Custom installation winXP-win7

Xranitel · 02 Aug 2010

Hi everybody :)

At this moment I have windows XP and I want to install windows 7. I can't upgrade my system to win7 but on the other hand I don't want my documents and programs to be erased. So I thought to install win7 on the same drive as the XP installed without formatting it and to create a windows.old folder.
So I got some questions:

1) Is it gonna work?

2) Will the windows.old folder contain ALL my documents and programs from windows XP?
3) Will I be able to copy those programs from windows.old to another location and run them without installing? Or I have to install them again?

Thank you very much for replying and sorry for my bad english :)

Tews · 02 Aug 2010

You can copy all of your documents, pictures, music, etc, from the windows.old folder, but you will have to do a clean install of windows 7... You will also need to reinstall your programs..

Xranitel · 02 Aug 2010

Tews said:

You can copy all of your documents, pictures, music, etc, from the windows.old folder, but you will have to do a clean install of windows 7... You will also need to reinstall your programs..

well yes that's what I'm planning to do. I just hope that there will be no error and windows.old WILL be created, because if not, i'm doomed XD

Petey7 · 02 Aug 2010

Programs, no. Documents and other personal files, yes. You can copy certain folders that contain you data for certain programs; like your settings, browser history, and bookmarks for whatever web browser you use, for example. You just have to know what you are looking for.

Bare Foot Kid · 02 Aug 2010

Xranitel said:

Tews said:

You can copy all of your documents, pictures, music, etc, from the windows.old folder, but you will have to do a clean install of windows 7... You will also need to reinstall your programs..

well yes that's what I'm planning to do. I just hope that there will be no error and windows.old WILL be created, because if not, i'm doomed XD

Hello Xranitel, welcome to Seven Forums!

There's no guarantee you will not lose your date, the wise thing to do would be to make back-ups to the external media of your choice, of any data, i.e., pics, docs music that you would not want to lose because it may go wrong and then it'll be too late.

theog · 02 Aug 2010

If transfering from Win XP, download the update WET from here:
Download details: Windows Easy Transfer for transferring from Windows XP (32 bit) to Windows 7

Windows Easy Transfer - Transfer To & From Computers

Warning do not use the old Win XP Easy Transfer, will not work with Vasta or Windowds 7.

gregrocker · 03 Aug 2010

You'll need to back up your files anyway.

Don't bother importing settings as it is a corruption path from XP.

Go clean all the way: SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation
Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version