Installing Windows 7 over Vista home Premium

Someone12 said:

I now have Windows Vista Home Premium and I want to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bits.
Now I know that I have to do a clean install and thus I would like to make a backup file.

Just to clarify: you don't have to do a clean install. It's the preferred upgrade method, but you can also in-place upgrade from Vista Home Premium to Seven Ultimate.

I happen to belong to that small minority that really believes an in-place upgrade, when done right, is a good and valid method to upgrade. (A simple guide to a successful in-place upgrade)

Kari

Hello Someone12, welcome to Seven Forums!



Kari makes a valid point, though as often as not some "things" get broken doing an upgrade.

There's also the option in the tutorial at the link below.

Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Ted, with all due respect, I have always wondered what those "things" that get broken doing an upgrade are.

Since early Windows 95 upgrades to 98, I've done maybe hundreds of in-place upgrades, private and at work. Since Seven RC, last summer, I've done certainly at least 12 to 15 (not sure how many) in-place upgrades from Vista to Seven. In these Vista to Seven in-place upgrade installs, I've not seen or experienced a single upgrade related problem. Of course there has been hickups, but not a single one was because of in-place upgrade; all problems have re-occurred when after failed in-place upgrade I have tried a clean install, reason always being incompatible hardware or non-working third party driver.

I'm not saying that this applies to you, or to any other clean install advocate here, but please read this quote from the post I linked to in my previous post:

Kari said:

You might have heard horror stories about non-working Seven and how it’s all in-place upgrade’s fault, or how an in-place leaves so much unwanted and not used pieces and bits it seriously puts your system in danger, at least making it slow. Most of these horror stories come from two types of users, those who have never done a Vista to Seven in-place upgrade but have heard third hand information and rumours, and those who have not prepared installation as it should be prepared.

I have done a lot of in-place upgrades, both from XP to Vista and lately from Vista to Seven. I have even successfully tried a one-session XP to Seven via Vista in-place upgrade (in-place XP to Vista, installing service packs and drivers and then directly in-place further to Seven), to show some colleagues how to do a safe and working upgrade. I have never encountered any upgrade related problems; I do have had my share of installation problems and issues but I’ve always found out that after failing to do an in-place upgrade, the same issue has occurred also after a clean install. Most often the reason is non-compatible hardware. You cannot blame in-place if your hardware refuses to work with Seven.

Kari

Maybe I'll re-think what I say about upgrades in future as I've never done one (I'm ashamed to say) I guess I'm no better than the rest that base what they say on anecdotal "hear-say", maybe in furure I'll have a go at Vista to Windows 7 just for S&G.

Thanks Kari!

You may want to consider making a copy of stuff with Windows Easy Transfer


Before you do upgrade or clean install.

How much Free HD space is available on D: drive ?

Do you have an external USB HD ?

Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers

Let us know how it goes Kid!

Jacee said:

Let us know how it goes Kid!

Hello Jacee!

Bare Foot Kid said:

Maybe I'll re-think what I say about upgrades in future as I've never done one (I'm ashamed to say) I guess I'm no better than the rest that base what they say on anecdotal "hear-say", maybe in furure I'll have a go at Vista to Windows 7 just for S&G.

Thanks Kari!

Ted, I hope you believe me when I say there was nothing personal in my post. Belonging to a minority regarding this issue just means, that I have to defense my opinion quite often.