Questions about upgrading to Vista 64-bit

[uluru28]

I'm currently running a new-ish PC with XP Home. I'd like to upgrade to Vista 64, mostly for the better memory management (I have 4GB and may get more). I've done lots of googling and article reading but a few questions remain.

I realize that it's not possible to "upgrade" from XP 32-bit to Vista 64-bit; you need to do a clean install. Would this necessitate formatting my hard drive or installing to a new blank drive? I would think so since Vista 64 uses a different file system than NTFS, but nothing I've read explicitly states this, usually just "back up your important files and do a clean install."

Let's say I got a new hard drive and did a clean install of Vista 64-bit to this new drive. Would my old XP drive with NTFS still be readable by Vista 64?

If it was readable, I'd migrate the important contents of the NTFS drive to the new drive (documents, FLAC and videos, etc). Then I would format the drive XP was on, using the new file system. Then I would re-fill it with the stuff I had moved. Is there anything wrong with that plan?

Thanks for any help.

 

[lxskllr]

I /think/ Vista uses a slightly modified form of NTFS, but it can use XPs version, and they're readable back and forth with each other. The file system isn't a concern in your plan to upgrade.

 

[uluru28]

My concern was not so much the difference between the XP and Vista file system, as the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit file system. Are you saying that a 64-bit OS does not need to install a new file system, that it will use the same one the 32-bit OS used?

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: uluru28
My concern was not so much the difference between the XP and Vista file system, as the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit file system. Are you saying that a 64-bit OS does not need to install a new file system, that it will use the same one the 32-bit OS used?

That's correct. They're both NTFS

 

[uluru28]

Well that's good news...sounds like it will be (hopefully) pretty straightforward, stick in the disc and install. Thanks!

 

[puternoobie]

Uluru, you don't really want to get involved with Vista, do you? That's the worse piece of crap I've ever had the displeasure of owning. Every time I turn around it's giving me a different problem.

Right now I'm trying to upgrade some web pages and my web editor won't take what I've typed and convert it to a web page, the way I've done for years. I haven't started looking or a solution yet but if I don't find one I'm going to ditch this 64-bit piece of sh** and see how much I can pay somebody to take it.

Got any suggestions?

 

[Lepard]

Originally posted by: puternoobie
Uluru, you don't really want to get involved with Vista, do you? That's the worse piece of crap I've ever had the displeasure of owning. Every time I turn around it's giving me a different problem.

Right now I'm trying to upgrade some web pages and my web editor won't take what I've typed and convert it to a web page, the way I've done for years. I haven't started looking or a solution yet but if I don't find one I'm going to ditch this 64-bit piece of sh** and see how much I can pay somebody to take it.

Got any suggestions?

Ill take it! Send it to me and you pay shipping, that should cover it! :roll:

 

[uluru28]

Of course I heard Vista had a lot of problems when it came out, it was common news. But I've read that SP1 helped a lot, and now with SP2 most people think it's pretty good. Pretty stable, gaming performance is now on par with XP, etc.

It seems like the big early complaints are no longer relevant, and most complaints I see are that hardware X doesn't have a 64-bit driver yet, or program X hasn't put out a 64-bit version, etc. Things beyond the scope of the OS itself. At least, that's what I read 🙂

 

[Mem]

uluru28,Vista x64 user here(Win7 beta user too) with over 2 years Vista experience, its damn stable and I have drivers for everything ,beta gaming testing too over those years with 125+ games thrown at it,great OS shame there is some FUD about Vista.