

After the program was told which computer it was sitting on, it went into a waiting state while we also ran the program on the new machine. Then we ran Zinstall on the original XP machine. When prompted, we connected systems to each other using a network cable. To perform this test, we installed Zinstall on both the computer running XP and the new system running Windows 7. In the first scenario, the system running Microsoft XP had an old version of Word installed, several programs, and a copy of Outlook Express 6, which can't be installed on a Windows 7 system due to compatibility problems. In this case it was the same machine running a new OS, but we wanted all of the files, folders and programs to run under the new OS. In the second scenario, we loaded Windows 7 on a machine that had been running Microsoft Vista and checked to ensure that everything still worked and no downtime disrupted operations. We wanted to make sure that all of the files and programs made the transition and that they were able to run on the new operating system. In the first scenario, files and programs on a machine running Windows XP were moved to a new box running Windows 7, which is how a user working from home might make the change. To test the software, we set up two migration scenarios that government users might face. It's available for $119, and government buyers are eligible for a 7 percent discount off that price. The Zinstall WinWin software suite can ease XP migration for agencies and end users. And then there is the fear that a bad migration can ruin files and bring work to a screeching halt. Perhaps their applications run well under XP, or they have a large database that would need to make the jump, or they just don’t want to face the possible downtime associated with bringing up a new OS. There are lots of reasons agencies don't upgrade. If trouble begins brewing after that date, agencies will be on their own. After April 8 Microsoft will no longer deploy security or development patches. Overall, about 37 percent of all computers worldwide are still running XP too. It’s a red letter date for government, as many agencies are still using XP for certain applications. Next April, Microsoft ends support for the venerable Windows XP operating system.
