Posted: 3/30/2015 11:57:23 PM EDT
| Can someone please refresh my memory, if I do a brand new Windows 7 install (not upgrade) on a hard drive with data already on it (no OS on it), will I lose that data/files? |
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Reformatting a partition isn't required to install Windows 7, therefore the data can remain. If you want to create a separate partition for Windows and you don't already have unallocated space for it then you can't use the setup to non-destructively shrink and create a separate partition from the existing one.
If the license is a retail you can transfer it to a new computer. Technically you aren't supposed to transfer OEM licenses but you can do it anyway. |
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Quoted:
Damn, thanks! If I then take that hard drive and install it in a new computer build, e.g. new motherboard, processor, etc, will I have to buy a new license for that Windows 7? dude it sounds like you are over your head, if you remove the ide/sata controller drivers before you take the drive out it might work on thenew machine, but that is just a if fresh build is the best |
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Quoted:
Reformatting a partition isn't required to install Windows 7, therefore the data can remain. If you want to create a separate partition for Windows and you don't already have unallocated space for it then you can't use the setup to non-destructively shrink and create a separate partition from the existing one. If the license is a retail you can transfer it to a new computer. Technically you aren't supposed to transfer OEM licenses but you can do it anyway. Is this the version I need to get to do that? I will only be using it on one computer. I need it now to get my crashed system back up for a couple of months until I get the bank to build my new system. |
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"System Builder OEM" is the one that technically is paired with a system (motherboard) forever once activated, and can be reinstalled/reactivated as many times as you want on the same system and dies with that system/motherboard. I am unclear which you have now or trying to do. For a temporary install, don't activate and just rearm it.
You should still back up your data either way. There are free partition managers like GParted to create a new partition using space from the current without destroying the data but it still carries a risk. I'm basing my answer that a format isn't required on a retail (not OEM/sys builder) disk. |
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Quoted:
"System Builder OEM" is the one that technically is paired with a system (motherboard) forever once activated, and can be reinstalled/reactivated as many times as you want on the same system and dies with that system/motherboard. I am unclear which you have now or trying to do. For a temporary install, don't activate and just rearm it. You should still back up your data either way. There are free partition managers like GParted to create a new partition using space from the current without destroying the data but it still carries a risk. I'm basing my answer that a format isn't required on a retail (not OEM/sys builder) disk. I don't have a working computer, that's why I'm doing this. My SSD main hard drive is dying/not working. As for making a backup, this is my backup hard drive. |
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As long as you are using an install disk that you bought from a store (or online like from Amazon) it shouldn't erase the data unless you tell it to (don't use the advanced options). Even if you have the system builder oem version you can probably get away with reactivating it on a different system especially if a long time has elapsed since you last activated it. In the meantime just use the rearm trick until you get the new system.
Prebuilt PCs from manufacturers (dell, etc) come with install disks and/or recovery partitions and these can be destructive, they are usually modified to erase everything first and as well as do everything else for the user. Don't do this with these types since you don't know how they are modified. Just saying get a backup somehow of important stuff, buy a new disk to install Windows on, or upload to a 'cloud' because if my advice is totally bad you don't blame me for losing everything. As long as you don't use the Format option there is no reason for the installer to give a hoot about whatever else is on the drive. I used to be into computers and stuff and dabble occasionally nowadays, but I still have 2000/XP/Vista/7 virtual machines and still do a lot of installing/reinstalling usually to make custom install disks without all the crud manufacturers include. |