XP Home to 64-bit Vista

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wxkid23

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 17, 2006
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131
Im looking at upgrading from XP Home to 64-bit Home Premium Vista.

What exactly do I need to do? I looked at Newegg and Microsoft sites and am confused on what exactly I need to get and do. Will an upgrade copy of 64-bit Home Premium Vista work for me or do I need a full copy? It appears from reading on Microsoft's site that I will need to do a complete clean install for the 64-bit Vista... correct?

Im not extremely computer smart in some areas and I had a friend custom build my computer (I do have a 64-bit processor). I believe I have two hard drives set up in Raid 0 but am concerned if I erase XP how to set everything back up (the hard drives) for Vista. Does the installation I will do here require that I go in and set the hard drives back up or whatever or does the Vista CD do all the work and I just start it from inside XP? I hope im making some sense here.

Also... how do I go about backing up all my files in XP and then reinstalling them in Vista? I have tons of photos and a few programs that are the most important.. what are my options here?

thanks!
 
Get the upgrade x64 version, have your friend help you, and follow the sticky listed in the FAQs section here to do a clean install. As for your data, I would invest in an external hard drive, especially if you are using RAID0 (ugh). Storing important data on a RAID0 array only, is just asking for a catastrophe.
 
Unfortunantly talking to him is not really an option. It was a friend of my fiance's Dad and he has gotten pretty grumpy the last few months with new kids and stuff and I don't wanna bother him.

Do I need to install all my hardware drivers (the new ones) BEFORE installing the 64bit Vista? Do I do that now in XP and then Vista can use them? Is this as simple as installing drivers now, backing up data, and popping in the vista upgrade CD and let it do the work? Or is it more than that?
 
You want to follow the sticky I mentioned above.

You should download all your drivers first and keep them on a CD or a USB Flash Drive. You'd obviously be installing this after Vista, because you can't install drivers before an operating system. You should back up your data first, because the best method, and the one the sticky refers to, is doing a fresh, clean install.
 
Vista Upgrade versions are cheaper than the full versions. A clean installation always better than upgrading on top of the XP.

You can do a clean install from the Upgrade version but you have to work around it, it's a little hassle to do, here is a link how to http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1202605

I save myself all that hassle purchased the full version, because at some point you have to reinstall the Vista again if you run into problem. Which I did once when I tried to install the SP1.
 
Deton said:
I save myself all that hassle purchased the full version, because at some point you have to reinstall the Vista again if you run into problem. Which I did once when I tried to install the SP1.
Click to expand...
At that point, you would just follow the same procedure we both linked to. Or, better yet, when you get it fully installed the first time, make a clean disk image.
 
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