Windows 7 compatable with Vista Backup?

Unfortunately I cannot just upgrade my Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate because I have my user files on a separate partition.

The W7 installation DVD says to backup my files prior to installation. It does not specificly say to backup the files using the Windows backup and restore tool provided with Vista. I want to be sure... Can I backup my files using Vista's Backup and Restore and then "restore" or import them during the W7 installation?

thanks
Robert

Hi there

If your user files are on a separate partiition (Good idea in any case to ALWAYS separate the OS from user data) you shouldn't have any problem upgrading as you don't need to touch that partition --It should remain intact and be available in the new OS -- just don't re-format that partition.

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks jimbo, I defiantly like having my user files and some of my program files on a separate partition. but windows update dosent seem to like it very much. here is the notice I get during installation:

To upgrade Windows, the Users, Program Files, and Windows directories need to be on the same partition. Upgrading when these directories are not on the same partition is not supported. Moving these directories so that they are on the same partition is also not supported. You can choose to install a new copy of Windows 7 Ultimate instead, but this is different from an upgrade, and does not keep your files, settings, and programs. You’ll need to reinstall any programs using the original installation discs or files. To save your files before installing Windows, back them up to an external location such as a CD, DVD, or external hard drive. To install a new copy of Windows 7 Ultimate, click the Back button in the upper left-hand corner, and select “Custom (advanced)”.

At this point it will not let me go any further...
If I could find a work around, even restoring the users file to the default location then running the upgrade I would. But at this point I'm not even sure reversing the process would work. I recall just moving the user files to a separate partition and getting Vista to work with it was a bit of trial and error.

jimbo45 said:

Hi there

If your user files are on a separate partiition (Good idea in any case to ALWAYS separate the OS from user data) you shouldn't have any problem upgrading as you don't need to touch that partition --It should remain intact and be available in the new OS -- just don't re-format that partition.

Cheers
jimbo

I am coming across the same problem. One year ago I installed Vista Ultimate 64-bit and also did a trialnerror to get all of my 'user' files on a different partition. In fact, they are on a different hard drive altogether but now the upgrade to Windows 7 wants them on the same partition.

This is quite a pain to do since there was quite a bit of work done to get them off of the C:\ partition.

Is there a solution to this w/o moving the USERS folder back to C:\?

Perhaps there is a temporary way we can 'fake' the upgrade to think the USERS folder is on the same parition, perform the upgrade to Windows 7, then change it back to where it should belong.

As a member of the Vista 64bit forum as well, I remember a ton of users working on moving their USERS folder to a different partition for very good reason. It is a great idea to move USERS off of C:\ so I am sure a solution to this problem, the easiest way, will help a bunch of people.

With your user files on a separate partitiion from OS, you are in a good position to do a superior clean install instead of the less desirable in-place Upgrade which always imports some level of corruption from Vista.

The difference of course is that you have to reinstall programs, but if this isn't the time to do a clean install - with the best OS ever - there never will be.

Make sure all of your files are backed up to the separate partition, ideally to an external backup as well. Gather your program installers/disks.

Boot from the DVD, select Custom install, Advanced drive tools to format the Vista partition ONLY. Remember during this step NOT to touch your data partition - do not even go there with the mouse to highlight it or you are in the danger zone!

If you stay connected to the internet during install, you will get the latest drivers/updates into the installer, then newer ones will arrive quickly in Windows Updates. Check the device manager for any missing drivers, which you can find along with favorite apps on your computer's model's Support Downloads page. You might want to also back up the Vista windows/system32/drivers and/driverstore files to your data partition to find any other missing drivers.

Well, the C:\ partition is backed up in FULL. It is a HUGE disadvantage to deal with reinstalling all of the programs. That to me is something that should have been addressed because I am sure many people have their DATA on a different partition. I am also assuming that Windows 7 will put USER DATA files on the same OS Partition so that yet again we need to 'manually' get the files moved to a different partition.

I think you may be confusing clean install with an in-place Upgrade.

The only way Win7 will put user data files on the same partition is if you do an In-place upgrade. In that case it will carry over your programs, settings, files and Vista corruption to the Win7.

If you do a clean install, you of course have to reinstall your programs, but you get a much cleaner and more responsive OS. You can also keep your files on the separate partition.