Geek Squad® to Make Windows® 7 Upgrade 7th Heaven

The day we've all been waiting for – October 22 – is almost here, and Geek Squad has a great offer to make it even better. Geek Squad Agents have pledged to deliver full upgrade service for customers moving to Windows 7 from Windows Vista or Windows XP for a mere $39.99, heavily discounted from the standard Geek Squad Operating System Install price of $129.99, and designed to make the upgrade faster and easier.

Better yet, customers who purchased a qualifying PC from Best Buy between June 26, 2009 and October 21, 2009 (click here to see if you qualify - www.bestbuy.com/windows7upgrade) don’t have to wait for the mail. Those customers can bring their PC and receipt to the nearest Geek Squad Precinct to receive a free Windows 7 upgrade instantly when they purchase the $39.99 upgrade service on or after October 22.

Although it might feel like that big Windows Vista launch was just last week, Microsoft has been hard at work in the past couple of years, and Windows 7 should be a big step forward.

You haven’t been waiting impatiently for the 22? Well, you should. The OS is the base software that guides how a computer acts. Think of it like the primer before painting; it's what allows the art that follows to happen. It's also what keeps the paint from chipping - those would be viruses, spyware and other nasties in this odd analogy. Add some paint (the customized programs you want) and slap on a coat of antivirus software, and suddenly you have yourself a work of art. In short, it's a pretty big deal. Years in the making, Windows 7 comes out of the can (ok, we'll drop the paint thing) on October 22.

New functions include:

• Great improvements to security and stability
• Enhanced visual options
• Fewer resources required, meaning quicker start up times and faster overall performance

"Our Agents explored the beta versions of Windows 7 when they came out, along with millions of other users,” said Geek Squad Agent Scott Lepsch. "We’re very anxious to upgrade our own computers right away, and knowing that we can do the same for qualifying Best Buy shoppers is even better. Qualifying civilians can get their free upgrade right in a Best Buy store on October 22.”

While the $39.99 service applies to anyone moving from either Windows XP or Windows Vista to Windows 7, certain older computers will have additional steps to take because of the differences in the operating systems. Windows XP and certain basic versions of Windows Vista will require formatting the hard drive. While Geek Squad will still perform the upgrade, it is recommended that customers back up their data ahead of time to avoid permanent loss. Geek Squad can help, but data backup is not included in the $39.99 upgrade service.

"Some users will be able to perform the upgrade on their own, once they receive their disc from their computer’s manufacturer,” said Geek Squad Agent Alex Smith. "For users with more complicated installations, such as upgrading from Windows XP, the process is more involved. It may be better to leave such computers as is or buy a new machine entirely. We’ve built a couple of basic tools that can help you through the upgrade process – www.bestbuylabs.com/win7upgrade. And for those who simply don’t want to deal with the hassle – we’re ready to help.”

The service will only be available on site at Geek Squad precincts. Homebodies, you’ll have to come to us for this one. Visit www.bestbuy.com/windows7upgrade for more details. October 22 should be a great day for PC users, and we’re happy that we can make this offer to help usher in a new age for Windows. Sorry to be dramatic. We've been geeking out.

For help with all your technology needs, call 1.800.GEEK SQUAD to set up an onsite consultation, find a location near you at www.geeksquad.com, or visit the Geek Squad Precinct at Best Buy and other locations to speak with an Agent directly. We provide our services wherever and whenever you need them – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.