【英文原文】
Last week, this column laid out the painful, tedious process that awaits Windows XP users in October if they choose to migrate their existing PCs to Microsoft's forthcoming new edition of Windows, called Windows 7. This week, I aim to explain some of the other details and issues involved in upgrading a PC to Windows 7, even if you are currently running Windows Vista, from which an upgrade is far simpler.
Unlike migrating from XP—still the most common version of Windows, despite its age—moving up from Vista is designed to be relatively straightforward. It's a direct upgrade process that preserves all your personal files, settings and programs.
However, even this easier transition involves some choices and limitations that can be confusing for mainstream, non-techie users, so I will try to sort them out here. Throughout this column, I will be referring to simple, direct, upgrades meant for average users. I won't be discussing more complex methods that require things like wiping out, or dividing, hard disks.
Unlike Vista, Windows 7 doesn't require beefier hardware than its immediate predecessor. It should work fine on nearly every Vista PC, and even on many late-model computers running XP. In fact, it is a bit less demanding than Vista. For instance, Microsoft has repeatedly demonstrated Windows 7 working on low-powered netbooks that choked on Vista.
However, just like Vista, Windows 7 will be sold in a multitude of different editions, and deciding which one to buy can be confusing. There are six different flavors, though one is reserved for countries Microsoft calls 'emerging markets.' Of the remaining five, one is for big businesses. Another, a stripped-down edition called Starter, can't be installed as a direct upgrade for existing computers, according to Microsoft.
Most consumers will likely choose Windows 7 Home Premium, which costs $120 for upgraders and has all the key Windows 7 features. The next step up, called Professional, adds a few extras that may be especially useful for consumers who work at large companies or use older, specialized programs. Most notably, the Professional edition, unlike the Home Premium version, can remotely tap into certain corporate networks that use a system called 'Domain Joining.' And the Professional version has the ability to run older Windows XP programs that wouldn't otherwise work in Windows 7. It costs $200 for upgraders. The other likely choice is called Ultimate. It combines every feature of the other editions but costs upgraders $100 more than Home Premium.
There are limitations on which current Vista machines can be directly upgraded to the various versions of Windows 7. In general, you can only upgrade your current version of Vista to the comparable version of Windows 7. For instance, Vista Home Premium can only be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium and Vista Business can only be upgraded to Windows 7 Professional. This rule has two exceptions. Any flavor of Vista except Starter can be upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate, if you care to spend the extra money. And Vista Home Basic can be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium.
All of the three common consumer versions of Windows 7 can run inside virtual machines, such as the faux Windows computers created on Apple Macintosh hardware using the Fusion and Parallels software. However, the upgrade rules still apply.
After you've installed Windows 7, you can move up from Home Premium to Professional with minimal extra effort, for an added sum, by using a program from Microsoft called Windows Anytime Upgrade. This unlocks the added features of Professional, which were actually already on your machine, but were hidden. You can do the same thing to move up to Ultimate.
However, there's another complication. For each of the three main consumer versions of Windows 7, there are actually two editions. One is meant for PCs with standard processors, called 32-bit processors, and the other for PCs that sport newer processors called 64-bit processors. The 32-bit version of Windows can recognize only 3 gigabytes of memory, but the 64-bit version can use much, much more. For most average users, 3 gigabytes is plenty, but some consumers have 64-bit Vista machines, which can move faster when lots of programs are being used at once, or when doing tasks like playing back high-definition video.
The problem is that you cannot directly upgrade 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Windows 7, or vice versa. So that adds another layer of complexity to the upgrade process.
Finally, a note about prices. Most major Windows PC makers are offering free, or very low cost, upgrades to Windows 7 later, if you buy a Vista PC now. They are doing this, in cooperation with Microsoft, to discourage people from waiting until October to buy a new PC. Each hardware company has slightly different policies on this. However, this free upgrade program isn't of any help if you simply want to keep your existing PC and upgrade it to Windows 7.
You can learn more about the various editions of Windows 7 at: windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/compare-editions?T1=tab01. And I'll have a full review closer to its Oct. 22 release date.
谷歌街景拍到有人街头生孩子 旁边医院毫不知情
美国人视角:享受奥运,向中国学习
双语:妈咪摇滚DJ席卷纽约
奥运电影经典台词11句
今年圣诞不寂寞 “扁平爸爸”相作伴
双语:英国“最大狗”新鲜出炉
威廉王子未婚妻凯特订婚长裙惨遭山寨
双语欣赏:温总理诗作《仰望星空》
玛丽亚凯莉带孕大秀59美元平价钻戒
刘欢、莎拉•布莱曼将演唱奥运主题歌
最新研究挑战传统:男生学理科未必有优势
漂亮妈妈多生女 美男渐成稀缺品
澳大利亚青年欲破世界最长说唱纪录
郎平率美国女排出征北京奥运
捷克男主持效仿Lady Gaga穿鲜肉装
走马观花看美国:芝加哥繁华下的另一面
英皇后人选引热议 卡梅伦力挺卡米拉
北京奥运 贵宾云集
NASA首次发现土星卫星中含有氧气
20世纪最无聊一天:1954年4月11日
加媒抱怨“亚洲学生太多” 亚裔表示强烈不满
研究发现:人类大脑无法判断对方性别
北京奥运主题歌《我和你》传递温暖
阿凡达发光树或成真 未来可代替路灯
诗词英译:沉醉东风-秋日湘阴道中
奥运双语八卦:中国羽坛的夫妻档
罗格北京奥运会开幕式致辞全文
巴基斯坦女运动员:参加奥运就是梦想成真
周杰伦与“台湾第一美女主播”亲昵..
美国人喜好调查:最爱披头士最恨慢车
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |