Win7 32bit to Win7 64bit

[spizz]

Hello!

I am currently using Windows 7 Home Basic 32bit. I acquired Windows 7 Professional 64bit through MSDNAA and was wondering about how the OS change will go.

What I'm worried about are my files. I currently have about 200gb worth of data on my drive and I have no extra harddrives to make backups.

Because I'm going from 32bit to 64bit, I read that a clean install is required for this type of change. My question is, will my files be placed in a "windows.old" folder? Or will I be required to buy an external drive and transfer them all in order to keep them?

Are there any other things that I must keep in mind?

Thank you in advance for any help and responses!

 

[ie9]

If you're doing a clean install then you will lose all data. I would highly reccomend an external HD to back up your files

 

[spizz]

There will be no "windows.old" folder created?

I had previously done an OS change from Windows XP to Windows 7 64bit on my laptop and I recall that there was a folder called "windows.old" containing everything from my old installation.

 

[ie9]

There will be no "windows.old" folder created?

I had previously done an OS change from Windows XP to Windows 7 64bit on my laptop and I recall that there was a folder called "windows.old" containing everything from my old installation.

A clean install wipes everything from your hard drive, so no, there will be no windows.old file.

I would still recommend an external hd for your situation.

Edit: Let me do some more research and get back to you on your options here

Edit 2: You have only one option here and that is to backup your files to an external hard drive and then do a clean install.

You probably had a windows.old file because you upgraded. The thing that is hurting you here is the 32 bit to 64 bit change, which you cannot do an upgrade for

 

[bigmck]

Hello!

I am currently using Windows 7 Home Basic 32bit. I acquired Windows 7 Professional 64bit through MSDNAA and was wondering about how the OS change will go.

What I'm worried about are my files. I currently have about 200gb worth of data on my drive and I have no extra harddrives to make backups.

Because I'm going from 32bit to 64bit, I read that a clean install is required for this type of change. My question is, will my files be placed in a "windows.old" folder? Or will I be required to buy an external drive and transfer them all in order to keep them?

Are there any other things that I must keep in mind?

Thank you in advance for any help and responses!

Tell us more about it. Do you have your OS on one partition and your data files on another or do you just have your C: drive for everything? = If you only have one partition. how much free space is on it?

 

[spizz]

Everything is on C: drive. I am currently using 316 GB of 585 GB available space.

I have another partition called HP_RECOVERY which I believe came when I bought this pre-built HP desktop.

 

[bigmck]

I would make another partition since you have alot of free space. Move all your data files to it. A good setup is to have your OS and programs on one partition and your data files (letters, spreadsheet, etc. Things that you make from programs) on your other partition. This way you can install Windows and you will only have to install your programs again. You will not have to worry about your data files as they are on another partition. This tells you how to do it.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html