If it all goes wrong...

[MikeNE3]

I have a Sony Vaio VGN-NS11J laptop with a Mobile T5800 Core 2 Duo CPU and 4Gb RAM installed. As this CPU is 64bit compatible and Windows 7 Ultimate x64 will allow the full 4Gb RAM to be utilised I am considering upgrading my OS (currently Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit).

Before the installation I was wondering whether anyone can advise on the ability to restore the Windows Vista 32 bit OS from the recovery partition should anything go awry during the upgrade.

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

[gregrocker]

A Recovery partition will not always run after another OS is installed. However if you keep it you can sometimes retrieve the image file from the partition, mount it and reimage the HD anyway.

See if you can make a Recovery Disk set off of the partition by reading the Manual from the Sony Support Downloads webpage for your model.

If not, consider making a System Image of your Vista partition using free Macrium Reflect.

As a last resort, you could always borrow or locate a Vista installer to reinstall your licensed OS with the Product Key on the COA sticker. All versions can be unlocked in any Vista installer.

If you feel you have enough Vista backup to be rid of the Recovery partition, it makes for a cleaner install to wipe the HD using the Win7 DVD before install: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[MikeNE3]

Thanks for the reply. I had a feeling the recovery partition might be rendered unusable, however there is an option to create a recovery DVD so I will use that prior to the installation.

Should there be any issues with the Win7 install will there be any problem reverting to a 32bit OS (planning to install 64bit Win7) or does a full clean installation negate the differences between the architectures?

 

[zigzag3143]

Thanks for the reply. I had a feeling the recovery partition might be rendered unusable, however there is an option to create a recovery DVD so I will use that prior to the installation.

Should there be any issues with the Win7 install will there be any problem reverting to a 32bit OS (planning to install 64bit Win7) or does a full clean installation negate the differences between the architectures?

Clean install with format does. Just realize drivers for 64bit may be more difficult to find.

 

[gregrocker]

If you want assurance, boot and run the Recovery DVD before you wipe the HD to install 64 bit WIn7.

Then later using ImgBurn extract it's ISO to backup, as if you lose the DVD it can be burned or also mounted to reimage the HD.

 

[MikeNE3]

Excellent, thanks for the replies.