Windows 7 ultimate

Windows 7 ultimate I'm currently running Windows 7 Ultimate on my laptop (and loving it -- see my other reviews for Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional editions), but I want to point out that unless you want to use BitLocker hard drive encryption, or you want to work in multiple languages, there really isn't any reason to buy Windows 7 Ultimate -- instead, Windows 7 Professional is all you need. With Windows Vista, Microsoft separated functions between Home Premium and Business so that you had to buy the Ultimate version to get all the media-centric capability of Home Premium, and key business-centric functions like Remote Desktop server and Offline Files & Folders of the Business edition of Vista. With Windows 7, all that has changed now. Windows 7 Professional has *all* the media-centric capability of Windows 7 Home Premium, PLUS the business functions. The ONLY two things you get with Windows 7 Ultimate is the ability to encrypt your hard drive and work in multiple languages. If you're not doing either of those things presently, and if you have no intention of doing either of those things in the future, then save a little money and buy Windows 7 Professional to get everything the Home Premium has plus all the business functions you're probably used to. That said, you may still choose Windows 7 Ultimate if you want to do an in-place upgrade (where you keep all your installed programs and settings, rather than reinstall everything). You can't upgrade from Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Professional with an in-place upgrade (I tried; it didn't let me). So if you've already got Vista Ultimate, and you want to do an in-place upgrade to Windows 7, then you'll still want to buy the Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade for a smooth transition. Looking to do a clean install using this upgrade disk? You can, but here's how. Insert the DVD and choose "Custom" to do the clean install. During the install, DO NOT enter your product id or activate Windows -- yet. Instead, you'll finish the clean install, reboot, then use your DVD to do an upgrade of the clean install of Windows 7. Yes, you're upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 7. After you upgrade, then enter your product id and activate Windows. I haven't tried this out personally, but others have and have done so successfully. Add a comment to my review to share your experience if you go this route. Final note: This tip isn't intended to circumvent the stipulations in the licensing agreement for upgrading your computer. If you're not entitled to upgrade (because, say, you're using Windows 95, 98, 2000, or ME), then you must buy the full version. As I tell my kids, "Just because you can do a thing doesn't mean you should do a thing." :-) Product Features (Includes 32 & 64-bit versions cd-rom) Combines remarkable ease-of-use with the entertainment features of Home Premium and the business capabilities of Professional--get it all with with Windows 7 Ultimate Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation; start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often Run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode; watch, pause, rewind, and record TV on your PC Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup; connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join Recover your data easily with automatic backup to your home and business network; help protect data on your PC and portable storage devices against loss or theft with BitLocker