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Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade
 Microsoft|  admin|  07.26.10| 
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User Reviews
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| Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade |
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| Manufacturer: Microsoft Software |
| Customer Rating: |
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| List Price: $219.99 |
| Sale Price: $173.08 |
| Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours |
 Free Shipping Available |
| Buy Now |
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Product Description |
Upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. Windows 7 Ultimate is the most versatile and powerful edition of Windows 7. It combines remarkable ease-of-use with the entertainment features of Home Premium and the business capabilities of Professional, including the ability to run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode. For added security, you can encrypt your data with BitLocker and BitLocker To Go. And for extra flexibility, you can work in any of 35 languages. Get it all with Windows 7 Ultimate.  Windows 7 is designed to make your PC simpler--to be more reliable, more responsive and to make the things you do every day on your PC easier. Click to enlarge. | Upgrade to Windows 7 All editions of Windows XP and Windows Vista qualify you to buy an upgrade license. 1. Choose your edition of Windows 7
Explore key features and choose the edition that's best for you. Be sure to check the expanded list of extended features in Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, and Windows 7 Ultimate. System requirements vary for each edition of Windows 7 because some features might require special hardware. 2. See if your PC has what it takes to run Windows 7
In general, if your PC can run Windows Vista it can run Windows 7. To make sure, download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to do a quick check. If you want certain features, such as HomeGroup or Windows Media Center, check to see if your PC has the hardware that's needed. 3. Check which operating system your PC is currently running
How you make the move to Windows 7 depends on your current operating system. - Windows Vista
The transition to Windows 7 should be pretty smooth, although you may need to update your system to the latest service pack first.
- Windows XP (or any other operating system)
Windows 7 is best experienced on a new PC with the latest hardware, but if your computer meets the minimum specifications, you can install Windows 7 on a PC running Windows XP. Windows 7 must be "custom" installed (also known as a "clean" installation) over Windows XP. Before beginning the installation, you'll need to copy your files and settings to an external drive. After Windows 7 has been installed you will need to re-install all of your programs using the original installation media and then copy over the files and settings you backed up to your external drive. Because Windows 7 requires a custom installation, we strongly recommend that you get help with this process from your local computer service provider.  More work, more play, and more of everything in between. Click to enlarge. |  Manage lots of open programs, documents, and browser windows easily with thumbnail and full-screen previews of open windows. Click to enlarge. |  With Snap you can arrange two windows side-by-side just by dragging them to opposite sides of your screen. Click to enlarge. |  Open files you use regularly in just two clicks with Jump Lists on the improved taskbar. | Designed for people who want it all Easiest Windows to use ever
- Simplify your PC with new navigation features like Aero Shake, Jump Lists, and Snap.
- Customize Windows to look and feel the way you like by changing themes and taskbar programs.
- Easy to network (with or without a server).
- Back up your complete system over a network.
- Help protect data on your PC or portable storage device against loss or theft with BitLocker.
Faster and more flexible
- Designed to make your PC sleep and resume quicker.
- Takes full advantage of 64-bit PC hardware and memory.
- Windows XP Mode gives you the business flexibility you need.
- Switch between any of 35 languages.
Best PC entertainment experience
- Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV with Windows Media Center.
- Blu-ray read/write support for data files.
- Includes integrated video and Dolby audio codecs.
Simplifies Everyday Tasks Simple to use Preview
Manage lots of open programs, documents, and browser windows easily with thumbnail and full-screen previews of open windows. Pin
Open files and get around your PC faster with the improved taskbar. You can easily pin programs you use often to the taskbar and launch them in just one click.  Windows 7 lets you peek behind open windows to get a quick look at your desktop. Click to enlarge. |  Instantly locate and open virtually any file on your PC right from the Start menu with Windows Search. Click to enlarge. |  Turn your PC into a TV with Windows Media Center, and enjoy your favorite videos and music with Windows Media Player. Click to enlarge. | Jump Lists
Open files you use regularly in just two clicks with Jump Lists on the improved taskbar. Snap
Windows 7 has simple new ways to manage open windows. For example, with Snap you can arrange two windows side-by-side just by dragging them to opposite sides of your screen. Peek and Shake
Windows 7 lets you peek behind open windows to get a quick look at your desktop. Windows Search
Instantly locate and open virtually any file on your PC, from documents to emails to songs, right from the Start menu, with Windows Search. Easy to connect  Setting up wireless connections is easier with consistent, one-click connections to available networks. Click to enlarge. |  Enjoy the photos, music, and videos on your home PC when you're away from home with remote media streaming. Click to enlarge. |  Windows Touch makes PCs with touch screens easier and more intuitive to use. Click to enlarge. |  Manage Backup and Restore and other features through Action Center. Click to enlarge. |  Search, organize, and edit files across a network in the same way you would a single folder.Click to enlarge. | Wireless setup
With Windows 7, setting up wireless connections is easier with consistent, one-click connections to available networks, whether those networks are based on Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, dial-up, or corporate VPN. HomeGroup
Connect Windows 7 PCs on a home network in just four clicks and easily get to the photos, music, and files on each one--even share printers--with HomeGroup. Easy to browse the web Internet Explorer 8
Visual search helps you quickly find the information you want by adding visual cues and previews to search results from top search providers including Live Search, Wikipedia, Yahoo, Amazon, and others. Internet Explorer 8
Use Web slices to conveniently keep up with changes on frequently updated websites, like eBay auctions or traffic sites, directly from the IE8 toolbar. Easy to communicate and share Windows Live Photo Gallery
Windows Live Photo Gallery makes share your photos to your favorite photo site easy. Windows Live Mail
Windows Live Mail makes managing multiple email accounts easy. Windows Live Family Safety
Keep your child safe by managing what sites they can visit and who they can send/receive emails and im communications from. Note: Windows Live components need to be downloaded separately. Works The Way You Want Faster and More Reliable Resume from sleep
We designed Windows 7 to help PCs sleep and resume from sleep more quickly by improving the way Windows 7 manages drivers, programs, and power. Faster and more reliable
We reduced the amount of memory your PC needs for open windows and to execute commands to help it be more responsive to commands. Fewer clicks and less interruptions
Makes New Things Possible Media on your terms Windows Media Center
Turn your PC into a TV with Windows Media Center. Windows Media Center
Watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV. DirectX 11
DirectX 11 technology delivers breathtaking game graphics so real, it's unreal. New ways to engage Windows Touch
Windows Touch makes PCs with touch screens easier and more intuitive to use. Media on your terms Windows Media Player
More and more consumer electronics, from TVs to digital photo frames, can be connected to home networks. With Play To in Windows 7, you'll be able to easily send music, photos, videos from your PC to a networked device throughout your home. You can enjoy the photos, music, and videos on your home PC when you're away from home with remote media streaming. Work anywhere Location Aware Printing
Windows 7 will automatically pick the right printer for you when you move from home to work networks. Work anywhere with less effort. - Get connected in three clicks wherever there's a wireless network connection.
- Keep documents on your PC and on network servers in sync automatically.
- Your PC will automatically use the printer you prefer for whatever network you're on.
- Simplify making presentations special settings that keep your PC from sleeping and turn off messages, notifications, and screen savers.
- Instantly locate virtually any file, email, or document on your PC just by typing a word or two.
- Get around your PC faster with the improved taskbar.
- Open programs you use regularly in one click and files you use regularly in just two.
- Manage lots of open programs, documents, and browser windows easily with thumbnail and full-screen previews of open windows.
- Manage multiple email accounts, including Hotmail, Gmail, AOL, and Yahoo! Mail Plus, all in one place with one simple program.
- Get to the files, photos, and music on any PC with Windows 7 in the house from any other.
- Print to any printer in the house from any PC with Windows 7 in the house.
Safeguard your hard work. - Advanced Backup and Restore makes it easier to keep your work safely backed up to external or network drives and accessible if you need it.
- File encryption helps keep proprietary and confidential information on a PC secure if it is lost or stolen.
- Preserve your investment in programs designed for Windows XP with Windows XP Mode.
- Windows Internet Explorer 8 helps keep your PC safer from malware and you safer from fraudulent websites designed to fool you into divulging private information.
- Easily add your PC to a secured, managed, network with domain join capabilities.
- Group policy controls help administrators more easily and effectively manage the security and configuration of multiple PCs.
Choose the Windows 7 Edition That Is Best For You |
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Product Details |
- (Includes 32 & 64-bit versions cd-rom) Combines remarkable ease-of-use with the entertainment features of Home Premium and the business capabilities of Professional--get it all with with Windows 7 Ultimate
- Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation; start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often
- Run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode; watch, pause, rewind, and record TV on your PC
- Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup; connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join
- Recover your data easily with automatic backup to your home and business network; help protect data on your PC and portable storage devices against loss or theft with BitLocker
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Video Reviews |
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Customer Reviews |
 Worth the Wait |
| Review Date: October 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Just Anonymous, Georgia, USA |
I'll admit, I've been running Windows 7 for six months now: the preproduction version of it and have just upgraded to the gold code. So I have quite a bit of experience with the operating system. Let's get to the nitty gritty:
Should you upgrade from Windows Vista? YES! I mean it - upgrade today.
Windows 7 is quite simply faster, more stable, boots faster, goes to sleep faster, comes back from sleep faster, manages your files better and on top of that it's beautiful to look at and easy to use. Even the preproduction version of Windows 7 was better than my Vista with SP2.
Should you upgrade from Windows XP? Maybe, but for different reasons.
XP is a good operating system and if you don't need to add new hardware or software, XP is good. However, XP is old as an operating system. Also chances are that if you're running XP, you might not meet the minimum requirements for Windows 7 - check the compatibility site at Microsoft to see if your system will support Windows 7. That said, Windows 7 is light years ahead of Windows XP in terms of functionality, ease of use, etc - to me it's worth buying a new system.
64 bit or 32 bit?
If you don't know what I'm talking about, that's ok skip this section. If you have a core2 duo or core 2 quad or a multi cpu machine, go with the 64 bit OS, it handles memory and the CPUs much better. If you have a single core CPU, one CPU or run special programs that require 32bit, then stick with 32 bit for now.
BEFORE INSTALLATION:
I recommend you have:
-a core 2 duo or core 2 quad machine
-4gig of RAM (That's about $50 in today's market)
-good hard drive with (200 gig - it doesn't need that much but that's another $50)
-back up your files to a USB drive like Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDME5000TN (Midnight Black)
-check to make sure your computer is compatible with Windows 7
INSTALLATION:
Installation was very straight forward. You put in the CD and reboot your machine. You might have to enter your bios and enable the "boot from CD" option. Once the machine reboots a nice screen comes up to guide you through the installation. You have the option to upgrade your PC or do a clean installation. I did an upgrade and it brought in all of my files and settings from my windows Vista system. It worked great.
The upgrade did take about 2 hours for me so definitely consider.
I noticed that early on in the installation the operating system went out to Microsoft's site to look for the latest and greatest updates, so I think this should help Microsoft respond quickly to any hiccups with compatibility.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK:
The driver from my old HP Inkjet printer for 2001 doesn't work on Windows 7 so there are some things that will not transition. I had to use a generic HP driver which doesn't give me the quality that I got from an injet - so overall, I'm up and running with that printer but I'm degraded on the inkjet front. That said, I recently upgraded to a HP CP2025DN Color LaserJet Printer that I love so no real loss there. I'll likely pick up a cheap inkjet for the occasional photo that I might need to print. Everything else upgraded.
BENEFITS
-faster boot time
-faster go to sleep
-faster wakeup
-faster about 20% to 30% faster at running applications than my Vista - seriously (but those are my results without any benchmarks or anything like that, just seeing how fast Adobe Illustrator loads, and how fast all the applications respond)
-joining wireless networks is much easier
-the interface is just plain beautiful
-my wallpapers are now a slideshow that can be set to change every few minutes (I'm not stuck with the same picture)
-Gadgets - these are wonderful little small applications that you can drag onto your desktop. I have a weather gadget and a calendar gadget on my desktop that tell me
-Better taskbar management - hovering over the taskbar icons shows me mini windows of what's running
-Better file management - I can organize my files into Libraries that are sortable not only by type but by folder or other data. It's great! I can browse through my presentations or illustrator files!
-Windows Media appears to be smoother which I love.
-You get some virus protection and firewall with Windows 7 but consider something more comprehensive like McAfee Total Protection 3User 2010. Yes, it'll make your computer run a bit slower but
CONS:
- Some older programs might not work and some drivers might not be available like my inkjet driver.
- Other than that, there aren't too many drawbacks to Windows 7 - it's a great OS.
WHICH VERSION SHOULD I GET?
I got the ultimate version because I have clients who ask, "is your hard drive encrypted?" -- I wanted to be able to say yes and have sensitive data encrypted one of my computer volumes - Bitlocker is only available in the Ultimate version. Ultimate also includes Multilanguage support.
If you're a home user that doesn't do a lot of networking, you might consider just the home premium edition. If you're using a laptop and connect to networks at work, you might want the Professional version of the operating system to help you with domain joining. Also Windows Professional gives you the option to run applications in XP mode so if you have old applications you can use that nifty feature. I already have 1 application running in XP mode - it's nifty to run an old application.
NOTE:
The box contains both the 32 bit and 64 bit OS.
OVERALL:
It's very hard to write a comprehensive review on an entire operating system so I didn't even try - I'm sure magazines will devote entire articles to the operating system and several books will come out. My goal here is just to give everyone a glimpse of what I've found to date with this new OS. I do hope this has helped you in making a decision.
Hats off to Microsoft on Windows 7. It's more of a refined Windows Vista than an entirely new operating system but it was needed. Thank you.
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An important note on using the Upgrade version for a clean install
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| Review Date: October 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Troy Packrat, Nebraska |
Previous versions of Windows would allow you to do a clean install on a blank hard drive using an "upgrade" disk; the installer would ask you to insert the media for a previous OS to prove you actually qualified before continuing. 7 does not do this. If you attempt to use the Upgrade disk to do a clean install on a blank drive, it won't give any warnings nor will it ask for proof you own an older version. It will just do a normal install, but when it asks for the key, it will reject the Upgrade key and demand a full retail key.
This means if you're trying to do a clean install using an Upgrade disk (e.g., replacing a dead hard drive), you'll either have to install the old OS or use your computer's original recovery disk to restore the original OS, or you can use the install-Windows-on-top-of-itself trick. You don't have to upgrade the old OS, you can have the installer copy the old Windows version to another folder and then install a clean copy, but you must have a copy of XP, Vista or 7 somewhere on the hard drive before you begin or your key won't work.
I know this isn't exactly a review, but I wish I'd known about this before I spent an hour tearing my hair out trying to figure out why my key wouldn't work. |
You might not need the Ultimate edition anymore
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| Review Date: October 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: William W. Davis, |
I'm currently running Windows 7 Ultimate on my laptop (and loving it -- see my other reviews for Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional editions), but I want to point out that unless you want to use BitLocker hard drive encryption, or you want to work in multiple languages, there really isn't any reason to buy Windows 7 Ultimate -- instead, Windows 7 Professional is all you need.
With Windows Vista, Microsoft separated functions between Home Premium and Business so that you had to buy the Ultimate version to get all the media-centric capability of Home Premium, and key business-centric functions like Remote Desktop server and Offline Files & Folders of the Business edition of Vista.
With Windows 7, all that has changed now. Windows 7 Professional has *all* the media-centric capability of Windows 7 Home Premium, PLUS the business functions. The ONLY two things you get with Windows 7 Ultimate is the ability to encrypt your hard drive and work in multiple languages. If you're not doing either of those things presently, and if you have no intention of doing either of those things in the future, then save a little money and buy Windows 7 Professional to get everything the Home Premium has plus all the business functions you're probably used to.
That said, you may still choose Windows 7 Ultimate if you want to do an in-place upgrade (where you keep all your installed programs and settings, rather than reinstall everything). You can't upgrade from Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Professional with an in-place upgrade (I tried; it didn't let me). So if you've already got Vista Ultimate, and you want to do an in-place upgrade to Windows 7, then you'll still want to buy the Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade for a smooth transition.
Looking to do a clean install using this upgrade disk? You can, but here's how. Insert the DVD and choose "Custom" to do the clean install. During the install, DO NOT enter your product id or activate Windows -- yet. Instead, you'll finish the clean install, reboot, then use your DVD to do an upgrade of the clean install of Windows 7. Yes, you're upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 7. After you upgrade, then enter your product id and activate Windows. I haven't tried this out personally, but others have and have done so successfully. Add a comment to my review to share your experience if you go this route. Final note: This tip isn't intended to circumvent the stipulations in the licensing agreement for upgrading your computer. If you're not entitled to upgrade (because, say, you're using Windows 95, 98, 2000, or ME), then you must buy the full version. As I tell my kids, "Just because you can do a thing doesn't mean you should do a thing." :-) |
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit is the best OS ever released by Microsoft, period
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| Review Date: November 21, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Hugo D. Hackenbush, Main Street, USA |
I own a 3-year-old Dell XPS 410 with an Intel Core 2 6700 CPU @ 2.66GHz, equipped with a RAID 0 650 GB dual hard drive, 4 GB DDR2 RAM and an Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB "Direct X 10"-compatible video graphics card. Sadly, I have been displeased with the performance of my computer ever since I upgraded from Windows XP Media Center Edition to Vista Ultimate 32-bit a few weeks after initially purchasing my computer.
After several years of using the miserably sluggish, sporadically buggy Vista Ultimate 32-bit OS, I have recently upgraded my computer to Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit. All I can say is... WHAT A DIFFERENCE.
The last time my computer ran this quickly was when I used it with Windows XP, with which it came pre-installed with. Windows 7 Ultimate retains and refines all of the best features of Vista Ultimate, adding lots of performance and visual tweaks, while using far less computer resources. The new layout is smartly designed, attractive and intuitive. I especially appreciate the new taskbar setup with the "jump list" and "peek and shake" features, while the best holdover feature from Vista, "Windows Search" works better than ever. The new networking setup, Windows Media Center, Windows Media Player, the back up and restore feature, the redesigned defrag setup, the built-in security features... all have been subtlety but effectively improved over Vista. These seemingly incremental improvements over Vista really add up, improving my overall computing experience to the point where my PC really does feel like a new machine.
All of my software (including Adobe Master Collection CS4, Microsoft Office 2007 Professional, Kaspersky Internet Security Suite 2010, Roxio Creator Pro 2010, Microsoft MapPoint 2010, Microsoft Student 2009 and WinX DVD Ripper) runs perfectly, and I have thus far experienced zero compatibility issues with any of my 32-bit software using Windows Ultimate 64-bit; even my two-year-old Dell printer works without a hitch. Not a single driver conflict has arisen so far. Overall, this is by far the most stable Microsoft OS I have ever used.
As a matter of fact, much of my software seems to actually run better now than it ever did when I was using Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit... and that's where I am most pleased with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit: its fine, smooth performance, right down to the quick start-up and shut down times. This is the OS that Microsoft promised, and failed, to deliver with Windows Vista, and it really does compare favorably with Mac OS X... an event I thought I'd never live to experience, quite frankly.
As an aside, this is the first time in years that I have not regretted being an early adopter (I'm cursed with poor impulse control); this is something I can't even claim with Windows XP (as I recall, I experienced far more driver compatibility issues with XP when it first debuted).
All in all, I cannot recommend this OS enough. For PC users, this is as good as it currently gets. |
Microsoft listened and delivered
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| Review Date: October 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: X. Liu, New England |
I have been using Windows 7 for over a month now. (Received an early copy) I must admit the upgrade experience is a hassle but once you install Windows 7 you will be pleasantly surprised. I recommend a clean install for all users. Windows 7 has a noticeably snappier boot time than Windows Vista. What users will notice most are the changes to the interface. It took some time to get adjust new taskbar but once I became familiar with the new interface, I found it to be an improvement over previous Windows versions. Windows 7 also includes a comprehensive device drivers, I have only had an issue with an old printer where Windows 7 could not find the drivers. But with Virtual XP this was no problem, I simply installed the Virtual XP, and used my printer within the virtualized environment. I also noticed improved power management, including once of my favorite features which is the auto dimming of my laptop monitors once my computer is not being used.
Improvements/Pros/New Features
-New Taskbar interface, each program is represented by an icon for a clutter free taskbar
-Quicker boot times
-Comprehensive driver library
-Supports many devices out of the box
-Less annoying
-Virtual XP (for those who still need Windows XP)
-Networking
Recommendations
-Microsoft Security Essentials: A free antivirus program provided by Microsoft that fights viruses, spyware, rootkits, and Trojans. This program is a separate installation, and is also compatible with XP, Vista, and 7.
-Ninite: Free program that provides easy PC Setup, and helps to install Multiple Applications at once. Is a lifesaver for Windows 7 upgrades. Caveat, limited to popular programs such as pidgin, flash, firefox, skype, itunes |
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