Windows 7: Windows 8 upgrade and want to keep all data on old HD that has win 7

Hello,

Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere but perhaps someone could lend me a hand. I just won a 180GB SSD from intel and was thinking of installing Windows 8 on it. I currently have a 1TB HD that has the windows 7 install on it.

My question is will I be able to do a fresh install of Windows 8 on the SSD and delete Windows 7 from the 1TB HD while keeping the rest of the data there or will the 1TB drive need to be formatted to get rid of the windows 7 install?

If the answer is yes will windows 8 do the cleanup for me(I can dream) or will I have to do it manually?

Thanks for any help guys and gals!

Why don't you make a data partition on the 1TB drive and move the data there. Then you have only the OS on C which you can easily delete (e.g. by reformatting the partition - not the whole disk). If I were you though, I would first make an image of this Windows7 - just in case you want to go back to it.

Also, make sure that you have no more than 3 primary partitions on the 1TB disk before you try to create an additional partition on it. Check that in Disk Management - that is the only place you will be able to check that. If in doubt, post a picture of your Disk Management here.

Once you are in your Windows8, you access the data partition (from Computer), right click on e.g. the Pictures folder and INCLUDE it into the Pictures library, etc.

PS: Congratulations for winning that SSD _ I wish I would ever be that lucky, LOL.

Thanks for the response whs.

Let me just get this straight in my head before I try a go at this. Drive C(the 1TB) has only the 1 partition as I have never partitioned it. How do I go about partitioning it especially since the drive is just about full. I am going to assume you will tell me to delete some of the crap on here(12% free).

Past that once I have the partition set up how do I know where Windows 7 is located and if the files arent shared between both partitions? Also probably going to confuse myself more but once I have Windows 7 deleted off the computer can I merge the 2 partitions back into 1 or will that do some funky things to the drive?

also never created a image of Windows 7, any programs to recommend?

Hmm, if the drive is nearly full, that is a problem. The way to get around that would be to move the data to an external disk, then shrink it (with the bootable CD of Partition Wizard) and define the new partition.

Alternatively you could just leave the data on the external until you are done with your Win8 installation and then define the data partition after reformatting the 1TB disk.

Regarding your second question, there is not really a problem. Partitions are easily identifieable - and be it only by size. And merging 2 partitions together is no big deal. We'll discuss that when we get to it.

The big question now is whether you have an external disk large enough to hold all your stuff - alternatively can you clean up the 1TB disk enough to accomodate the remainder of your own files - not the system stuff.

Hmm the wife might have an external HD large enough to fit everything I would want to keep on it. I would have to ask her when she gets home later on.

Thanks for all the help though!