Many Vista users all over the net are asking whether a direct upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows is possible. The answer is that this direct upgrade is indeed possible but not for Vista users who will buy any version of Windows 7 in a European Union country. As a matter of fact, in the EU, Microsoft will only sell versions of Windows 7 that require a fresh installation. This means that when the fresh install path is taken, users will first have to backup all data and afterwards they will also need to install all software once again. On the other hand users who will choose the upgrade path will not need to go through all that hassle but they will also face the risk of ending up with an o/s which performs slower than what could have been achieved via a fresh install.

If you are a Vista user and planning to take the upgrade path, you should also consider downloading the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor tool from:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

After installing this tool you will get a report telling you if your computer can run Windows 7 and will also tell you if there are any known compatibility issues.

1. Tip for Windows Vista and Windows 7
2. VISTA SP 2 on Windows Update
3. Vista SP 2 not always available via Windows Update
4. Vista Sp 2 Free Disk Space Requirements
5. Microsoft already planning Windows 8