Upgrade XP to Windows 7 fails big time
Although this has nothing to do with virtualization I do not want to keep this from you. This weekend I tried to update one of my desktops from Windows XP to Windows 7 build 7077. Under the assumption that the Windows 7 setup would warn me in case this was a not supported upgrade path I inserted the DVD and started the setup.
All looked well and the setup started normally. I was somewhat surprised that I could upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7, on the other hand Vista has never been very populair so it could be a wise move from Microsoft to provide a direct upgrade path from XP.
This joy and happiness didn’t last very long as the Windows 7 setup reported that this upgrade was not supported. Again I was a little bit surprised as the setup did start and it even started to copy new files to my Windows XP hard drive. Joy and hapiness were certainly out the window when I discovered that the Windows 7 setup destroyed my boot record/settings and my previous OS would not start.
Initially I thought it was the hardware because I had to swap DVD drives to get the Windows 7 DVD working but after checking the cabling Windows XP still would not boot.
That left one other option, the setup destroyed my Windows XP installation :-( .
As we often say ‘Assumption is the mother of all fuckups!’ so I wanted to found that assumption. I cloned a Windows XP virtual machine (so much for the virtualization relevance) and reproduced the procedure. Boot Windows XP, connect the Windows 7 DVD, start the setup, watch the installer as it copies newer files, act surprised as the error tells me that the upgrade path is not supported, reboot and BINGO. ‘Please insert bootable media‘.
So to stay with the popular Microsoft vocabulary, Windows XP to 7 upgrade ‘myth‘ BUSTED!
This, of course, isn’t really a myth. It’s my lazyness not willing to google if this upgrade path is supported but to destroy my installation so I don’t have another choice than to reinstall is not very nice to say the least.
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Why reinstall? Just fix the MBR with XP’s mbrfix using the emergency boot option from your XP installation CD.
Why reinstall? Just fix the MBR with XP’s mbrfix using the emergency boot option from your XP installation CD.
Ehh.Tazz. You are familiair with the fact that Windows 7 is still in BETA?! :-)
So it’s not nice that the Windows 7 installation is destroying your Windows XP install, let’s hope this doesn’t happen when you try to upgrade your Windows XP with the Windows 7 RTM (in the near future)….
@Joep: That’s an option idd
@Helmer: Windows 7 in BETA? [duh]. I idd hope they fix this before the RTM but from what I hear this won’t be a supported option.
Ehh.Tazz. You are familiair with the fact that Windows 7 is still in BETA?! :-)
So it’s not nice that the Windows 7 installation is destroying your Windows XP install, let’s hope this doesn’t happen when you try to upgrade your Windows XP with the Windows 7 RTM (in the near future)….
@Joep: That’s an option idd
@Helmer: Windows 7 in BETA? [duh]. I idd hope they fix this before the RTM but from what I hear this won’t be a supported option.
@Tazz: Let’s hope they fix this indeed…else they’re gonna have a lot of support calls ;)
@Tazz: Let’s hope they fix this indeed…else they’re gonna have a lot of support calls ;)
Ok, we’ll take this user experience into account. Thanks for testing!
Tony Krijnen, Microsoft.
Ok, we’ll take this user experience into account. Thanks for testing!
Tony Krijnen, Microsoft.
@Tony Krijnen: So this will be a supported update path (XP to 7)?
@Tony Krijnen: So this will be a supported update path (XP to 7)?
Gents,
As Helmer pointed out, the version is still beta, which means “accidents” like this can happen. That’s the whole point of going (public) beta, to test the software against as many configurations as possible.
Of course it’s not the fine English art to leave the user with a non-working system. But.. if you would have checked before, you could have known about the risks. Actually, you should never upgrade to higher version before properly checking your options ;) Especially when you’re an IT-Techie :P
I found at the website PCWorld (http://www.pcworld.com/article/159933/the_xp_to_windows_7_upgrade_path.html) an article, in which a Microsoft spokesman states that the proper upgrade path from XP will be a clean install on supported hardware. However, due to the diversity in Vista and Win7 versions, I can imagine that the common end-user does not understand if and how he can upgrade.
As a beta tester for Windows 7, I can state though that Win7 is pretty stable, responsive and a pleasure to work with. I think it’s not mindblowingly different from Vista (actually, I’d describe it as Vista 2.0) but the changes and additions are very welcome IMHO.
Cheers,
Froos
Gents,
As Helmer pointed out, the version is still beta, which means “accidents” like this can happen. That’s the whole point of going (public) beta, to test the software against as many configurations as possible.
Of course it’s not the fine English art to leave the user with a non-working system. But.. if you would have checked before, you could have known about the risks. Actually, you should never upgrade to higher version before properly checking your options ;) Especially when you’re an IT-Techie :P
I found at the website PCWorld (http://www.pcworld.com/article/159933/the_xp_to_windows_7_upgrade_path.html) an article, in which a Microsoft spokesman states that the proper upgrade path from XP will be a clean install on supported hardware. However, due to the diversity in Vista and Win7 versions, I can imagine that the common end-user does not understand if and how he can upgrade.
As a beta tester for Windows 7, I can state though that Win7 is pretty stable, responsive and a pleasure to work with. I think it’s not mindblowingly different from Vista (actually, I’d describe it as Vista 2.0) but the changes and additions are very welcome IMHO.
Cheers,
Froos
True, it was not a wise decision to upgrade without checking first but were men, right (try first, read the manual later). This is not the way I would handle it in an enterprise environment but this is my home PC, big deal.
I wrote the article to inform you and not make the same mistake, not to whine at Microsoft. Nevertheless a great reply from Tony ……
True, it was not a wise decision to upgrade without checking first but were men, right (try first, read the manual later). This is not the way I would handle it in an enterprise environment but this is my home PC, big deal.
I wrote the article to inform you and not make the same mistake, not to whine at Microsoft. Nevertheless a great reply from Tony ……
Nope, but at least we should do a better job preventing it if isn’t going to work!. Tx, T.
Nope, but at least we should do a better job preventing it if isn’t going to work!. Tx, T.
Hi,
You cannot upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 Beta, you can find it on internet everywhere :)
An upgrade is also not possible from Windows XP to Windows 7 RTM.
With new tools that are in development by Microsoft (MDT 2010??) you can migrate from Windows XP to Windows 7.
See for more information http://www.henrysluiman.com
Hi,
You cannot upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 Beta, you can find it on internet everywhere :)
An upgrade is also not possible from Windows XP to Windows 7 RTM.
With new tools that are in development by Microsoft (MDT 2010??) you can migrate from Windows XP to Windows 7.
See for more information http://www.henrysluiman.com
Yesterday evening I fixed the XP desktop by running fixmbr from the Repair console in Windows XP setup. Just like Joep mentioned. So it’s very easy to fix but my opinion is still that Windows 7 setup should have prevented this.
Yesterday evening I fixed the XP desktop by running fixmbr from the Repair console in Windows XP setup. Just like Joep mentioned. So it’s very easy to fix but my opinion is still that Windows 7 setup should have prevented this.