Microsoft's Windows 7 is focused on speed and stability, even on older hardware, and can run on systems with minimal specifications. Device support is improved compared with Windows Vista, and the driver library has been expanded so most hardware can be automatically installed without requiring a driver disk. Before purchasing Windows 7, use the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to scan your PC and check that the hardware and software are Windows 7 compatible. If any problems are detected, the advisor will suggest ways to fix the compatibility issues.
Instructions
- Open a Web browser, and navigate to Microsoft's website. Locate and download the Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. Plug in any USB peripherals or similar devices that are used regularly on your computer, such as scanners, printers or external hard disks, for example. The Upgrade Advisor can check these to make sure they are compatible with Windows 7.
- Double-click on the downloaded "Window7UpgradeAdvisorSetup.exe" file to install the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. When the setup wizard launches, read through the license terms and click "I Accept the License Terms" if you agree. Click the "Install" button to start the installation. When it completes, click the "Close" button to end the setup wizard
- Double-click on the "Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor" icon, which has been added to your Windows desktop. Click the "Start Check" button to run a scan of your PC so that its components can be checked for compatibility. The scan will take a few minutes to complete, depending on the number of installed devices and programs.
- Check through the results once the scan has completed to see if your PC is Windows 7 compatible. At the top of the results a summary is displayed, showing the number of issues that may need to be addressed for full compatibility with Windows 7. If any programs or devices fail the compatibility check, a solution will be given where possible, such as a driver update or more recent version of a program.
