Windows 7 Downgrade before expire

[Windows 8]

I want to upgrade to Windows 7, until it expires. But i want to know, i can keep my files, and if i can downgrade to vista, without deleting any of my files. I need a pretty good answer Also, i do not have a vista disc, or backup files.

 

[PcBoyGeorge]

Do you have a recorvery partition on your hard drive. If not then don't upgrade. If you don't have a partition for upgrade or such then you can't go back to vista.

 

[dam89]

You'd Need a Recovery Partition or Just another Partition to install Windows 7 onto, you'd have to Duel Boot 7 with vista. When 7 expires you could boot into Vista, open msconfig and change the default boot to Vista and then remove the 7 Partition from your Hard Drive. But you'd still need to be able to Back Up ALL your data - you can never be too careful.

 

[Mike]

For online backup and recovery options of just files (not applications/programs/software) you could try

Live Mesh Beta
Dropbox

There are others that I haven't listed here. Microsoft Live Mesh will give you 5GB of file storage and Dropbox will give you 2GB free. Dropbox also offers up to 100GB of online file storage at $19.99/mo. This is a folder that sits in your Documents and anything you place in it is backed up online. You can also use the software to synchronize files across several computers.

 

[Windows 8]

My HDD is shared in 2 parts C and D, where C has 76GB for the system (It contains the systemfiles and such) , and D with 511GB got all my games and personal programs. So, should i take a backup of my C or C and D?

 

[Mike]

Image backup of C, but be aware that rolling back to Vista may still not work 100%

 

[dam89]

You should make the recover Image on DVD. (you'll need to boot from it).

 

[Windows 8]

I've tried to boot from the HDD before, without using any DVD.

 

[dam89]

Yes but if you are going to use a recovery Image to restore vista then you will need to make a boot-able recovery dvd. This would then run to restore the C drive with vista.

 

[Windows 8]

Well, i think i'll stay with the heavy Vista. I think that all Vista users should have Windows 7 upgrade for free.

 

[dam89]

Yeah so do i - Duel Booting Vista Basic with Windows 7. 7 is waaaay nicer to use and better at using resources

 

[confused]

If your looking to use windows 7 and then go back to vista. You'll need the original vista that came with your pc. Either the actually os on disk or the image that was copied to a disk. By going into the bios you can format to erase the windows 7 that is installed and then partion any way you want to have your old vista installed provided you have the original vista dvd or an iso of it.

 

[aarnold]

Expiration Date

OK all this expiration stuff got me worried so I checked it out. My version expires March 1st 2010 or at least thats when it will shut down after 2 hours. To check this go to your O/S Drive C:\Windows\System32 and fine the file WINVER.EXE. This will tell you when your version will expires. If this is wrong please post back so I will know. Just in case I'm backing up anyway.

-Cheers Anthony

 

[Gilly]

Well, i think i'll stay with the heavy Vista. I think that all Vista users should have Windows 7 upgrade for free.

yep i agree but its never gonna happen.. windows 7 is a huge improvement from vista ,but would not buy an os for 100+ Pound ,its not that better

(*waits for crack*)

to the above post
Mine expires 02/03/2010