Well, it’s finally arrived. Delivery week for Windows 7, Microsoft’s new operating system, and crunch time for many IT pros contemplating an upgrade from their beloved XP version.

So will you switch or keep fighting the pressure?The choice isn’t an easy one.

We’ve looked at the advice out there and recommend asking yourself  these five questions before you take the leap:

1. Do my users need more speed? By most accounts, Win7 outruns both XP SP3 and Vista SP2. But remember: This is only the case if you run the 64-bit version of Win7. For many folks, this will mean new hardware.
2. Can we afford new hardware? The pros are not recommending that you upgrade to Win7 on existing hardware.  Microsoft doesn’t directly support upgrading on old systems, and recommends a fresh installation be made on new units. Easy for them to say. Tough for you to pay for, we’ll bet.
3. How long will it take to upgrade old systems? If you do decide to upgrade users’ old hardware, you’ll need to plan on about two hours per unit to complete the process. Be warned: Many apps could need post-upgrade adjustments, up to and including software re-installation.
4. Will my old hardware be compatible? It depends. Check out vendor Web sites to see if Win7 drivers are available. We’ve heard that most Vista drivers can be used successfully in place of Win 7 drivers, but don’t take anybody’s word for it. Test, test, test.
5. Do I have the space to perform an in-place upgrade? Win 7 also needs at least 5GB of extra space to perform an in-place upgrade from XP. That space is only used temporarily, but you’ll need it for the install. Have you got it?

So what if you make the decision to migrate your users to Win7, but find they will still need XP from time to time? Is there any turning back?

There is, but it’ll cost you. XP can be run on Win 7 in a virtual machine, but only if you’ve got the 64-bit Professional version or better. You’ll also need a V/VT-compatible CPU in your machine, of course,  and about an extra gig of memory to run the XP session.

And remember: When running XP in a virtual environment, it has to be secured separately, as if it were running solo.

Tags: compatibility, Hardware, Microsoft, upgrade, Vista, Windows 7, XP