Windows 7: Windows 7 Upgrading

Hello Every one,

I'm just newyly registered to this SevenForum and love to learn and contribute something what I've learned/experienced all about windows matter. By the way I have Packardbell EasyNote RS65 Notebook, originally with Vista Home Premium OS, and just last week I upgraded it to Windows 7 Home Premim and it is working find and even iproves its booting and multitasking performance and browsing. The problem is I lost the original factory packaged programs such as: Nero 8 essential, Photoshop Element, Packard Bell application programs and many more. Is there any way to restore them back with this Windows 7? any help and suggetions how to do it is very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Jex

Hi Dcruizer and welcome to the Forum. If as you said, you love to learn and contribute, then you have come to the right place. In addition to all the help that is given here, you will find the most extensive set of How To's Windows 7 Tutorials to be found anywhere on the web. So again welcome.

Now to your problem. If you do not have the original installation disc's for the programs you mention, you may be able to go to Packard Bell's website, look up your model and see if you can download them. Other than that I'm not sure just what you could do outside of buying then (ouch).
Give Packard Bell a try anyway.
Regards
JohnnyA

No, software that was preinstalled from the factory can only be installed as part of the original image. In other words, you'd be back to Vista. 99% of the preinstalled stuff is total crap anyway.

To save those preinstalled programs, you wanted to run an in-place Upgrade to Windows 7 from the Vista desktop. If instead you ran a Custom install, you may still have a windows.old folder in the C drive which can be rolled back to Vista: How to restore a Windows 7-based computer to a previous Windows installation by using the Windows.old folder

Once you've restored to Vista, you can run the Windows 7 DVD from the desktop to do an in-place Upgrade to Windows 7 which keeps all of your programs, files and settings in place.

Without a windows.old folder if you have Recovery Disks you can run them, or may be able to run the Recovery Partition following the steps given in your manual. Otherwise if you must have the preinstalled programs and utilities you need to order the Recovery Disks from the manufacturer's Tech Support.

What sort of "upgrade" did you perform?

It takes an upgrade-in-place to preserve installed programs. (Some programs may not run properly after such an upgrade, though, if you're unlucky.)

If you did a clean install (recommended to get the cleanest installation), all of the pre-installed programs are gone.

I suppose that Packard Bell didn't provide installation media for the applications.

A look at their website suggests that some of the Packard Bell applications are available for download. I believe that Nero offers a freeware version of Mero 10 for download; it's a limited version, but I don't know how it compares to Nero 8 Essential. Photoshop Elements, you'd have to purchase.

Hi dcruizer. I would take gregrockers ideas and go back to Vista, then do the in-place upgrade to Windows 7. I agree with Macgyvr about some OEM software is more bloatware, but you obviously have a use for many of them.

I think most folks would agree, however, than in-place upgrades are NEVER a good idea. They almost always lead to some sort of lingering issues that degrade the operating system.

Agreed. I rarely suggest in-place but it sounds like he relied on some of the preinstalls.

I personally consider Nero to be buggy crapware and wouldn't keep any factory utility besides a known-good Diagnostics suite, HD and battery tender for laptop - Windows 7 has better versions of all the other utlities built in. .

But Photoshop Elements is an expensive program that should have it's own installer and key preserved. Even if it was preinstalled it may need a Product Key which should have been in the purchase papers, or audited from the HD using Belarc Advisor before the Upgrade. This is why I suggested rolling back using windows.old folder as first choice. Hopefully your paid software held activation so you can audit the keys if you don't have them.

If you have the paid software Product Keys you can find an installer for the paid version to clean reinstall the programs. You can also contact Tech Support for the manufacturer to find how to recover the keys or locate an installer for the software. Then you can keep your new install.

Hi to all,
Thanks for to all the suggestions and tips that you've posted for me, I will consider one suggestion to contact Packard Bell manufacturer and requesting for the said programs that I needed... wish to hear you all in some other times..

You are welcome. Let us know how it goes for you.