Windows XP --> Windows 7 without deleting data

TheLastMan · 23 Feb 2012 at 12:52

Will I be able to install a Windows 7 "upgrade" to 500GB of empty space (unformatted) at the beginning of a hard drive without the process deleting / overwriting my existing Windows XP installation in a second 400GB partition at the end of the drive?

Just about to press the button on a basket of bits to build a new PC, but it needs an OS. I have a full retail copy on DVD of Windows XP at the moment and will buy an "upgrade" licence for Windows 7 as long as it does not overwrite what I have got.

Orcvader · 23 Feb 2012 at 13:28

I believe for the upgrade to work it will have to overwrite over the XP partition.

What not format the second partition, move all your files there and let Windows 7 upgrade over XP?

insejn · 23 Feb 2012 at 14:00

Maybe check this out? http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=4503

Transferred my father in-laws old PC, all the stuff, to the new win 7 machine with that.

Used an external USB2 drive for it.

BluSky · 23 Feb 2012 at 14:07

insejn said:
Maybe check this out? http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=4503

Transferred my father in-laws old PC, all the stuff, to the new win 7 machine with that.
Used an external USB2 drive for it.

I thought that was for use when you had two separate machines, one with xp and one with Vista / 7 and you wanted to transfer the data from one to the other. Unfortunately that will not apply in the OP's case.

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 requires a 'clean' install, however you can elect as part of the installation process to save a copy of your old operating system files, documents etc in a folder on your C: partition... this means you do not have to worry about losing your data

Edit: OrcVaders suggestions would work too

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 23 Feb 2012 at 14:08

Just get an upgrade disc.

When you install Windows.. put the disc in and load it once Windows has booted up. Dont post a boot onto the disc.

BluSky · 23 Feb 2012 at 14:11

RichMawdsley said:
Just get an upgrade disc.

When you install Windows.. put the disc in and load it once Windows has booted up. Dont post a boot onto the disc.

I dont think that works if you are coming from XP?

Deception · 23 Feb 2012 at 14:11

Do a clean install and click advanced, you can then choose the unpartitioned space and install Windows 7 on that.

If its a Windows XP 32bit to Windows 7 64bit, you'd need to do a clean install anyway.

TheLastMan · 23 Feb 2012 at 15:13

Deception said:
Do a clean install and click advanced, you can then choose the unpartitioned space and install Windows 7 on that.

If its a Windows XP 32bit to Windows 7 64bit, you'd need to do a clean install anyway.

That is what I hoped I could do but was not sure it was possible with an upgrade disk rather than a full copy. Are you sure I can do this?

Deception · 23 Feb 2012 at 16:05

TheLastMan said:
That is what I hoped I could do but was not sure it was possible with an upgrade disk rather than a full copy. Are you sure I can do this?

You can't do it officially now, you would need a full copy. You can't use an ugprade disc on a copy of Windows XP as far as im aware.

HecFam · 26 Feb 2012 at 19:46

When I went from xp to 7 it created a folder called windows.old, all my stuff was still in there when 7 installed. This was on a 40gb hard drive though so I'm not sure how much data is kept.

insejn · 27 Feb 2012 at 08:43

BluSky said:
I thought that was for use when you had two separate machines, one with xp and one with Vista / 7 and you wanted to transfer the data from one to the other. Unfortunately that will not apply in the OP's case.

Well, if a clean install is needed then it would be a "new machine" anyway.

Mind you writing 40Gb over USB2 is not exactly fast tho, took around 6h for the XP machine to finish its stuff.

What it did was copy everything from users under documents and settings and program files and installed everything, including their full user profiles and their settings, into win7.