I have been using Vista since last June and have been relatively pleased with it. However a few little niggling problems started cropping up so I bit the bullet and decided now was a good time to upgrade to Windows 7. So off I went to Staples in Torquay and got myself the family pack upgrade which is good for three PCs. I thought the price was reasonable, I think it was around £130.

I would really recommend backing up all your files before attempting any upgrade. I backed up all my files onto an external hard drive just in case things went pear shaped. The upgrade went extremely well and without a hitch. I have now been using Windows 7 for a few days and am absolutely delighted with it. I don't want to tempt fate but all of the little problems I was having with Vista have now disappeared and it is working really well, I couldn't be happier.

To be quite honest there really isn't a lot of difference between Windows 7 and Vista when it comes to the layout and workings, so if you are a seasoned Vista user, Windows 7  shouldn't confuse you too much. Things have been smartened up and it definitely that little more aesthetically pleasing on the eye, I particularly like the on screen keyboard, that is a marked improvement. I do use this on a regular basis when I am in bed so that is one particular function I am very happy with. Windows Mail is absolutely fantastic, really love it, miles better than what was included in Vista. I really do like the facility where you have a library tab in the taskbar, it makes accessing my documents, pictures, videos etc. just a little quicker. You don't have to have it in your taskbar, you can disable it. However when you spend as much time on the computer as I do, anything that makes life easier is an advantage.

I haven't been using Windows 7 for more than a week yet so I've so much more digging around to do, however I wanted to share what I have learned so far with you. Don't let people put you off Windows 7, the people who go around criticizing it are more than likely the same people who haven't used it yet. I don't care what anyone has to say about Windows 7, it is a massive improvement on both XP and Vista. If you like both XP and Vista, you are going to absolutely love Windows 7.  So don't hesitate if you are still a Vista user, get out there and get yourself an upgrade.

Just one thing I must mention before splashing out on an upgrade. Make sure that before purchasing the upgrade, make sure you are actually getting the right installation. For instance, if you're on XP then you can't upgrade to Windows 7, you've got to install a new Windows 7 operating system. If you are not sure what you need to purchase and install a program called Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. This is a free download from Microsoft and it will  take a look at what you already have installed and tell you which upgrade you need to get, or indeed if you need to install a complete Windows 7 operating system. If you have been using Vista for a few years and have been experiencing problems then it may actually be worth your while purchasing the full operating system. Remember that an upgrade is just an upgrade, if you have got some bugs in Vista then you may still experience problems in Windows 7 so sometimes a completely clean installation is the key to getting things back on an even track again, it'll be exactly the same as reformatting your hard drive which an upgrade doesn't do. I didn't bother with installing a completely new operating system because my computer is less than a year old.

I'm happy to say that this is one Microsoft product that I am completely in love with.

This is a direct link to where you can download Windows 7 upgrade advisor

http://windows.microsoft.com/upgradeadvisor