Indiana University
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About Windows 7

On this page:

Introduction

Windows 7, the newest version of Windows, is not an upgrade to Windows Vista but an entirely new operating system. If you use Windows Vista, you should find many similarities with Windows 7 and expect to gain greater functionality in the areas of communication, multimedia, and security, including improved, streamlined User Account Control (UAC) performance with fewer prompts. The interface introduced with Vista, Windows Aero, uses 3D graphics and other high-end visual effects.

For more about upgrading to Windows 7, see What's new in Windows 7?

System requirements

Microsoft lists the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 7 as follows; UITS recommends further requirements as noted:

  • 1GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
    UITS recommends: A dual-core (Core 2) processor

  • 1GB of system memory
    UITS recommends: 2GB system memory

  • A graphics processor that is DirectX 9-capable with Hardware Pixel Shader v2.0 and WDDM Driver support

  • 128MB of graphics memory
    UITS recommends: 256MB graphics memory; non-integrated video card

  • 40GB of hard drive capacity with 16GB free space
    UITS recommends: 80-100GB capacity

  • DVD-ROM drive

  • Audio output capability

  • Internet access capability

For more, see Microsoft's Windows 7 system requirements.

Windows 7 at IU

Both 32- and 64-bit editions of Windows 7 are available to students, faculty, and staff on disk at campus bookstores for $20 plus tax.

Note: In order to install Windows 7 from these disks, you must already have Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 installed on your computer. If you have any of these, you can do a clean install, which includes formatting the hard drive; if you have Vista or Windows 7, you can upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate.

By the terms of the IU/Microsoft Campus Agreement, each license key is capable of installing Windows 7 on only one computer. If you need to purchase a second copy, contact your campus Support Center for help.

For complete instructions, see At IU, how do I install Windows 7?

Windows 7 versions and upgrades

IU students, faculty, and staff will install and use Windows 7 Ultimate; IU departments will use Windows 7 Enterprise.

  • If you are using any version of Windows 7 or Windows Vista, except Enterprise, you can upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. For example, if you purchase a new computer from an outside retailer, it might be shipped with Windows 7 Home Premium; you can upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate if you wish.

  • Departments that use Vista Enterprise can upgrade to Windows 7 Enterprise. If you have Vista Enterprise for personal use, you cannot upgrade that to Windows 7 Enterprise; you can do a clean install of Windows 7 Ultimate, which will format your hard drive and remove your previous version of Windows.

  • For all other versions of Windows, migrating to Windows 7 will require a clean install.

  • Your upgrade path must be consistent with your system type (i.e., you cannot upgrade from Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit to Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, or from a 64-bit to a 32-bit operating system).

  • The 64-bit version will not run on a 32-bit computer. If you are not sure what you need, see In Windows 7 or Vista, how can I tell whether I have the 32-bit or 64-bit version? or contact your campus Support Center.

Note: Windows 7 Home Premium does not have all the features of the Ultimate or Enterprise versions; specifically, it cannot join IU's Active Directory domain. UITS recommends that Windows 7 Home Premium users upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate.

For information about upgrading from an earlier version of Windows, see Microsoft's Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. For information about the differences between versions, see Microsoft's Which one is right for you?, or Wikipedia's Windows 7 editions comparison chart.

Windows 7 at IU campuses

Starting in spring 2010, the UITS Student Technology Centers (STCs) will be evaluating Windows 7 for deployment in the IU Bloomington and IUPUI STCs and RTCs possibly as early as fall 2010.

IT Training will begin offering courses in Windows 7 in fall 2010.

Support for older versions of Windows

UITS will continue to support Windows 2000, XP, and Vista for some time after the release of Windows 7. Official support for Windows 2000 is set to expire in 2010.

Microsoft has announced that it will provide security patches and updates to Windows XP until April 2014 and for Windows Vista for the foreseeable future.