through http://msdn01.e-academy.com/cnr_ncsu, i downloaded windows vista business dvd, because all i have is vista basic


the only thing i am wondering is this, can i install this and keep all the current files i have, OR if i install this is it going to pretty much start me back from the beginning...i have music and other files that i dont want to lose


fykal japan, i'm looking in your direction...you usually give pretty good advice imo and seem to know a lot, and you beat still furshia on tww 3 times...not an easy feat

[Edited on December 23, 2007 at 5:36 PM. Reason : as soon as i get the answer i will ask the mods to move/delete/trash this]

12/23/2007 5:35:09 PM

correct me if im wrong anyone, but technically you can install both copies, but its gonna slow your computer down like crazy.

dont you have a jump drive or a webbased ncsu space you can put your files on before you install the new version?

12/23/2007 5:36:37 PM

my harddrive is like 80gb, and about 40 or 50 of that is music/pics/porn, so i cant put it on my webspace...i'd rather just take away basic and put on this business version, but dont want to lose anything or go through the hassle of moving large amounts of files

[Edited on December 23, 2007 at 5:38 PM. Reason : .]

12/23/2007 5:37:26 PM

yikes. yeah, hmm. i think theres a way you can install both on different partitions, then transfer the files and delete the old partition afterwards.

dunno much about vista though, so i hope someone can double check this for you.

12/23/2007 5:39:02 PM

Quote :

"Upgrade from one edition of Windows Vista to another edition Windows Vista includes a feature called Windows Anytime Upgrade, which allows you to upgrade from one Vista edition to another. This may be useful when you need additional features, such multimedia features and the ability to join a Windows domain. However, there are several limitations. The following upgrade paths are available using Windows Anytime Upgrade: Windows Vista Home Basic --> Windows Vista Home Premium Windows Vista Home Basic --> Windows Vista Ultimate Windows Vista Home Premium --> Windows Vista Ultimate Windows Vista Business --> Windows Vista Ultimate You cannot perform an upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows Vista to a 64-bit version of Windows Vista. Windows Anytime Upgrade can be accessed through the System and Maintenance applet in the Control Panel or online at the Microsoft site. You need to purchase an upgrade license first, and then install the additional files from the installation DVD (which contains all relevant Vista editions if it has the Upgrade Anytime logo). "

Based on every bad experience I've had upgrading windows ever since version 3.1, I'd say your best bet is to start fresh. Borrow an external hard drive and back up your files, then let the installation wipe your drive. But I've never actually done this with vista.

[Edited on December 23, 2007 at 5:43 PM. Reason : .]

12/23/2007 5:42:31 PM

no matter what kind of install you do (as long as you don't choose to format the filesystem in any way) you won't lose porn/music/videos.

You should be able to install premium over basic and keep most of your windows specific settings. Halfway through the install it will recognize a previous installation and ask you how you want to proceed.

Could always install it to /WINVISTA or some such directory and migrate all of your old /Documents and Settings and what not then delete /WINDOWS when you're done. Shit like Office/Symantec/Etc will have to be reinstalled. Moral: Always keep OS on a seperate HDD or Partition so you can just wipe it and start fresh every time.

not sure if that answered anything ;/

12/23/2007 5:42:49 PM

ok thanks yall...i'm going to think of what i want to do next...i'll post here in a sec with what i decided...first thoughts are to move all my files to an external harddrive, but that would take like 9 hours with usb 2.0 probably

12/23/2007 5:46:48 PM

http://forum.soft32.com/windows/upgrading-basic-Business-ftopict349010.html

This MS lackey says you can do it.

12/23/2007 5:47:51 PM

on second thought if you overwrite the installation and for some reason you have all your data in /My Music and/or /My Video dunno if it will wipe that or not. Prolly just renames /Documents and Settings/Drunknloaded to /Drunknloaded.0000

go buy a 36 or 74GB 10k raptor and install it on that and keep the other for data -_^

12/23/2007 5:50:02 PM

Yup, trying anything without a good backup is asking for trouble.

12/23/2007 5:51:18 PM

my music is in c:/music and porn/videos is in c:/vidnporn


brb...i thank yall for the help so far...my mom is asking me to take a shower so she can add my dirty clothes to a load of laundry she is doing

12/23/2007 5:55:22 PM

find a friend with a external drive or buy one at staples - they're on the holiday sale.


Or just have a friend bring a laptop over, FTP all your files to their machine then install while you enjoy a nice dinner.

However, why is it such a crazy upgrade - i remember going from xp home to xp pro didn't cost any files. Best of luck.

oh - last idea - and I have done this successfully - use some linux file tools (knoppix used to have them on a live CD) to move all your files to the end of the disk, partition that onto another drive letter, format the main logical drive, install vista business, then move all files to start of drive and enlarge primary logical to encompass all data.

yea... it's tricky...

12/23/2007 6:25:57 PM

ok i downloaded some windows vista upgrade advisor from microsoft....it says i can keep my files...freaking needs 15gb of free space which kinda sucks cause i only have 11.24 free right now

12/23/2007 7:40:54 PM

haha your mom still has to tell you when to take a shower

12/23/2007 7:55:21 PM

well i mean i woulda showered eventually but i was in the middle of trying to figure this out and shes like "nag nag nag blah blah blah shower wash clothes blah nag"

12/23/2007 7:56:18 PM

Quote :

"my harddrive is like 80gb, and about 40 or 50 of that is music/pics/porn"

Seek help, b.

Find god, g.

12/23/2007 8:00:05 PM

ok well if u want a breakdown its like 48gb of music, 1gb of pics, 1gb of porn

i think i'm about to try and install vista business and see what happens

[Edited on December 23, 2007 at 8:01 PM. Reason : .]

12/23/2007 8:00:48 PM

Quote :

"i think i'm about to try and install vista business and see what happens"

That would be the way to go about it.

12/23/2007 8:02:09 PM

dude i'm like 75 percent sure its gonna work....i am 100 percent sure it wont delete my files

12/23/2007 8:03:33 PM

i guess the worst thing that could happen is you have to download a new spank bank.

12/23/2007 8:06:44 PM

well, the tww photo gallery definitely isn't going anywhere...

12/23/2007 8:09:20 PM

Yeah, it's never been down for 3 weeks before.

12/23/2007 8:12:44 PM

Quote :

"Seek help"

12/23/2007 8:15:44 PM

that aint what you said last night twoozles....u were like put it in my butt dnl...i was like ok twoozles...idk u were kinda drunk

12/23/2007 8:19:22 PM

Sounds legit.

12/23/2007 8:23:57 PM

man this is pissing me off...so the first time i try to install its like must have 600mb of memory, close some programs or make page file bigger...ok so i do that...well i try again and its like harddrive must have 9840mb of free space...so now i have to farking do that....arg..

12/23/2007 9:00:48 PM

just ask santa for a new hdd

12/23/2007 10:02:01 PM

i just ended up moving like 8 different cd's to an external harddrive...got me up to 10.3gb...needed 9.6gb...shit is taking forever...its like a 5 step process and its on the second step and only about 40% done...started doing this like an hour and 10 minutes ago

12/23/2007 10:26:27 PM

M$ FTL

12/23/2007 11:15:43 PM

i am posting this from windows vista

12/23/2007 11:20:09 PM

^^yeah...better than mac tho...
^wiz-erd

on da last step now

12/23/2007 11:24:28 PM

freaking text based web is better than viewin' it on a mac

I absolutely refuse to go to vista. Will not do it. I'm currently converting my 64-bit linux box to a XP64 box (lookin' to pick up some performance in lightwave and photoshop) and from xp64 I'll probably go straight linux64. Lightwave is going linux (hopefully in v10 or v11) and Adobe has already promised a decent unix port for the next releases.

12/23/2007 11:39:46 PM

no matter what it's always good to have an external harddrive and back up the important media ever few weeks or so, wouldnt hurt you to pick up one

i've had too many hard drives die on me over the years

12/23/2007 11:48:52 PM

^yea... I have a 100GB(120?) that I picked up at staples for around $75 about 6 months ago (rebate). Bus powered, only one cord - stores easily in any backpack or on my shelf.

Plus it doesn't have that constant hum of one on your desk.

12/23/2007 11:51:50 PM

without reading this thread:

you can upgrade from xp to vista but it's much better (and will make your computer faster) if you back up all your files to an external HD and then install vista clean

or just get a mac

12/24/2007 8:21:31 AM

while installing there were 2 options...clean install, and upgrade where you can keep your files

i picked the keep your files one...only thing now is i did a disk cleanup and i have like 1.56gb in "old files"...its like you can delete that if you are sure you dont need them, and its probably just from the previous installation, but i am affraid it might delete my pics/docs...is there anyway you can figure out what old files its refering to?

ps- so like i had 10.6gb free when i installed vista business(vista business said i needed like 9.4gb free just to do an upgrade)...well after it installed i had like 19.8gb free....i dont know how the fuck i got that space.......

12/25/2007 6:00:54 PM

and that would be why you backup before upgrading

12/25/2007 7:38:05 PM

i dont think you read that right kevin

12/25/2007 9:06:10 PM