New W7 SSD install, replacing Vista: saving personal settings question

[iamc3k]

Folks,

I'm currently running Vista64/Ultimate on a hard-drive. It's finally time for me to upgrade this computer to Windows 7 Home Premium. I decided to install W7 to a new SSD. (Fresh is best! Plus, if I'm ever going to plunge into a SSD, this is the time.)

When I install W7, the ONLY drive which will be in the machine will be the SSD. I will point the BIOS to that drive for the bootup. After I get W7 updated and running smoothly as a clean install, I will try to transfer all my files and settings from Vista to W7.

There are many tutorials for in-place upgrades. This is not what I'm doing. (I did not want to pay for W7/Ultimate, which would've been the only product MS states which would've allowed an in-place upgrade.) Since I'm "downgrading" from an Ultimate OS to a Premium OS, the "save settings" is not available. Also, I'd just as soon have a totally new install...

I'm hoping that with the machine booted off the W7/SSD and having the Vista/HD plugged in and available (but not the boot disk), the transfers will be smooth and easy.

How/where would I find a listing for the various personal settings and files and where they're located?

(All the many, many, many activated programs and games will be a nightmare to reactivate. I know there's no way around that bugaboo, but I would like to ease my transition from Vista to W7 as much as I can by getting all the rest of my settings transferred easily.)

Thank you!
Ken

 

[bigmck]

Folks,

I'm currently running Vista64/Ultimate on a hard-drive. It's finally time for me to upgrade this computer to Windows 7 Home Premium. I decided to install W7 to a new SSD. (Fresh is best! Plus, if I'm ever going to plunge into a SSD, this is the time.)

When I install W7, the ONLY drive which will be in the machine will be the SSD. I will point the BIOS to that drive for the bootup. After I get W7 updated and running smoothly as a clean install, I will try to transfer all my files and settings from Vista to W7.

There are many tutorials for in-place upgrades. This is not what I'm doing. (I did not want to pay for W7/Ultimate, which would've been the only product MS states which would've allowed an in-place upgrade.) Since I'm "downgrading" from an Ultimate OS to a Premium OS, the "save settings" is not available. Also, I'd just as soon have a totally new install...

I'm hoping that with the machine booted off the W7/SSD and having the Vista/HD plugged in and available (but not the boot disk), the transfers will be smooth and easy.

How/where would I find a listing for the various personal settings and files and where they're located?

(All the many, many, many activated programs and games will be a nightmare to reactivate. I know there's no way around that bugaboo, but I would like to ease my transition from Vista to W7 as much as I can by getting all the rest of my settings transferred easily.)

Thank you!
Ken

Hi -- Since you are doing a Clean Install, you are going to have to reinstall all of your programs. There is no way around that. == While I am thinking about it, you mentioned above that you were leaving your HDD plugged into the motherboard while installing Win 7. Don't do that. Have only the SSD plugged into the Motherboard. The reason is that some files might get installed on the HDD. That is bad. == The way you want to install is put your Win 7 and your programs on the SSD, if there is room. If you need to put games on the HDD, that is fine. Any other programs should be on your SSD. I am not sure what you mean when wanting to "Transfer Vista Settings". Here is a guide to help you through the install. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[gregrocker]

Remember that WIn7 is driver-complete in the installer and quickly updates drivers and provides most missing ones when you install all Important and Optional Windows Updates after enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3).

So only provide drivers missing in Device Manager after all Updates are installed, from the Support Downloads webpage for your model PC or device.

As stated you'll have to install all of your programs which I'd keep along with the page file and hibernation file on the SSD for best performance.

Do not transfer settings from the old install as they are a corruption path.

Unless you buy a large SSD you may want to link your User folders from the HDD to save space. To do this I would shrink the XP partition from Win7 Disk Mgmt, then create new folders for each Win7 User folder: Documents, Pictures, Music, Downloads, Videos and Favorites. Then sort the files from your XP Documents folder into them. Finally rightclick each to link to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.

If you have a large enough SSD you can sort your XP files into the onboard User folders on C. But if space gets tight the User files are what should be moved first.