If you are upgrading to Windows 7 from XP, or if you are upgrading from Vista but changing editions (for example Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate rather than Windows 7 Home Premium), you will need to carry out a clean install. Unless you are going to partition your drive, this will mean reformatting your hard drive and wiping out all the data on it. Here are some pointers to minimize the hassle this causes.

Corporate sales of Windows 7 could get off to a good start if businesses follow the advice of a leading analyst firm. Gartner has suggested companies should skip the common policy of avoiding a new operating system until its first service pack.

With 13 patches for a total of 34 problems, it’s a whopper of a Windows Update this month. However, security experts are warning that some fixes should take priority over others.

Touch technology is one of the main selling points of Windows 7, but it had been questionable how widely it would actually be used. It appears that touch will at least stand a chance of catching on with the announcement that HP is releasing a range of machines based on the feature.

What’s the first thing you are going to do with your new Windows 7 machine? The correct answer is to patch it immediately.

Peace between Microsoft and the European Union looks a step closer today after EU officials said they would likely be satisfied with the firm’s proposals for settling the Internet Explorer bundling row. The woman in charge of EU competition policy agreed to test plans to offer Windows users a choice of browsers.

Speaking at a press conference today, Neelie Kroes said Microsoft had tweaked its proposals for a “ballot screen” after discussions with officials. Under the revised system, people setting up Windows for the first time will see a screen explaining what a web browser is. They’ll then see a list of browsers to choose between, each with a “Tell me more” button linking to more details about that particular browser.

The countdown to Windows 7 continues with news that Intel testers have given an overwhelmingly positive response to the system. Meanwhile several unorthodox editions are available: an official signature edition for party hosts and some somewhat less official editions on eBay.

Windows 7 will be officially released in a matter of weeks, but if you’re in the market for a new PC, when will you be able to run the new system? We explain your options for getting hold of Vista’s successor and the relevant timelines for doing so.

Microsoft has announced that 32-bit only machines will not qualify for its Windows 7 compatibility labeling scheme. It’s a major change of emphasis after the debacle of “Vista Capable”.

Even for a Windows user, iTunes offers some useful tools: it lets you synch your iPod, play podcasts, and organize your music collection. And now it will even let your business create XML configuration files from iPhones. What do you mean you don’t want to do that?

Some computer manufacturers could be shipping Windows 7 as early as nine days before its official release date. But an Asian industry newspaper reports that industry sources are unconvinced the system will have a quick effect on PC sales.

The rumors are true: Microsoft is indeed developing a tablet-style device, though it is closer to a book in design. However, the “Courier” is still at a prototype stage and there is no guarantee it will ever be released.

American students can legally buy Windows 7 for just $30 under a new Microsoft deal. Their British counterparts can get a discount plus a valuable lesson on how international firms price for different markets.

Microsoft has filed civil suits against five people or groups it accuses of hiding malicious software in supposedly genuine advertising. It comes on the heels of a high-profile case involving the New York Times Web site.

Microsoft has broken a symbolic barrier with Bing now being used for more than 10 percent of U.S. Web searches. But the news was tempered by contest results which suggest the site is more prone to bugs than its rivals.