Member Avatar for Frank Wallis

I just wanted to know that when we upgrade windows to the latest version of windows,
example WinXP to WinVista, then is the program folder and documents and settings folder
also effected or only the windows folder is changed?

I hope my question is clear

Regards,

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Short, practical take for : a supported in-place upgrade does more than swap the Windows folder — it migrates user profiles and attempts to keep installed applications, but it is not magic. XP's "C:\Documents and Settings" is translated into Vista's "C:\Users" (junctions are used for compatibility), the Windows directory is replaced/updated, and the Program Files folder is usually left on disk. Many apps, drivers, shell extensions, or services can become unusable after the upgrade and may require reinstalling or updated drivers built for the new OS.

Follow these preparation steps (adds detail to points from and ):

  • Check compatibility with the official upgrade/compatibility tool for the target OS and note any flagged programs or devices.
  • Export critical application data: Outlook PSTs, browser profiles/bookmarks, license keys, and any application-specific data kept under AppData or ProgramData.
  • Download network and chipset drivers for the target OS (store on USB) so you can get online after upgrade.
  • If switching architectures (32-bit -> 64-bit) or doing a formatted install, treat it as a clean migration: you must reinstall applications and move user files manually or via migration tools (Windows Easy Transfer / USMT).
  • Create a full disk image or reliable file backup before you start; if setup does a custom install without formatting it may leave a Windows.old with previous files, but that is not a substitute for a backup.

After the upgrade verify drivers, run programs you rely on, and keep install media and product keys handy for reinstallation if needed.

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Member Avatar for caperjack

I just wanted to know that when we upgrade windows to the latest version of windows,
example WinXP to WinVista, then is the program folder and documents and settings folder
also effected or only the windows folder is changed?

I hope my question is clear

Regards,

documents and other stuff will be ok as long as the upgrade goes ok,, if you do a upgrade ,and not a format and fresh full install

Member Avatar for itdupuis

also, just as a precaution, you might try creating a backup to online storage, or to another HD etc... One never knows when an upgrade will go bad, so safety first, if you have important data you would rather not see go PooF! Good luck to you!

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