“I can confirm that customers will be able to purchase upgrade media and an upgrade license to move from Windows XP to Windows 7 - however, they will need to do a clean installation of Windows 7,” a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to The Register. “This requires the user to back up their data, install Windows 7, re-install the programs and restore their data.”
Windows Vista users, however, will have the option to install over top their existing OS.
“For PCs running Windows Vista customers have the option of an in-place upgrade of Windows 7 keeping their data and programs intact or to perform a clean install of Windows 7,” added the rep.
Of course, the computer savvy bunch of us, which include all of you reading Tom’s Hardware, already know that a clean installation is the preferred way to go when going to a new operating system. There are just so many old cobwebs that can accumulate in any installation of Windows that a clean start is often preferred. In fact, some of us even go as far to reinstall Windows after a significant hardware change, such as a new motherboard.