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General discussion

re-formatting hard disk and installing windows 7

Jun 21, 2010 5:44AM PDT

I want to completely clean my hard disk and install windows 7. What do I need to backup to external hard drive apart from "My Documents"? What do I do about iTunes? I have run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. What is the best way to format the hard drive?

Discussion is locked

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use backup & restore
Jun 21, 2010 6:28AM PDT

if you are using windows 7 currently,u could use the 'backup & restore' facility available at the control panel.there u can create a 'system image' in the existing hard disk& restore it from your external hard disk after clean install..or u could use free backup utilities.for Itunes, you should 'deauthorize' your computer before formatting.this can be done in Itunes using menu option 'Store->Deauthorize computer'.the best way to format is use the windows 7 setup installation disc.

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Backing up
Jun 21, 2010 6:49AM PDT

"What do I need to backup to external hard drive" Anything you don't want to loose, formatting deletes everything on the drive.
You can use the W7 Easy Transfer Wizard to save your files and settings, programs will need to be reinstalled.

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Windows Easy Transfer
Jun 22, 2010 1:37AM PDT
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What if you forget and have already upgraded?
Jun 22, 2010 4:33PM PDT

I bought Windows 7 back in November, but after reviewing the procedure for the clean install, I decided to wait until I could afford any possible computer downtime, so, I upgraded to Windows 7 a couple of days ago on my Dell Inspiron 1720. The Windows upgrade adviser recommended the upgrade, although the Dell support site does not have it on their list of models ready for Windows 7 upgrade.

I have been annoyed somewhat by the instability of Windows Vista for a while, especially because I decided not to renew Dell PC Tuneup last year, which is $39.99 per year. My computer worked well while using the software, but Vista should maintain itself without the aid of such applications. Vista seemed to do so before I ever used Dell PC Tuneup.

So, two nights ago, I decided to upgrade from Vista and selected the clean install during the upgrade process. It was an impulsive move, and I backed up my important files to my Seagate Freeagent GO 350GB external hard drive. However, I forgot that last November, I had learned about the Windows Easy Transfer method to move files and settings between operating systems.

I research and consider myself an informed consumer, but the only idea I have come up with to save my data, without any guarantee, is to use my Windows VISTA reinstallation DVD that came with my computer in 2008 and downgrade from Windows 7. Perhaps then I will be able to restore these files (from the external drive), but to Vista, and then initiate the Windows Easy Transfer process in Vista in order to secure the functionality of transferring my files into Windows 7 also via the Windows Easy Transfer tool.

Plugging in the external drive is not like my 4GB USB jump drive on my key chain. I have not located the individual files on the external hard drive. For example, such as when I use Word 2007 to see if there are word files on the external hard drive. I don't see any, but maybe the folder path is unusual.

During the upgrade, I remember reading a message that all of my old Windows Vista files would be stored in a folder (in case of a future downgrade). This seems to be more of a Microsoft issue than a Seagate issue. The Seagate website referred to Microsoft's. I am hopeful I won't lose all of my photo, music and document files. At this point, I would value any advice to help me restore these files to Windows 7 from my external hard drive without downgrading to Vista? Is downgrading to Vista the only option?

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Restore a backup created on computer running Windows Vista
Jun 22, 2010 5:36PM PDT

I also tried these steps found on the same Microsoft web page mentioned by the previous poster, http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Restore-a-backup-created-on-a-previous-version-of-Windows

To restore a backup created on a computer running Windows Vista

1. Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.

2. Click Select another backup to restore files from, and then follow the steps in the wizard.‌ Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

These instructions failed to work too. When I tried them, Windows 7 would not allow me to use F:\Seagate Backup ..."NEXT" was not highlighted and could not be clicked on to advance to the next screen. Then, I tried to set it up as a network drive, but that failed too. Windows 7 gave an error message preventing it.

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There's nore than My Documents
Jun 25, 2010 10:22AM PDT

Don't forget Internet Explorer Favorites (or Firefox Bookmarks). In the top left corner of your browser window click on File, then Import/Export, then follow the steps to export your Favorites and maybe Cookies to a USB flash drive. After installing Windows 7 you can Import them using the same browser File / Import-Export procedure.

Also check if you have important documents, photos, videos, music, etc, stored anywhere other than My Documents folder and save those, too.

Be sure to have Windows 7 format your hard drive. It uses a slightly different formatting than Windows XP.