About to upgrade to Windows7

Since a few programs I use have now been updated to work properly on Windows 7. I am finally going to be making the switch. Currently in the process of backing things up on to my external. I have never formatted before because I don't like messing with OS systems but I got to learn someday. Before I switch over I was wondering is there anything I should know so I don't screw up royally. I did not build my pc either if that has any limitions on what I should do. Plan on formatting instead of upgrading.

I am moving from Vista 64bit to Windows 7 64bit. I Will probably be doing this Monday when I have finished up all my important work on the computer.

If it runs vista fine, then there should be no problems installing windows 7. Usually (have not tried with win7) the windows install process will prompt you to partition and format your hard drive, so that should be pretty straight forward for you.

since you look like you don't have anything to complain about specs and compatibility..

Well, just make sure you have all your favorite Programs available. IT will really suck if you forgot something and format it.

Really though, it would be helpful to have another computer on hand to get help should you need it. There's nothing especially difficult about formatting and installing a new OS, just be sure to save EVERYTHING you need. My friend has made the mistake of not backing everything up too many times.

Windows 7 is just a really big Service Pack for Windows Vista, so as long as your comp runs Vista fine, it'll do even better in 7. There's nothing I'm concerned about. I made the jump to 7 from XP, and all my program still worked, bar a few visual novels which ran fine in XP mode.

Doing a clean install is painful, but here are some basics

1) run windows 7 update advisor. The main thing is make sure your network driver is provided by the Windows 7 disc. IF it is, all you have to do connect to the net and run windows update then all your hardware should work fine.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

2) If you want a clean install, "custom install" is what you want no "upgrade". Also Windows 7 will save all your files. You just need to know where to put them. For sure if you put them in a created folder like C:\Backup, that folder will show up on your new install exactly where it is. Everything else will go into C:\WindowsOld

3) After you are done transferring everything from C:\WindowsOld to wherever you want. You can save hard drive space by going to My Computer~~~~>Properties~~~~>Disk Cleanup the check Windows Old Files~~~~>then click clean up. This will wipe out any left from your old Windows. Manually deleting the folder by just pressing delete will cause problems, because some problems especially the ones with DRM will refuse to be deleted leading to some interesting errors. The proper My Computer route will delete everything DRM or not.

If the drivers work on vista, they will also work on win7.



clean install, what he wants, prevents the option of saving anything on the same partition that he wants to install windows. Your idea is an option, but it is far from a clean install.
Clean intall = format -> install = overwrite everything on the install partition.



Please look up what DRM means. system files, and files in use are the only files that windows will complain about deleting

I respectfully disagree with jenslyn. First of all, the Windows 7 code base is just different enough that some Vista driver do not work properly even though most will. It's not like going from XP to Vista, but there is documentation that the problem exists enough to be an issue.

Second of all, ever since Vista custom install is basically a clean install (no program, settings, anything other than data being carried over and isolated), with the exception of archiving all old Windows data via a windows.old folder. This is very helpful to know b/c even if you backup externally all your files. There are bound to be some that you forget to backup like I did with say your IE or Firefox bookmarks. This is where Vista/7 data retention method is a godsend for non professional techies like Sindalf and I.

"For purposes of this discussion, a clean install--or what Microsoft calls a custom install--is when you boot your PC with Windows 7 Setup media"
-Source: http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp
"If you have installed a new operating system like Windows Vista or Windows 7 on your existing operating system, not upgraded but make a clean install then the Vista or Windows 7 installation wizard takes a back up your previous Windows files."
-Source: http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/delete-windows-old-removal.aspx


Also, I was speaking from experience with the DRM. I had a stubborn folder in my Windows.old that wouldn't delete after I made the mistake just hitting delete instead of erasing it via the correct method. I looked up the folder name in google and it was identified as DRM remnants left from some game I installed, thus it was documented that Windows 7 refused to delete it via conventional means. I had to do a technical workaround to get rid of the folder thus I did "look up" and knew what DRM meant b/c I had the problem installing Windows 7 around the launch date. I also stated it b/c I wanted to save Sindalf from a potential problem.

While Vista and windows 7 are two different OS then they are still similar enough that drivers working on one, and not on the other is an exception. kind of when vendors make drivers for windows2000/XP, so drivers for vista not working on Win 7 is probably more a symptom of poor coding of drivers than it is a problem with the driver compatibility.

While I still maintain that what you call a clean install is incorrect, I do acknowledge that your sources twists its meaning to be exactly what you claim, and who knows.. that definition may be "correct" later on if M$ gets it way.

Regarding DRM, then I admit that I dislike vista/win7 enough to not have been using them so much that I am as qualified to speak about vista/win7 issues as for previous windows versions, so can you give a source to show me what exactly you are talking about, since M$ of cause could have introduced such a "feature"... however little sense it makes to me at the moment