Backing up for Windows 7 RC install

[Hammock Parties]

Do I need to backup my C:\Users folder? I assume the data in there is going to be overwritten when I install the RC.

[Fish]

Yes.

[Hammock Parties]

Cool. I assume my Program Files folder will be left alone? That's about all I care about on my C: drive.

[pr_capone]

Cool. I assume my Program Files folder will be left alone? That's about all I care about on my C: drive.

If you are upgrading from XP or Vista then everything should stay put but I would still backup because... well, its Microsoft.

If you are upgrading from Win 7 Beta to Win 7 RC, then you need to back up everything because there is no upgrade from Beta to RC, Beta to Retail, or RC to Retail. Clean install only.

Well.. there is but there is some finagling you have to do to get it done and its not worth the trouble.

Now... the Retail version gets released on the 22nd of October. Can you live with your current OS until then? I ask only because if you start using the Beta now, you are going to have to nuke the entire thing to go Retail when it does get released. For the trouble... you might as well wait.

On the other hand, the RC is active until mid 2010 IIRC so it may not be a big deal to you either way.

[Fish]

I wouldn't upgrade. It will likely run like crap. Do a clean install if you want the legitimate experience.

It will erase everything including your Prog Files folder. During setup it will ask to format the drive, and give you options for a quick format or a full format.

It is possible to install it without formatting the drive, but you'd be a fool to try it. It can cause all sorts of nastiness to occur. Your Programs still wouldn't work anyway even if you didn't format. You'd have to reinstall them regardless.

[Hammock Parties]

I'm on Windows 7 beta. It won't let me upgrade.

Anyway I have three different hard drives...so I'm just gonna backup my Users folder (I store a lot of stuff on the desktop for some dumb reason) and take care of Program Files after I install the RC.

I'm not gonna format. Zero point. I'll just overwrite the old Windows install.

[Fish]

I'm on Windows 7 beta. It won't let me upgrade.

Anyway I have three different hard drives...so I'm just gonna backup my Users folder (I store a lot of stuff on the desktop for some dumb reason) and take care of Program Files after I install the RC.

I'm not gonna format. Zero point. I'll just overwrite the old Windows install.

Format it. Seriously.

If you leave the existing windows install on there, you're asking for trouble. It will rename the existing Windows folders, but it still leaves the possibility of all sorts of issues. If you go to reinstall an application, and the installer sees that there is an existing folder, it can do a number of bad things depending on how they programmed the installer package. Plus you'll bloat your drive rather quickly. I've cleaned up drives like this in the past, and it's a real pain.

[pr_capone]

I'm not gonna format. Zero point. I'll just overwrite the old Windows install.

Why so adamant about not formatting?

[Hammock Parties]

Why so adamant about not formatting?

The amount of data I have on this drive can't be backed up on another drive.

Anyway, Windows 7 doesn't even overwrite the old Windows installation. It renames the old one and creates a NEW Windows installation.

[Fish]

The amount of data I have on this drive can't be backed up on another drive.

Anyway, Windows 7 doesn't even overwrite the old Windows installation. It renames the old one and creates a NEW Windows installation.

So you'll have a Windows folder and a Windows.old folder. And if a program you install ignores the .old and installs to the old Windows folder by accident, you've created problems. Same with your user account.

That's not good operating procedure....

If you don't have the storage space to safely back shit up, why are you insisting on doing this?

[Hammock Parties]

So you'll have a Windows folder and a Windows.old folder. And if a program you install ignores the .old and installs to the old Windows folder by accident, you've created problems. Same with your user account.

I plan to nuke the Windows.old folder.

I think you're making this harder than it has to be...done it before....

The user account is no issue...I just want my files...

If you don't have the storage space to safely back shit up, why are you insisting on doing this?Gee, I dunno. Why am I insisting on installing the Windows 7 RC? Maybe because I like Windows 7 and the beta has expired?

Bad choice I guess. I should SO go back to XP!

[Fish]

You know damn well I'm not suggesting going back to XP. You're asking for advice on how to do it right, and that's what I'm trying to provide.

Your windows partition is too big to fit on another drive? How? It sounds like you have poor file management practices if you don't have enough free space to back up your Windows partition. I suggest that in the future you store all data except system and program files on a separate partition. You will have to reinstall your programs anyway, so there can't be much at all in the Prog Files folder that you have to save. Unless you're storing data in your Prog Files folder.

[pr_capone]

http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2009/04/08/windows-7-upgrade-beta-to-rc-to-rtm-milestone/

This will do what you want. Upgrade from Beta to RC.

[Hammock Parties]

Too late. That was painless.

Now to reinstall everything.

It sounds like you have poor file management practices if you don't have enough free space to back up your Windows partition.

No. I just had 200 GB of data on this drive. Video, pictures, documents, etc. I don't have 200 GB of free space on another drive. Hence, I'm not formatting this drive.