Windows 7 Upgrade installation from vista to 7 - files not transferred! - HELP

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tinkerbell

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I did an upgrade installation of windows 7 using vista, and purposely selected the 'upgrade' option in the hope that it would transfer all my files across, but it failed.

During the installation it came up with a 'driver not found' message. (or something like that) It then exited the setup and said that any changes made to the system so far will not be saved.

Then it restarted and came up with a DOS window inside windows 7 saying something about an 'X' drive, which i don't even have! I exited and it resarted again.

Then when it restarted there were 2 options, something like:
1. Windows recovery/rollback
2. Startup using vista.

I selected the vista option and it carried on installing. I created a new username and password and w/e and completed the setup. Then then said "starting windows 7 for the first time".

Now windows 7 is working but its like its done a brand new install and hasnt transferred all my files, settings and programs properly like I'd hoped. (The username that I created in the setup is new.)

Instead its scattered them all around in these 4 folders in the Vista C drive:

$INPLACE.~TR
$UPGRADE.~OS
$WINDOWS.~LS
$WINDOWS.~Q

Everything is still there, but its all been separated and spread around in the above folders. Inside the INPLACE and WINDOWSQ ones there's even a folder named after my old vista account.

It seems like it made a back up of all my files and data in these folders but failed to import them properly.

Is there a way I can recover/import them?

If it makes any difference I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro laptop. (I've noticed that there are lots of toshiba specific errors with windows 7)

Any help is appreciated, thanks :]
 
x drive is the drive letter assigned to the dvd drive when you boot to the install disk in it.

As for an automatic fix, I wouldn't risk losing what you have without at least getting another drive or usb device and backing up to it.

You should be able to recover your work files and images and documents from those backups and reinstall your probrams again. You will have a much more solid system that if you actually did a vista upgrade.
 
Have you checked with Toshiba?

What version of Vista were you using to do an in-place upgrade to Windows 7 (what version)? Where did you get your software?

I have not seen this problem before. But it appears your programs will have to be reinstalled as was mentioned. I do not know why, but anyone else wanting to keep their programs select the rollback option.

It looks to me like someone wrote the upgrade software to continue no matter what and felt removing prior drivers and everything else was better than a blue screen or a halt.
 
Exact Same Problem


Just updated my pc from the student steal deal from microsoft - Vista 32bit to Win 7 32bit - and all my stuff is gone !!! its like a clean install had just happened !!! When i chose a upgrade any help please !!! But the ammount of space taken up on my laptop is still about the same so the files must be somewhere i just dunno where and how to access them Link Removed due to 404 Error

I found the files OP is talking about but my music folder video folder - actually just about all the folder have nothing inside them !!!

Someone please help us
 


The files are somewhere. Try searching your entire drive for *.mp3 if that doesn't work, go to the command prompt and run these two commands:

cd\


attrib *.mp3 /s


that should find all music that is in mp3 format on your drive and tell you where it is located
 

Look for the "$INPLACE.~TR" folder. You should find your data in there.

I had the same issue...I have a second drive with all my data, as I have removeable drives with multiple OS's.
The W7 upgrade from Vista took it upon itself to attempt a move of all my data from the "My Documents" folder on the data drive. Imagine my surprize when I attempted to access my data. Doh! The folders were there, but no data!
Found them in the "$INPLACE.~TR" folder on that drive.
It is almost as if the file moving failed mid-way, because I can't find them any where on the OS drive.
I need to post this on the MS Tech site.
BTW, I did have a recent backup, but didn't look forward to restoring a couple of hundred gigs of data.

Gary
 
I have the same problem with my "upgrade" over the weekend. Has anybody had any luck with a solution?
 
Hi slevin,
The only way I am aware of is to find your data in the folder I mentioned previously, then copy it back to the proper place. Assuming that you are having the same issue we have had. I don't recall if it is marked as hidden, or a system folder, so you might have to change your folder view settings to see it.

Good luck!

Gary
 
Thanks Gary. I tried moving some of the folders, but ran into multiple ownership/permission issues. All of my previous programs will not work, can't view my pictures, can't listen to my music, etc. Changed ownership and permissions case by case, but still having issues with most of my programs. Going to try to restore and then repair install, but I'm not holding my breath. Did you ever post this on the MS TEch site?
 
You know, I never did...have to many other irons in the fire..sorry!

So, if I understand correctly, you are having issues with more than just your documents folder. My issue only seemed to be with the fact that my doc's folder was not in the standard place in Vista, as I kept them on a separate drive. I have removeable HD's with multiple OS's for testing purposes, and having the data on a separate drive makes life so much easier.

The W7 upgrade seemed to choke on the data being in a different spot, and just left it in limbo. It seemed like it was in the first phase of moving it to where W7 wanted it; on the OS drive, but then crapped out, and just left the files in a temp folder, and the original folders in there original spot, just empty.

I have installed and reinstalled my OS's so many times, any time I don't have to reinstall all my apps I consider a happy bonus!

Good Luck!

Gary
 
Drew, hindsight is always 20/20, right. Windows 8 will be a clean install.

Gary, maybe the problem stems from the partition in my primary drive? OS in one partition, data in another.
 
Starting over would be admitting defeat!

Data had severe ownership/ permission issues of its own.
 
I think that the issue may very well be with location of your documents. The in place upgrade is looking for them in one spot, and they are in another. Just a thought. I have the same data setup as you.

In my case, I just wanted to see how the in place upgrade worked. I almost always do clean installs. As for upgrades over clean installs, not everyone has the know-how to do one. Being in the business of I.T., it can be easy to forget that many/most people have a very limited knowledge of computers, outside of the few apps they use: IE, Office, games, etc.

BTW, even with the small amount of time I spent looking for my "missing" files, I was still far ahead, time-wise, with the upgrade, versus reinstalling all my apps.

Gary
 
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