Windows 10 upgrade - personal data issue

[mirkorm]

Hi everybody,

I'm currently running a a 32-bit version of Windows 7 and I have to upgrade to the 64-bit version of Windows 10 (I've already checked if the hardware is ok with that) so I'll have to make a clean installation.

Now: There are two partitions I can use in my HD: the "C" partition, in which I installed W7 and all the software (this is the partition I'd like to completely erase and install W10 on); and the "D" partition, which contains all my personal documents, movies, music and pictures that I don't want to lose.

Now the question is: is it possible to erase all the content of a partition and install W10 from scratch on it without touching the other one?

Thanks a lot

 

[Ztruker]

Yes, it's done all the time. I've done it several times myself when I decided to clean install the Win 10 preview.

 

[mirkorm]

Thanks for the answer Ztruker

Since you already done that: so when I'll have to select the drives during the setup process, I should select the partition I'd like to erase and select the "format" option, and that would just do the trick and install W10 without touching the other partition at all, am I right?

I'm sorry if the question sounds silly but I've never tried to keep a partition untouched while installing an OS, I just want to be sure about that.

Thanks a lot

 

[Layback Bear]

To me best practice would be to make a backup of your (C) and (D) partitions.
That would make sure you don't loose your data in case a mistake is made when going to Windows 10 from your install of Windows 7.

 

[Ztruker]

Thanks for the answer Ztruker

Since you already done that: so when I'll have to select the drives during the setup process, I should select the partition I'd like to erase and select the "format" option, and that would just do the trick and install W10 without touching the other partition at all, am I right?

I'm sorry if the question sounds silly but I've never tried to keep a partition untouched while installing an OS, I just want to be sure about that.

Thanks a lot

Yes, that is the process to follow. Do follow Layback Bear's advice and create image backups before doing the install.

Also a good idea to label each partition so you can find them easily during the install. For instance, I have mine labeled:

Desktop_C
Desktop_D
Desktop_E
etc. etc.

 

[gregrocker]

Any data not backed up at all times is being valued as worthless.

 

[Ztruker]

One other thing. To get the free Windows 10, you must upgrade first and activate it. Once that's done you can do as many clean installs on that computer as you want.

 

[gregrocker]

Have you heard how to retrieve your 7 activation? I'm looking for everything about this.

 

[Ztruker]

From the people who have done this (go back to 7 from 10) they just restored the backup image or reinstalled using the key on the COA sticker. Nothing else needed to be done.