About to wipe my laptop! (1 Viewer)

Bailey58

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2010
8,785
29,133
Norfolk and Toftir.
Funster No
12,267
MH
Sold
Exp
July 2010 (ex tugger)
As the heading says I'm upgrading (full install) to Windows 7 from Vista and copied everything I want, hopefully, onto a USB portable hard disk for copying back later.

I've made sure I've got original disks to load programmes back on again but will all the other drivers for display and sound still be there or will they need to be loaded again, if I can find them?

Another question is will my internet based stuff still be there when I get back and download them again, like friends on Skype, Facebook, favourites on Firefox or will I have to go through all that again? :whatthe:
 

steveclecy

Free Member
Jun 10, 2009
880
580
Wirral
Funster No
7,066
MH
C Class
Exp
Since June 2009
Cannot be absolutely certain but Windows 7 is very good for finding all the correct drivers for your install.

Provided you remember your passwords, everything internet based (such as Skype contacts) are already there on the remote servers.

As regards your bookmarks on Firefox you will have to either export them to your disk or use a program like XMarks to save them.

Steve

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

treasuredgiftsuk

Free Member
Jan 7, 2012
89
18
Portugal
Funster No
19,352
MH
A Class
Exp
I'm a newbie
As the heading says I'm upgrading (full install) to Windows 7 from Vista and copied everything I want, hopefully, onto a USB portable hard disk for copying back later.

I've made sure I've got original disks to load programmes back on again but will all the other drivers for display and sound still be there or will they need to be loaded again, if I can find them?

Another question is will my internet based stuff still be there when I get back and download them again, like friends on Skype, Facebook, favourites on Firefox or will I have to go through all that again? :whatthe:

Hi, Windows 7 is the best. Windows 7 has a whole library of drivers and whenever you connect new hardware etc it will always find a driver for you. As you are upgrading from Vista and not way back to say XP drivers should not be a problem.

Another question is will my internet based stuff still be there when I get back and download them again, like friends on Skype, Facebook, favourites on Firefox or will I have to go through all that again?

Everything to do with facebook is stored with them so no need to do anything there.
There is a folder called Favourites on your computer make sure you save that to your usb. Once you install Firefox you will be able to import your favourites from your USB.
Not sure about Skype but if you visit their help files you should find something there or alternatively contact Skype support.

Good luck.:Smile:
 

656

Free Member
Jul 30, 2007
1,052
290
The universe
Funster No
39
MH
C Class
Exp
6
IF you are formatting your drive, then you will need to reinstall all your apps. However, if you are going "Over the top" of vista then everything should still be there. 7 has no end of drivers in house including drivers for the latest HP printers - i.e. Envy. sadly no drivers in house for my Mitsubishi Dye Sub. I had to download the latest driver from system insight. Everything works a treat. I run windows on my Mac because I cant get my Serif apps om IOSX:RollEyes:
 

Douglas

Free Member
Aug 22, 2008
2,835
400
South Wales,
Funster No
3,779
Exp
6 years + 5 years in boat before that
As the heading says I'm upgrading (full install) to Windows 7 from Vista and copied everything I want, hopefully, onto a USB portable hard disk for copying back later.

I've made sure I've got original disks to load programmes back on again but will all the other drivers for display and sound still be there or will they need to be loaded again, if I can find them?

Another question is will my internet based stuff still be there when I get back and download them again, like friends on Skype, Facebook, favourites on Firefox or will I have to go through all that again? :whatthe:

I have just done something very similar, I have installed win7 onto a new(second hand) laptop, and I had problems with, bookmarks from outlook express to Microsoft outlook, also with contacts from fire-fox/XP to Fire-fox/win7 in addition to this I am still having trouble in integrating the win7 machine into my home network, mainly because in win7 they have changed the name from work-group/XP to home-group/win7.

Good luck Doug...

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,086
9,024
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
Go for it,

I've installed 7 on two Vista lappys.. one Dell , other a Sony and no problem with drivers.. fresh installs, much better than upgrading over Vista

HOWEVER .. I 'lost' Sony's short cut buttons for screen brightness and sound .. and had some issues with other Sony controls for the DVD drive for playing videos.. and guess what... Sony didn't support the upgrade .. so no help there but got some help from a Sony forum.. so even with the hassle it was well worth it..

I reckon it's the best Windows OS ever made .. lets hope they don't 'fix' it with OS 8 :Doh:
 
OP
OP
Bailey58

Bailey58

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2010
8,785
29,133
Norfolk and Toftir.
Funster No
12,267
MH
Sold
Exp
July 2010 (ex tugger)
Thanks all for so many replies and so quickly. The only minor problem may be Firefox bookmarks, I imported them to Chrome once when FF was playing up and they disappeared altogether but I'll do as treasuredgiftsuk suggests and copy the folder, I have listed them seperately so if all else fails can soon bookmark them individually if I have to. Many thanks! :thumb:
 

JJ

Mágica
May 1, 2008
19,228
47,725
Quinta Majay, Pinheiro Bordalo, Portugal
Funster No
2,459
MH
Burstner Privilege T
Exp
over 50 years
Will follow your thread with great interest as I have wanted to do the same but am a little scared... I have so much stuff like a proxy server and video format converters and suchlike whichI bought online with no discs...

JJ

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Wildman

Free Member
May 30, 2008
0
8,470
Ilfracombe, Devon
Funster No
2,913
MH
Amazon Ambassador
Exp
since 1967
No problem JJ having bought them online you will have downloaded an install program for each one (usually found in the downloads directory unless you chose to run rahter than save.) Just copy those to your external HD then run them again, data of course already I assume saved to external drive.
Networking is a problem with the cut down version of windows 7
Also some programs will not run, I have so far failed to load PSP8
 
OP
OP
Bailey58

Bailey58

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2010
8,785
29,133
Norfolk and Toftir.
Funster No
12,267
MH
Sold
Exp
July 2010 (ex tugger)
Don't do what I do JJ, I'm a red! :ROFLMAO:

Saved my bookmarks (I think), about to load 7. If I'm on the desktop tomorrow you'll know it went pearshaped.
 

treasuredgiftsuk

Free Member
Jan 7, 2012
89
18
Portugal
Funster No
19,352
MH
A Class
Exp
I'm a newbie
Will follow your thread with great interest as I have wanted to do the same but am a little scared... I have so much stuff like a proxy server and video format converters and suchlike whichI bought online with no discs...

JJ

Usually if you buy stuff like that online you get a key code so that in the event that your lappy blew up or summat you can go back to the website click to download the thing again and it will usually ask you to input the code or pay.::bigsmile:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

treasuredgiftsuk

Free Member
Jan 7, 2012
89
18
Portugal
Funster No
19,352
MH
A Class
Exp
I'm a newbie
Thanks all for so many replies and so quickly. The only minor problem may be Firefox bookmarks, I imported them to Chrome once when FF was playing up and they disappeared altogether but I'll do as treasuredgiftsuk suggests and copy the folder, I have listed them seperately so if all else fails can soon bookmark them individually if I have to. Many thanks! :thumb:

Bet they are not lost just hiding out in a file somewhere on your lappy. :winky:
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,207
48,810
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
some hardware is not compatible with win 7 and worse still, there are no updated drivers within win7 either.

my Canon EOS350D digital camera being one.

Canon dont do suitable drivers for older camera's on win 7 :Angry:
 
OP
OP
Bailey58

Bailey58

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2010
8,785
29,133
Norfolk and Toftir.
Funster No
12,267
MH
Sold
Exp
July 2010 (ex tugger)
Well that went, well err, well I think. :Smile:

90 minutes or so with several restarts, connected to the wireless printer but then lost the connection after i.e downloaded some updates but got connected again and now downloading Firefox, Malwarebytes, MS Security Essentials and Adblock plus. Use to have Spybot but rarely used it, anything else I need?

One funny thing, if I click on My Computer it's still showing Vista on the C drive with 30gb free of 130gb, which it was before, yet when I look on system it tells me the OS is Win7 which suggests it hasn't wiped the drive yet all my old folders and progs have gone so what's happened there? :Sad:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Douglas

Free Member
Aug 22, 2008
2,835
400
South Wales,
Funster No
3,779
Exp
6 years + 5 years in boat before that
Well that went, well err, well I think. :Smile:

90 minutes or so with several restarts, connected to the wireless printer but then lost the connection after i.e downloaded some updates but got connected again and now downloading Firefox, Malwarebytes, MS Security Essentials and Adblock plus. Use to have Spybot but rarely used it, anything else I need?

One funny thing, if I click on My Computer it's still showing Vista on the C drive with 30gb free of 130gb, which it was before, yet when I look on system it tells me the OS is Win7 which suggests it hasn't wiped the drive yet all my old folders and progs have gone so what's happened there? :Sad:

Updates often reset switches to the factory default, you have to find the switch and turn it on again.

Doug...
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,086
9,024
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
One funny thing, if I click on My Computer it's still showing Vista on the C drive with 30gb free of 130gb, which it was before, yet when I look on system it tells me the OS is Win7 which suggests it hasn't wiped the drive yet all my old folders and progs have gone so what's happened there? :Sad:

It sounds to me that you have done an upgrade rather than a 'clean' install ..

You need to do a 'custom' install to completely clear Vista from the drive. .

have a read here, and check if you have done a clean install or not.. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-vista-to-windows-7-custom
 
OP
OP
Bailey58

Bailey58

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2010
8,785
29,133
Norfolk and Toftir.
Funster No
12,267
MH
Sold
Exp
July 2010 (ex tugger)
Updates often reset switches to the factory default, you have to find the switch and turn it on again.

Doug...

Que?


It sounds to me that you have done an upgrade rather than a 'clean' install ..

Thanks for that link. I seem to remember a clean install and not an upgrade was the only option for 32bit when I checked the availability on that students site when I bought the disk for my grandson :winky: and I'm pretty sure that was the option I selected when I loaded it but thinking back to last night maybe it did give me either option. I'll have a read and maybe run it again now I trust it to work.
But the dog needs to go for a walk first!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
Bailey58

Bailey58

LIFE MEMBER
Jun 23, 2010
8,785
29,133
Norfolk and Toftir.
Funster No
12,267
MH
Sold
Exp
July 2010 (ex tugger)
Well after mucking about for a few days it's looking good. Everything is a lot quicker although all the progs spent an age downloading updates which we get used to happening periodically over time. Still showing Vista on the C drive when I open "computer" although I definitely did a custom install, have to check out what Doug said. Found a lot of "missing" stuff on a file called Windows.old which is not only on the usb drive but also on the laptop. That's why it's showing as 3/4 full cos it's got 60gb in there, more space now I've deleted it!

One annoying thing was the missing quick launch option from the taskbar where I kept MHF, Amazon, eBay and the bank accounts and the
Daily Mail and various other important stuff, much quicker than going through bookmarks. Managed to put a toolbar back down there after googling the solution.

And if you're still following the thread JJ go for it, well worth the effort, and if you haven't got the 7 disk buy it from the students website for about £40, after all you're still a learner when it comes to magic, relationships and winning trophies.
:ROFLMAO:
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top