Windows 7 Installation method for RTM

Hi; Can anyone tell me what the installation for RTM over RC? In other words will it be directly over RC or will it have to go through the same bothersome process that was needed for RC over Beta --- or will it be directly over what we've already got as was the case with the Beta installation over Vsita. That last one was an extreme bother and somehow all my Outlook and Word files vanished. I'd rally hate to lose anything this time around, so I really hope that it will be a direct download like the first two that I mentioned.

Im sure there will be a way to upgrade, but there is no way you will catch me doing it. No more beta code for me once I get my hands on RTM, which I might add WILL NOT be publicly available when its compiled. Sure enough it will leak shortly after its declared RTM, but it will not be available to the public until you see it on the shelves. Unless you have a TechNet sub.

What's wrong with Clean Install people, it's fast,easy and will give you the best installation possible with less issues.

And you will have fresh clean windows in your hand to shape to what every you like .

Bonus: fresh wallpaper

Ahmed Alzayani said:

What's wrong with Clean Install people, it's fast,easy and will give you the best installation possible with less issues.

And you will have fresh clean windows in your hand to shape to what every you like .

Bonus: fresh wallpaper

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EXACTLY!!! A clean install is the way to go, ESPECIALLY when installing something like the RTM!! An upgrade in this case is just (pardon me) STUPID..

Ahmed Alzayani said:

What's wrong with Clean Install people, it's fast,easy and will give you the best installation possible with less issues.

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Reinstall all your apps and reconfigure, relicense, etc. It's a pain.

TheIgster said:

Reinstall all your apps and reconfigure, relicense, etc. It's a pain.

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It's not a pain if you do it the smart way..

Did you know?

Did you guys know that MS is recomending people UPGRADE their Vista installation instead of clean install? If I rememer correctly, they said it made the system more stable. Not sure where I read,or I'd post the link, but it was a major site. (PC World, Cnet kind of thing)

My installation question

Thanks to all of you for the replys. I guess I resign my self to the clean method and just hope that nothing gets lost this time

TheIgster said:

Reinstall all your apps and reconfigure, relicense, etc. It's a pain.

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Maybe so but you can reduce the pain dramatically bu planning and having all your application installers and any drivers you might need handy on an external drive or a separate partition. Copy your data files to external media and in my case I create a written checklist of everything I need to do and create screenshots where needed.

This is what I do and it cuts down on the hassle considerably.

There is nothing like a crisp, fresh Windows install. I already have the plans etc. in place for when the final is released.
I always approach reformat, reinstall the same way.
In addition I will make a "Partimage" restore image of my install partition as soon as I'm satisfied with my efforts and store it off machine.

BTW, I will be buying an OEM copy as soon as it becomes available, provided I can afford it at the time. If I have to, MS, by allowing me to use the RC until next March will give me time to save up for the final. Kudos MS.

I also plan on maintaining my copy of XP (multiboot) but mainly for testing purposes. Win 7 RC (32 bit) is already my primary OS followed by 64 bit Ubuntu 8.10 Linux (Intrepid). I will keep using 32 bit Win 7 when I install the final.

Chuck E said:

Thanks to all of you for the replys. I guess I resign my self to the clean method and just hope that nothing gets lost this time

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What they used to say in the Nuclear Power Industry I worked in for 25 years.

"Plan the work and work the plan"

fjgold said:

Maybe so but you can reduce the pain dramatically bu planning and having all your application installers and any drivers you might need handy on an external drive or a separate partition. Copy your data files to external media and in my case I create a written checklist of everything I need to do and create screenshots where needed.

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Well of course, but it's still a pain in the rump.

Lot of work to get everything back up and running the way I have it now, including Visual Studio, components, etc. Just a real pain.

Drew said:

Forgive me, if to a large extent, I may be adding to what has already been said...

A bit of 'history' b4 I sum up...

I have lost count of all the installs; between Beat Testing Vista (Builds), upgrading & expanding my machine; virtual machines, multiple-boots, migrating from Beta to RC to...

Never mind past scenarios, currently I have Vista, Win7 32 & Win7 64, all non-virtual, plus VMs of XP (mostly now for client support or the odd thing that stops @ XP) & Vista (this for beta testing).

(BTW, I had put, as a Beta Tester, the same query to the Win7 Build Team, "could I 'Upgrade' Beta to RC?"; they gave me a 'workaround' which, ultimately, I did not use. @ the sametime they still recommended a Clean Install which, is what I did.)

Point being, I have done Clean Installs over & over.

Do a Clean Install... end of story. It is a wee bit of 'work'?, sure; is it or need it be a burdensome arduous pain?, NO.
Be (pre)organized & methodical.
The ONLY thing the need be on the OS drive is the OS. Sure, things like Office or whatever, maybe, but, it is quick & easy to reinstall such things, anyway.
Everything else you have stored or sitting @ the ready on another drive. The beauty of it is THAT drive is accessable from the OS. All or any Tools, Utilities, Installers you don't lose/haven't lost AND you just rapidly put things in or back from there.

Clean is best & can be smooth & pleasant.

Regards,
Drew

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I would't call it pleasant. LOL. At least for me despite extensive planning some minor glitches will occur. The results are worth it.

TheIgster said:

Reinstall all your apps and reconfigure, relicense, etc. It's a pain.

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Well if it's a pain ... then it worth it .... the idea of inheriting all my previous windows issues and end up with bloated and sluggish system is the real pain to me.

I do clean install all the time, i usually drink coffee and watch TV (or use my other PC) while doing this, all my data in separate partition, All Big Application/Drivers and hard-to-find-application is also in separate partition , License Information and keys in text file in the same application folder, Plug in my Installation media and reboot:

1. Clean Install Windows 7(using quick format option) ------------------------------------------------------- ~20 minutes
2. Configure Wifi, Install missing Drivers, and update windows (assuming you know your drivers) ------ ~10 minutes
3. Install Big and heavy Application like Office & Visual Studio...etc ------------------------------------------ ~60 minutes
4. Install All my small Application like Firefox, VLC, 7Zip, Truecrypt ..etc ------------------------------------- ~20 minutes
5. Import All my Application setting back and configure them ----------------------------------------------- ~10 minutes
6. Enjoy TOTAL ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ 120 minutes

So enjoy fresh, clean, and issue free windows in about 2 hours.

gjbnh said:

Did you guys know that MS is recomending people UPGRADE their Vista installation instead of clean install? If I rememer correctly, they said it made the system more stable. Not sure where I read,or I'd post the link, but it was a major site. (PC World, Cnet kind of thing)

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I highly doubt someone from Microsoft actually said that.. but if they did than I think they need a 'friendly' slap.. Upgrading certainly does NOT make one's system more stable.. Just saying that is a true contradiction in my opinion.. The benefits of a clean install speak for themselves...

Oh Yeah, I have Portable Firefox, Portable Thunderbird, Portable Open Office and other apps that don't require registry entries or traditional installs on a separate NTFS partition, all setup and customized. I only need to create shortcuts to the executables on my new Win 7 desktop. Saves time.

Ahmed Alzayani said:

Well if it's a pain ... then it worth it .... the idea of inheriting all my previous windows issues and end up with bloated and sluggish system is the real pain to me.

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But you're just making assumptions though. Inheriting previous Windows issues? How so?

Various Windows dll's, system files, etc. Said files upgraded and REPLACED by the new version. How do we know ALL of the Windows files are not being replaced and an upgrade simply moves your existing data over to the new version of newly refreshed system files? Why would Microsoft leave behind files that have issues? Would they not replace them with the newly FIXED files?

Perhaps the registry might get a little messy I suppose, but registry cleaners should take care of a lot of that. Other than that, I truly don't see an issue with upgrading, but that's my opinion.

TheIgster said:

Why would Microsoft leave behind files that have issues?

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Why does Microsoft do alot of the things they do?...