If you're upgrading from Vista to Windows 7 you can upgrade to an equivalent or higher version so Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium, Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional, and Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate but if you want to, say, go from Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Home Premium, you need to do a clean install the same goes if you're moving from 32-bit to 64-bit. If your computer can run Vista, it can run Windows 7, and most likely do a better job of it. Microsoft offered an upgrade advisor for Windows Vista, which runs a compatibility report and it's done the same thing for Windows 7. We'd always recommend a clean install if possible, but it is easier to just stick the disc in and let it do its thing as it keeps all the files and applications in place so you don't have to bother reinstalling anything. With both Vista and Windows 7 you can perform an in-place upgrade' or go for a clean install. Even in the Windows 95 days you needed to be something of a enthusiast, but these days it could barely be easier. There's no doubt that Microsoft has made great strides in making Windows easier to install than it was in the old days. Whether it's because Microsoft feels the need to entice people to upgrade after the negativity surrounding Vista or under pressure from free alternatives such as Linux, Windows 7 is cheaper than Vista was, and that has to be a good thing. VAT.Įither way it's a massive difference especially with the weak pound. At the time of Vista's arrival, an upgrade for Windows XP users cost 128 ex VAT, whereas as a Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade for XP or Vista today costs just 55 from Amazon UK, while the full version meanwhile costs just 92 ex. However, to Microsoft's credit, the overall trend has been downward. Windows 7 in particular has also been available at discounted pricing and before it was released you could pre-order it for 50.

The cost of any edition of Windows is always going to be something of a moving target as there are so many different versions. There's a lot to get through so let's get on with it. Vista originally received quite glowing reviews and with the benefit of hindsight that was, perhaps, something of a mistake.īut is Vista really as bad as all that? Now it has been patched and service packed up, it works so if you've got a single PC, or a floor of PCs that you've recently rolled out with Vista, is spending money on upgrading to Windows 7 really necessary? We recently pitched Windows 7 against Mac OS X and an almighty battle it was, but this time we're lining up Windows 7 against its much lambasted predecessor Windows Vista.

It's time again for another of our head to head face offs.

Microsoft windows 7 vista download