Windows 7: Upgrading Vista (&#*@(&$) to Windows 7

I purchased a new PC Sept. 2008 with Vista Home Premium 64bit installed.

I have had nothing but problems....I call my PC "HAL" or the DEVIL.
It is certainly possessed...and not being Catholic, I don't know any priests that I can call on to exorcise this beast!

My previous PC ran Windows XP Home Premium 32bit, and it was WONDERFUL!

My mental health is suffering with "HAL"

Long story short, I did not think going back to XP was a good choice, because it was a 32bit system, and now with 64bit...I felt I should go forward not backward.

So I have purchased and downloaded Windows Home Premium 7 upgrade, BUT have not installed it yet.

I am not quite comfortable or trusting of my program and data files not being affected or corrupted while I upgrade to Windows 7, and I am not sure just how to backup or save my programs and data before I install the upgrade.

I have a 500GB external hard drive that I can backup or save to, but I need help with step by step instructions on how to do this. If I just save or backup will I not be keeping Vista in that backup.

I would appreciate anyone who knows what I need to do, helping me to do this upgrade.

Thanks, Freshair

Welcome to the forums!

Do you want to keep all your programs, or do you mind starting over with a fresh copy of 7?

See these tutorials: Clean Install Windows 7

Upgrade Install with Windows 7

Let us know if you need any help.

I assumed you had 4GB of ram

I had Vista Home Premium 32bit sys with 3GB of ram for over 2 years and had no problem.
About 3 weeks ago I upgraded to Win 7 Home Premium. My purchase came with a 32bit and 64 bit disk so I installed 32bit upgrade feeling 3GB of ram wasn't enough.
I just recently bought another GB of ram (total of 4 now) in did a custom install of the 64bit Home Premium and everything went great. So far no problems.
I did a backup before loading Windows 7 and now that Win 7HP is loaded and working I did another backup. All my backups are on an external HD.

I am not a cert. tech here so wait till one comes on and get their advice.

Hi Freshair,

Sorry to hear you are having problems. It is not Vista - it is a great o/s.

Maybe it is corrupted in some way , or maybe you just have so much manufacturer bloatware installed. A proper clean install of Vista works like a dream.

Now you have bought 7 - it is probably best to do a clean install as there is clearly some corruption/infection.

You can do a clean install with the upgrade license.

If you know where your active User files are, then copy their folders (Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, etc) over by dragging folder from C:User folder onto External.

If you are afraid you'll leave something out, then copy the active User file which will carry everything with it.

Make your Vista Factory Recovery Disks so you have a path back to factory condition in case you ever want to sell your computer but keep Windows 7.

Gather your program installers, boot the Windows 7 DVD, select Custom install, use Drive tools to delete all partitions, create New one(s) as you wish, then format before installing Windows 7 to first partition. The installer will scan the HD at bootup to see Vista and allow use of the Upgrade version key.

The installer is driver-complete, with newer arriving quickly via Windows Updates. Any drivers missing in device Manager or favorite apps can be found on the Support Downloads webpage for your model computer or device, Adobe (flash, Reader), Java (Runtime, free Ofc suite) sites.

Suggest you install Programs gradually with time in between to gauge performance changes. Make sure no programs add themselves to msconfig>Startup tab unless they absolutely need to start up with computer as these become full-time free riders on your RAM/CPU and affect performance - only your AV (suggest free MS Security essentials for lightweight effective AV) and sidebar gadgets need to startup really.

After programs and Updates are installed, clean and order HD using state-of-the-art CCleaner "Run Cleaner" and Registry tab, and the Auslogics Disk and Registry defraggers, then use them monthly to keep whistle clean and perfectly ordered.

Finally, save a Windows 7 backup image externally so you never have to reinstall again, just reimage the HD or a replacement in 20 minutes.

when you install windows 7 it gives you an option to back up your files in a WINDOWS .OLD file and will do it by default i have installed windows 7 on many computers and people have still got the files backed up in a WINDOWS OLD file so there is no problem about backing up unless you would like to drag all the files to another hard drive witch will take a long time

As long as you are going from Vista Home Premium 64-bit to Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, you will most likely be able to perform an upgrade meaning your files, programs, and settings will be preserved - Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 - Help & How-to - Microsoft Windows.

Enjoy Windows 7!

Cassandra
Microsoft Windows Outreach