[Tohru Rokuno]

I want to add more RAM to my system, to it'll go faster. However, since I'm already at 4GB, it doesn't do me any good to get more while running 32bit.

I have a retail copy of Win7 Home Premium, with both 32bit and 64bit versions.

I have my standard drive (1TB Seagate) and a new drive that just came in the mail today from Newegg (500GB Seagate).

I want to upgrade without losing all of my data.

Can I install Win7 64bit on the 500GB drive, use it as the primary boot drive, and still keep everything that's on the 1TB drive?

 

[Schmuckley]

:

: copy your stuff over to..something..and install the 64-bit.

 

[stubass]

yep they are separate physical drives..

if your super worried just disconnect the 1TB and install windows 7 64bit on your 500GB then add the 1TB later

[edit] as the 1Tb was your system drive in the first place you could try this, install win 7 on the 500GB.. copy the data (not system files) of the 1TB drive to the 500GB and wipe clean the 1TB to remove the win 7 installation and copy your files back to it..

 

[H60Ninja]

you could but most of your programs would not work i think because the new windows install wont have your old registry

 

[Tohru Rokuno]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmuckley

:

: copy your stuff over to..something..and install the 64-bit.

The original intent of the new drive was to be a backup for everything, as the 1TB drive is less than half-full. Back it all up onto the new drive, install 64 bit on the 1TB, then copy back.

The only reason I asked if I could install it on the 500GB is that it seems it would save me a lot of copying stuff from drive to drive.

 

[Reptile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tohru Rokuno

The original intent of the new drive was to be a backup for everything, as the 1TB drive is less than half-full. Back it all up onto the new drive, install 64 bit on the 1TB, then copy back.
The only reason I asked if I could install it on the 500GB is that it seems it would save me a lot of copying stuff from drive to drive.

But you would be losing space with the 32bit install on their still. It isn't an upgrade but a fresh install.

It won't take that long if you plug in your 500GB through sata and copy your files over. That would be the best option

 

[Tohru Rokuno]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reptile

But you would be losing space with the 32bit install on their still. It isn't an upgrade but a fresh install.
It won't take that long if you plug in your 500GB through sata and copy your files over. That would be the best option

Fair enough. Do I want to just copy everything over, or use Windows Backup?

When I open Windows Backup, it says it can't create a system image as it needs a drive with 560GB free. I'm currently using 466GB on the 1TB drive, and the 500GB formatted to 465GB.

 

[Reptile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tohru Rokuno

Fair enough. Do I want to just copy everything over, or use Windows Backup?
When I open Windows Backup, it says it can't create a system image as it needs a drive with 560GB free. I'm currently using 466GB on the 1TB drive, and the 500GB formatted to 465GB.

Don't take an image. Use the windows easy transfer and just select your needed files.

 

[Tohru Rokuno]

By uninstalling a bunch of Steam games that I can always redownload, I'm down to 358GB on the primary.

I'll try the Easy Transfer method. thanks for the heads up!

 

[tpi2007]

You can install in the 500 GB drive and then keep your documents in whatever disk you want (you can even tell Windows that your documents / pictures / music folders / downloads are in the other drive, so it will always open the folders in that drive). Of course, you will have to re-install applications. With Steam you just have to delete everything but Steam.exe and the SteamApps folder. Afterwards just run Steam and it will download all the necessary files and you'll be running in no time. Don't forget to backup your saved game files. If they are in the steamapps folder, no problem, but some are in the hidden folder "\Users\"your username here"\AppDat\Local", and some games keep their settings in "\Users\"your username here"\Appdata\Roaming".

If you do decide to install to the 500 GB drive, make sure you disconnect the 1 TB drive while you do it. Why ? Because otherwise the new Windows installation will make a boot menu and will keep some system data on the 1 TB HDD, which means that you won't be able to disconnect it at a later date if you want or need to, your new Windows install won't boot unless you plug it back.

The best option is to back up (I always do a manual copy, it's simple and it works) all the documents / pictures / videos / files / games to the 500 GB drive, quick format the 1 TB HDD during the Windows install and then copy stuff back into their original places.

If you install the OS to the 500 GB HDD with the 1 TB disconnected, it will solve the problems I wrote about above, but you will probably still have problems with having to take ownership of everything on that drive, since Windows looks at it and presumes it belongs to someone else, given that it is a complete system drive. Doing like I said now will avoid this problem.

Cheers!