In this article we will examine this question and arrive at an answer that you and I both can live with. For you see, this is a decision you alone must make, but I'm here to help you with the information needed to make such a difficult choice.

First, we will examine why such a move might be necessary, and then we will look at some clever ways to pull off this maneuver without losing endless nights of sleep. Many of us have been here before. As for me, I've been in this boat many times, so allow me to tell you a little about myself then I'll steer you safely through the maze of information needed to make the choice. So, don your best sailing gear, hoist up the flag, and allow me to take you on a path of discovery that should hopefully enlighten you.

Before I offer any advice, I need to briefly introduce why you should be listening to me. After all, there are many 'PC gurus' out there offering sage advice. What makes me any different?

First off, I am not a 'guru'. I have spent the past 20 years repairing PCs every day of the week, and that involves determining how to constantly make things work ... or finding a new field to work in. As such, I have performed many upgrades over the years (both hardware and software) which makes me 'the guy' to tell you how this next upgrade will go for you. After all, I was there for the upgrades from DOS 4.0 to Windows 3.0, to Windows 95, to Windows 98, to Windows ME (which really wasn't for any of us), to Windows 2000, to Windows XP, and then to Windows Vista. Now that's a lot of upgrades!

Also, you don't need someone throwing a bunch of techno babble at you, describing something you might be able to understand if someone would just speak English! I make my dime daily converting geek to English, and this article is no different. It's written in the tongue of us common folk (that's right - I see myself as one of the masses, not as the guru on the hill) and is meant to help you make a difficult decision ... should you upgrade to Windows 7 ... and if so ... when?

As a technician, I have been hearing a lot of hubbub over the upcoming Windows 7. In particular, people want to know ... can I upgrade - should I upgrade - and what will happen to me if I don't? As these are all good questions, I will try to answer them to the best of my ability by pulling together the info I have received from many beta tasters. But before we go into all that, we need to remember something - many of us have stood at this doorway before.

You see, about six years ago, Windows XP was the new kid on the block. I remember, as I was there. The same upgrade questions were asked back then, and surprisingly, the same answers apply now: In some instances, yes, you can upgrade; you should do so; and if you don't you will watch all of your software slowly become unsupported by the manufacturer with no upgrade path to be found.

In this article, I will approach these issues one-by-one and hopefully give you a glimpse of the future and a reason not to fear it so much.

Sadly, there is no direct upgrade path for most of us. If you didn't buy into Windows Vista (and many of us didn't) then you still have Windows XP, and there is no magic disk that changes Windows XP to Windows 7, nor do I suspect there will be. If it had been Microsoft's plan to introduce such a mervlous toy, they would have pushed it through during beta testing, to be certain it worked well on gameday.

Is this a plot by Microsoft to torture Windows XP users for not upgrading to Vista (as I have so often heard)? Absolutely not. Instead, it's a plot to keep Windows 7 stable by not allowing code from bygone generations to pollute their product. You see, over time, the Windows DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) and the hive files (the registry) become a mess. Granted, the system still runs, but not optimally. We tolerate this, as Windows XP somehow holds it all together and keeps things stable, but those sharpened points of uncertainty will always poke through during an upgrade, igniting animosity toward a new product for something that wasn't its fault. Microsoft made a wise choice by abandoning this upgrade path, staving off the rage it would later inspire.

Don't believe me? Look at Vista as a prime example. Then made an upgrade path from XP to Vista, and what a mess it made of things. It was so awful that our store convinced people to choose a new PC with Vista or to stick with XP - we did very few upgrades. And did those people suffer who bought new PCs with Vista on them? Not at all. It was the ones who turned away from our advice and took matters into their own hands that paid the price - learning the lesson that some atomatic upgrades just aren't worth it.

Well, we need to realize that Windows XP and Vista were as different to each other as Windows XP was to Windows 98. When you change a lot under the hood, the car will always perform differently - and not always for the better. However, when you build the car around a new engine, with performance in mind, you typically do end up with a better vehicle. That's why those that upgraded suffered when moving from XP to Vista, and they would suffer again, were Microsoft not stern enough to just say no ...

Of course, the same argument can be applied to Vista. After all, Microsoft does allow you to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7, so why isn't this seen as bad? To answer that truthfully, you need to be told something that you probably don't want to hear ... Windows 7 is a modified version of Vista, so it's fully compatible.

I can hear the screams of 'foul' already. Microsoft releases a product that fails to meet expectations then they repackage it and reship it as something new, hoping to gain the popularity Windows Vista failed to generate. How evil! Perhaps, but if you look under the hood (as I have) you will realize this updated version of Vista holds enough changes to be seen as a product in its own right, and a mighty darned good one at that!

Suffice it to say, an upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 should be relatively painless, which is the true reason Microsoft allows it.

This question is a real toughie, as it entails examining a lot of things to make an accurate reply. To answer this fairly, we need to look at how you use your PC and what your expectations should be. To do so, I analyze each user type below and (to the best of my ability) access your risks and benefits:

The Internet Browsers: These are people who get on the internet to view web pages and exchange emails. Surprisingly (or perhaps not), they make up the bulk of all current PC users. So, should they upgrade?

These are the users who have the least to benefit from such a move forward. After all, they won't just shut off the internet to Windows XP and Vista users. Not only that, the internet experience will be the same, as Internet Explorer 6, 7, and 8 already work on these prior platforms. If anything, these users stand to lose a bit, as Outlook Express and Windows Mail will both be missing from Windows 7. Granted, Microsoft will have a product you can download from the internet that will allow you to continue using your email, but at that point I recommend moving to something thrid party, such as Incredimail.

The internet browsers should wait until their next big PC repair bill before upgrading, as by that time PCs will be even cheaper and more powerful.

And, you ask, should a person who makes a living selling and repairing PCs make such a judgment call? After all, selling PCs makes our store money, so why take such a stance? Reputation ... Our store has outsold every store in our region by always 'telling it like it is', and we continue to do so. A firm example was the Y2K debacle. Hundreds streamed in to buy new PCs and we told them to wait it out. Many did, suffered no consequences, and have remained loyal customers. Those who went on the reputation of others came back later, angry with themselves for not listening. Reputation is based on honesty, so I will continue to favor that course.

The Business Users: These are the people who use their PC as a tool, rather than a source of amusement, and this group isn't limited to those who report to an office every day. In fact, many workers are now telecommuting (a fancy term for working from home).

What makes these people different? For one thing, the programs they use. Let's just take a bried look at two of them ... Microsoft Office and Intuit QuickBooks. Now, as many of those who use these two programs already know, they are invaluable to they we do and they require periodic upgrades to function with all of the new features that are periodically released. It has always been that way and it always will be. Software upgrades, for them, are a way of life.

So, should they upgrade to Windows 7? My experience says yes - and the sooner the better. For, you see, once they put the nail in the coffin on XP (and soon afterwards, Vista) the developers of these products will make a push to limit the number of platforms (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7) that they must support. As such, they will write new versions that only support Windows 7 and you will be forced to make the leap.

Don't believe me? Try buying Microsoft Office for Windows 2000. It no longer exists. Of course, many will think they can skip a few versions, continuing to use what they have, but this always comes back to bite them. For, you see, if you wait too many versions to upgrade then the path closes, as the older data will no longer migrate to the newer product.

Believe me ... business users have every reason to migrate to Windows 7, but they need not do so until the new Windows 7 versions come out for the software they need to use on a daily basis.

The Gamers: These are the people that will upgrade a PC (often affectionately knows as 'a rig' by gamers) until the chassis melts. They aren't shy of investing big bucks to make their PC the biggest and the best, but they steer far away from instability, as this is the dark evil that prevents them from playing their games.
For them, I recommend a watch and see attitude. Keep an eye on stability as Windows 7 releases. When it seems all of the bugs are squished (typically by the first service pack) then hop over and reap the rewards.
Every version of Windows has done something new for gamers, and Windows 7 will be no different as it will continue on the legacy of supporting newer DirectX versions that will promise more stability, more features, and a heightened gaming experience.
Their rig will someday run on Windows 7 ... it's an inevitable fact. Interestingly enough, it will probably run on the same rig they used to run Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows XP, as this was the path taken by most gamers over the years. Windows ME and Windows Vista were never taken seriously - not because they weren't good platforms, but because they lacked stability. Ah yes, Microsoft does have a series of mulligans ... doesn't it?

The Newbs and the Olds: These are the ones who haven't purchased a PC yet or have been nursing a PC along for over five years. Don't consider Windows 7 ... just do it! Anything will be better than what you currently do or don't have, and you should consider yourselves lucky for the opportunity to enter the 21st century with a bang and stave off the laughter that has been surrounding you.

I'd say more on this, but I think being direct is the best policy. Do it. Get it over with. Enjoy your new PC!

The Rest of Us: Like me, you might be that indeterminable user that does a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and some of the other. As such, upgrading to you is important ... and might be quite painful.

You see, you have used your PC to do many things, and (if you're like me) you're used to everything being a certain way. Change upsets your world, but alas, you must experience it to move on. The sooner you can get it all past you, the better, as you enjoy keeling the boat toward the same sunrise every morning and you won't see that smooth sea again until you upgrade and get it over with. Just do it and deal with the choppy seas ... you'll feel better for it in mornings to come!

Having been around PCs many years, I can tell you that after a big Microsoft flop comes stability. After Windows 95 came Windows 98, which was well-loved and respected. After Windows ME came Windows XP, which we still use today. The big question arises from this - why don't they just make it right the first time?

It seems like a fair question - on the surface - but it's really not. You see, PCs (unlike their Mac cousins - please, do not berate me for comparing the two) are fully customizable. As such, there are far too many combinations to test them all. Every PC is unique in its own right, or soon as it's made or as soon as the customer gets their hands on it. As this is the case, any major operating system change will inevitably cause grief. Change is often painful, but survivable.

Windows ME was one of these odd burps that caused much dismay. It did have some really nice features, but they were lost in the anguish experienced by many users. However, Windows XP was born from those ashes and went on to become one of the best Microsoft offerings to date.

Windows Vista, much like Windows ME, introduced a lot of new features ... and its share of bad press. In defense of Vista, I would like to say I use it daily at work and it has never crashed on me in two years ... not once. And while its performance has never been stellar, I'd like to say that it has never been so horrible that I wanted to kill the gods at Microsoft for creating it. Two service packs later, Vista just needs a speed boost to bump it up to XP status, and Microsoft (as well as the beta testers) tell us that this speed boost is incorporated into Windows 7, which brings us to one final question - 32 bit or 64 bit?

I suppose that's why you have read this article so far, hoping in the end I would tell you it was a matter of inserting a CD or DVD and watching it all happen automatically.

For those with Windows Vista this very well might be your experience, but for those with Windows XP it will be much more painful. I can give you a glimpse of what to expect, as well as how things might not be so bad. As Windows 7 reads NTFS - this means it will see Windows Vista and Windows XP data (provided it was not installed using the FAT32 option). As this is the case, I foresee three upgrade paths that should help you move on with the least amount of discomfort:

Upgrade Possibility Number One - Keep Your Old Data on Its Original drive: This is the path of least resistance. For those of you who already have a PC capable of running Windows 7, you just need to slap in a new hard drive, install Windows 7, then add your old hard drive to the system when done.

If your PC is too antiquated to run Windows 7 then just purchase a new one and slap the old hard drive inside. Wallah! Done!

... or maybe not ...

You see, Windows XP secures certain files, making them inaccessible if moved in this manner. As such, I recommend creating a new folder on your hard drive first (prior to the upgrade) and moving all important data to this folder.

Next, you will need to reinstall any programs that you used to use. Some will work on Windows 7 and some won't - deal with the pain, as it was inevitable. For those programs that won't install or work properly, seek patches online, seek upgrades (there will be many of these when Windows 7 first releases), purchase newer versions, or move onto newer products. Again, the sooner you can move on, the better.

When the dust settles you will be in Windows 7, and you will have your old trusty data there beside you. Yeah, you will have a few scars to show for it, but change is inevitable, and we all must evolve sometime.

Another thing to remember is that Windows XP lasted 6 long years. Windows 7 stands posed to possibly do the same. As such, this might be the last change in a while for you, so far better to complete the path now than to wait until later and find yourself at the gates of another switchover.

Upgrade Possibility Number Two - Flush Out to an External Hard Drive: That's right ... move all of your important data to that external drive you have lying around, and then install a fresh installation of Windows 7. When done, connect the external drive to the system, reinstall your programs (as mentioned above) and you are back in business.

It's not really that different than what is mentioned above, but it involves no time inside of the PC, which will make many happy. After all, there's wires, and cards, and all kinds of crazy things inside that PC box. Why risk killing the PC or yourself? haha! And for those with notebooks, option one is only available if you have more than one hard drive inside (a rarity), making option two the obvious choice.

Upgrade Possibility Number Three - Go Hybrid: This is the least desired route, but one that many will foolishly embrace. The idea of the hybrid is to keep Windows XP (or Vista) and use it beside Windows 7.

Yes, there will be a way to do this. No, I don't highly recommend it ... Why?
Well, you see, when two operating systems run on the drive and both are aware of the other's existence ... evil things happen. Those who installed Vista and XP together can speak tomes of this, having often chosen to stick with the old or go with the new, when the merging of the two souls caused a haunted PC. The odds of having both operating systems play nice together is startlingly high against you, so I do not recommend this route. However, I do make a point of mentioning it, as I already know someone will stumble along and offer it as a solution and 'no doubt' count me in as an inexperienced hack for failing to present the possibility. And so, I did - and I highly recommend against it.

I know ... I know ... I promised to keep it all English, and now I have violated that promise. Give me a chance to explain and all will be happy again, as you will learn something new.

DOS was an 8 bit operating system, which was replaced by Windows 3.0. Then, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows ME came along and changed everything to a 16 bit world. From there, another shift was made to 32 bit with Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. And, for some time now, you could purchase 64 bit versions of Windows XP and Vista. So, what does all of this mean?

Well, it's all about carrying water.

'Water, you say?'

Please, give me a chance to explain ...

In San Pedro, Mexico they have a well in the middle of town that people go to each morning for water (all right I'm making this part up, but listen to me well and you will understand my point). Those who can carry more buckets make less trips to the well each day, allowing them to complete the job quicker. Your operating system is no different. The less trips it makes to the well, the faster it completes the task.

So, why not just go straight to 64 bit? For that matter, why know go to 128 bit, 256 bit, or even higher?

The answer is ... optimization. You see, in San Pedro, when you carry home more water than your family can use, you must take the excess back to the well, rather than waste it. That's more trips to the well and less time spent minding the animals. As such, everyone considers their day before they start out. Of course, with an operating system you can't do that. You set the number of buckets a day and go with it until you move onto another operating system. As such, those who write such things must optimize them to be fast.

With 64 bit now being in existence for several years, it appears to be the time to move up. The change won't come without issues, but the reward in the end will be like moving from Windows ME to Windows XP. Choose the 64 bit version of Windows 7 and see it run better and faster over time ... it's a safe bet.

You'll gain some things ... and lose others. The important thing to note is that you stand to gain more than you will lose, so I won't go into a big reverie in that direction. I'm here to convince you to move on, as it's the best advice I can give you, backed up by twenty years of experience in the field. I also would like to mention that I pushed people away from Vista, as I saw it as 'not quite ready for primetime' and I already knew the plan Microsoft has been following for years ... test a new operating system then take from it that which works and cull that which doesn't. That's why I have a better view toward Windows 7 - and so should you - as it incorporates the past successes, leaves behind the past failures, and evolves into something truly useful.

So, should you upgrade to Windows 7? Given the information provided, the answer is an inevitable yes. Should you do so immediately? Reading the above information provided should help you form that answer for yourself. After all, I'm not here to tell you what to do, but rather, to help you arrive at your own decision. Good luck!