How to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 8.1 Release Preview directly
Windows 8.1 is an update to Windows 8, Microsoft has made it known from the beginning. Many of us installed the first installment of Windows 8.1, called Release Preview, from the app store. We already commented at the time that Windows 8.1 would arrive as an update and as a fully installable ISO.
The ISO image is also used to update Windows 7 directly to Windows 8.1 Release Preview, and in this article we are going to explain how the process. The procedure requires a few steps, it is not complicated, but it needs some time before and after.Let's go there.
h2. What do we need
To be able to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 8 Release Preview you must have a installation of Windows 7, duly registered and, if possible, updated In the test for this article, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 was installed, and the system was up to date.
The next thing we need is, obviously, the ISO image of Windows 8 Release Preview, which we have to download from the official website, choosing well which image we need, depending on the language we have and if the system to be updated is 32 or 64 bits. Windows 8.1 Release Preview requires a minimum of 8.3 GB free on the hard drive containing the system
It is not necessary to burn the image to optical or USB media, as it is not necessary to boot the system from the ISO image.This also avoids having to modify the computer's BIOS so that it boots from a device other than the main hard drive. In this test, the ISO image has been mounted on a virtual device, specifically using Clone Drive.
It is important that you keep in mind that upgrading this way is irreversible If you later decide to go back to Windows 7, you will need to install the system from zero. Also keep in mind that the upgrade only provides the ability to keep personal documents, all Windows 7 programs are lost. In any case, it is always preferable to make a backup copy of our files in case something goes wrong.
h2. Upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1
h3. The part that runs under Windows 7
With the ISO image mounted on the system, we will navigate to its root directory and look for the executable setup.exe. We then launch the program.
As with any other software that involves changes to the computer, we must authorize its execution.
Once permission is granted, the Install Windows 8 Release Preview Wizard is launched. A white Windows 8 logo on a blue background will appear on the screen.
The system prepares itself for installation, displaying the percentage of this phase on the screen, which lasts a few seconds.
After completing this first phase, we have to make a decision: Connect to install updates (recommended option) or not. The recommended option has been chosen in the test Before clicking on Next, there are two more questions to consider: whether or not we want to help Microsoft improve the system installation through an optional checkbox and read the Privacy Statement.
The installation will now spend some time checking for updates.
After downloading updates, the Windows 8.1 Release Preview Setup Wizard restarts.
Now the wizard will check the compatibility of all devices paired with the computer.
If everything went well, it's time to Enter the product key, which for the Windows 8.1 Release Preview ISO image is:
Once the key has been validated on Microsoft servers, the screen appears with the license terms, which we must accept if we want to continue, marking the appropriate checkbox .
The time has come to make another decision: whether or not to keep our personal files. The test has been chosen Nothing, I had already made a backup copy."
Now the system will check again if everything is ready to install.
When this phase is complete, the wizard displays a summary of our decisions. This is the last time we can go back, using the small Change Selection text control."
After clicking on Install , the transformation of Windows 7 into Windows 8.1 Release Preview begins. From now until you see the Windows 8.1 start screen again, it can take 20 minutes quietly.
After a warning about the need to reboot the computer, the wizard disappears and we will see, for the last time, Windows 7 on the computer . All files required for installation of Windows 8.1 Release Preview have already been copied to your hard drive The Shutting down screen>."
h3. Windows 8.1 environment
In the next boot, the characteristic goldfish of previous versions will appear, which we had the opportunity to see in its namesake in Windows 8. The rest of the process consists of Configure, Prepare devices, a screen to select the local configuration, and the screen for customizing colors and assigning the team name. In this part of the process the equipment restarts several times
Once the colors and name of the team have been selected, the Settings screen appears, where we can choose a quick or a personalized one .My advice here, being a previous version, is to go for the express settings. However, for finer adjustment you can use the custom one.
The next step consists of entering our Microsoft account If we don't have one, we can create it from that same screen. In the next one we will have to decide if we use SkypeDrive or not Once these two steps are completed, the system finishes the installation automatically.
After several screens showing us where the process is, we will finally see the start screen of Windows 8.1 Release Preview. Del viejo>, named Windows.old, which occupies several GB and is really of little use. Unless you need to consult something, it can be deleted."
h2. From Windows 7 to Windows 8.1, conclusions
Despite the rosary of images, upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1 Release Preview is simple, although somewhat heavy to complete, it is a matter of patience. Windows 8.1 RP has been stable since it was released, with subsequent updates it's even more stable. The lure of direct boot into the classic desktop environment, the start button, and new applications can convince more than one user to upgrade their system.
