Windows 7 - Windows Vista

is there an easy way to install windows vista over windows 7 without doing a clean install.

This is a complex area and you need to provide more info. Which editions of win7 and vista are you referring to? Also, OEM or retail?

Do you want to keep all of your programs, files and settings in place? If so, do an in-place Upgrade from Vista.

If you don't mind reinstalling your programs, and backing up your files then you can get a better performing install doing a clean install, which can be done by running the installer from Vista or booting the DVD.

If you are going to do a clean install, you might as well get the cleanest possible install by booting the DVD, selecting Custom install, deleting your partitions using Custom>Drive Options if you want to repartition, then formatting before installing.

I have an acer laptop but i've bought a new desktop which is coming with windows 7 home premium so i'm going to install windows 7 ultimate on that and i'm going to down grade my laptop which currently has the version of windows 7 ultimate on it to vista ultimate. I don't really want to install my programs again so i was just wondering if there was another way to install other then a clean install. They are both retail versions.

No, you'll need to do a clean install with the vista media. Thats why it makes sense to image your system before switching to a new one, that way you can just restore from the image without having to bother with app reinstalls and reactivations.

Now, I suggest you image your Win7 system drive and store it safely. After that clean install vista and all your apps. You'll need to re-activate vista.

The only outside possibility I can think of is if your laptop was upgraded from vista to win7. In that case, search your hdd for a folder called windows.old. There is a way to re-install vista using that folder, if it exists.

i don't think there is because i did a clean install of windows 7.

huddo said:

i don't think there is because i did a clean install of windows 7.

Cheer up, dude! This is the way we all learn.

But make sure you image your win7 system before you install Vista. Use an app like Macrium Reflect, thats the one I personally use. There are also other options like Acronis and Ghost or the builtin Win7 Backup & Restore.