Diff between upgrading from Vista and installing Win7

[Toony]

Hi,
When going to Win7, I wonder if there is any difference beween upgrading from Win Vista and Installing Win7 from scratch. Is the outcome the same? If not, what is the difference? Is it a cleaner installation if one installs it from scratch and not upgrade it on a top of Vista or XP?

What is recommended?

Thanks
Toony

 

[Tews]

There are always risks of data corruption that may follow your upgrade from Vista to Windows7. While it is not that common, if it happens to you, it ends up not being worth the time saved in reinstalling your programs... The preferred method is a clean install, 10 to 1, if not more...

 

[Dave76]

I agree with Tews, always use the Clean install method. Any problems or issues will not be carried over to the new OS.

 

[richc46]

With limited computer experience, I went the clean route, it was easy and I experienced no problems. I suggest that you go a clean install. The actual install is faster, with less chance of a corrupted system at completion. Yes, it does take time to reinstall all your programs, but you can do it slowly or when they are needed.

 

[Toony]

Thanks for all the answers. The situation I am faced with is that I will be (in a weeks time) buy a new computer. I live in Sweden and the computer I want to buy has Vista on it but I will be given a Win7 upgrading code that I can use to download the upgrade from Microsoft or the manifuctures website. I am hesitant to this approach and want to get a clean win7 computer but then I will have to wait a month or so. What do you think?

 

[Tews]

As long as you can create a bootable DVD disc, you can choose to format your drive before installing... This will leave you with a squeaky clean install, the same as buying a machine with windows 7 preloaded .... without all the crapware .... Go for it, unless you dont mind waiting..

 

[Toony]

Thanks Tews. I don't want to wait and actually can't wait too longer than a week or so, so I have to a have a new computer now.

I am not sure that I understood your description fully but the way the new computer will work is the first time I start it it will ask me to choose the language of Vista (as I can choose among scandanavian languages and english) and once I have chosen the language it will install Vista. Once that is done, I can upgrade to Win 7 using the Win7 code I will be given. Off course I will get a bootable Vista DVD disk so if I want to re-install in the future I need to use the Vista disk first and then upgrade to Win 7. Do you still think it is still the same as a clean Win 7?

Thanks

 

[Tews]

No...what you are describing is an in place upgrade...a clean install is exactly that ... a format of your vista partition and a new install of Windows 7... are they offering you a full version or just an upgrade?

 

[Toony]

As I undersrand it they are offering me an upgrade to Win7 from Vista and not a full Win7 version. How do you understand it from my description?

 

[Tews]

Read Brinks tutorial on performing a clean install -=> Here

 

[gregrocker]

I am not sure that I understood your description fully but the way the new computer will work is the first time I start it it will ask me to choose the language of Vista (as I can choose among scandanavian languages and english) and once I have chosen the language it will install Vista. Once that is done, I can upgrade to Win 7 using the Win7 code I will be given. Off course I will get a bootable Vista DVD disk so if I want to re-install in the future I need to use the Vista disk first and then upgrade to Win 7. Do you still think it is still the same as a clean Win 7?

Thanks

If you want a clean install then you can skip installing Vista first as there is a workaround to install when no previous OS is on the drive. http://community.winsupersite.com/b...-windows-7-with-upgrade-media-the-answer.aspx

However you need to own an XP/Vista to qualify for the Upgrade, and then according to the EULA that XP/VIsta is not usable. Keep your XP/Vista license key with the Upgrade key for the life of the UPgrade in case the issue should arise during reinstalls.

Reinstalls will never again be necessary however if you use Win7's excellent new Backup Imaging to save externally an image of your finished job, which can be reimage onto the same HDD (or a replacement) using the Installer's Repair my Computer console in 15 minutes.

 

[warriorking]

Things have improved considerably since previous versions of windows in upgrading, the move from Vista to 7 is not a huge monumental leap so doing a in place upgrade from vista to 7 will cause very few if any problems , so long as you maintained vista in good working order you will see no visable difference in performance in going the upgrade route over a fresh install, my upgrade has performed flawless without a single issue thus far, 7 is snappy and error free, of course I maintained my previous Vista install in good working order and never had a single issue with it.....your milege may vary.....make sure you run the 7 advisor and remove any flaged programs it recommends and do a upgrade....It will save you the many hours of reinstalling your programs that are not going to run any faster than they would with a clean install.....Now if you are going from 32 to 64Bit then a clean install is a must, otherwise its your call......

 

[Dave76]

As I see it there are two choices, both are good in this case.

With a new fresh vista already installed, an upgrade with Win7 will be fine. There is no issues or corrupt files left over from Vista as it is new.

Since Vista is new, there won't be any programs or personal data to worry about loosing or transferring. So should be no problem to clean install Win7.

If this were my choice, I would Clean install because it will be a slightly faster process.

Both methods are equally good choices in this instance.

There is a great Seven Forums tutorial for the Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version, that will give you a few choices on the procedure.

 

[Toony]

Thanks again Tews. I will go for a clean win7 computer.

 

[gregrocker]

As long as you can create a bootable DVD disc, you can choose to format your drive before installing... This will leave you with a squeaky clean install, the same as buying a machine with windows 7 preloaded .... without all the crapware .... Go for it, unless you dont mind waiting..

+1

I am wondering if the 7Up's manufacturers will send out have their infamous bloatware included, since it is a big part of their profit margin now and they have taken to enforcing it and discouraging clean installs.

If not, and you can get a clean install ISO, or a download that can be made into an ISO to burn to a disk, then you may have a better situation than buying a Windows 7 computer that has all the bloatware seeded in.

The importance of having the download be burnable to a DVD is that you can then boot from it and use the Custom Advanced tools to 1)Delete the Vista, 2)Create a new partition to 3)Format. This is the cleanest install of all.

If the download is only files you can use this tutorial to make it into a burnable ISO: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/30470-make-bootable-iso-student-d-l.html