Frequently Asked Questions about Windows 7 OS Migration
Q. Our organization is considering a Windows 7 OS migration. Where should we start?
A. If an organization is considering migrating XP to Windows 7, or a Windows 7 Vista upgrade, they should conduct a hardware assessment to determine what PCs are deployed in the organization that are ready for a Windows 7 OS migration, and which machines will need to be replaced. The asset management capabilities of Persystent Software can easily help with this process.
It is important to note the Windows 7 has significant hardware requirements. As a result, we believe most upgrades to Windows 7 will be done when an organization decides its older hardware needs to be replaced. The Windows 7 hardware requirements include:
• 1 GHz processor (32- or 64-bit)
• 1 GB of RAM (32-bit); 2 GB of RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB of available disk space (32-bit); 20 GB of available disk space (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Q. We’ve heard that we can’t migrate from our current Windows XP platform directly to Windows 7. Is this true, and how can Persystent help accelerate this process?
A. This is true. Microsoft does not support a direct “upgrade” allowing users to install Windows 7 directly over XP. However, Persystent Software can make the migration from XP through Vista to Windows 7 quick and seamless.
Q. This migration is going to be a hassle and consume a lot of time for my IT staff. How much of this migration process can I automate?
A. With Persystent Software, organizations can automate most of the entire migration lifecycle – accelerating the migration with the least disruption to end users. Starting in early 2010, our custom imaging capabilities will enable an organization to quickly create its desired Windows 7 images. Once captured, these images can be scheduled for automated mass deployment to new machines. In fact, our multi-casting capabilities enable organizations to image multiple machines simultaneously. Once the new O/S is installed, the previously captured user profiles can be automatically restored to the new Windows 7 machines. Finally, the organization swaps out the new Windows 7 machine for the old machine and can use Persystent to wipe the old machine to prepare it for decommissioning and recycling.
Q. That process sounds fine if I’m installing Windows 7 on entirely new machines, but what about when we install it on an existing user device?
A. Since the Upgrade option is not available in Windows 7 Setup when installing Windows 7 on a computer running Windows XP, we suggest using Persystent Software to accelerate the process of “re-provisioning” the existing machine. In this scenario, we recommend removing the computer’s operating system by formatting the hard drive. Then, install Windows 7. As a result, the new installation of Windows 7 has none of the issues the previous Windows installation might have had. To get the user back to full status, Persystent Software can be used to restore the user profile. Thus, even though there is some end user downtime to install the new O/S, Persystent Software restores the user profile which would otherwise be lost.
Q. Windows 7 is a new O/S so it’s hard to say how stable it will be. How can I keep user down time to a minimum once I’ve completed the migration?
A. We recognize that IT administrators want to automate the migration process as much as possible and reduce end user downtime. That is what we do! After migration, Persystent Suite is there to take the new fresh image of the PC and have it available for recovery in case of catastrophic O/S or application failures due to corruption. Again, since the stability of any new O/S is suspect, Persystent Suite can really shine by reducing end user downtime, providing the fastest PC recovery solution and ease of image management going forward!
Q. How can I avoid any application incompatibility issues with the new O/S?
A. Microsoft has built into Windows 7 a set of application compatibility tools that organizations can run to identify any issues with deployed applications. However, some early reports are that these tools are not always accurate. In fact, we’ve already seen updates to the tools from Microsoft and the new O/S has been on the market a very short time. The best process is to contact the application vendors for the latest version of the application to ensure it supports Windows 7. Once deployed, Persystent Suite can ensure continued compliance by making those applications part of an organization’s desired Windows 7 image.
Q. When will Persystent Software offer Windows 7 compatibility?
A. Early 2010