Install Windows without Wiping Everything

Guilty Baby · February 23, 2016

"Everything" as in apps, my own files, games and etc.

This website claims it is possible:
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-without-formatting-the-drive/

Legit?

blu4 · February 23, 2016

3 minutes ago, Guilty Baby said:

"Everything" as in apps, my own files, games and etc.

This website claims it is possible:
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-without-formatting-the-drive/

Legit?

It is legit but it's not recommend.

Guilty Baby · February 23, 2016

20 minutes ago, blu4 said:

It is legit but it's not recommend.

Why not? Are there issues?

19_blackie_73 · February 23, 2016

what I do: as I use only one HDD, I have a dedicated partition for data so if I reinstall windows, I don't have to put my data back on. It's a logical partition within a extended one. The OS itself is on a primary partition. AND I do use most of the time portable apps for the main programs such as Firefox Portable. This also prevents from too much effort reinstalling things as I can simply copy them back on or have them already on my logical data partition. Such things as games you'll always have to reinstall because they are tied to your registry

LogicalDrm · February 23, 2016

You have two options. Every windows install gives you chance to save old windows related files. These include Users, Program Files and ProgramData folders. You can't use any old software as they have too many files missing. But you can copypaste config and theme files around.

Another option is to have most of software on another drive and reinstall OS on primary drive. This requires some manual work as you much copypaste config files located in Users\username\Documents and Users\username\AppData. It doesn't work with all software just like that. And you won't see any old software in Start menu or Uninstall Programs listings as Windows doesn't know they exist.

^ I did that last summer when I had to change mobo.

GoodBytes · February 23, 2016

Yes, you can upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 7. or Windows 8 to Windows 8, or Windows 10 to Windows 10.

And that would re-install and keep your stuff.

However, any registry issues or simply the mess that you currently have, will be transferred to the new install. It is only really good if you know for sure that your problem is only corrupted system files, like a Windows Update that went horribly wrong and now you can't boot, or you had a virus or malware that might have modified system files, or at least potentially, and you want to make sure that everything is fine (beside the registry).