Solved Windows Easy Transfer problem.

[Sparrky]

Hi,I have been trying to upgrade to windows 7,but then it said to transfer first.
I tried that,but I have over 180gb of stuff to transfer,and I don't know what do I use to transfer(definitely not a CD or anything)
Also,I'm using the same computer to upgrade from XP>W7.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

In my experience, Windows Easy Transfer isn't particularly reliable.

I'd suggest you use manual methods---back up your email, bookmarks, and data to another drive, install Windows 7, and then restore from the backup drive.

 

[Sparrky]

What if I have only one drive?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If you have only one drive and don't back up, that means you enjoy living dangerously. I don't.

I think if you do an "upgrade" install from Vista, Windows is supposed to save your old "user" folder in a folder called "Windows.old".

However, I wouldn't trust it.

Since you enjoy living dangerously, you may decide to trust it and hope it works.

If you are contemplating a "clean" install, you pretty much have to back up your stuff to some other location--which could be hard drive, a USB drive, DVD discs, or even on-line storage.

If I recall correctly, if you are moving from XP to Windows 7, you MUST do a clean install--rather than an upgrade install.

 

[Sparrky]

I see.

Still,without the drive,is there a way to transfer,other than that?

Also,I have XP,not Vista.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Transfer from what to what?

You say you have only one drive. How would you transfer from drive C to drive C?

If you have XP, you need to do a clean install---which would overwrite your entire C drive.

That's no problem if you have nothing on C that you care about.

If you do care about certain things on C, such as personal data, mp3s, videos, bookmarks, etc, it's up to you to back that stuff up before you begin--otherwise that stuff will be LOST.

You could always make another partition on your only drive--and temporarily move important data to that new partition. I have no idea if you have enough free space to do that. If you did that, you would direct the clean install to the C drive and keep that new partition until the installation is complete.

 

[Sparrky]

I want to transfer stuff from drive C and my documents folder.

I have a bunch of stuff on drive C,but WET also wants to transfer the entire my documents folder,which isn't in drive C,is it?

The whole partition thing is unknown for me,so I have no idea how to do that,I just want to find a way to transfer my stuff somewhere so I can get Windows 7 and transfer it there then.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I have a bunch of stuff on drive C,but WET also wants to transfer the entire my documents folder,which isn't in drive C,is it?

I just want to find a way to transfer my stuff somewhere so I can get Windows 7 and transfer it there then.

You have to have a "somewhere" to transfer to and apparently you don't. You have to find a "somewhere" or lose what is on C, including My Documents.

I've already given you your choices: another hard drive, DVDs, a USB drive, online, or another partition on the existing drive.

My Documents is normally part of C, unless you deliberately moved it elsewhere.

Until you beg, borrow, buy, or steal a "somewhere", you are wasting your time thinking about a clean install of Windows 7. Unless you decide you don't care about anything on your hard drive.

 

[Sparrky]

I have a bunch of stuff on drive C,but WET also wants to transfer the entire my documents folder,which isn't in drive C,is it?

I just want to find a way to transfer my stuff somewhere so I can get Windows 7 and transfer it there then.

You have to have a "somewhere" to transfer to and apparently you don't. You have to find a "somewhere" or lose what is on C, including My Documents.

I've already given you your choices: another hard drive, DVDs, a USB drive, online, or another partition on the existing drive.

My Documents is normally part of C, unless you deliberately moved it elsewhere.

Until you beg, borrow, buy, or steal a "somewhere", you are wasting your time thinking about a clean install of Windows 7. Unless you decide you don't care about anything on your hard drive.

Hmm,I see.

Can you explain the whole partition thing more?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-create-new.html?ltr=P

Above is a link about creating a new partition, but.............

You say you have 180 GB of stuff to transfer. That would mean that your new partition would have to be at least 180 GB in size.

You may or may not be able to create a 180 GB partition--that depends on the size of your current hard drive and how much free space you have on C. Ideally, you shrink your current C by say 190 or 200 GB, make a new partition from that freed-up space, move your 180 GB of data to that new partition, and then reinstall Windows 7 to the shrunken C.

You have not filled out your system specs or posted a picture of Disk Management, so no one knows the details of your situation.

 

[Sparrky]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2674-partition-volume-create-new.html?ltr=P

Above is a link about creating a new partition, but.............

You say you have 180 GB of stuff to transfer. That would mean that your new partition would have to be at least 180 GB in size.

You may or may not be able to create a 180 GB partition--that depends on the size of your current hard drive and how much free space you have on C. Ideally, you shrink your current C by say 190 or 200 GB, make a new partition from that freed-up space, move your 180 GB of data to that new partition, and then reinstall Windows 7 to the shrunken C.

You have not filled out your system specs or posted a picture of Disk Management, so no one knows the details of your situation.

Here's a photo of my Disk Management.

As you can see,I cleared out quite a bit of space (about 70GB?).

It has to be atleast the same size,right?

My C drive has 117GB used,and 180GB of free space left.

Am I able to make a partition now?

Also,tell me if my picture is too big or something,the screenshot guide page wouldn't load for me.

 

[DeaconFrost]

If the data is important enough to want to transfer it, then you should invest in a backup drive and do it right. Get an external drive and manually copy your important data to it. Then you can install Windows 7 on your internal drive with no worries. Don't trust a wizard to know what is important to you. No one should know what is important better than you, or where it is stored.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

My C drive has 117GB used,and 180GB of free space left.

Am I able to make a partition now?

If you aren't going to get another hard drive, here is the best you can do:

Decide how much of that 117 GB on C is personal data that you want to save.

Suppose data is 60 GB. You then would have to create a partition of at least 60 GB in size out of the 180 GB of free space that you have. Then format the partition and give it a drive letter, such as D.

Then copy the 60 GB of personal data from C to D with the mouse.

Then install Windows 7 to the C drive, leaving untouched the D drive which now has your personal data on it.

When you are done, you will have C and D, with all data on D.

You might be able to shrink C enough with Disk Management or you may have to use a tool such as Partition Wizard. All you can do is try Disk Management and see how much it will let you shrink C.

You have limited options since you have only 1 drive and it is rather small.

In your situation, I would probably try to eventually shrink C to maybe 60 or 80 GB, and have a D of 220 to 240 GB, with all data on D, none on C.

Alternatively, you could probably eventually get back to a single C partition, no D partition, with all data on C.

The choice depends on how much data you have, how big C must be to hold all your programs, and the anticipated growth rate of both C and data.

You may have to resize your partitions several times in order to move your data around as necessary, depending on whether you want to finally end up with C only or C and D.


The preferable method is to take Deacon's advice and get another drive. It would make the process much simpler and also give you a place to backup your data.

 

[Sparrky]

If you aren't going to get another hard drive, here is the best you can do:

Decide how much of that 117 GB on C is personal data that you want to save.

Suppose data is 60 GB. You then would have to create a partition of at least 60 GB in size out of the 180 GB of free space that you have. Then format the partition and give it a drive letter, such as D.

Then copy the 60 GB of personal data from C to D with the mouse.

Then install Windows 7 to the C drive, leaving untouched the D drive which now has your personal data on it.

When you are done, you will have C and D, with all data on D.

You might be able to shrink C enough with Disk Management or you may have to use a tool such as Partition Wizard. All you can do is try Disk Management and see how much it will let you shrink C.

You have limited options since you have only 1 drive and it is rather small.

In your situation, I would probably try to eventually shrink C to maybe 60 or 80 GB, and have a D of 220 to 240 GB, with all data on D, none on C.

Alternatively, you could probably eventually get back to a single C partition, no D partition, with all data on C.

The choice depends on how much data you have, how big C must be to hold all your programs, and the anticipated growth rate of both C and data.

You may have to resize your partitions several times in order to move your data around as necessary, depending on whether you want to finally end up with C only or C and D.

I'm gonna try the 'make a new partition' thing.

So,I've downloaded Partition Wizard and I've made a partition O.

Problems are:

1)I can't see it in My Computer.

2)The important files (ones I want to transfer) are 53GB in total,I want to make the O partition 60GB,but I can't move it past 7MB?

I'd greatly appreciate your help.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You should be using the bootable disk version of Partition Wizard. Is that what you downloaded and burned to a disc?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html?ltr=P

 

[Sparrky]

You should be using the bootable disk version of Partition Wizard. Is that what you downloaded and burned to a disc?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html?ltr=P

Don't see a reason why I should burn it to a disc,it's just a program.

I've managed to shrink the C drive by 60GB and I've made a new drive O.

Clicked Apply,Apply changes and then I get an error message saying:

'Operation "Resize Partition" cannot be completed because drive C: is being used now.'

Then it gives me a list of options,to restart,cancel or retry.

I've restarted and it enters the resizing mode,before the startup,but it stops at 21% and says there's an error.

How can I resize drive C,and make the new drive,without getting errors?

 

[DeaconFrost]

Don't see a reason why I should burn it to a disc,it's just a program.

It is just a program, but it comes on a bootable disc for a reason. Every try to change the oil in your car while you are driving? Wouldn't it make perfect, logical sense to make changes to your system volume from outside the OS?

In fact, later in your post, you were given the very reason why ignatzatsonic suggested using the bootable disc.

Sorry if I am coming across as rude, but there's been a rash of people copping an attitude towards those who are trying to help. ignatzatsonic isn't being paid to be here. We're all volunteers. Work with us, instead of against us.

 

[gregrocker]

You can upload up to 15gb of data free to Skydrive with each Windows Live (e.g. Hotmail) ID. I would move the files you need the most to the cloud now - it's the modern way.

You want the PW boot disk for rescue purposes.

Remember that backing up data to the partition you shrink and create is not a safe backup method. It can be lost during install, starting with the possibility that you might accidentally click on it when choosing your install partition. Beware!

 

[Sparrky]

Wow,thanks for all of your advices!

I've managed to install it and I would just like to thank you!