Vista / Win 7 RC Dual Boot Upgrade Question

[mvannie]

I have installed Win 7 RC in a dual boot with my existing Vista installation. I now want to replace my Vista with RTM. Any advice?

 

[Snufffed]

There are several ways to do this.
1. while booted into Vista - insert the Win 7 DVD
2. options will show a. upgrade or b. custom install
b. custominstall allows you to clean install on the Vista partition
3. using b you will then have windows.old which you can access but not use
4. Another way.
5. FORMAT Partition with Vista.
6. that makes it 100% clean.
7. boot to the win7 DVD and install - it will be a clean install and take about 20 to 25 min.

You can later upgrade the Win7 RC to Win7 RTM when you get your disk.

 

[wallyinnc]

mvannie, welcome to the forums
Do you want to upgrade from Vista to RTM or just replace it (in which case you will have both RC and RTM installed)? In either case the process is not much different than when you installed RC the first time. I recommend you check this tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20146-custom-install-windows-7-a.html
Experienced users recommend you do a clean install, it avoids headaches later.

 

[Snufffed]

UPGRADE Option is GREAT

Experienced users recommend you do a clean install, it avoids headaches later.

Not to start a fight but to avoid headaches later is BUNK. full of hot air.
why do I say this:
1. I started in Computer in 1983. long time ago.
2. I have beta tested every version of Windows starting with Win3.1.
I did miss DOS, and Windows and windows 3.
3. I have also been one of the UPGRADE and YES it works.
4. I started with Windows 7 7000, health reasons i did miss some versions.
5. I upgraded every version from 7000 to 7600 (RTM).
It does take time to upgrade, that is 100% guaranteed. The experienced operator (with common sense) can enjoy HaSSLE FREE.
Many ppl do not want to loose any thing they currently have loaded. or installed. then UPGRADE, saves money also.
Actually if you clean your registery, with a very good cleaner, then defrag, I can upgrade faster than you can clean install and then install the other programs. on the average.
Each person should do what they feel is right,
CLEAN is NOT the only way to go. UPGRADE works SUPER FINE also.

 

[mvannie]

Thanks for the advice.

My goal is to have Win 7 RTM and RC both bootable for the time being. This is my work computer, and I have RC configured and functional for my day to day work. The VISTA partition was my daily work machine until I got RC confugured properly. I want to do the same thing with RTM. My concern is that I need to be able to have the system functional through the day, as I am installing RTM in my spare time, and it will take a while to get everything fully switched over. Once I am on RTM for a while, and certain that i have everything moved, I will want to delete the RCpartition and extend the RTM partition to the full drive.

As a further question, I have VISTA x86 and Win 7 RC x64. Is the upgrade option even available to me from the Vista to go x64 with RTM?

 

[wallyinnc]

Each person should do what they feel is right,
CLEAN is NOT the only way to go. UPGRADE works SUPER FINE also.

Well, not all experienced users recommend it. Very valid points.

 

[digital2020]

thanks for this information
​

 

[wallyinnc]

mvannie, you cannot upgrade from Vista x86 to Win7 x64. You will have to migrate your files / data, as you apparently did with the RC.
Here the link to the Upgrade Tutorial, for your reference only. It explains in detail what can and can't be done
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1818-upgrade-instll-windows-7-a.html
and the Clean Install:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

Let's us know if it works or if we can help further

 

[mvannie]

Folowup question, if I reformat the VISTA partition when installing, will it keep my dual boot intact?

Following the "Clean Install" instructions, when I get to the choice of partitions, I can choose my Windows 7 RC, or VISTA. Since VISTA is physically first on the disk, it has the boot settings, correct? Will this be lost?

 

[zigzag3143]

Folowup question, if I reformat the VISTA partition when installing, will it keep my dual boot intact?

Following the "Clean Install" instructions, when I get to the choice of partitions, I can choose my Windows 7 RC, or VISTA. Since VISTA is physically first on the disk, it has the boot settings, correct? Will this be lost?

MV

Hi

1-when you format vista its gone. at that point you wont have a dual boot, only a win 7 rc partition.
2- you can choose whatever parttiton you want but I think you already chose the vista partition.
3-vista is first on the disk you will lose the boot setting but there is a built in editor called BCDedit that you can use to modify after the rtm install.

Let us know if you have any more questions

Ken

 

[wallyinnc]

mvannie, here goes, thanks to my friend Ken: yes, the bootloader and files are in the Vista partition. When you delete it you will have to run BCDedit (see http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2676-bcdedit-how-use.html) and edit the boot settings, removing Vista. When you install RTM you will have a new menu with the RC and RTM. Both will Show "Windows 7" , you can edit the name, check http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5110-dual-boot-change-os-name-windows-boot-manager.html
Good luck, let's us know how it works out

 

[wallyinnc]

MV

Hi

1-when you format vista its gone. at that point you wont have a dual boot, only a win 7 rc partition.
2- you can choose whatever parttiton you want but I think you already chose the vista partition.
3-vista is first on the disk you will lose the boot setting but there is a built in editor called BCDedit that you can use to modify after the rtm install.

Let us know if you have any more questions

Ken

I hadn't seen Ken's post until today (that "page" thing always confuses me...:shock. I had the order of events mixed a little on my post. But I hope the tutorials help
Let us know

 

[mvannie]

Thanks for all your help. I have everything booting, and I am happily typing this from my RTM install!

 

[wallyinnc]

Thanks for all your help. I have everything booting, and I am happily typing this from my RTM install!

Glad to be of help and thanks for letting us know! Please mark the thread as solved so others can find it easily and possibly benefit (click on report icon and report as solved, the Mods will flag it). If you care to stay around and share your knowledge, it is always welcome.