copy all directories from windows.old?

tersagun · 08 Dec 2014

Btw I may need some help as well.

I wanted to install Win8 on my new Ssd and did so on my current Win7. Interestingly, there isn't an option to choose on which partition to install win8; it just installed the Win8 on C turning my current win7 to windows.old

My question is, cannot I just install win7 on the new ssd and then copy all of the directories from windows.old to the win directory. Wouldn't that work? Or windows isn't that easy to fool?

I'm not expecting all the programs to run like before because of the registry differences but having all the appdata, system settings etc. Should be revertable I think.

What do you guys think?

Thanks!

Edit:

Gee, this was supposed to be a reply to a thread. I guess I was the victimof tapatalk for windows.

Ztruker · 08 Dec 2014

One possibility here: Windows.old folder - Restore into a new installation

AddRAM · 08 Dec 2014

What are you trying to do ?

Install Windows 8 or 7 ?

The only thing you grab from the windows old folder is your data.

tersagun · 08 Dec 2014

AddRAM said:

What are you trying to do ?

Install Windows 8 or 7 ?

The only thing you grab from the windows old folder is your data.

Hi and thanks for the replies guys.

What I'm trying to do is to get my old Win7as much as possible. My win8 install will remain as a fresh install but I would like to make the new win7 as similar to my old win7, meaning program settings etc which are stored in Appdata and so.

Like program settings, cache..

AddRAM · 08 Dec 2014

Totally confusing, maybe you could start at the beginning and tell us exactly what you have done.

What new Windows 7 install ? Thought you installed windows 8 to an ssd ?

gregrocker · 09 Dec 2014

I suggest you slow down and do the research before you just start installing randomly with no plan.

On the same drive, you'd want to shrink C to create a new partition to install the other OS in a Dual Boot Installation - Windows 8 and Windows 7

On a separate HD or SSD it's best to unplug the existing one to Clean Install - Windows 8 or Clean Reinstall Windows 7 to the new one. After install plug back in the other drive and boot your choice via the BIOS, setting preferred HD first to boot and using the Boot Menu key to choose the other. If this isn't to your liking, install EasyBCD to the System partition to add the other to a Windows Boot menu.

Using Windows.old is not a backup method. Files should always be backed up at all times against hard drive failure. If you dont' already have adequate space on another drive for backup, you can use an External drive or if your files fit on a flash stick. Another method is here to Sync, Backup and Store your Files to the Cloud with OneDrive which offers 15gb storage free for every Windows Live ID.

Rich gave you a way to recover your Win7 installation from the windows.old folder. If necessary you can also Clean Reinstall Windows 7 which shows how to get and keep a perfect install, including how to copy your files into a new install and set it up perfectly. Note that you do not want to import Appdata or other settings into a fresh install as they are a corruption path. Start fresh and clean.

tersagun · 09 Dec 2014

AddRAM said:

Totally confusing, maybe you could start at the beginning and tell us exactly what you have done.

What new Windows 7 install ? Thought you installed windows 8 to an ssd ?

Heya,

I tried to explain at the op.

I had a win7 on c: and installed a fresh win8 over c. So my win7 became windows.old

But because I want to keep a running win7 Os as well, I wanted to install a fresh win7 on the new Ssd (win8 remains on c) and would like to make that new win7 as similar to the old build.

For example what would happen if I install Opera on the new build and then copy over all the old appdata to the new build; would it work?

Edit:

Thanks Greg for the appdata comment. I wanted to know that.

AddRAM · 09 Dec 2014

You could have just created another partition and installed 8 on that, and left Windows 7 alone :)

tersagun · 09 Dec 2014

Well, I thought the setup will,ask where to install the new Os, just like any other windows setups,so far.

Either was my ISO a pure upgrade Iso and not meant to install fresh or it's the way win8 wants to install

gregrocker · 09 Dec 2014

Please read my post thoroughly including the blue links so you would already know how to Clean Install - Windows 8 and not act as though its still a mystery after I'd already given you the information you need to know for sure.