HP Laptop upgrade from Vista - 4 frustrating failures!!

Similar to the old Dos box - we don't have Dos anymore .

Oops there was an age giveaway.

Ok thanks guys I think I more or less have enough advice and tips to get on with while you guys get a rest.

So far so good, I have copied all the Users data, Windows/System32/Drivers and the SwSetup directories to one of the external USB drivers, have also installed Paragon Backup & Restore and have backed up the Recovery Partition to DVD, and also used the file transfer wizard to copy all the folders/files to another partition on the Ext USB.

Then I will need to backup the Win7 partition, and at that point should be able to consider removing the original Vista Partition. I guess this should done with Windows7 Backup and Restore using SIW2 instructions.

Would there be any advantage in making a System Repair Disc at the same time?

The System repair disc has exactly the same recovery options as you get on the installation dvd.

If you have the dvd - there's no point.

You would be better making a copy of the installation dvd - in case yours gets damaged.

You'll need to use Partition Wizard bootable CD and your Win7 install DVD or Repair CD.

Boot into PW and rightclick Modify>Set active Win7 partition. OK each step but wait til last to Apply.

Now rightclick Modify>Set inactive Vista partition, then rightclick Delete Vista partition (ignore warnings).

If you tested Recov partition and it won't boot, then rightclick Delete it now.

Now rightclick Resize Windows 7 partition, dragging the left border all the way over against the left side of the HD. Apply all steps.

Now boot into Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recovery Tools and run Startup Repair 3 separate times as it needs to test, attempt to repair and then rewrite the MBR to Win7.

You can later test if the Vista Recovery partition is still functioning by tapping the key given for Recovery on the first bootup screen. If not, I'd delete it.

If you have any further questions or need help with this, I will be back at 7pm PST Tues

Regarding making a Win7 Image with the Win7 DiskManagement program SIW2 said:

1. If you just need to save an image of the 7 partition -from within 7 , go to Disk Management then rt click 7 partition and mark it Active.

I have looked at Disk Management options when right clicking on the various partitions and when I Rt-Click on the partitions, only C Partition (Vista) has the option to be made active and that is currently greyed out. This option does not appear on the F Partition (Win7) Rt-Click menu.

I have made a backup of Win7 Partition with 'Paragon Backup & Recovery' but still have not been able to do a Win7 Backup image of the Win7 Partition.

Do you have 7 on a logical drive?

If so, the only way to make Windows image it alone is with the cmd line.

At present Win7 Partition is logical, can I use Partition Wizard to set it to Primary? That seems to be the only way to allow it to be changed to an active partition.

Yes, you could do that.

I just went back thru the thread to find your screenie:

Ok I will give that a whirl - fingers crossed. :)

That seemed to do the trick I can now mark as active so I should be able to go back to your thread and make the Win7 Backup Image and should then be ready for the final steps to get rid of Vista.