows 7 deployed on the first PC. After that, it’s important to have a deployment strategy in place so that not all computers on the network are downloading the OS and applications at the same time and “throttling” the network. Larger enterprises should instead use Microsoft’s System Center Configuration Manager, which will better meter out deployment across the network.
Give ’em what they want
Users can be very particular about their workstations. They want their desktops to remain just so, with particular applications, favourites, wallpaper and sound configurations. Companies ignore that reality at their own peril.
Two methods exist to port user settings over to the new upgraded systems. For individuals or small businesses, Garvis recommends using Windows Easy Transfer, included on the Windows 7 discs. This software wizard runs users through the steps to move files and settings from XP to Vista or Windows 7. For enterprises, Microsoft has the User State Migration Tool (USMT), a utility program that copies user files and settings from one Windows computer to another.
Garvis said a Windows 7 upgrade is relatively easy if a simple formula is followed: “Ninety per cent planning plus 10 per cent doing equals 100 per cent right.”
Start with compatibility
According to Elliot Katz, Windows Client product manager at Microsoft Canada, the first step for any individual or organization looking to upgrade is to take stock of the existing IT assets (hardware and software)and check compatibility with the new OS.
When its predecessor, Vista, launched in 2006 after about five years of development, the Internet was rife with chatter about incompatibilities. Many users simply decided they’d stick with XP and skip Vista altogether.
Mindful of the Vista history, many are concerned about this upgrade. Rather than worrying, simply deploy the right tools, IT consultant and Microsoft Certified Trainer Mitch Garvis of SWMI Consulting said. If upgrading directly from Windows Vista, Garvis said there are likely to be few compatibility issues, because nearly anything that runs Vista can run Windows 7. He suggests there’s not a lot of rhyme or reason to what is compatible and what is not, pointing to a seven-year-old PC he calls “the junkyard” that upgraded to Windows 7 just fine, while the three-year-old computers of a school he upgraded had incompatible video cards that needed to be replaced.
No direct upgrade exists from Windows XP to Windows 7, so he recommends a full install of Windows 7 on XP machines, unless there are particular incompatibilities that can be overcome by first upgrading to Vista and then to Windows 7. He stresses that for Windows XP shops it’s a change that has to happen sooner or later: someday support and updates for XP will disappear.
Tools exist to check compatibility of hardware and software on a single machine. Katz points to the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor (see sidebar), which scans for potential issues with hardware, software and peripherals. Microsoft recommends using the Advisor even in upgrades from Vista and recommends that all peripherals, like USB drives and printers, are plugged in when running the program.
Upgrade Advisor also ships with the Windows 7 discs, Garvis added.
While fine for an individual, the tool can be cumbersome for a business trying to manage an upgrade for a number of PCs. For larger organizations, Katz recommends using Microsoft’s Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), specifically the feature called Microsoft Asset Inventory Service, which takes stock of and manages software across numerous PCs. Microsoft says that MDOP can be added to volume purchases of Windows 7 for approximately $14 per license in most cases.
Before starting any upgrade, Garvis reminds users to conduct a thorough backup. “That’s the main thing: back up your data. If you’ve done that, my mother can install Windows 7.”
Communicate the change, train the users
Training on new software or an OS is crucial to ensure continued productivity and to reduce the malaise users instinctively have around any major change. Katz recommends looking to any of numerous Microsoft certified trainers, which can be found on the Microsoft Canada Partner Web site.
Garvis agrees with the importance of training and said bringing staff in for training in advance also generates excitement. “If I tell my son, ‘You know buddy, we’re going out for dinner, where would you like to go?’ he’ll look forward to it. If I put him in the car and tell him, ‘OK, we’re going somewhere and when we get there, then I’ll tell you what it’s about,’ he’s going to be anxious, nervous and upset. And in many offices [that approach] foments discontent.”
According to Barry Heathers, manager of data centre and hardware services at the City of London, upgrading to Windows 7 can generate an unexpected amount of excitement. Heathers recently oversaw a migration from XP to Windows 7 on what was planned to be a pocket of machines. Heathers said once the first 20 upgraded PCs were in the field his office “had an onslaught of requests” for the new OS. The initial launch group turned into 350 installs over seven weeks, and the group decided to upgrade the entire organization before the end of 2009.
Heathers also moved from a 32-bit XP environment to a 64-bit environment with Windows 7, which he said breathed new life into the equipment but also meant it was much more important to test each application to ensure it would work.
Katz notes that MDOP includes Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization, which allows another operating system (for example XP) to run virtualized on the Windows 7 computer, sidestepping what might otherwise be an application conflict.
In an enterprise deployment, Garvis recommends using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (formerly called Business Desktop Deployment), a free tool designed to push Windows deployment out across a network. Garvis said a typical deskside upgrade takes 30 to 60 minutes (including reinstalling applications when necessary), but said that’s too much time to spend on each computer across an enterprise.
Garvis called the tool “the cat’s meow,” pointing out that it deploys the operating system, applications, security patches and drivers. It takes about one hour to install the toolkit and have Windows 7 deployed on the first PC. After that, it’s important to have a deployment strategy in place so that not all computers on the network are downloading the OS and applications at the same time and “throttling” the network. Larger enterprises should instead use Microsoft’s System Center Configuration Manager, which will better meter out deployment across the network.
Give ’em what they want
Users can be very particular about their workstations. They want their desktops to remain just so, with particular applications, favourites, wallpaper and sound configurations. Companies ignore that reality at their own peril.
Two methods exist to port user settings over to the new upgraded systems. For individuals or small businesses, Garvis recommends using Windows Easy Transfer, included on the Windows 7 discs. This software wizard runs users through the steps to move files and settings from XP to Vista or Windows 7. For enterprises, Microsoft has the User State Migration Tool (USMT), a utility program that copies user files and settings from one Windows computer to another.
Garvis said a Windows 7 upgrade is relatively easy if a simple formula is followed: “Ninety per cent planning plus 10 per cent doing equals 100 per cent right.”
7 steps to 7
1) Check compatibility, SMB
Visit http://bit.ly/upgradeadvisor or use the wizard that ships with Windows 7 to confirm software and hardware compatibility.
2) Check compatibility, enterprise
For enterprises, look into the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), available as a subscription for enterprise customers with Software Assurance. More information is at http://bit.ly/msmdop.
3) Communicate the change
Win 7 has some interesting new features that experts say can help get employee buy-in. Share them through meetings and training. Let employees know why the upgrade is happening.
4) Back up data
“That’s the main thing: back up your data,” Garvis said. “If you’ve done that, my mother can install Windows 7.”
5) Transfer settings
People resist change. Keep users’ customized settings and data using this wizard that ships with Win 7: http://bit.ly/transfersettings.
6) Transfer settings on a lot of PCs
Have more than a few PCs to upgrade? Microsoft’s User State Migration Tool can help port user profiles on multiple machines. More information is at http://bit.ly/statemigration.
7) Make it so
For enterprise organizations, consider the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a free tool available at http://bit.ly/deploykit.
