help upgrading HDD?

[ojgbrown]

Hey, I am goign to be upgrading my bog standard 500gb HDD to my new samsung spinpoint F3 1TB but I need a little advice.

- Do I need to do a fresh install of Windows 7?

- Can I just move the current stuff onto the new drive and run from that, then use the old one for extra storage. If I do a repair install of windows 7 will that acomplish this goal?



Advice and help much appreciated as I am putting the new HDD in today and do not want to lose anything and ideally will not have to reinstall windows as it would be a real ball ache.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

Neither.

Backup your system to an external device using Windows Backup tool. This will create a system image .

Install the new hard drive

Insert the Windows install disk and restore from the image you created.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/What-are-the-system-recovery-options-in-Windows-7

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Restore-your-computer-from-a-system-image-backup

The system will be as you were before which is what it's designed for.

Alternatively, Do a clean install of the windows on your new HDD, then install the old HDD. Copy over the desired folders then format the old drive once done. As suggested.

However, since nothing else has changed, the image route will save you hours.

 

[Gregry254]

Personally I would go a fresh install just because I am weird like that.

But like Huddy said, the image will work just as well and save you time!