Windows 7: prepare for windows 7

My partner has to move her machine to windows 7, from vista business.
What would be the best way to prepare? Files and settings transfer or?
Should I backup somehow the files and other important things like bookmarks and windows mail folder, to a usb hdd?
Thanks

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS backup when upgrading from and to any OS. You can never be too careful.

I'd back up the contents of the [DRIVE]:\Users\[USERNAME] to an external HDD as well as her .PST file if she uses Outlook. If not, Backing up just her User folder should cover Windows Live Mail's email storage tactics.

This is just in case something goes terribly wrong.

Run the Windows 7 Advisor to check for any possible hardware conflicts or out-of-date software that may not play well. Download details: Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

Once everything is in order to your satisfaction, boot up the machine, log in to Windows and pop in the Windows 7 disc and choose Upgrade (the other option will be greyed out so that's pretty much a drrr there)

After it's all said and done, make sure to update your drivers for your respective hardwares and devices.

Have fun! Let us know how it goes!

jelyman
thanks!
The school where she works is changing to Windows 7. Some years ago the same school changed from XP to Vista and they had wiped the drive and installed the new OS. So windows mail was gone. Just lucky as my partner had all her mail on a gmail account. We would just like to avoid the same amount of work to reinstate the mail.
Windows mail is what she uses now and is her preference.

Yeah. The transition from Vista to 7 is a lot smoother. You only really need to worry about drivers and outdated software. The Advisor will fill you in on all that to the best of it's ability.

Good luck!

This is really all you must do. Everything else will be new anyhow (settings, program installations, etc.)

One way to do it would be an ugrade install, which keeps all your partner's applications, mail messages, files and folders intact. Do not believe half of the horror stories you might have heard, an in-place upgrade is 100% safe when done right on a well maintained system.

Here's the tutorial: Upgrade Install with Windows 7

And here a short memo to read before starting: A simple guide to a successful in-place upgrade

Kari