reinstalling with new motherboard

[lisaone]

i am getting a new mobo and CPU, i have a lot of data on my computer that i do not have the ability to backup (other hard drive is only 300gb and i have about 600gig of video/pics etc etc on my main drive)

I am wondering if i can put in my new hardware, then do an install over the top of this one so that it puts all my stuff in a windows old folder, i think thats what happens when you install over the old one right? Im not sure if that would work the same way as a frsh install after a format.

forgive my noobishness, i know i really need a fresh install with a new motherboard but i really dont want to lose all my stuff D:

 

[theog]

backup, backup, backup, backup, backup, backup first.

 

[pebbly]

what you are proposing to is feasible as long as you do not format you drive ,you could also try a repair install after you have changed the mobo, if at all possible follow theog's recommendation and try to backup as much as you can to the 300gb hdd

 

[lisaone]

ive never had a truly unhelpful post on here. Guess there is a first time for everything, I obviously will back up what i CAN fit on my other drive, aside from that i CANT. Where am i going to put it? on 20 dvds? That will only take half a day. (and more than half my sanity)

All i really want to know is am i going to get problems if i reinstall over the top of my old windows? Will the old drivers somehow give me problems etc? I hope someone can understand what i mean :[

 

[lisaone]

ah thank you pebbly that is all i wanted to know.

 

[Night Hawk]

You will still need a clean install. But you simply choose the custom option not upgrade to see the Windows.old folder pack up the present installation without reformatting the entire drive.

With 600gb accumilated on only one drive you may want to grab a second storage drive or an external HD anyways to prevent any major loss! The prices have fallen over the last years making that possible.

Here I run two 1tb storage drives where one seems to backup the other at times to prevent the OS drives from filling. The new host drive(also 1tb replacing the former 500gb) along with the storage drives will be going into a new build soon enough. That will need a clean install as well but see an entire wipe first.

 

[DocBrown]

Have you considered using Windows Easy Transfer to your external drive as a backup ?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11470-windows-easy-transfer-transfer-computers.html?ltr=W

How much free space on your external HD ?

 

[pebbly]

ah thank you pebbly that is all i wanted to know.

you're welcome good luck with the swapout

 

[monkeys breath]

ive never had a truly unhelpful post on here. Guess there is a first time for everything, I obviously will back up what i CAN fit on my other drive, aside from that i CANT. Where am i going to put it? on 20 dvds? That will only take half a day. (and more than half my sanity)

All i really want to know is am i going to get problems if i reinstall over the top of my old windows? Will the old drivers somehow give me problems etc? I hope someone can understand what i mean :[

to be honest you should have bought a new external drive for backup purposes before even thinking about spending money on an upgrade. things can go way wrong when reinstalling an os. my rule of thumb is never, never keep anything on c that you cannot afford to loose. the worse thing that would happen to me right now if my computer went down is that i might loose a few emails. i actually have redundant backups.

 

[lisaone]

Ty for the info, i was just reading the custom install section on the upgrade install thread. It outlines it perfectly for the ..learner like me.

i am planing on getting a 1tb drive in a week or two, just spent my months fun money on this new CPU/mobo/PSU

These HDDs are probably getting a little long in the tooth too :[ i have had the 320gig one for about 4 years i think...it was big back then

 

[pebbly]

ah the fun money i remember that :roflmao:

 

[monkeys breath]

Ty for the info, i was just reading the custom install section on the upgrade install thread. It outlines it perfectly for the ..learner like me.

i am planing on getting a 1tb drive in a week or two, just spent my months fun money on this new CPU/mobo/PSU

These HDDs are probably getting a little long in the tooth too :[ i have had the 320gig one for about 4 years i think...it was big back then

if you are getting a 1tb in a week or two spend that time going through your files organizing them, updating them, dumping what you do not want. then when you get the new drive format it and transfer everything you want to keep from the old drives to it and then do your upgrade and clean install.

if the 320 is an sata it should make a great c drive once you have wiped it completely.

 

[Night Hawk]

Ty for the info, i was just reading the custom install section on the upgrade install thread. It outlines it perfectly for the ..learner like me.

i am planing on getting a 1tb drive in a week or two, just spent my months fun money on this new CPU/mobo/PSU

These HDDs are probably getting a little long in the tooth too :[ i have had the 320gig one for about 4 years i think...it was big back then

That's presisely what I was thinking about the 500gb drives presently in use when adding in a new 1tb host drive until the next case is ready. With a major swapout you have going there the 1tb will be put to use fast enough since your best results will be with a fresh clean install for the proper hardware detection.

The guides here are well written so take advantage of what you lean from them as you go along. You'll do ok!