Review by David Arnstein

The packaging suggests that it is possible to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. It is not, unless you happen to have the appropriate ISO file in hand. Otherwise, your only choice is Windows 8.1 Pro. I tried every trick in the book, including a LONG phone call to Microsoft. You can easily start the process, but you will always reach a point where an installer program tells you that it could not make an internet connection.

This matters, because it is possible to save your installed programs and personal settings as you upgrade from Windows 7 Professional to Windows 8 Pro. It is also possible to save these two items as you upgrade from Windows 8 Pro to Windows 8.1 Pro. However, it is not possible to save these two items as you upgrade directly from Windows 7 Professional to Windows 8.1 Pro. I found a Microsoft web page that spells all this out.