Even according to the managers of Microsoft themselves, the Windows Vista operating system was unsuccessful. For this reason, almost immediately, the development team began to create the famous seventh version. This article is an advisor on the transition to Windows 7. In it, you can familiarize yourself with all the stages of updating the operating system of a computer.
How to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7
In fact, there is no special algorithm of actions; the developers did not provide high-quality software for updating the operating system to the new version. That is why it will be considered a method involving the use of a bootable USB flash drive with the image of the desired Windows.
The entire instruction will be divided into stages to facilitate the perception of information. At the end of each step, Windows Vista will be updated to the seventh version.
Preparatory Activities
It is imperative to discuss everything necessary to complete the task. So, you definitely need to have a USB drive. The amount needed depends directly on the size of the operating system image. Often enough 4 gigabytes, but it is better to play it safe and prepare an eight-gigabyte flash drive.
Let's go directly to the operating system. We need her image, which can be easily downloaded on the Internet. If you have a licensed disk with Windows 7, then use it.
You will also need a program to write a boot image to a USB flash drive. This article will use Rufus, which can be downloaded for free on the official website. The application does not require installation, so just upload the file to any folder and proceed to the next step.
Boot image capture
Continuing the instructions on how to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7, we will probably move on to the main stage - the creation of a bootable drive. The fact is that if the system image is not recorded correctly, then the installation of the new Windows will fail. Therefore, clearly follow the directions:
- Download the operating system image, insert the USB flash drive into the computer and run the Rufus program.
- After that, the application must select the inserted drive. This is done in the very first drop-down list.
- The partition scheme, target system, file system and cluster size do not need to be changed.
- From the "Download Method" drop-down list, select ISO, then click on the "Select" button.
- A file manager window will appear in which you need to open the directory with the boot image of Windows 7 and double-click on it.
- If you wish, you can change the name of the flash drive by writing it in the line "New volume label".
Having completed all the above instructions, it remains to click the "Start" button, after which the process of recording the image to the USB device will begin. Wait for completion - when the word "Finish" appears - and click on the "Close" button. The second stage of the instructions on how to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7 can be considered complete. Now you can move on to the third.
Running the latest version of Windows 7 Installer
After completing the above steps, you need to start the computer with the created bootable USB flash drive. Unfortunately, this is done differently on each computer. The main thing is to find out the key that you need to press when you start the computer to get into the Boot Menu. Often it is written on the very start screen, somewhere in the lower part of it. It can be F8, F9, F10 or F12. In extreme cases, you can open the desired menu, as they say, "by typing."
Once in the Boot Menu you need to select a USB flash drive to boot from it. This is done using the arrows on the keyboard and the Enter key.
If you do everything right, the Windows 7 boot screen appears on the monitor. Wait until all the necessary files are picked up and a welcome window appears. It will prompt you to select the language of the operating system. The default is often Russian, but you can change it if you wish.
All that remains is to click on the "Next" button, and the last step of the guide will begin, how to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7.
Installation start
Having done everything that was said earlier, you will be taken to the Microsoft operating system installer. Before you should be a large button "Install". Naturally, if you chose Russian before. You need to click on it. After that, follow these steps:
- In the window with the license agreement, you need to read the text and, if all the conditions are approved, set the mark "I accept the license conditions." It is worth noting: if this is not done, then further installation will be unavailable. After that, click "Next."
- A window appears with a choice of installation type. Since we are going to update our system, you need to select the appropriate item "Update". If you understand disk layout, you can perform all the settings manually by selecting "Full installation".
- The process of checking the compatibility of the new operating system with the computer will start. Wait for it to finish.
- As a result, the scan result will be presented. Often it will contain a list of programs that may not work correctly after updating. In any case, in the future they can be reinstalled. Review the report, and then click Close.
In fact, these were all the actions that preceded the start of the update. You will see the installation phase on the screen. All that remains to be done is to wait for their completion.
Conclusion
It is worth noting that updating Vista to Windows 7 is free, the main thing is to find the appropriate image of the operating system on the Internet. We hope the article was useful to you and you were able to upgrade your computer to the seventh version of Windows. After successful installation, the flash drive can be formatted and used as usual.