Upgrading to 7 from Windows Vista.

[BluePeter]

Hi forum,
I am just about to upgrade to 7 (64 bit) from Vista but would like an answer to a matter puzzling me.
I have a two- HD system ....C /D and a recovery partition E. The E has the recovery files for Vista on it.
I am not very technical so the question might appear stupid but should I remove the contents of E with a Format?. I shall never have to avail of this again. In any event, I am always receiving notifications in System Health Reports that there is less than 13% available on this section. My reason in asking this is so that I can go over to 7 without any unneccessary "baggage" in tow.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

BluePeter,
It's a good and valid question. I understand that drive C and D are separate drives with E as a recovery partition on which drive.....I would think it's the C drive. I'm I understanding this correctly?

 

[richc46]

Peter, you will not want Vista again. If you want the space format.
In any event, if you have the upgrade version of Seven, you cannot use Vista and Seven at the same time, legally.

 

[ITGuy505]

In my opinion. If you are upgrading to Windows 7 and are never going back to Vista then you won't need the Vista recovery partition. I would recommend creating recovery DVDs for Windows 7 after the upgrade though.

 

[seavixen32]

I would definitely get rid of the Vista partition and utilize the space for the new, Windows 7 installation.

Having said that, are you using an upgrade version of Windows 7 or the full, retail version?

If it is the former, you may want to keep Vista if you ever want to re-install 7, although if you create a system image of your new installation you can restore your system from that, which makes keeping Vista irrelevent.

 

[pebbly]

Hi Blue Peter
you may also want to read this tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

 

[linnemeyerhere]

BluePeter,
I would let W7 upgrade do it's thing and get rid of Vista completely. That being said please back up all data and any important settings before hand to another none OS drive and then let 'r rip and don't look back. You'll be loving W7 in short order !

 

[MacGyvr]

Do not, do not, do not perform an "upgrade" over Vista. You will regret it from day one. The ONLY way to go is a clean install.

 

[richc46]

Peter, Im sure after all the time we spent togeher you know to do a clean install. I think I may have given you the tutorial. If not others, here have.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

MacGyvr,
OK spill the beans. You speak from personal experience or having read this. I've only clean installed but girlfriend has a laptop with Vista that we'd like to upgrade. Doesn't upgrade mean upgrade or can you trick an upgrade to do a clean install?

 

[richc46]

You can and should do a clean install with the upgrade DVD.
Its like an old car that you go for a detail. It looks great, but the old car is still there.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html?filter[2]=General Tips

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Nevermind I found the article and suggest we both read !
http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

 

[MacGyvr]

Nevermind I found the article and suggest we both read !
http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

Upgrades ALWAYS leave garbage behind that results in a slow system at best and corruption issues at worst. It's been that way since Windows 3.1...don't know why Microsoft even still ATTEMPTS to do an upgrade.

 

[BluePeter]

Do not, do not, do not perform an "upgrade" over Vista. You will regret it from day one. The ONLY way to go is a clean install.

My Heavens, what conflicting advice I am getting. The consensus seems to be for upgrade and this is the set I have gone out and purchased. So this is what it will have to be.

 

[richc46]

You did the right thing. Follow Brinks tutorial to do a clean instlall with the cheaper upgrade DVD. Thats what I advised.

 

[gregrocker]

There's some confusion here about Upgrades.

You're given the chance to Upgrade from XP or Vista to get a price break.

You can run the Disk from Vista to change to Win7 while keeping your files and programs in place.

However XP must be clean installed, and Vista can be as well if that's your preference.

Most of us here recommend a clean install rather than in-place Upgrade which can transfer corruption via settings, just as can importing your files to a clean install using Windows Easy Transfer if you allow it to include hidden Appdata settings folders.

So yes, you qualify for an Upgrade version if you have XP or Vista. But you can clean install it if you want.

The way Upgrade works is when you run or boot it, it sees the qualifying OS on the HD and passes a flag that allows Upgrade version key to be inserted - even if you go on to Custom clean install, Delete all partitions, Create and Format New ones.

For this reason if you wipe the HD or start with a blank HD, you'll need to leave the Product Key blank during install, then afterwards do one of the workarounds given here to activate Upgrade version: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version