question on installing Win7 and deinstalling Winxp

[Santuzzo]

Hi,

I purchased Win7 Home premium 64bit and I want to install it tomorrow.
I still have WinXPpro on my PC and I want to make a bootable backup of that before I install Win7. For this purpose I got an external drive and Acronis True Image back up software.

I have a few questions with regard to this:

a) after backing up my 'old system' I suppose I need to wipe my harddisc clean? or can I just install Windows 7 over it, and that will automatically clean the drvie of everything that was previously on it.

b) if I need to wipe the harddisc clean first, how do I do this, or what is the correct term for this, so I can google for articles on this.

c) I have a 1TB data drive. Do I need to clean that as well, or can I just keep that and use it under Win7 the same way as I did previously under WinXP?

Thanks,
Lars

 

[KSoD]

A.) you need to format it first using something like Gparted. The install Win7.
B.) Answered above.
C.) no you dont need to clean that as well. You can just use that as storage and use the other drive as your system drive.

 

[Santuzzo]

A.) you need to format it first using something like Gparted. The install Win7.
B.) Answered above.
C.) no you dont need to clean that as well. You can just use that as storage and use the other drive as your system drive.

Thank you very much!

So, just to make sure:
I first clone my current drive (just to back up and in case I need to access anything later), THE I format the drive (both partitions) of the harddisc that holds my current OS and THNE finally I install Win7. Is that correct?

Apart from the bootable 'clone' back-up I make of my harddisc, woud it make any sense to also back up data that is on that drive or can I use the bootable 'clone' for that as well (for copying some files to the harddisc once it has win7 installed)?

Thanks,
Lars

 

[KSoD]

Yes. Clone the drive, format the drive then install Win7.

If you want data from this install to be used on the new install, back it up now then you can access it after. Using a tool like Acronis will not allow you to just take bits and peices from it. It is a direct image of the drive as it is now. No way you can take just certain bits and pieces of data from it.

 

[Santuzzo]

Yes. Clone the drive, format the drive then install Win7.

If you want data from this install to be used on the new install, back it up now then you can access it after. Using a tool like Acronis will not allow you to just take bits and peices from it. It is a direct image of the drive as it is now. No way you can take just certain bits and pieces of data from it.

Ok, thanks, I think I get it.

But could I not access my 'old disc' (the clone version) just like another external data drive and copy files/data ono my other harddisc?

 

[KSoD]

No cause the software you are using, especially to make a bootable disk, doesnt allow for this. I think you have a misunderstanding of what is going to happen with this clone process. Using Acronis it will take every bit on every sector and make a direct image. You will have to use Acronis to then put the image back on your hard drive as only Acronis will read this clone.

It doesnt just make a backup that you can just read and access at any time or any place. That is not how cloning or imaging software works.

 

[Santuzzo]

No cause the software you are using, especially to make a bootable disk, doesnt allow for this. I think you have a misunderstanding of what is going to happen with this clone process. Using Acronis it will take every bit on every sector and make a direct image. You will have to use Acronis to then put the image back on your hard drive as only Acronis will read this clone.

It doesnt just make a backup that you can just read and access at any time or any place. That is not how cloning or imaging software works.

Oh, OK, I understand.

In this case, thigns get a bit more complicated than I thought. Since I have to literally back up all files/data I want to keep now. And probably I won't really need the clone at all, then.
What would you suggest is the best way of doing this?

I'd think I just copy all the files and data I need to keep onto my big data drive and then be done and format. Would that make any sense? Maybe still make a backup of the drive to be sure ?(my misunderstanding was that I thought a clone IS the same thing as a back-up except it would simply back up EVERYTHING)

 

[KSoD]

Well depending on what your trying to backup, a simple copy and paste the the other drive is all that is needed. Unless your looking to take complete programs over. Then you are going to have some serious issues.

 

[Santuzzo]

Well depending on what your trying to backup, a simple copy and paste the the other drive is all that is needed. Unless your looking to take complete programs over. Then you are going to have some serious issues.

No, I will have to re-install all my software under Win7 anyway, so this is only about files and stuff, but lots of thme I think.
With Acronis I can just select which drive to back-up and it looks like it's very easy.
Might save me a lot of time (as opposed to manyallu copying folders).

Does that sound good?

I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions, it's just I have never done this before, and I'm a bit scared to screw up and lose data.....

 

[KSoD]

Well the thing about Acronis is this. If you ever wish to go back to XP, this will restore it in the exact same way you have it setup when you do the image. Including software and files. So you wont lose anything that way. But at the same time, if there is something you want to access when you install Win7, you wont have access to it unless you back it up to the other drive first cause your going to format that drive.

I see you mention you have 2 partitions? What are the sizes of these partitions as they are now? What is on the other partition, not the one you have XP installed to now?