Windows 8 In Depth

Upgrading Windows

You can upgrade an existing installation of Windows Vista and Windows 7 to Windows 8, with applications, settings, and personal data (user accounts and files), subject to the restrictions listed in Table 1.2. If you’re moving up from Windows XP (and if your old Windows XP computer is capable of running Windows 7), you can get an upgrade (read: cheaper) Windows 8 license, but you’ll have to do a clean install. This means your files and documents will be available, but your settings will be lost and you’ll have to reinstall your application programs if you want to use them in Windows 8. It’s probably not worth doing; it’s better to get a new computer.

Table 1.2. Windows Upgrade Paths

Table 1.2 lists the upgrade paths that Microsoft ...