Reinstall Windows 7 & data

peter999

If I reinstall Windows 7, will it keep my personal data, documents, pictures etc ?

Currentlly have Windows 7 Home Premium, intend to install Windows 7 Professional.

aerostar

Why do you need Professional ?

esuhl

peter999 wrote: »

If I reinstall Windows 7, will it keep my personal data, documents, pictures etc ?

Assuming your personal stuff is on the same partition as Windows, you'd be better off backup everything up, and then totally wiping the drive before reinstalling Windows.

If your personal stuff is on a separate partition, then installing Windows (on a different partition) won't affect your personal files.

peter999

esuhl wrote: »

Assuming your personal stuff is on the same partition as Windows, you'd be better off backup everything up, and then totally wiping the drive before reinstalling Windows.

If your personal stuff is on a separate partition, then installing Windows (on a different partition) won't affect your personal files.

I've now got an OEM Win 7 Pro disc + key.
(I don't think this has option to partition a disc.)

A friend built a desktop computer for me, installing his copy of Win 7 Home Premium to get things going, but I don't have key for this. It says it needs Activation within 30 days, which is in next few days.

I have been using computer, so have some data/documents I want to keep. I am worried I will be locked out of my computer, won't be able to access data, if I don't have key to Activate.


I now have a Win 7 Pro OEM disc with the key and was thinking of using this.

I am wondering if I can install Win 7 Pro on top of current installation (Win 7 Home Premium), keeping all my data/documents.
..

esuhl

I'm not sure, but you might be able to just enter your new product key to upgrade to Win 7 Pro.

If you go to the Start menu and type "anytime upgrade", run that program and see if you can enter the new key.

Le_Kirk

I thought anytime upgrade stopped months ago!!

esuhl

Ah maybe. I had a look on the MS website and they say the only way to activate Windows 7 using a key for a different version is to run the installer for the new version (Professional) and choose "custom installation" and enter the key there.

Personal files should stay in place. I think installed programs will remain. But you should always back-up just in case, and I'd probably prefer to wipe everything off the drive and make a new, clean installation of Windows.