Please! Do not upgrade from one version of the beta to another. That is not a good thing to do. The thing you should be doing is wiping and reloading each time. Yeah, it is a pain in the ass, but it is the only way to go with beta software. Anyone else got any thoughts on this?
Agreed, however there are some users that had good results on upgrades from 7000 to newer builds. Installing from scratch is far safer and better imho.
Maybe so, but how would I know that all the stuff I was using with Vista x64 SP0 and SP1 still works in the exact same configuration using Windows 7 builds 7000, 7048, 7057 and 7068, unless I had upgraded each time from the prior release. Sure I have "some" machines that I wipe and install clean, but the main one on my desk would be too much work to do all that every time.
Remember - Windows Seven is still in the post-beta pre-RC1 phase (some claim 7077 is the RC1 but I'll wait for an official confirmation). It shouldn't be used as a main OS, however users (and I by myself) have so good experience with it that they use it as main OS (as it would be a final RTM version).
Upgrading works GREAT! I've done an upgrade in place on 4 machines, from build 7000, to 7057 to 7068 1 with x32 and 3 with x64 and 2 other friends have as well (both have x32). None of us have had any problems. I actually think win7 so far has been the best to upgrade with.
I've upgraded Win 7 x64 in both my workstation (dual quadcore Xeons and RAID controllers) and Lenovo tablet from 7000 to 7022 to 7048 to 7057 to 7068 with no problems other than those inherent in each build, and reaped the benefits of each as well. I'm very impressed. I always do an image backup before each upgrade, but haven't had to use them so far except with 7048 which I didn't like, I went back to the 7022 image. 7077 upgrade in a couple of hours ...
When the official Rc comes out i will do a couple obligitory upgrades... just to appease the feedback monsters. In the mean time since this is a beta I know what that entails so if I lose data or my computer implodes that is my own fault. I would not do this in a production environment, but a lab or non-critical environment who cares.