First of all this is pretty darn important to me, in that i can not afford to loose any data at all, on my 2nd hard drive (F). I really want to install and try out Windows 7 on my 2nd hard drive which already contains lots of data and is 3/4 full. its a 300gb samsung drive btw. so there is like 80gb free, i can get it up to 100gb no problem. My question is, if i choose this hard drive to install the windows7 operating system on, will the other data (not an os drive) like my games and watever else get erased during the install??? I really need an answer on this as i cannot afford to back up this amount of data atm and, if it just creates a windows folder and a documents and settings folder on the drive i will be ok, and go ahead and install the ISO i am currently downloading, when it gets finished. Please help. On drive C: I have windows XP sp2.
PS. PLEASE DON'T tell me that i should "partiton" a.k.a totally screw up my drives becasue in 2007 i tried to partition drive c and turned out to be a total disaster!! during boot the partion program froze as the partitioning was taking place. i lost all the data, but luckily i got it all back using a partiton recovery program. i only believe in partitioning a drive now during a FRESh install of windows. i went through hell! lol seriously.
hey i could really use a response here. the iso is done so, i need some info if there is a potential for data loss on drive f or will it leave all my other data intact and just create a windows folder alongside my other folders??
Don't know but seem to recall that the RC of W7 needed to be fully installed including format of the drive where the beta was an upgrade, this from one site: "Protect your PC and data. Be sure to back up your data and please don't test the RC on your primary home or business PC". I thought it created a Window's folder but won't swear to it. I wouldn't chance it myself if I couldn't back up any data first.
I just got Windows 7 installed on my toshiba 2.4ghz 512mb ram 32mb video card lol cant belive it worked on that old thing no aero effects or games of course without it going to BSOD.. On this laptop it has windowsxpsp2 as well on drive c. I installed it on drive d which probably im guessing is justa partition of drive c iteslf...anyway...
I can see that it created 2 folders; windows, and programs files. Now, it did not require a format and installed actually relatively quicly, easily and fine. Of course there was already some data on d so that was the test! yay, it did not delete any data.
The only problem i could potentially run into now, is that there already is a program files folder on my main computer that i want to install windows 7 on and actually use. I really believe that during the windows installation it could overwrite all the data in program files...so i guess the best thing to do would be to rename ''program files'' to ''program filesxxxxx'' or something. Right? That way when windows is done installing all i should theoretically have to do is copy all the content from the new program files that the windows 7 installation creates, to ''program filesxxxxx'' and rename the folder back to program files...just to be safe...it may only add files to that folder, but im not willing to take that chance. And of course I will have to boot into windows xp to change the folder names both times. So...still a little hesitant tho but nothing got deleted on my laptop...
oh and im not exactly impressed with windows 7 so far so im not even sure i want to install it on my main computer now...maybe i will just leave it on th e laptop to avoid any potential problems that may arise. i will fiddle with it some more on the laptop and then i guess...make my decision. choose wisely! LOL. besides...its just RC 7100...so i would have to buy and install the retail one in march 2010 anyway since it expires then, and shutsdown every 2 hours LOL.
