Upgrading From Vista To Windows 7

I use a HP dv7-1247 x64 laptop with the current version of VISTA Home Premium.

I just purchased the new Windows 7 Home Premium at a reduced rate from Microsoft which will be released 22 OCT.

My question is when I receive the CD from Microsoft and load it offline, will the upgrade to my OS completely remove Vista and all components.

The reason I want to upgrade offline is that I use the ATT Mercury USB 885 Air Card and downloading online uses to much of my allowable air time.

Thanks

 

yes it will remove Vista

 

If you pick 'upgrade' all your files should still be there.

 

i'm looking to upgrade from vista to windows7 but from searching a few threads, ppl recommends on a clean install but why?

if it removes completely vista (replacing windows 7) but only keeping the drivers, program files and personal data/files, isn't that's just like a fresh install of windows 7 and installing back your programs, drivers and putting back your personal data? or i'm missing something else?

 

People recommend a Clean Install (back up your data, erase and install the new one), over an Upgrade installation if you plan on using your computer for more than 3 months, as an Upgrade installation tends to be messy for the computer...

 

I wasn't sure if this was common or not, but when I did a clean install to Win7 from Vista it saved my Vista files in a windows.old file. All of the files are still available and can be copied over to your new installation.

 

That's usual, but it's not optimal. If you're doing a clean install, you might as well move off your documents and wipe the thing.

 

Because previous versions of Windows caused many problems when doing what MS call an in-place upgrade as opposed to a clean install. So they assume that it'll be the same this time around. I'll be trying the in-place method next week.

 

I was thinking of doing the in-place upgrade as well. Any issues I should be aware of?

 

If you downloaded and installed the Norton UAC program (neat little program that allowed you to configure Vista's UAC) then UNINSTALL before you try the in place upgrade. Tried the in-place myself (wanted to see if would work) Any file I had associated with the Norton UAC would no longer function. Had to do a clean install after that. Again, the only issue I've encountered when tried the ugrade.

 

The only problems I had were that I had to uninstall iTunes and Kaspersky. Once that was done it went as smooth as silk.

 

Run the Win7 upgrade adviser first and it will note any apps or drivers that might give you trouble. I did and it recommended uninstalling iTunes and a couple of others. I did so and the upgrade went quite well. See the link in my signature line for the details.

Gary

 

Hey thanks! I had run the adviser, but recently changed my system from 32 to 64bit, so I just ran it again. Looks like there's one driver that Win 7 has no info on (I knew about this from others with this lappy). And I'll have to uninstall the ATI CCC. Should be fun!

Now I'm just waiting for my upgrade from MSI.

 

I just did an in-place upgrade from Vista 32bit Professional to Windows 7 Professional 32bit; my Sony Vaio SZ330p had been upgraded from Windows XP Professional to Vista Professional several years ago, and it was a big job (poor support from Sony for that move) and never was completely satisfactory, though a lot more stable than XP had been.

My upgrade to Windows 7 went smoothly. All the Vista drivers needed for the laptop seem to work as before (the brightness function keys didn't work before and still don't). The new system seems smoother and without glitches, running all my old software well including Dragon Naturally Speaking.

I would be interested to hear of clean install experiences with my machine. I suppose Sony will not be making any effort to support older machines, preferring to sell new ones.

 

Yes. It's common. But takes a lot of space, time, and leaves "crap" there you prolly don't need or want. A 'clean' install means formatting the hard drive to erase all data then doing an install of Windows. Be about like changing your oil, but only changing 3/4 of it. What you got is better and cleaner, but still has some dirt and will need to be cleaned sooner than normal. Make sense?

I did an install on a Desktop Vaio with 7. Had a 3.06 CPU, 512 RAM, and I think a 64Mb graphics card. Seems to be running fine. Now obviously, it's not as good as my lappy, b/c it is older, but still runs pretty stinking good.

 

When you went from XP to Vista did you do a clean install or an actual in place upgrade? If the latter, I would really consider doing a clean install now. The reason I say this is there was a fundamental architecture difference between XP and Vista. And that really points to a clean install being the best way to go. (Because the architecture of Win7 and Vista are the same the in place upgrade is fine for most folks.) Plus if you use one of the Win7 clean install guides for the SZ, you are likely to get back all the function key goodness too!

Gary

 

No, it doesn't make sense, because it isn't the case in this situation. In the past the architecture of the OS was very different from one version to the next, WinXP to Vista, Win2k to Win XP, Win98 to Win2k, Win 95 to Win 98 etc. And then your assessment is spot on. There was a lot of junk/baggage left behind. But this time the architecture has not changed at all from Vista to Win7. Consequently, the in place upgrade is quite efficient for MOST folks (not all but most). So much so that folks are recovering disk space, not loosing it like in place upgrades in the past. I recovered over 6gb, that's not a typo... six gigabytes.

If you run the adviser first and heed it's warnings an in place upgrade can be a very good choice for the vast majority of folks.

Gary

 

So you're saying there is nothing left over from Vista after an 'In Place"? Huh?
OK. Point taken. Buuuuuuuut....I did an 'In PLace' upgrade from Vista to 7 about a week ago on my desktop and it still gives me a windows.old file with piles of space taken up. Still giving me 2 boot options-Vista and 7. Now in retrospect, I shoulda changed some stuff and installed a little differently, but to make it all simple, it is easier and FOR SURE a cleaner install if you can save your data and do a reformat. Agree?

 

That is not an "in place" upgrade. That was a clean install WITHOUT formating the C: drive. That is the ONLY way you wind up with a windows.old file. And it is NOT easier to do a clean install as opposed to a true inplace upgrade, because with any variant of a clean install you have to reinstall and configure all of your applications, which for some of us would be a couple of extra DAYS work at the very least. An inplace upgrade preserves all of your apps and settings.

Gary

 

You are exactly right. That is what I did. I tried first to do the 'in place' and it went all the way through, actually resatarted and showed the "configuring" screen, but thn reverted back to my Vista install and said it couldn't be completed. I STAND CORRECTED.

Can we agree Windows 7 ROCKS?!

 

I think you mean Windows 7, and to that question abso-freakin-loutely! ...big ol' grin...

Gary

 

If anyone has this experience (clean install getting full function key goodness for Vaio SZ), I would like to hear of that. I am tempted to try it, but I already have a well-functioning Windows 7 system except for that, so it is a lot of work for a chance of improvement.

 

I shouldn't hate being wrong sooooo much, as it seems to happen often. Dangit!

 

I have a AW m17 with Raid 0 (2x500gb hard drives)
with Vista Ultimate

Are there any software or Drivers I need
before Installing Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit


cos I tryed few days back & had problem
1 hard drive failed
got new & reinstalled to factory settings

Please Help