Installing Windows 7 over Vista home Premium

[Someone12]

Hey everyone,

I am have a question and would appreciate your help.
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.
My computer has 2 drives one called C and the other D. If I make a backup and store it on D and install Windows 7 on C, will drive D also be formatted during installation? Or is it possible to save the backup on D, install windows 7 on C and then later go to D and use the back up?

Thank you for your help.

 

[Max Peck]

During setup you will be allowed to choose which drive to install the O/S. As long as you don't change the partitioning you can keep drive D.

-Max

 

[Kari]

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. (http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/44793-simple-guide-successful-place-upgrade.html)

Kari

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

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

 

[Kari]

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:

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

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

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!

 

[DocBrown]

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 ?

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

 

[Jacee]

Let us know how it goes Kid!

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Let us know how it goes Kid!

Hello Jacee!

 

[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!

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.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

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.

Hello Kari.


No offence taken mate, when you're right, you're right!

I used to get so frustrated when someone would bash Vista and all in the same paragraph say they've never tried it for themselves, it's what they've heard from a friend.

 

[Someone12]

Thank you all for your replies, I appreciate that.
Kari, I have to update from Vista home premium to Windows 7 Ultimate, I was told that in this case I have to do a clean install, because I go from home premium to Ultimate.

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 ?

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

I have plenty of space (About 100GB) on D drive and since I don't have have an externall HD I would like to use D drive.
By the way, will windows easy transfer also help me get stuff from C to D?

To clarify my problem a bit more...I can store the important stuff on another computer and get it back on my computer after the upgrade, but what I worried about is Office 2007. I installed a legitimite version of it on this computer and all licences are used up. Will I be able to install office 2007 back again after a clean update? Or do I need a backup for that?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again.



The key for Office 2007 is registered to the PC, you should be able to use it on the same PC as many times as needed, you just won't be able to move it to another PC.

 

[Kari]

Someone, you do what you feel is best. However, it is fully possible to in-place upgrade from Vista Home Premium to Seven Ultimate, as long as the "bits" are the same; 32-bit Vista can be in-place upgraded only to 32-bit Seven, and 64-bit Vista only to 64-bit Seven.

You can always in-place upgrade from a Vista edition to same or better Seven edition. There's only one exception: You can in-place upgrade to Seven Professional only from Vista Business.

In-place or clean, if you are unsure what to do just keep asking

Kari

 

[Someone12]

Thank you all for your replies, I appreciate your time and effort.
I installed windows 7, I thought I did a clean install, but it turned out that I did a in-place install. So I deleted a lot of old stuff manually and now all is fine.
So my problem is fixed, thank you all.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again.



Glad to hear all is well, thanks for the update.