I've an ageing Windows 7 system built around a Q9450 - I've been putting off upgrading for some time now, waiting to do it all when Windows 8 is out. I'm looking to upgrade to Ivy Bridge.
My system is fairly simple - I have one HDD with the OS and various user files on it, and then another separate HDD with a lot of photos and video on. I then have another 2 HDDs in my PC - one backs everything up via Windows backup and the other is currently idle. Separate to this I have a DS211J NAS which also has other video and shared files.
I'm unclear on the best way to upgrade, as part of my upgrade will be to move to an SSD for the first time as my primary drive. I had considered simply mirroring the old HDD onto the new SSD and then buying Windows 8 from there, but I've been put off by unsuccessful attempts to mirror my laptop HDD to upgrade to an SSD.
If this isn't an option, then what do you think my best route should be? The ones I've mapped out, with the pros and cons (which may be incorrect) are:
- try again to mirror the current HDD onto the new SSD. Then upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 8. I kind of don't like a big hardware change on top of a big OS change.
- upgrade to Windows 8 and then mirror the HDD onto the SSD. I'm not sure if this, with all the hardware changes, will really give the full performance potential of the new system
- backup all the files I need, install Windows 7 on the new system and then upgrade to Windows 8, adding all my files and apps along the way
- as above but skip Windows 7 - just buy the full OEM Windows 8 and then reinstall everything
I'm leaning towards the latter, even though it is going to take an age, due to just getting everything fresh. But am I wrong? What would you do? Have I missed another obvious solution?
My system is fairly simple - I have one HDD with the OS and various user files on it, and then another separate HDD with a lot of photos and video on. I then have another 2 HDDs in my PC - one backs everything up via Windows backup and the other is currently idle. Separate to this I have a DS211J NAS which also has other video and shared files.
I'm unclear on the best way to upgrade, as part of my upgrade will be to move to an SSD for the first time as my primary drive. I had considered simply mirroring the old HDD onto the new SSD and then buying Windows 8 from there, but I've been put off by unsuccessful attempts to mirror my laptop HDD to upgrade to an SSD.
If this isn't an option, then what do you think my best route should be? The ones I've mapped out, with the pros and cons (which may be incorrect) are:
- try again to mirror the current HDD onto the new SSD. Then upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 8. I kind of don't like a big hardware change on top of a big OS change.
- upgrade to Windows 8 and then mirror the HDD onto the SSD. I'm not sure if this, with all the hardware changes, will really give the full performance potential of the new system
- backup all the files I need, install Windows 7 on the new system and then upgrade to Windows 8, adding all my files and apps along the way
- as above but skip Windows 7 - just buy the full OEM Windows 8 and then reinstall everything
I'm leaning towards the latter, even though it is going to take an age, due to just getting everything fresh. But am I wrong? What would you do? Have I missed another obvious solution?
