Computer repair companies suggest postponing upgrading to Windows 7 until SP1 launches next year

In light of minor installation difficulties, some computer repair companies recommend postponing the purchase of Windows 7

Softpedia state that folks at Microsoft are continuing to work on Windows 7, and since its release they have started developing the first upgrade (dubbed Service Pack 1(SP1)) for the platform, which is due to be released next summer (2010). If you've tried installing Windows 7, you may be amongst those who had difficulty upgrading from Vista. Installing a new operating system can be straightforward, but computer repair companies like Rescuecom are often approached by customers who have lost personal data due to an OS install that went awry.

The New York based company recommends waiting until SP1 launches next year before installing Windows 7 or before buying a new system with Windows 7 pre-installed. The president of Rescuecom, Josh Kaplan, was quoted in Infoworld today, as stating that transferring data from one OS to another, 'is one of the most common, and most troubling, issues that users have'. He went on to say that not having a sufficiently thorough backup prior to an OS upgrade leaves users at risk.

With the wide range of different peripherals available to computer users seeking a reliable backup medium, it's hard to imagine that many of us would fail to backup our data before migrating to a new OS. So, assuming you backup your personal data regularly, what advantages are there in waiting for SP1 before moving to Windows 7?

Kaplan states that by next year, there will be 'even more computers designed for Windows 7, and the driver situation will be better.' Considering Vista's pricing history, the cost of changing to Windows 7 is unlikely to go down significantly by next year. The policy of waiting until all the drivers are ready, seems to be a disproportionate reaction to the possibility of Windows 7 being incompatible with one's existing hardware. Microsoft's Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor can help users discover how compatible their existing system is with the new OS, and more adventurous individuals may wish to download a Windows 7 evaluation version, which will also help identify any hardware incompatibilities.

For those of us who are considering upgrading, I see no harm in trying Windows 7 first, for free, and making a full backup before doing so. Anyone who is about to buy a new notebook or PC with Windows 7 may as well do so when its convenient for them and not wait indefinitely for SP1. Manufacturers must ensure that their systems are compatible with Windows 7 and so there is little risk in buying a system with the OS pre-installed. Whilst there is some wisdom in waiting, taking precautions means there's no need to react to such scaremongering.