Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

Sorry to bother you again but I've come to the option of choosing which installation and been given two options Upgrade or Custom. I just want to double check that Custom install will keep my files? Because it says here that it will not keep my files or settings. Does that just mean it will move them to windows.old?

Ok great, it has also asked me which partition I want to use (I didn't realise I had any partitions) either OEM Reserved or System - Should I be using the OEM partition?

Worked perfectly, thank you so much for all of your help! I would have made lots of mistakes without this.

Hello – I have a laptop with Win7 currently installed. It was an upgrade from Dell to originally installed Vista operating system. I need to reinstall. I have backed up all my data on an external hard drive so I would like to perform a clean install. I will be installing over an existing Win7 that is no longer working optimally.

The three options at the brining ot this tutorial don’t seem to address my particular situation so hence the questions below.
I have three questions:

1) Partitions – the original from Dell had a “restore” partition. I was advised by Dell to blow away all existing partitions. Will the Win7 install automatically make any partitions it needs for optimal performance?

2) Drivers – another site recommended downloading all the current drivers for my devices before proceeding. Is this necessary or will the “get important updates” screen take care of that for me? Obviously I don’t want to be stuck without access to the internet needing to download drivers or necessary updates.

3) Activating Windows – Again I don’t want to be stuck in a bind w/possible loss of access to the internet. I assume I need internet access for both the confirmation of product key and for activating Windows. Are there any steps I need to take to insure access?

see comments in bold

LapTopUser said:

1) Partitions – the original from Dell had a “restore” partition. I was advised by Dell to blow away all existing partitions. Will the Win7 install automatically make any partitions it needs for optimal performance?

If you want to do a clean install, you should delete all partitions midway in the install when asked "where do you want to install Windows". Look for "drive options, advanced". Poke it. At the next screen you can delete any or all partitions.

I'd make Dell recovery disks before I deleted the Dell recovery partition.

After you delete partitions, Windows will automatically create the necessary partitions during the next step.




2) Drivers – another site recommended downloading all the current drivers for my devices before proceeding. Is this necessary or will the “get important updates” screen take care of that for me? Obviously I don’t want to be stuck without access to the internet needing to download drivers or necessary updates.

The Windows disk will have most drivers, but I would still go to Dell website and make sure I had the LAN driver so you know you can get on the net. You may as well get all drivers while you are there, although you shouldn't have to use most of them.

3) Activating Windows – Again I don’t want to be stuck in a bind w/possible loss of access to the internet. I assume I need internet access for both the confirmation of product key and for activating Windows. Are there any steps I need to take to insure access?


You'll need the LAN driver and a working modem for a net connection.