Hello everyone,

In my last post (https://randythetechprofessor.com/chronicle-of-a-windows-xp-to-windows-7-upgrade-part-1) I chronicled my exact steps when upgrading a clients PC from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Once the new OS has been installed successfully you are not through – in fact the most important part is yet to come. You must now reinstall your clients precious data, programs, emails, contacts, drivers and more. What good is a new OS installation if you loose all or some of your clients data in the process? Believe me they will not be happy, word will get around, and your reputation as a computer technician will suffer greatly.

Today in part 2, I would like to take you through my exact steps in the post-installation process.

After Windows 7 Successfully Installed:

8) Installed Windows Live Essentials (you cannot run Outlook Express in Windows 7 so I switched my client to Windows Live Mail. I then went into windows.old folder (Local Settings > Identities, and imported the actual email (originally from Windows XP) into Windows Live Mail.

9) Configured The Incoming And Outgoing Mail Servers (must know Internet Service Provider and then setup the POP3 incoming and SMTP outgoing mail servers. You will need your clients email address and password to do this. Many times the client will say that they don’t have a password but yes they do – if they can’t find it you will have to call the ISP and get it from them.

10) Imported The EMail Address Book (these are the contacts that used to be in Outlook Express. In the windows.old folder, go to Applications > Documents and Settings > Microsoft > Address Book (it’s a Windows Address Book file of type .wab). Import this address book into Windows Live Mail (they will now be called contacts). If your client is using Outlook you should backup the Outlook .pst file which includes messages and contacts (Apps > Microsoft Outlook), before you even begin to install the new OS.

11) Copy & Paste Desktop, Start Menu And My Documents Into Windows 7 (open up these folders from windows.old and copy &  paste the contents of each into the folder by the same name in Windows 7. Your client will now see the same Desktop and Start Menu as before (in XP) and you also will remember how things looked before the new OS install! Windows 7 will neatly place the contents from the XP My Documents folder into six folders ( My Documents, My Pictures, My Video, My Music, Desktop, Local).

12) Installed Antivirus Program (I installed Microsoft Security Essentials).

13) Reinstalled Printer Software And Drivers (my clients printer was the HP Office Jet 6210 – no drivers were needed – Windows 7 already had all of the necessary drivers).

14) Reinstalled Office Software (my client was using Microsoft Office 2003).

15) Downloaded Any Programs That Didn’t Make The New Install (some older programs if they are not registry dependent will make it over to the new OS (for example Hoyle Card Games). I reinstalled the following programs: Picasa, Ashampoo WinOptimizer 6, InterVideo Win DVD, Malwarebytes, Sony Connect (SonicStage) software for MP3 player.

16) Done!! (the entire process [part1 & part 2] – a little over 4 hours!! Man, I’m glad that’s over with!!

Professor Randy says: There are no shortcuts! You learn your craft well, you will feel good about your work, your clients will spread the word, and there will be no room for regrets!!