Upgrading to Windows 7

Now that most customers of ASUS who were promised their Win7 upgrade discs, have got them/being shipped to them, I'm wondering about the process.

This is my first time I've ever changed OSes in a computer (always stuck with what it came with, win98, win2000, 3xwinXP, now vista) so bear with my incompetence.

I have a RAID-0 volume of my two 320GB 7200RPM HDD. Now I have a lot of DATA saved into my two partitions, (C:\ = Vista OS and D:\ = Extra Data). Since my HDD are RAIDed, when i upgrade, what happens to my D:\? I only have a 160GB external so I can't totally backup all my stuff which includes maybe 60GB music, game installers = 73GB, various application installers = 5GB, videos = 60GB, miscellaneous stuff = 10GB. So my only option really is to save my important documents ~ at most 10GB + music + videos + *some* important file installers (photoshop CS4, important drivers for GPU/PhysX/Wireless card) on my external. My D:\ is partitioned @ 300GB so after I've backed up all my *important* crap, I will move most if not all personal data including custom configs for programs (you know, stuff like options.config or bookmarks etc), my documents, pictures, music, videos etc. Then I will create a huge list of all programs needed to be reinstalled then commence to uninstalling them from the C:\Program Files or (x86) directory. When I upgrade to Windows 7, i know it is going to be into a partition, that's the C:\ rite? I'm hoping it leaves my D:\ untouched...

Another part to my problem, I want to re-size my partitions, but obviously you cannot change the C:\ Vista OS partition without some external program (the built-in one doesn't allow you to do it with the OS partition). When i upgrade, it asks where Win7 should be installed, say i choose C:\. Does it allow me to change the partition size of the C:\?

I know that a vista.dat type of folder appears in your C:\ once you have upgraded, what exact is in there? Stuff like "My Documents, My Pictures, My Videos, My Games (important because I want to keep my save files) etc? Does it also include the remnant Program Files if i choose not to uninstall them before I upgrade?

Due to being a paragraph and ease of use with bullets, here is the overarching questions I have.

1. When i upgrade, can i just move all my stuff to D:\ and it will remain untouched since its not the OS partition even taking into fact my HDD are RAIDed (I don't whether it matters so I'm just putting it out there)?
2. If it does remain there, my D:\ is 300GB, same as my C:\. I want to allocate the D:\ to 400GB and 200GB for C:\, can I change partition options in while in upgrade transition or should i really be using another external program before/after i upgrade? Any suggestions on that external program?
3. What exactly is contained within the vista.dat folder when I upgrade?
4. When I do install, i remember that in Vista, when i reinstalled that i TURNED OFF the computer when it asked for drivers, for a "clean" install of vista. Should i do the same with Win7 upgrade and manually install my selected drivers by popping in the disc with the "fresh" upgrade of Win7?
5. Has anyone experienced any problems with ANY drivers for the Win7 upgrade on the G51/G60, provided you have done the upgrade already?
6. Last random question, how long does it take to upgrade? I've heard 20 minutes...

Sorry for my n00bishness, just want help since I'm new to installing OSes and just want to protect all my data from being lost. no SS stupid comments kthx.

 

I've done a clean installation of Windows 7 Pro on my notebook a couple weeks back and it appears that you don't have to back up all your data. Or rather keep the data away from My Documents, Program Files, etc. folders and they should remain safe. I would recommend doing a clean install instead of using the upgrade option.

 

? so what exactly si the difference between clean install and upgrade? doesn't upgrade basically freshly install Win7, just with the old vista.dat folder + the drivers that you install?

 

Clean install wipes your hard drive and installs WIN7. So you must reinstall everything and your registry is clean
Upgrade keeps everything and installl win7. you get to keep your registry keys so nothing needs to be reinstalled. people claim that doing an upgrade, makes the pc feel slower, so they do a clean install so it feels faster. i always did clean installs to get rid of errors

 

how would you do a clean install with an upgrade disc? dont u need to have vista installed, up and running for the UPGRADE to win7? any instruction links?

also, when u wipe your discs, u mean 1 partition (the main C:\ which has the vista registry etc) or in my case, the WHOLE RAID-0 array = all 600GB of data gone?

 

i personally have never dealt with raid, as im affraid to lose data if a disk fails or whatever. 51% of me would say YES IT WOULD WIPE ALL 600. what im doing right now is backing up all my data via dvd-r's (50 pack sony for $24 at target, microcenter has windata 50pk for 8 but i didnt have my credit card signed so they rejected me )

then i will attempt to do a clean install via upgrade disc. there is a thread somewhere here but i cant link from my phone. ummm... yah and let u know how it went.

 

Yeah, I'd backup my data no matter which route I went. Especially considering it is a RAID. RAIDs can be finicky.

It is quite possible to clean install(MSFT calls it Custom Install) using an upgrade disk. It detects the previous installation and asks you what to do next. In fact, if you upgrade from XP, you have no choice but to choose a Custom Install.



Time to answer your laundry list.

It will leave your other partitions untouched whether you upgrade or clean install. As long as you don't specifically tell it to repartition your drive....

You CAN change the D Partition. But not while upgrading.

After you upgrade, you can either try to extend it in Windows (use Computer Management under Admin Tools) or use GParted.

If you decide to clean install, you can extend the D partition after deleting the C partition during Setup.

I've upgraded 5 computers now to Windows 7 and haven't seen a Vista.dat folder yet. No idea what you are talking about.

You can do that. Or just use Windows Update. I'm lazy and went with Windows Update.

Can't answer that one. Gonna have to search the forums.

I averaged about an hour on an upgrade. Like 6 hours at least if I decided to choose the clean install method.

Sach.

Sach Sach Bo Bach
Banana Nana Fo Fach
Be Bi Bo Bach
Sach!!!!

 

+1 to what he said. im just to lazy to answer all questions.

 

Go to the ant, you sluggard!!

PopRoxMimo.

Mimo Mimo Bo Bimo
Banana Nana Fo Fimo
Be Bi Bo Bimo
PopRoxMimo!!!!

 

I've already stated that I've done a clean install and it does not wipe everything off the hard drive. You will have to reinstall your programs but you can put your most valued files in a new folder, give it your own name and place it in the root and it won't get deleted.

This is coming from someone who has experience clean installing Windows 7 Pro from Vista Home Premium. Of course that's not to say back up the data to be on the safe side but I did not have any problems whatsoever.

 

Yes, true. If you clean install but you don't format the partition, it just renames your old Windows directory. I keep forgetting about that.

 

No rep for not making a poem about his name

 

I did the custom install thing also and got the WINDOWS.OLD folder in my hard drive. Just deleted it. Tried to re-install win7, hoping i could wipe out the partitioning but that was not possible. Oh well, i'll report back if it performs poorly.

 

Song day was yesterday. To get me over the hump.

 

Yesterday? But you posted the song at 4AM today?! Can we get an extension?

 

Nope. Yesterday was hump day. Today is Tata Thursday.

 

yea i guess i HAVE to backup important data, there is always a chance something mite go wrong.

hmm, clean install using vista? any instructions on how to? the ONLY real difference is that no "windows.old" folder and new registry rite? how bout if i run CCleaner after Win7, will that clean out the old vista registry kinda enuf to make it feel faster?

Yea i guess im going to be putting a lot of my stuff into D:/ once i gpart it.

so NO changing of ANY partitions WHATSOEVER during the install? k got it

hmm, yea i think before i install windows 7 im going to have to use gparted, is that program FULLY reliable? i wont get a shock ocne i boot, OMGZ windows partition not found? lulz

again, really would like to know whether it is worth it to clean insatll (with clear instructions) vs just upgrading with the windows.old and registry of vista intact but cleaning it up using registry booster 2009 (uniblue) and ccleaner.

hmm i guess its only manufacturer upgrades (like most are doing with mentor media group affiliation)...

lol that question is more to the ASUS owners who have completed the upgrade, did what did u do? install when asked or turn off when it asked for drivers then install when win7 booted up?

o.o 6 hours? shiznit, you mean 6 including restoring your programs/setting it up how you want hte OS to be?

lolwut?

-----------

anyways thanks for your help, would really like to hear more regarding the drivers (turning off when asking for drivers during installation...)/clean install win7 vs upgrade etc.

andrewCP, you've done this. since i assume D:\ is untouched, i can just place all my important files there rite?

another quick question, do u recomend me to UNINSTALL all programs from C:\ before upgrading or just leave em as is and when i do get the windows.old, the files will be in there and i can simply select folder and delete?

thxs so much guyz

EDIT: hmm i just looked over Gparted, i didnt like how u needa do all this repairing of windows, so i think i'll use partition magic or acronis disk suite 15 day trial, any opinions on those program?

 

Partition Magic worked well for me. I booted the computer from the Magic CD and made my G51's RAID 0 2x320GB array 105GB for C: and 490GB for E: I like to keep C: as small as possible for to make backing up quicker. I have games and downloaded files on E:, I rarely bother to back those up.

My Win7 upgrade is in the mail but I'm not sure I'm going to install it just yet. Vista is working fine for me, very stable so I hate to screw with it. All my apps and games run ok.

cltpilot

 

exactly, i think im going to use norton partition magic 8.0 as well. i'll use it maybe in the upcoming days once i get ma crap sorted out. 144GB in C:/, 450GB in D:\

one weird thing, i looked over my C:\ which says im using 96/298GB, but when i enter C:\ and look over ALL files including programs/programs(x86)/users/windows/program data/mso cache, i see the file sizes as 1gb/25gb/2gb/10gb/1gb/0.5gb respectively (rounded off higher). i cannot find ANY other files in my C:\ that is the cause for the rest of the space used (97-above values = 56.5gb unexplained)? i didnt include other folders because there are below 300mb. is there hidden folder taking up that space or what? ive ran ccleaner + disk cleanup tool, only removed like 60mb total together.

hey CLTPilot, which version did u use? i have 8.0 that i downloaded. can u give me few basic steps so i know i'll be doing it rite?

edit: im going with acronis disk director, it appears that partition magic has a few problems with vista after a quick search here on NBR.

 

I installed all my asus drivers cd and did windows update. It flows like aquafina water

 

this is how i did my upgrade.

took out stock harddrives,

installed OCZ vertex SSD x2.

recovered vista,

installed win7 upgrade

DOwnloaded win7 drivers from asus and installed.

*optional*

installed stock drives into hdd enclosure.

transfered game installfolders.

done.

YMMV

 

i just repartitioned my C:\ to 146GB and D:\ 450GB. now basically im moving everything to my D:\, though most of it was already there.

some questions, u said you installed all asus drivers, when upgrading does it even ask to put your driver disc or was that only when restoring to factory default with vista? its the latter i assume since no one has mentioned "turning off" there laptop when win7 asks for drivers. another one, did u do a clean install or the upgrade? do u guys recomend i uninstall most if not all programs from Vista RITE BEFORE i upgrade? last last question, what will be contained in "windows.old"? is it your entire C:\ before upgrade/only "My Documents" or what?

non-related but i would really like to know where all my space went from my C:\, it is using up 96gb yet i can only see 40.5gb used up as quote shows above.

 

You could also just do a clean install without formating the partition. It will install a full copy and rename your old windows directory. It's like formatting+install, without the formatting.

During Setup, you are asked which partition to install Windows to. On that same screen you can choose to make new partitions, format or delete existing ones, if you want to.

I've never run into any trouble. But it's not a bad idea to backup your data. So it's your call there.

Unfortunately, the Upgrade vs Custom install debate has been overdone here in NBR. You can look through the countless threads about them. Just search.

Yeah reinstalling all my programs and setting can be a pain in the rear. You can try to use Windows Easy transfer, which can ease the transfer of a Custom install. It will move as many settings and programs as it can. From what I hear, it has a high success rate and good reviews. I haven't taken the time to do a clean install and use the tool.

Again, other partitions won't be touched unless you specify. But keep in mind it is a RAID partition, which can be finicky.

I won't bother with uninstalling the programs unless you don't have the room.

The directions aren't any longer than if you used another partition software. Most of the post is if your boot partition doesn't startup. But you aren't modifying a boot partition(a partition with an OS) so that half of the post does not apply to you..

 

yea i already partitioned it so now i have 52.4GB free in C:\ (out of 146GB). just wondering, most likely not, that i mite fill it up while insatlling...

again, with the RAID, it wont factor into overwriting the C:\Vista64 into C:\Win764 rite? RAID just means data is split up into my two 320gb HDD, nothing really much to do with partition rite? like, my C:\ is probably using 73GB of 1st HDD and 73GB of second HDD (total = 146GB) and similar for D:\ (225GB on each HDD). im just hoping that because i did RAID that it doesnt screw up my D:\, but as you said as long as i dont touch it im fine so i feel much more confortable.

ehh i feel much more cleaner doing it myself vs Vista Easy upgrade thing, i'll dedicate 6-12hrs of my thanksgiving 1 week break for win7 finalization lulz

also sidenote, but all my games are installed in D:\ so i guess when i upgrade to win7 it wont recognize the install location in "Control Panel" so i mite as well uninstall em, just save all the profile/savefiles from each game. for steam, the save/profiles are kept on their servers rite? its not located in my steam folder for stuff like hats/weaposn for tf2 etc?

general plan

1. backup importnat crap to my 160GB external just in case
2. Uninstall all games i have (15 total including 3 steam games)
3. Move everything to D:\ (450GB total) including the stuff that was there (game installers, program installers, movies/videos, music) + all my personal data (My Documents, My Pictures, ALOT of custom config files from mozilla etc, My Games' save files, other random stuff that mite be important")
4. once its all in my D:\ my C:\ shouldn't have anything important i need (so eventually when win7 installs i can just go ahead and delete the windows.old folder)
5. turn off computer, put win7 disc in and boot it up with whatever F key you press for boot manager.
6. let it install, choose C:\ partition as install location
7. once done, it should restart or something, then let me login to my user account. get my asus driver's disc that comes with the package and install selected drivers.
8. then basically move back all my stuff, reinsatll programs for the next 6-12 hrs and im done

thankyou all for your help!!

EDIT: last question, should i install vista SP2 before i upgrade? i was reading the clena install vs upgrade articles and most are using SP2...

 

I hate to be that guy, but reading your posts is like reading something a 6 yr old wrote. It gives me a headache trying to decipher the massive grammar/spelling errors. At first I thought you were French or something. But WTH man. You live in South Carolina!!!!

I'm confused if you are going to upgrade to Windows 7 or Custom Install to Windows 7.

You say upgrade, but your general plan sounds like you are shooting for a clean install.

I won't bother with SP1 or SP2.

Edit:

Seriously, look at the progression of your posts.

 

UPGRADE!!! if it was clean install i would mention something about fresh format of C:\...btw im not American and im only 10yrs off from the age u specified...

this is why i posted, i really want to know the difference. upgrading to win7 as ive read in articles like this is purely to keep your settings and such. if im going through the hassle as stated which is basically like a fresh install MINUS the registries still being there, y dont i just do a clean install? what are the additional steps for a C.I. then?

edit: and honestly i just read what i wrote above and i fail to see MAJOR problems that would cause some1 to shake their head. i type fast, and i dont spell check so there is always spelling errors. i agree i should put some commas in, to dissect sentences to make it easier to read, i'll try to be more careful.

 

Oh boy. If you are upgrading, forget moving all your data. All this talk about moving it to a different partition and uninstalling programs was the reason why I was confused.

So you clean installed Vista and you are going to upgrade to win7.

I won't do anything when you upgrade to Windows 7. Leave everything where it is. This is one of the advantages of choosing the upgrade path vs a clean install.

edit:
Of course, you aren't going to spot all your mistakes in your writing. You wrote it. This is why writers ask other people to proofread their writings. They want the perspective of someone without idiosyncrasies to catch errors in interpretations.

 

1. Insert ASUS driver disc
2. Click advance, if "recommended" is selected. Advance installs more drivers than recommended. But thats up to you
3. Click install
4. Leave it alone til it installs everything, it will restart a few times and resume the installations.
5. enjoy.

windows.old ???? yes it will keep your entire c: before upgrade. that includes everything from program files to my documents. For example it kept my COD4 installation but for some reason it was not recognized in my control panel, uninstall part. just delete windows.old

 

not sure if anyone else came across this OR if this was just in my case but when choosing drives for install and using the default disk set up:

drives C,D,E,F

it is interesting to note that drives c&e are the same physical drive and D&F are the same drive. not 1 drive being C&D and number 2 being E&F

i had thought i lost my data i had placed in drive E when i swapped out the drives for an SSD UNTIL i plugged the stock drives in an external enclosure. and found the data.

thought it might be useful info for those considering doing a partition of the HDD prior to install/upgrade and just moving data over to the secondary drive. Though i suggest testing to see if this is the case for your setup prior to doing anything

 

Yeah, it has happened to me a few times. The drive letters are assigned in the order fed to Windows by BIOS. Sometimes, the letters even switch after setup. Once Windows is setup they stick though.

 

Rather than doing a clean install of Windows 7, I did the upgrade (I'm really lazy, and there was no friggin way I was going to reinstall ALL my games and mods for them all over again!). There has been 0 issues for me with performance. In fact, after the upgrade, I downloaded and installed the new 195.55 drivers from nVidia, and my 3dMark06 scores went from 11575 to 11578. Not much difference, I know, but the point is there was no change at all to the performance of the computer. Just throwing this out there for those who want the quick and easy way out!

In reference to the Asus drivers, the Win7 disc was accompanied with a Asus disc, and I just reinstalled the programs from that disc that I used. For whatever reason, the PhysX driver on the disc would not install properly, but I just downloaded the newest version from nVidia which install without issue. Everything else was smooth as silk.

 

I had Win7 RC on my Asus U81-a so a fresh install was the only way. That is fine though as not much was here to back up first. I've turned off the page file though to try it out for a while.

I am undecided to get 4 gigs of HyperX cas 4 or 8 gigs of Cas5 as I may also go with a SSD in the future, the reason for trying out no page file..........

 

thanks, yea i know how to install the drivers, that how i did it for vista. btw, does everything that was in the original one, come with the win7 one? that includes stuff like creative audio etc.

ok good to know EVERYTHING in C:/ is going to be found in there. I'll just delete it, then run a registry cleaner when win7 is insatlled and all is good.

 

Argh. It's annoying how the Aero theme clocks my GPU up and down, heating it up to mid to high 50s, but the less intensive Windows 7 Basic is absolutly fugly.

 

so u and element are experiencing much higher temps? dammit and i thought win7 was gonna be perfect for me.

 

Higher non-game temps, yes.

 

Have u ran furmark to see any changes in load temps or 3dmark06 for score?

 

Yeah, you'll have to hit up DeviantArt to find some decent looking Windows 7 Basic themes.

 

hmm well i started a new thread to see how many ppl besides forge and element were experiencing higher idle temps (cpu/gpu/hdd). hope it just an isolated case, i dont want 10C higher temps

 

after rigorous work, ive managed to back up ALL my game's save files, all my custom configs for programs etc. steam games like TF2 and L4D use steam cloud, so i dont need back up any save files rite?

and JUST to make sure one last time, when i upgrade, the first time i see win7, it will be a stock screen with basic utilities (desktop will probably contain IE8.0, icosn like my computer/documents/recycle bin etc) and nothing insatlled rite? the article i read here shows a screenshot of the upgrade process keeping everything as is, now im confused again...the asus "upgrade" disc doesnt keep all the programs files/desktop icons rite?

 

When you use the upgrade disk to do an Upgrade, whatever you see on the desktop is what you'll see after the upgrade. Which is the whole point of an upgrade. If you a more minimalist upgrade path, choose the custom install path. But earlier you wrote you didn't want to do the custom install path. I think you are a bit confused.

 

k i want to do a custom install path, start a new slate. im confused rite now, does it ask u if you wanna "upgrade" or clean install when u pop the disc in? clean install means wiping my C:\ and putting a fresh win7 copy rite? just like upgrading, it leaves my D:\ untouched...

 

Both methods will leave your other partitions untouched. A clean install doesn't necessarily mean wiping the boot partition. You can have a clean install and setup will just rename the windows directory into "windows.old." An upgrade is an inplace upgrade.

You should read the previous posts.

An upgrade means an inplace upgrade. Setup will upgrade your vista installation into a Windows 7 installation, so when you boot up next time, all your icons are still in the same place, your applications are still usable and you won't have to reinstall your games and applications.

A custom install is a completely new installation of Windows 7. So you gotta reinstall all your applications and create new icons and stuff. A custom install can be done with or without formatting the boot partition.

edit:

You should really read the Windows 7 faq.

 

ok i understand what i want now, a CLEAN install of windows 7 over my C:\ partition, rewriting over my C:\ (not wiping that partition so i have the windows.old just incase.) i definitely dont want an upgrade, i know it may seem easier but i would rather set up my stuff then let windows handle it

so now the question is, how to clean install vs upgrade? is it present physically as a button during the upgrade, or i needa do some extra stuff to my OS to prepare for it? (since this is an "upgrade" disc, i guess it will be a button to clean install as long as it can detect a proper windows vista installation rite?) it also gives the option of formatting C:\ then installing vs just writing over C:\ with new win7 installation rite?

 

Turn off computer.
Turn on computer.
Enter Bios.
Open ODD and place your Win7 upgrade disc inside.
Set the computer to boot from DVD drive.
When it boots, select where you want it to install to. (Putting it on your main drive will delete all info on that drive).

 

From inside Vista, insert your upgrade DVD and it will ask you to eventually choose between upgrade or custom install after it reboots.

 

^that is all i wanted to hear

 

one quick question regarding steam games like L4D, TF2 and L4D2...do my save files such as achievements/unlocked stuff save onto steam "cloud"? i read what it says, it liek "profile settings, mouse settings etc etc", does this also include stuff like all the weapons ive unlocked in tf2? or all achievements ive gotten in L4D? i read online that you go to backup your save file in this directory, at least for me...
[C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\left 4 dead\left4dead\save\]

i have a TXT file in there, should i back it up or is it not important? it called "game_instructor_counts.txt", has numbers next to commands which i dont really know what they mean, cant be binary 1/0 for on/off so...? should i back em up? this friday i'll prolly install win7.

 

achievements/unlocked "drop" items are stored on steam, if they were on files editable on your PC they would be rather pointless and easy to crack.

 

Yeah, they are stored on steam. Mouse settings and all.