Not so far Microsoft Corporation released new version of its OS - Microsoft Windows 7. Many of users decided to upgrade their PCs to new OS or to perform clean installation.

Before upgrading/installing Windows 7 it is highly recommended to determine whether the PC meets the minimum system requirements to this OS and to check if the installed software is compatible with Windows 7 OS.

There are few ways to check hardware/software compatibility with Windows 7:

1. First of all download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

2. Run the downloaded file and install the tool following the on-screen instructions.

3. After the installation is done, Setup Wizard will prompt to Launch Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

4. In the opened window, press "Start Check". The process can take few minutes, it depends on the amount of the hardware and software installed.

5. After pressing "Start Check" button Windows 7 Advisor may ask to download critical updates, which contain new information  regarding new devices, programs compatibility. Download them. Windows 7 Advisor will scan PC for potential issues with the hardware, devices and installed programs and recommends what to do before upgrade.

NOTE: Before scanning make sure that all devices are connected and all programs are installed.

Another way to check hardware/software compatibility is to use web-site Windows 7 compatibility Center with the listed devices and programs.

Choose the appropriate category: software or hardware and then subcategory or just enter the program/device name in the search bar.