Windows 7 Clean Install Only for RC1

[skap]

From MS website:

Please note: All users of the Windows 7 Release Candidate (including Windows Vista users who have upgraded to the Release Candidate) must do a clean installation of Windows 7 RTM. Please keep this is mind as you consider downloading the Release Candidate as opposed to waiting for the general availability release.

This is a surprise to me. To continue to RC1 I will need to reinstall every program on the machine?

This is fairly significant fine print.

 

[Radenight]

It's not fine print.. It was widely advertised on Microsoft's website and many other computer website's for the past month or so.. A clean install is the way to go anyway.. especially when installing something like an RC.. It'll work like it's supposed to right from the start and takes a fraction of the time that an upgrade does..

You will have to reinstall all your apps yes.. but that's a small price to pay for being able to download a copy of Windows 7 RC for free from Microsoft in my opinion.. As far as your personal files go, there are multiple ways around loosing those.. You can burn them off to DVD's, you can transfer them to a USB drive, you can create a new partition and transfer them all to that.. etc..

 

[whoosh]

It's not fine print.. It was widely advertised on Microsoft's website and many other computer website's for the past month or so.. A clean install is the way to go anyway.. especially when installing something like an RC.. It'll work like it's supposed to right from the start and takes a fraction of the time that an upgrade does..

You will have to reinstall all your apps yes.. but that's a small price to pay for being able to download a copy of Windows 7 RC for free from Microsoft in my opinion.. As far as your personal files go, there are multiple ways around loosing those.. You can burn them off to DVD's, you can transfer them to a USB drive, you can create a new partition and transfer them all to that.. etc..

Yes all the above it works and you will have a well behaved system if all goes well .

 

[carol_s]

Yes, it's a bit of a pain, but can be done gradually over several days. Win 7 goes on very fast and then just install the apps that are critical to you (I always install my AV program first followed by the apps that I use on a daily basis), other stuff is added a day or two down the line.

It is well worth doing a clean install, failure to do so can cause problems which might cause you more than a few hours of problem solving, and indeed, might lead to an eventual decision to do a clean install anyway a few months down the line.

 

[dockmaster]

I have a empty 500gb hd and don't mind doing a clean install of the RC, but do I need to have XP installed. I would perfer not, as I havent used it since the betas was released. I have never had and hope I dont need Vista.......
I'm assuming I can just make the dvd from the MS site and boot it right up and format the hd, like I would any other new operating system.

thanks

Billd

 

[whoosh]

I have a empty 500gb hd and don't mind doing a clean install of the RC, but do I need to have XP installed. I would perfer not, as I havent used it since the betas was released. I have never had and hope I dont need Vista.......
I'm assuming I can just make the dvd from the MS site and boot it right up and format the hd, like I would any other new operating system.

thanks

Billd

No you dont need it

 

[carol_s]

With Windows 7 RC you can install a Win XP (32-bit) Virtual machine - eliminates the need to dual boot. This is (will be) available as a separate download from Microsoft on 5th May. Now working perfectly on my 64-bit system. There are separate installation files for either the 32-bit version of Windows 7 and the 64-bit version of Windows 7 - install the correct version for whichever version of Windows 7 you are running.

Also make sure that you have a cpu which is capable of running virtualization (most modern processors are capable of doing this) - but you do need to boot up to your BIOS and make sure that it is turned ON in your BIOS. Where it is in your BIOS will depend on the BIOS and the version (in mine it was under Advanced CPU Properties) - check your motherboard manual as it will possibly be easier to find where abouts it is in there.

 

[Josh the Nerd]

Microsoft already posted a workaround.

Engineering Windows 7 : Delivering a quality upgrade experience

 

[Radenight]

I'm still pretty mixed regarding the whole 'XP Mode' thing.. I mean on one hand I like the idea of it.. but on the other hand I don't think I like it enough to warrant using it.. I donno, I guess the way I look at it is if I want to use Windows XP than I'll just dual boot (Or install it on a seperate PC).. I just don't like things that run in a 'virtual environment'.. never have really..

I just don't like the idea of Windows 7's system resources being shared with Windows XP.. It's kinda silly I know but oh well..

 

[whoosh]

I'm still pretty mixed regarding the whole 'XP Mode' thing.. I mean on one hand I like the idea of it.. but on the other hand I don't think I like it enough to warrant using it.. I donno, I guess the way I look at it is if I want to use Windows XP than I'll just dual boot (Or install it on a seperate PC).. I just don't like things that run in a 'virtual environment'.. never have really..

I just don't like the idea of Windows 7's system resources being shared with Windows XP.. It's kinda silly I know but oh well..

I installed the virtual windows xp just to see how it worked . It works but yes not much use for it . Maybe I willl discover a use along the way

 

[RMT]

ive now upgraded 3 times with no issues , 7001 -> 7057 -> 7068(mislabled 7075) -> 7100
1st 2times needed no change: 3rd haven tested without the below.
iso -> extract to folder -> change file -> install using setup.exe from extracted folder -> upgrade -> sit down grab a coffee , this will take a while


To upgrade from beta you need to:

- Extract the .iso contents to a storage location you wish to run the upgrade from (a bootable flash drive
or a directory on any partition on the machine running the old build).
- Browse to the sources directory.
- Open the file cversion.ini in a text editor like Notepad.
- Modify the MinClient build number to a value lower than the down-level build. For example, change 7100 to 7000. (i did 7057)
- Save the file in place with the same name.
- Run setup.exe like you would normally and the version check will be bypassed.

If you're not upgrading:
Burn and mount, boot from it.



(Operating system) Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit, version 6.1.7100 (48 processes running, 2.21GB free RAM, installed 1w 1d 21h 49m 56s ago, 50m 19s uptime, 4d 2h 11m 22s uptime record)

 

[rl2k05]

I upgraded from Vista SP1 and all my programs and apps work. The only incompatibility was McAfee. But everything is working fast than on Vista. I also did a clean install on my girlfriends new dell 1545 with no problem at all.

 

[Radenight]

ive now upgraded 3 times with no issues , 7001 -> 7057 -> 7068(mislabled 7075) -> 7100
1st 2times needed no change: 3rd haven tested without the below.
iso -> extract to folder -> change file -> install using setup.exe from extracted folder -> upgrade -> sit down grab a coffee , this will take a while


To upgrade from beta you need to:

- Extract the .iso contents to a storage location you wish to run the upgrade from (a bootable flash drive
or a directory on any partition on the machine running the old build).
- Browse to the sources directory.
- Open the file cversion.ini in a text editor like Notepad.
- Modify the MinClient build number to a value lower than the down-level build. For example, change 7100 to 7000. (i did 7057)
- Save the file in place with the same name.
- Run setup.exe like you would normally and the version check will be bypassed.

If you're not upgrading:
Burn and mount, boot from it.



(Operating system) Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit, version 6.1.7100 (48 processes running, 2.21GB free RAM, installed 1w 1d 21h 49m 56s ago, 50m 19s uptime, 4d 2h 11m 22s uptime record)

Yes upgrading CAN work and work well for some.. however it is not the recommended process for installing the Windows 7 RC.. A CLEAN INSTALL is what should be done to avoid many potential problems that come with 'upgrading'..

 

[rl2k05]

Yes upgrading CAN work and work well for some.. however it is not the recommended process for installing the Windows 7 RC.. A CLEAN INSTALL is what should be done to avoid many potential problems that come with 'upgrading'..

Like I said, no problem here....

 

[nwg]

I upgraded with no problems from 7077.