Upgrade to Win 8

By kiddingguy
in Microsoft (Windows)

 Share

Recommended Posts

Grand Master

kiddingguy

Posted
Posted

When Win 8 will hit Technet, I'm planning on upgrading one of my machines.

I noticed on the Dev.Prev. and TR that there is an upgrade option. The current Windows folder Will be renamed Windows.old

Can this folder safely be removed after the upgrade and migration of my data?

Or should this folder be kept at all times?

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1096117-upgrade-to-win-8/
Share on other sites
Grand Master

kiddingguy

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So this is the right order??

1. Upgrade with keeping all data,

2. Check if data is still there with all shortcuts (like documents not in users\<...>)

3. When OK delete Windows.old

And in the case it still goes wrong:

4. Perform a clean Windows 8 install and install all your programs

The reason why I would do an instant upgrade - and not a clean install - is to check how this works, because I have never done this before. I guess I'm just a "clean install junkie". It's just in case when I upgrade my "main" computer to Windows 8 eventually I know the procedure.

This Windows 8 PC is just for daily basic usage, testing & work and in case something goes wrong there will be no damage to (important) files.... just the time to reinstall everything.

Rising Star

Andrea Borman

Posted
Posted

Well they say that Microsoft may only sell update DVDs of Windows 8. But when Windows 8 does go out on sale in the shops.I want to do a clean install of Windows 8,like I do when I install Windows 7.

They say on all of the Windows forums I have read that upgrade install causes too many problems. And that clean install is best. Andrea Borman.

Grand Master

articuno1au

Posted
Posted

Yes, but:

Personally I would suggest establishing a good backup system, formatting and going from clean.

Not to give Andrea's input any credence whatsoever; there are advantages to clean installs (mainly in neatness and install size) which make it worth while.

On top of this, having a good backup system means you can format, reinstall and be up and running in next to no time. For instance, my turn around time from format start to back fully installed and running is about 2 hours (I scripted an unattended install for office/visual studio etc).

It's a huge advantage if anything crashes/needs replacing or you get a virus you don't want to risk leaving on your system.

Grand Master

kiddingguy

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yes, but:

Personally I would suggest establishing a good backup system, formatting and going from clean.

Not to give Andrea's input any credence whatsoever; there are advantages to clean installs (mainly in neatness and install size) which make it worth while.

On top of this, having a good backup system means you can format, reinstall and be up and running in next to no time. For instance, my turn around time from format start to back fully installed and running is about 2 hours (I scripted an unattended install for office/visual studio etc).

It's a huge advantage if anything crashes/needs replacing or you get a virus you don't want to risk leaving on your system.

True.

However, what's the deal with the install size of (the new) Windows folder?

Will the old folder just be renamed Windows.old and a new one created and installed in?

The itchy part is the registry I guess.... (neatness)

Basically you are just saying... do a clean install and I'm better off in the long run?

Like I said, the progams used on my notebook - and which are to be installed afterwards - are not that much. Just some Office applications and browsers and other productivity software, like Adobe, Diskeeper etc.

EDIT:

Windows 8 has a new file system right? Windows ReFS.

I guess with an upgrade I'd still stick to the NTFS file system of Windows 7 and have Windows 8 as primary OS on NTFS. This could cause some (major) problems - maybe.

So a clean install is preferred. At least I think so....?

Grand Master

neo1911

Posted
Posted

Most people are confused when we say Upgrade to Windows 8

1. Upgrade to windows 8 by clean install

2. Actual upgrade by keeping programs, settings, files, etc.

3. Mix of above two by keeping all old operating system data in windows.old folder.

Any other upgrade scenario?

@ OP

Make sure you have restored save games, program settings, and documents, music from the windows.old folder. If you don't require any of the data in Windows.old, you can delete it.

Collaborator

SledgeNZ

Posted
Posted

The other option is to convert your current machine into a VM. You can use disk2vhd (Available from MS) and then run your original setup via hyper-v in win8.

You need to check that your machine supports hyper-v prior to doing all of this though.

At the very least you'll be able to mount the virtual hard drive of your previous install under win8 and copy anything off it that you need.

Grand Master

articuno1au

Posted
Posted

True.

However, what's the deal with the install size of (the new) Windows folder?

Will the old folder just be renamed Windows.old and a new one created and installed in?

The itchy part is the registry I guess.... (neatness)

Basically you are just saying... do a clean install and I'm better off in the long run?

Like I said, the progams used on my notebook - and which are to be installed afterwards - are not that much. Just some Office applications and browsers and other productivity software, like Adobe, Diskeeper etc.

EDIT:

Windows 8 has a new file system right? Windows ReFS.

I guess with an upgrade I'd still stick to the NTFS file system of Windows 7 and have Windows 8 as primary OS on NTFS. This could cause some (major) problems - maybe.

So a clean install is preferred. At least I think so....?

The install will only gain a couple of gb (at a guess) but it's the small things like finding backed up profiles with random names, backed up program settings etc etc that when you are browsing your files just annoy the hell out of you.

The same thing is true of the registry. There'll be tons of changes between the system. I just think that you are better off avoiding having to clean up by starting clean >.<

It's purely a personal choice thing. I've "upgraded" a dozen machines and the users have had no problems whatsoever.

Windows 8 doesn't allow you to use ReFS. It's currently only available in Server '12 (just like NTFS was when it was released) with client support likely coming by Windows 9.

Both answers are completely viable. I just like clean installs :p Worst that happens is you run an upgrade, decide it ****es you off too much and then do a clean install.

The only consistent piece of advice between both scenarios is make sure your backup is solid >.<

  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

BajiRav

Posted
Posted

Any experiences with this so far?

I had upgraded a 13+ month Windows 7 install to Windows 8 RP and the system performance was pretty much same as what I have now (with a clean install at RTM). I had few minor issues but I think they were unrelated.

Collaborator

brlmedia

Posted
Posted

this is a question that will be debated for ages lol. I personally have cleaned installed the RTM on 2 machines, one hour I was back up and running. have tested 2 upgrades as well, just seemed to have "junk" I didn't need or want.

whatever you decide, have your data backed up. product keys, your favorites folder, etc. you will thank yourself :)

Grand Master

Nothing Here

Posted
Posted

EDIT:

Windows 8 has a new file system right? Windows ReFS.

I guess with an upgrade I'd still stick to the NTFS file system of Windows 7 and have Windows 8 as primary OS on NTFS. This could cause some (major) problems - maybe.

So a clean install is preferred. At least I think so....?

ReFS? Then why is my disk still NTFS when I did a clean install?

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • Google's new hand-wave reCAPTCHA can be bypassed with a stock photo

      By excalpius · Posted

      I'm not unblocking my camera for this crapola. Sorry, Google.
    • Microsoft Edge gets tons of security features, including AI model that can see your screen

      By ShahinD · Posted

      It seems these features are for Business Profiles
    • Microsoft Edge gets tons of security features, including AI model that can see your screen

      By Snake Doc · Posted

      Ummmm that is what is it supposed to do. Just turn if off in settings if you do not want it analyzing your open tabs. Chrome does the same thing with Gemini. Sarfari will do the samething after Apple's AI and even more so with the release of their 27 versions that is now powered by Googles LLM/ML models. Understanding why it is doing it and how it can help you vs jumping to some conspiracy theroy is a much better approach. As long as it can be turned off, all is good. Yes the default should be off but the a lot of people would never discover these features.
    • Microsoft Edge gets tons of security features, including AI model that can see your screen

      By WaltC · Posted

      Just another reason (aside from many others) not to use Edge. Firefox 153.0b5 DEx64 has a similar feature added recently in prior builds that I will turn off at some point when I get around to it. It's the new "Something looks suspicious" page that pops up here and there. It cleverly hides itself between web pages that I've actually visited; as a result, you know, of selecting a web page and telling the browser where to go. The interesting thing is that it does not produce these warnings from pages that I, as the only intelligent user of the browser in my system, have ever directed the browser to open! What seems to be happening is that the browser looks at all the goofy ad links on a web page I do actually open and selects one that "looks suspicious" and then creates the "something looks suspicious" web page, which is neatly inserted, as mentioned, between web pages my RB ("real brain") has directed the browser to load in a session. The thing is, I usually look at links I am considering to follow before I ask the browser to load them, and in cases I have noticed where the link does indeed look suspicious, most of the time I will choose to not follow the link at all. Doesn't everyone do this or something similar? I am picky about what I voluntarily load... (I don't like links that start off fine, with a site designaiton that seems normal enough but then is followed by indecipherable alphanumeric strings many, many lines long, etc. I tend to reject those because they look suspicious. They may not be, but I don't care... I'll stay with Firefox, of course, if for no other reason than they usually let you turn off the junk you don't like. And because it isn't Edge... But at some point Microsoft will come to realize that putting your bookmarks on the left side is a Good Thing for a lot of people, just as Microsoft discovered when it had the bright idea of nailing the Windows taskbar to the bottom of the screen, when for decades Microsoft browsers had left that placement up to the user. They have finally reversed the obscenity of that decision. Finally.
    • Google's new hand-wave reCAPTCHA can be bypassed with a stock photo

      By Ccl Ncc · Posted

      Google was using the old CATPCHAs data to train their LLMs. What is the say they won't use this camera data of users to train their LLM? these companies need some strict regulations!

  • Recent Achievements

    • One Year In
      BA the Curmudgeon earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      rosiecharles earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • First Post
      KMilenkoski1202 earned a badge
      First Post
    • First Post
      carols23 earned a badge
      First Post
    • One Month Later
      Tom Willson earned a badge
      One Month Later

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      513
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      258
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      151
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      94
    5. 5
      macoman
      66
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!