Okay, so now for the disclaimer….because of time constraints, etc., we wouldn’t be able to setup, support, or guarantee the success of the following, but overall this is a fairly easy way for you to test out Windows 7 on your current system (if you are tech savvy) without it actually installing on your system (This is called Virtualization) to decide if you want to buy it and the cost – IT’S FREE! Having said this, if you are only concerned with compatibility and are on strive to either upgrade to Windows 7 or buy a new system with Windows 7, you can check your current system with the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, located here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor

But only consider the following if you…

• Know how to install programs and are tech savvy

• Can burn a DVD

• Have a laptop or desktop that has 2 Gig’s of memory and 20 Gig’s of free space

So if you are tech savvy or have a tech person on hand, this is a great way to test Windows 7 out to see if it is right for you.

What this involves is a free program (VMWare Player) that is installed and can hold the free 90-day trial version of Windows 7.

Here are the following download links to accomplish your testing phase of Windows 7…

Download the VMWare Player:

http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

And the 90-day trial version of Windows 7

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/cc442495.aspx?ITPID=sprblog

There are both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the VMWare Player AND Windows 7 Enterprise. You or a Techie will know which version you need.

All you have to do is download and install VMWare Player and then download and install Windows 7, 90-day trial edition and then when you run VMWare, it will open up a new window that displays the Windows 7 Screen, complete with icons and everything. From there you can play!

Here’s to happy testing!

Richard Tausch, MCSE, CCNA, CompTia Security +