Windows 7: Upgrade from Vista to Win7 AND install new SSD vs HDD at same time?

Hi all,

Would appreciate any help on this one. My wife has a Vista machine (64 Ultimate) that I'd like to upgrade in two ways.
1) Win 7 (personal) and
2) SSD vs. HDD



I've really hit a road block here.

Can I image the existing Vista onto the SSB (I don't know how to do this!), then install SSB, remove HDD and try to upgrade?.

Or, given that it Vista Ultimate is only supposed to upgradable to Win 7 Ultimate (or the equivalent) and I only have Windows 7 Personal (or home, whatever the lower grade version is called), is there another way?

I could just install Windows 7 onto the SSD and copy vital stuff over to the SSD from the HDD, but the problem with that is that she insists on using Outlook Express (three different Comcast emails) and I don't know how to move those from the HDD to the SSD seamlessly.

You'll have to use Windows Mail, which is downloaded from Windows Live Essentials, in place of Outlook Express which is no longer supported in Windows 7. Google how to transfer mail and settings.

I would not pay the extra for Ultimate if you don't need the extra features, just to get an inferior in-place Upgrade. I would buy Upgrade version Home Premium and Clean Install Windows 7.
Compare Windows - Microsoft Windows

Run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor which will list any issues.

Why aren`t you just signing in to your comcast accounts to read the email ? Much easier then setting up new accounts.

+1. Webmail is the way to go for portability without the mess.

Wife likes having email right on her PC, not in the cloud somewhere. Hence she's stuck on Outlook / Windows Live. Not my choice.

I have 1) SSD, 2) Win 7 Home. Should I upgrade on HDD first, then transfer ("Move" in Windows Explorer) Windows from HDD to SSD?
Or am I better off installing SSD, moving Vista from HDD to SSD, then upgrading?

I'm not sure I am following you.

If you have a Windows 7 installation disc, I'd install Windows 7 directly to the SSD, with no other drive connected.

After that is done, reconnect the HDD and get your personal files from it. You will have to reinstall programs.

Or don't you have a Windows 7 installation disc?

I would unplug the HD, plug in the SSD to first SATA port, boot the Windows 7 DVD to clean install following these illustrated steps: Clean Install Windows 7

If you bought Upgrade version leave Product Key blank during install then afterwards do the quick registry workaround given here to activate Upgrade version on a new or wiped HD: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

After install you can plug the HD back in to drag your data into the respective User folders until you're sure you don't need it any longer then either wipe it or keep it around in case you want to boot Vista using the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key at boot. You can even leave your data in its Vista User folders and simply rightclick each to link it to the Windows 7 Library - Include a Folder which is easiest.

Google how to move Outlook Express settings and mail to Windows Live mail which isn't that hard to find or do.

I do have a brand new system-builder Win 7 Home Premium disk. It is the full version, not an upgrade. But the existing PC has Vista Ultimate. Just not sure of the exact process. I'll try the process as gregrocker suggests above.

As long as you have only 1 drive connected, it's about as painless as it can be.

You should end up with one very small System Reserved partition and another covering the remainder of the SSD.

If she wants to keep Vista and to make it easy for her to boot to it. Install the SSD and then install Windows 7 for yourself. When you boot up you will have the choice of which operating system you want to use. You will have a 30 second window to choose. And you can always set Vista as the default OS and set the time to about 5 or 10 seconds. This should make you both happy.

Either that or just get your own PC.