Basic Win 7 to 10 upgrade question

[Craig234]

Does it keep my Win 7 programs and data in place? Or is it like a fresh install that wipes?

Running out of time for the free upgrade so considering it.

 

[Dahak]

It keeps your data in place, may need to reconfigure some programs but generally all is ok

For example, my printer had to re-configure it self when I opened it up to do a scan

I even did a revert back to 7 and all was ok and in place.

I would have a backup just in case as always

 

[JackMDS]

When you do Upgrade there is at the early stage a screen that let you choose whether you want to Keep every thing personal, or Not.

Make sure that the Keep you personal stuff and program is checked if you want to keep them.

BTW. The actual Win 10 OS is always a Clean Install. It is only the Additional Installed Programs and your Data files that are kept.

Some of my Work computers takes a day or two to put them back as they were if I do a Total Clean Install.

I installed thus over dozen of Win 10 computers and choose to Keep Program and Data on about eight of them.

That total Clean install are a little more peppy after the installation but when I put back the Apps and the Data that are needed to work there is No Noticeable difference. I even benched marked them one group against the other and there is No significant differences.

The Culture of always Update and Clean Install is More a Cultural Enthusiasts Phenomenon rather than real Functional Technology.

P.S. I do not have Heavy Gaming computers, the issues with them might be different, some are so messy that they need periodically to be Clean Installed even if it is Not an OS Upgrade.

 

[SimMike2]

The Culture of always Update and Clean Install is More a Cultural Enthusiasts Phenomenon rather than real Functional Technology.

The clean install freaks will have your head on a platter! I'm with you. I always image my main drive before I do anything so I can revert with ease.

 

[RLGL]

The clean install freaks will have your head on a platter! I'm with you. I always image my main drive before I do anything so I can revert with ease.

Always back up data, prior to the upgrade. I use both file backup and image backup

 

[SparkyJJO]

I did in-place, kept everything.

 

[Zodiark1593]

I've done in-place upgrades on both my 10-month old desktop, and my old laptop with a 2-year old installation, both on SSDs.

Even with the odd driver setup on the laptop, there have been no issues regarding the in-place upgrade.

 

[pcgeek11]

As a devils advocate I did an upgrade on my Lenovo Notebook and it felt slow after upgrading from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. I then activated Windows 10 and made a new backup of all my personal data. Wiped the drive clean and then did a fresh install of Windows 10, restored all my personal data and reinstalled all of my programs. I found some that would not install on Windows 10 that were still installed under the upgrade process ...

The results were vastly improved over the upgrade installation. Probably due to a program(s) that were not very compatible with Windows 10. Every case is different, however I am now happy with 10 and have been running it since the free upgrade started.

 

[JackMDS]

As a devils advocate I did an upgrade on my Lenovo Notebook and it felt slow after upgrading from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10.

Did you give the computers Rorschach test to measure "Felt"?

On my computers I actually ran Bench Marks.:thumbsup:

 

[pcgeek11]

Did you give the computers Rorschach test to measure "Felt"?

On my computers I actually ran Bench Marks.:thumbsup:

Actually no.

The difference was obvious.

Don't take it wrong I am not casting doubt on your results. Just pointing out that results vary.

 

[nerp]

Actually no.

The difference was obvious.

Don't take it wrong I an not casting doubt on your results. Just pointing out that results vary.

I totally believe you. As someone who has done a number of fresh installs and in-place upgrades, you are right. So many variables at play here.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Those of us whose experience dates back decades adhere to our own rules-of-thumb to avoid headaches we'd suffered in the past. I remember "upgrades" that gave me headaches and programs no longer compatible with the new OS.

This, of course, might be overtaken by new expectations with a new OS, but then -- you'd never know for sure, except from testimonials by others such as we see here.

Given that we put a lot of data on a shared server and workstation storage is ample in the house, I simply created new partitions or added new drives to install and activate Win 10 separately. If one anticipates the usual "day or two's time" to reinstall all software from scratch, one can take one's time this way, while still working with Win 7 and those existing software installations.

But it's good to hear that the "upgrade" path works smoothly for most folks, anyway.