Click the Windows button aka "Start."
Type "System repair" in the search box.
Then choose Create a System Repair Disc.
Put in a blank CD or DVD and choose the correct drive from the drop-down.
Press Create Disc.
And let Win 7 do the rest.
Now you're protected.
If you're upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 it should be a fairly easy install. You can do what's called an in-place upgrade as long you install the same version of Windows 7 as you have of Vista.
For instance, if you have Windows Vista Home premium you can upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. You can also go from Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional, and from Vista Ultimate to 7 Ultimate. Any other upgrade, like Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional, will require a clean install. That means you can't just turn Vista into 7. You have to export all your data, erase the hard drive, and then reinstall all your applications and data. A lot of computer experts think you should do a clean install anyway, just to make sure your machine runs better.
See our video for upgrading XP to Windows 7 for that process.
But if you're lucky enough to be able to do an in-place upgrade and want to, here's what you do.
... Read moreEverybody's all smitten with smartphones, but what if you don't want to be interrupted with a call while you're listening to your music? What if you don't want to risk your precious and expensive smartphone at the gym? What if you want to carry every song you own in one player? If this describes you, take a look at our top 5 best MP3 players. They play some video, but mostly they play music. Sweet, sweet music.
And of course as always after you watch the show, come back here and leave an answer to the lame prize question in the comments and you could win!
Many of you did not upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista, but are planning to upgrade to Windows 7. How dare you leave the Microsoft upgrade path? As a punishment, you can't upgrade directly from XP to 7; you have to do what's called a clean install, which means you have to jump through some hoops to keep your old data and programs.
Not to worry, we'll show you a couple ways to deal with the pain of installing Windows 7 on your XP machine. And afterward, Microsoft will forgive you your trespasses. Maybe.
Before you start, do these three things.
1. Run the Windows 7 upgrade adviser. It will let you know if your computer can handle any version of Windows 7.
2. Check the Windows 7 compatibility center. This is different than the upgrade adviser. It will tell you if you need to update your drivers or apps to make them work in 7.
3. Make a copy of your hard drive, just in case things go horribly wrong. I recommend using Macrium Reflect; it's a free download available from Download.com.
OK, now you're ready to upgrade.
... Read moreCNET Download.com's Seth Rosenblatt joins the Real Deal to answer all your questions about Windows 7 so you can be prepared for October 22.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Subscribe with iTunes (audio)
Subscribe with iTunes (video)
Subscribe with RSS (audio)
Subscribe with RSS (video)
... Read more
The old most popular list is really coming back into its own these days. For a while there I thought it would be all phones forever. But it's two months running with only two phones on the list. I guess most of you all finally picked a phone and are moving on to better TVs, Netbooks, etc.
So watch in good health this week and then come back to this blog post and take a crack at answering the trivia question for a chance at winning the lame prize.
Microsoft launched its new Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system this week at the CTIA Wireless conference (see all stories) in San Diego. The OS includes a refreshed Internet Explorer Mobile, the new My Phone media sync and share service, and a brand new app store called, unceremoniously, Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
Microsoft may be the last major smartphone platform to get its application storefront, but to its credit, the app store is full-fledged, not in beta like Palm's App Catalog on Pre. Unlike Blackberry App World's use of PayPal at launch, there's a flexible payment system; you're not tied down to a single financial channel. And while the Marketplace may not be the sexiest design around, all the elements are here. All it lacks now is critical mass.
In this First Look video, we walk you through the app store, from search filters to a limited return policy that's still fairly lenient compared to other mobile app stores. Check it out.
Tom and Rafe take questions about Windows 7, MacBook Pro, SD cards, and more.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
Subscribe with iTunes (audio)
Subscribe with iTunes (video)
Subscribe with RSS (audio)
Subscribe with RSS (video)
... Read more
Gmail makes it easy to bookmark different parts of itself. For instance: you can book mark your in-box at mail.google.com/mail/#inbox. That keyword after the pound sign is the key. Change that to #sent and you can book mark your sent e-mail.
Unread mail doesn't have a nifty keyword like that. Instead, you need to do a search within Gmail. Go into the search box in Gmail and type: is:unread in:inbox. Once you get the search results, which should be your unread mail, bookmark the rather ugly but useful URL. The easiest way would be to drag it right to the toolbar.
Now that seems simple, so let's make it more complicated so that it is easier to use later. You won't want to hunt around for that bookmark, right?
So, do this: right-click on the bookmark you just created and select properties.
In the keyword field, type a name you'll easily remember like GU.
Next, open a new tab. Type GU in the address bar and press enter.
Boom! You're taken directly to your unread e-mail. Nifty.
Here's what we found. And after you're done perusing and disputing this Top 5, be sure to take a crack at the trivia question in the comments below.
Would you like a wrap-up of the week's hottest CNET TV videos delivered directly to your in-box? Then sign up for the weekly CNET TV newsletter, delivered every Friday.