- 1). Back up all important data to a medium such as a CD, Flash drive or DVD. This is crucial just in case something does go wrong with the upgrade process.
- 2). Gather together any driver's disks you may have for the hardware you have for your computer. This would include components such as your monitor, a scanner, a digital camera or any other extra that you attach to your computer.
- 3). Place the Windows upgrade disk in the computer CD or DVD drive. The upgrade should start automatically.
- 4). Follow the instructions onscreen to complete the upgrade. If you have formatted your hard drive before starting the process, the Windows upgrade will ask you to insert the disk of a previous version of Windows before proceeding.
- 5). Open your Control Panel after the upgrade process is complete. Click on the System icon.
- 6). Click on the Hardware tab in the window that pops up. Then click on Device Manager.
- 7). Scroll down the list of devices installed looking for items with a red "X" or a yellow "!". This will tell you which of your components have not been installed with the upgrade.
- 8). Insert the hardware driver disk for any missing components into the CD or DVD drive and install the necessary drivers. Reboot your computer when prompted.
- 9). Take some time after a Windows upgrade to familiarize yourself with the new features the system offers.
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