Advice about upgrade to win 7(HDD question)

[JohnD13]

Here' s the thing. I currenty have XP 32-bit and plan to build a new pc, keeping my current hard drives so I decided to get the upgrade version of windows 7 to upgrade my XP 32-bit to win 7 64-bit through a clean install. I have 3 drives: C (free:7,08 gigs/overall:25,5), D (free:10,8/overall:11,7) and F (free:423/overall:465) in which C is the primary where system info is stored (probably the OS as well). C and D are included in the same HDD of 40 gigs capacity which was splitted into two (C and D). The 2nd HDD (F) I bought it some months ago as the original wasn' t enough. So my main question is: if the 64-bit win 7 require 20 gigs of space does it mean that I don' t have enough space in C(where I was planning to install it) or that from the 25,5 gigs of C the 20 will be given to windows 7 OS and the other 5,5 will remain for the Windows.old folder and other stuff? Sorry for the long post-I tried to be as clear as possible.

 

[luciferano]

I could be wrong, but I don't think that you can upgrade from Windows XP 32 bit to Windows 7 64 bit. Also, you should probably just install Windows on the larger hard drive. If you copy all of the data from the first one to the large one, then Windows 7 should be fine on it, but I doubt that you can install Windows 7 on that first drive without the rest of it being cleared off first.

 

[JohnD13]

I could be wrong, but I don't think that you can upgrade from Windows XP 32 bit to Windows 7 64 bit.

I' m pretty sure I can. I have to make a clean install which means that all my files and programms will be lost unless I back them up.

 

[luciferano]

I' m pretty sure I can. I have to make a clean install which means that all my files and programms will be lost unless I back them up.

A clean install and an upgrade are two different things. Also, you should probably just install Windows on the larger hard drive. If you remove all of the data from the first drive, then Windows 7 should be fine on it, but I doubt that you can install Windows 7 on that first drive without the rest of it being cleared off first. You could copy it over to the large drive, but why not simply run Windows on the large drive and use the second and third small drives for programs and such?

 

[dodger46]

Shift the data from D to F, use EaseUs Partition Master to delete D and increase C into the unallocated space. Believe the upgrade will do a clean install without retaining the old XP, you'll have a 40 gig drive with plenty space for the install.
http://download.cnet.com/EaseUS-Partition-Master-Home-Edition/3000-2248_4-10863346.html
p.s. make sure your system can handle 64bit!

 

[JohnD13]

Shift the data from D to F, use EaseUs Partition Master to delete D and increase C into the unallocated space. Believe the upgrade will do a clean install without retaining the old XP, you'll have a 40 gig drive with plenty space for the install.
http://download.cnet.com/EaseUS-Partition-Master-Home-Edition/3000-2248_4-10863346.html

Ok I' ll look into it.

 

[JohnD13]

A clean install and an upgrade are two different things. Also, you should probably just install Windows on the larger hard drive. If you remove all of the data from the first drive, then Windows 7 should be fine on it, but I doubt that you can install Windows 7 on that first drive without the rest of it being cleared off first. You could copy it over to the large drive, but why not simply run Windows on the large drive and use the second and third small drives for programs and such?

I would do that but as far as I know windows 7 should be intalled on the "system" hard drive which is usually C.

 

[luciferano]

I would do that but as far as I know windows 7 should be intalled on the "system" hard drive which is usually C.

C is usually just the drive that you install Windows on. Installing Windows 7 on the large drive will make that dive C for Windows 7.

 

[Nedal0]

I will suggest you first run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor before anything else.

The only upgrade path from Win Xp to Win 7 is a Custom or Clean install and nothing else.

Also, make sure your hardware can support and is compatible with the x64 version of Windows 7.

Now here is what you should not forget :

You need a minimum of 2GB Ram for Win 7 x64
20GB available disk space for Win 7 x64
DirectX 9 graphics card with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

I believe your current HDD is not enough as you have to take Windows updates into consideration. You might run out of HDD space sooner than you are anticipating and Windows 7 x64 will need that RAM so do a thorough research before you jump in.

Just my advice and I hope it helps

 

[JohnD13]

C is usually just the drive that you install Windows on. Installing Windows 7 on the large drive will make that dive C:/ for Windows 7.

So you' re basically saying that when I insert the disk containing windows 7 and have to choose which drive to install it in I should choose drive F right? And then after it' s done the old C drive will just be a secondary hard drive? Sorry for the noob questions but I' m going to invest a lot of money on this build and I have to be sure.

 

[JohnD13]

I will suggest you first run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor before anything else.

The only upgrade path from Win Xp to Win 7 is a Custom or Clean install and nothing else.

Also, make sure your hardware can support and is compatible with the x64 version of Windows 7.

Now here is what you should not forget :

You need a minimum of 2GB Ram for Win 7 x64
20GB available disk space for Win 7 x64
DirectX 9 graphics card with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

I believe your current HDD is not enough as you have to take Windows updates into consideration. You might run out of HDD space sooner than you are anticipating and Windows 7 x64 will need that RAM so do a thorough research before you jump in.

Just my advice and I hope it helps

Yeah my current rig is not capable of windows 7-64 bit but after I buy some the parts I want it will be. But since I' m keeping my current hard drives I' m worried about enough space and where to install windows 7.

 

[luciferano]

So you' re basically saying that when I insert the disk containing windows 7 and have to choose which drive to install it in I should choose drive F right? And then after it' s done the old C drive will just be a secondary hard drive? Sorry for the noob questions but I' m going to invest a lot of money on this build and I have to be sure.

It's not Drive F or anything to the Windows 7 installer. It's just a hard drive. C is the drive that Windows is installed on. Windows XP would call it's system drive C and Windows 7 would call its system drive C.

 

[JohnD13]

It's not Drive F or anything to the Windows 7 installer. It's just a hard drive. C is the drive that Windows is installed on. Windows XP would call it's system drive C and Windows 7 would call its system drive C.

So to sum up: I install win 7 on the F drive which will be my new system' s primary one and the C drive (let' s still use these names for the sake of clearness) will be just a secondary one without XP installed on it. Yes?

 

[luciferano]

So to sum up: I install win 7 on the F drive which will be my new system' s primary one and the C drive (let' s still use these names for the sake of clearness) will be just a secondary one without XP installed on it. Yes?

Drive one (25.5) will be C drive for XP, but it will probably be E drive for Windows 7. Windows 7 will treat the 465 drive as C. The other drive will probably be F for Windows 7, but I don't know for sure which would be F and which would be E.

 

[JohnD13]

Drive one (25.5) will be C drive for XP, but it will probably be E drive for Windows 7. Windows 7 will treat the 465 drive as C. The other drive will probably be F for Windows 7, but I don't know for sure which would be F and which would be E.

Well the names don' t really matter. If by installing win 7 on the 465 drive the system works then I' m fine.

 

[luciferano]

Well the names don' t really matter. If by installing win 7 on the 465 drive the system works then I' m fine.

It should work. Also, when you do, you should have the 25.5 drive unplugged to ensure that its boot loader isn't messed with by Windows 7's install.

 

[JohnD13]

It should work. Also, when you do, you should have the 25.5 drive unplugged to ensure that its boot loader isn't messed with by Windows 7's install.

Ok. And when windows 7 is installed and everything' s running smoothly I should just plug the 25,5 drive and partition/format it like when you get a new HDD and you plug it to your current pc?

 

[luciferano]

Ok. And when windows 7 is installed and everything' s running smoothly I should just plug the 25,5 drive and partition/format it like when you get a new HDD and you plug it to your current pc?

You could format it before installing Windows 7 if you want to, but what you said would work fine too.

 

[JohnD13]

Oh wait. When you get the upgrade version of windows 7 you can upgrade XP-32 bit to win 7 32-bit or 64-bit doing a clean install. But if the 25,5 drive, which contains XP now, is unplugged then how will the win 7 disk "know" that I have XP?

 

[luciferano]

Oh wait. When you get the upgrade version of windows 7 you can upgrade XP-32 bit to win 7 32-bit or 64-bit doing a clean install. But if the 25,5 drive, which contains XP now, is unplugged then how will the win 7 disk "know" that I have XP?

You earlier said something about a clean install. An upgrade and a clean install are two very different things. Which one, exactly, do yo uwant to do? If it's an upgrade, then you would need the XP drive plugged in. More accurately, if the upgrade needs to be on the same storage device, you'd probably need to move the XP install to the higher capacity hard drive before installing Windows 7.

 

[JohnD13]

You earlier said something about a clean install. An upgrade and a clean install are two very different things. Which one, exactly, do yo uwant to do? If it's an upgrade, then you would need the XP drive plugged in. More accurately, if the upgrade needs to be on the same storage device, you'd probably need to move the XP install to the higher capacity hard drive before installing Windows 7.

Yeah I was planning to do the one which requires the XP drive. But how do I move the XP install to the higher capacity hard drive thus making the 465 drive my "system and primary" one?

 

[dodger46]

That's why i suggested installing to C as that's where the XP installation is, for smooth upgrade. 40 gig is enough if you manage your install (direct downloads to F etc.), but there is a possibilty that if you try to install the upgrade to C the upgrade option may allow you to choose F as your target drive. Load it and see! You may have to partition F to protect your data though, and if it's sensitive, back up to an external device...

 

[JohnD13]

That's why i suggested installing to C as that's where the XP installation is, for smooth upgrade. 40 gig is enough if you manage your install (direct downloads to F etc.), but there is a possibilty that if you try to install the upgrade to C the upgrade option may allow you to choose F as your target drive. Load it and see! You may have to partition F to protect your data though, and if it's sensitive, back up to an external device...

I would prefer though to have windows 7 installed on the 465 hard drive so as to never worry about space again. But how can I transfer the XP installation there and make that drive my pc' s primary one?

 

[dodger46]

Don't think cloning would be an easy option as the drives are of such different sizes. I would re-install XP on the 465 and activate it if you have an installation disk. Again you would have to create a partition to protect your data.

 

[luciferano]

Don't think cloning would be an easy option as the drives are of such different sizes. I would re-install XP on the 465 and activate it if you have an installation disk. Again you would have to create a partition to protect your data.

Cloning with the right software doesn't care about disk size. If the target disk has enough non-allocated capacity for the incoming partition, then it should work. Minitool's Partition Wizard, EaseUs Partition Master, and a few others should each be able do the trick.