How To Reinstall Windows Vista Ultimate Without Formatting?

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Average_Joe

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Hi all...

I started this thread because i have got a question before i reinstall vista...

I want to reinstall my windows vista ultimate, but i dont want to lose my data... progaram files, public files, downloads, favs etc.........

Now i need to know, can i reinstall windows vista without losing any of my date, or is it going to erase my data on my hard drive, and if i can... how??:confused: :confused:

I only have 1 hardrive in my PC and its NOT partitioned..

Help would really be nice as soon as possible:o

Thanks
 
Do you currently have xp on this drive?? Which vista ultimate version do you dsp or retail?? If it's retail you can just do an upgrade install if it's dsp this what you need to do to keep your data.

Run the setup from inside windows that way you don't format the drive and your old files will be stored in a folder called windows old .
 
stefan9 said:
Do you currently have xp on this drive?? Which vista ultimate version do you dsp or retail?? If it's retail you can just do an upgrade install if it's dsp this what you need to do to keep your data.

Run the setup from inside windows that way you don't format the drive and your old files will be stored in a folder called windows old .
Click to expand...

Hey stefan9,

I have got Vista RTM build 6000...

And no, i dont have xp on my drive... Im currently running vista ultimate right now, but i messed up some stuff and i need to reload..

So do u think if i run the setup in windows vista it self it wont delete my files??

Does it just replace my windows forlder then?? or does it replace my my docs, progam files etc...??

And if i do the install in vista, can i delete the windows.old forlder it created??

Thanks
 
Average_Joe said:
Hey stefan9,

I have got Vista RTM build 6000...

And no, i dont have xp on my drive... Im currently running vista ultimate right now, but i messed up some stuff and i need to reload..

So do u think if i run the setup in windows vista it self it wont delete my files??

Does it just replace my windows forlder then?? or does it replace my my docs, progam files etc...??

And if i do the install in vista, can i delete the windows.old forlder it created??

Thanks
Click to expand...

As far as I understand from other people which followed this procedure it places all your files like ny documents and windows files in the windows old folder and then once you have moved them back you can delete that folder. Haven't done this myself but you should be fine as long as you don't format.

How big are files you want to keep?? Maybe to be save write them to dvd??
 
There is no substitution for weekly (or monthly) backups, especially with external harddrives being much cheaper than before :)
 
ok stefan9,

but will it be like a clean install, where i have to put my cd key in again??

Because thats what i want... to reinstall with my cd again.
 
XP has the option to repair an installation. Does Vista not have this?
 
stefan9 said:
As far as I understand from other people which followed this procedure it places all your files like ny documents and windows files in the windows old folder and then once you have moved them back you can delete that folder. Haven't done this myself but you should be fine as long as you don't format.
Click to expand...

I've done this quite a few times, you are right, everything goes into the Windows.old folder and you can move them out of there and then delete it.
 
backup or use the user state migration tool, then write it to disc
 
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