Windows 7: Windows 7 - Should I do a clean install?

I just received my 7 Home Premium upgrade disk from HP.

Clean install is obviously better. The thing is that I have SOOO many programs that I have spent many many hours customizing. I will have to re-download many of these programs, which will results in days and days of downloading/installing/customizing. I also have tons of add-ons for Firefox.

Is there any way to make set all of my settings and preferences easier when I reinstall each program? For example, for iTunes alone, I would have to save every playlist, my entire library, iPhone apps, ringtones etc. Would Windows Easy Transfer save my iTunes library, Firefox addons etc?

My HP PC came with a 15-month license Norton Anti-Virus but did not come with a disk. What about my video card and sound card drivers? How would I reinstall it? How about the other HP pre-installed programs?



I have about 137 total programs installed. Many are just updates/patches or codecs for other programs such as Photoshop/Norton Anti-Virus etc.

I am going to hold off on installing 7 until I can get these questions answered. Thanks in advance.

Welcome to Seven Forums, ThumperSD.

I can appreciate your quandry. I went through the same thing moving from the RC to Ultimate.

What I did was an upgrade which kept the old programs and settings intact. I believe that you can do the same thing moving from Vista to Windows 7.

While a clean install is always the first recommendation, if your current configuration is stable, you might want to consider an upgrade route.

Thanks for the reply. I really want to do a clean install. My system is running okay but definitely has problems. So I am assuming that I cannot reinstall these preinstalled programs if I do a clean install?

Hmm, you have quite a job ahead of yourself. Forget the programs. They have to be reinstalled anyhow. Norton you can get from here: ( http://www.norton.com/nis10 ). Make sure you keep all the product keys. No idea regarding iTunes and FF since I don't use those. The drivers will be reinstalled automatically - and if you have something really exotic, you can download the drivers from the manufacturer. The preinstalled programs you may have to reinstall - maybe even purchase again. Those were HP Vista gifts. The data including the playlist you can save and transfer - same with all your own files. I am not looking forward to that job either. But it may help to clean-up.

Yea I was afraid of that. It would literally take me days, even weeks to reinstall and restore everything. Even then, I still would probably not be able to find many pre-installed programs.

My PC came with Norton pre-installed and did not come with a serial code.

Blah.. upgrading to Windows 7 is more difficult than I thought.

I was anxious and excited to get my copy in the mail, only to find out the many steps and research I would have to go through.

Am I better off just upgrading instead of doing a clean install?

If you mean the preinstalled programs that came with your computer..

HP *sometimes* may still have those software programs that you can download and install..to download those programs go to the manufacturer website..It all depends sometimes HP discontinues these programs because you are moving to Windows 7 and They may or may not work..with Windows 7

I do see what you mean about having to download all of your programs again..it takes time..but since you said you have been having problems with Vista I would (my opinion is to do a clean install) because those problems may come to Windows 7 since you are just upgrading..and you might have software related issues..

Hope this Helps..

In the older Nortons, one could display the product key. In IS09, I cannot find it. Suggest you call Symantec. They'll tell you.
I always found upgrades very, very messy. A clean install is also a chance to revamp the whole installation. You do not have to do everything at once, day and night.

edit: I just found that you can get your product key if you go to your Norton account. If you click on your Norton window top right (help and support) and go to "one click support", you can eventually get there - avoids filling out a lot of stupid stuff because it's checking the parameters automatically.

MS has a program that will move your files and settings called Easy Transfer. I believe you still have to install your programs. Here is the tutorial from MS:
Step-by-Step: Windows 7 Upgrade and Migration

Okay so I was able to get my Norton serial # so I can reinstall that after a clean install. Honestly, the only other preinstalled program I would like to keep is HP's hardware diagnostic tool. I believe that can only be reinstalled if I reinstall my recovery disk, which will reinstall Vista.

So I guess it all comes down to whether I want to keep that hardware diagnostic tool or not...

I'm not sure if there is any other preinstalled program I would like to keep. I cannot recall everything. I just fear that I do a clean install, then suddenly remember that there was a program I would like to keep.

I'm tired of Microsoft claiming it is SOOOO easy to upgrade to 7.. especially when people have so many problems.

What would YOU do in my case?

Yea I am currently using Windows Easy Transfer. I do not know what it completely does, but I already backed up everything into my Seagate external HDD. Having 2 backups won't hurt though.

I just don't want to change and modify the setting on nearly every program after I reinstall them on 7. I probably won't remember half of the little settings I have changed.