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    Win7 Installation Mystery!

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by KhalidJH, Dec 29, 2009.

  1. KhalidJH

    KhalidJH Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello everyone..
    I've lately received my windows7 (Vista Ulti->Win7 Ulti) upgrade CD for my Dell XPS 16 laptop.. while installing it.. I had the option to choose either a Custom install (remove all older files for a clean install) or an upgrade (keep my old files).. a friend recommended a clean install so i went with it. So now after I'm done installing.. while downloading drivers from the dell website, I find out that my hard disk space is 132GB of 451GB! I click on my computer and none of my old files exist except for a "Riot Games" folder concerning League of Legends game I had. Dying for an explanation and a solution here!
    Thanks in advance <3
     
    KhalidJH, Dec 29, 2009
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  2. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

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    Look in Windows.old. All the files from your previous Vista installation will still be there. You can delete it through the "Disk Cleanup" utility, or you leave it there in the case that there are file you still want.
     
    Amnesiac, Dec 29, 2009
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  3. ScuderiaConchiglia

    ScuderiaConchiglia NBR Vaio Team Curmudgeon

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    You chose "Custom install (remove all older files for a clean install)" which did exactly what it said it would. It removed all older files. That's why none of your old files exist. You MIGHT be able to find some of your documents as suggested in the previous post, but any applications you had installed are gone.

    Gary
     
    ScuderiaConchiglia, Dec 29, 2009
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  4. KhalidJH

    KhalidJH Notebook Enthusiast

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    Well done, detectives!
     
    KhalidJH, Dec 30, 2009
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  5. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

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    Did you find all those files in Windows.old?
     
    Amnesiac, Dec 30, 2009
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  6. rjbg84

    rjbg84 Notebook Evangelist

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    Yep...Windows old folder should be the one causing all that missing space...
     
    rjbg84, Dec 30, 2009
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  7. rjbg84

    rjbg84 Notebook Evangelist

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    So we assume you solve the problem...usually when doing a windows installation, you will get a windows.old folder with basically everything you had on your previous installation, troublesome at times, but it actually helps to keep some files and remember what you had installed.
     
    rjbg84, Jan 1, 2010
    #7