This is the second article in a two-part series on upgrading to Windows 7.
There are several ways to install a clean version of Windows 7 on enterprise desktops. And regardless of the method, the process may be easier than upgrading from Windows XP or Windows Vista.
For older machines, it may make sense to replace the hard drive with a larger hard drive with Windows 7 installed. This can be done in the followings steps:
Your may choose not to restore the user settings because they contain components not approved by your enterprise.
When to perform a clean install
A clean install for Windows 7 is recommended in the following scenarios:
Although the user may be unhappy that some of the interface components (such as wallpapers) have not been installed, some of them could be restored without changing the overall operation of Windows 7 -- or threatening the security of the system.
|
||||
When run under Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2, the administrator will have the ability to block unauthorized applications from being installed. The added control of the overall Windows 7 user pool should improve enterprise system operations.
The Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, available from Microsoft, should simplify some of the steps required to install Windows 7.
Tools from companies like Symantec can help create images of user drives and transfer user settings from an old computer to a new computer with Windows 7 already installed (or to a replacement computer with the updated Windows 7 image).
Furthermore, it may be necessary to prevent users from installing or running certain applications. For example, this author ran a registry defragmentation program written for Windows Vista and XP on an early version of Windows 7. The application wasn't smart enough to determine that the OS was not Windows Vista and made it impossible to relaunch Windows 7. Some applications may still not be able to fully support Windows 7. Now that you may have the ability to block installation and running of unauthorized applications, this type of catastrophe could be prevented.
A variety of methods can be used to perform either a clean install or an upgrade of Windows 7. Determining the best move for your enterprise is an important first step -- and different systems and departments may take different approaches.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mark Brownstein is a technology journalist and consultant based in Northridge, Calif. He has been editor at technology publications, has written seven books, and is a Microsoft Systems Certified Administrator. He runs and maintains networks, analyzes and reviews new technologies, and consults on storage and system-related issues. He can be reached at [email protected]. |
02 Feb 2010