[Cameronaxelm]

Hello! I've got some quick questions. I'm going to be building a new computer soon. Pretty much new everything except for the hard drive. I want to move my hard drive over to the new computer, but from what I've looked up, that would require me re-installing windows with a new CD. My current version of Windows on my hard drive is Windows Home Premium 64x. I want to upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate 64x for the new computer setup. I've got a few questions as far this goes-

 

1. If I were to plug up my current hard drive to my new computer, boot up the windows installation CD, and install the new OS, would I lose my old data?

 

2. If I were not to lose my data, would all my current data be forced onto a different partition of the hard drive?

 

3. If I were not to lose my data, and step 2 is becomes true, is there a way to avoid keeping all my current data on a different partition of the hard drive?

 

4. If I were to lose my data, is there anything I can do to avoid losing it besides moving all of it to an external memory sources?

Thank you very much for your time!

 

Edited by Cameronaxelm, 16 September 2014 - 10:59 AM.

[Advertisements]

Hi, and

before anything else, it is a very good idea to save your data to somewhere other than the same hard drive, in other words an external hard drive, as a just in case everything goes pear shaped on you.

 

As far as the ultimate goal of upgrading the operating system, you will have to buy that upgrade to stay legal anyway, regardless of whatever you do with the current operating system.

 

Next thing is as you seem to be aware, if the new system is a major difference to the present one, such as a better and more useful motherboard, the current operating system on the hard drive will more than likely refuse to boot up.

 

Next question is do you know if the current operating system is OEM, or a retail version?

 

To explain, OEM means it was installed by the "Original Equipment Manufacturer" OEM versions are available, however they are supposedly aimed at the system builders rather than private individuals, though they are a little cheaper than than a full retail version.

 

However an OEM version is tied to the system it was installed on and lives and dies with it, whereas a retail version is transferable, hence why the question. If the computer was bought as a manufactured item, for instance a Dell, or HP, it will most certainly be an OEM install.

 

Considering the price now of new hard drives, and also the wish to upgrade, why not start again from scratch and with a new copy of Windows 7 Ultimate? If everything else is going to be new, data can easily be transferred across from the existing computer, only the programs will require reinstalling. Make a note of the activation keys where appropriate for any bought software, as a lot of those are licensed for use on two computers any way. Free stuff you have downloaded to install can easily be downloaded again.

 

Nev.

Edited by Plastic Nev, 16 September 2014 - 02:30 PM.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, and

before anything else, it is a very good idea to save your data to somewhere other than the same hard drive, in other words an external hard drive, as a just in case everything goes pear shaped on you.

 

As far as the ultimate goal of upgrading the operating system, you will have to buy that upgrade to stay legal anyway, regardless of whatever you do with the current operating system.

 

Next thing is as you seem to be aware, if the new system is a major difference to the present one, such as a better and more useful motherboard, the current operating system on the hard drive will more than likely refuse to boot up.

 

Next question is do you know if the current operating system is OEM, or a retail version?

 

To explain, OEM means it was installed by the "Original Equipment Manufacturer" OEM versions are available, however they are supposedly aimed at the system builders rather than private individuals, though they are a little cheaper than than a full retail version.

 

However an OEM version is tied to the system it was installed on and lives and dies with it, whereas a retail version is transferable, hence why the question. If the computer was bought as a manufactured item, for instance a Dell, or HP, it will most certainly be an OEM install.

 

Considering the price now of new hard drives, and also the wish to upgrade, why not start again from scratch and with a new copy of Windows 7 Ultimate? If everything else is going to be new, data can easily be transferred across from the existing computer, only the programs will require reinstalling. Make a note of the activation keys where appropriate for any bought software, as a lot of those are licensed for use on two computers any way. Free stuff you have downloaded to install can easily be downloaded again.

 

Nev.

Edited by Plastic Nev, 16 September 2014 - 02:30 PM.