Moving from Win7 to Win8 - should I upgrade or clean install?

Dr3amCast

Weaksauce
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Aug 8, 2012
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Like the title said I'm contemplating moving from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1 on my gaming desktop. I've seen some benchmarks showing a small increase in performance. Also, I just bought a laptop for my girlfriend with Win8.1 and now I want it to play with. Is it recommended that I just do an upgrade to 8 or should I do a clean install?
 
I would say that answer depends on how much you have installed and how long it would take to reinstall everything. If you don't have much, or it won't take much time, I would do a clean installation. Otherwise, do an upgrade.
 
When Win8 came out, I upgraded from 7 to 8. I used to always do clean installs prior to this one but I figured I'd give the upgrade path a try. So far, it has been just fine and as stable as ever.
 
I do very little other than gaming on the desktop and streaming shows, the only time would be redownloading all of the games, but I can just let that happen while I'm at work. I guess the resounding opinion is a clean install, so I'll do that. Thanks for the input everyone
 
Clean. Even had false disk error notifications just upgrading from 8 to 8.1 and fixed by doing a clean 8.1 install.
 
I did a clean install from windows 8 to 8.1

Clean install is my vote.
 
Clean install if possible. If its not possible you really need to look at your file storage and backup setup.
 
Clean Install. No question. Clean installs are so quick nowadays that it seems pointless to bother doing anything else!
 
Clean install is always preferable. Although upgrading is usually trouble free, I think moving to a new OS is the perfect time to do a bit of house cleaning to get rid of all the crap you've accumulated in your old OS.
 
8 is 7.1 with a (tacky) tablet overlay. Should be fine to upgrade.

That said. Why?

I upgraded to 7. Not looking back.
 
8 is 7.1 with a (tacky) tablet overlay. Should be fine to upgrade.

That said. Why?

I upgraded to 7. Not looking back.

OP clearly defined his reasons, no need to push your bias on him.
 
Hmm. yeah, read it and forgot it, sorry.

Perhaps, then, get something to play with it on. Such as a tablet with full 8.1. Or a cheap laptop, before messing with your main rig (affordability is an issue.) Typically, when you have a system running fine, and stable, suggest leaving it alone... And never type on forums when you have a headache.
 
I'm always for a clean install. However, when I did upgrade to Windows 8, I went with an upgrade. Worked flawlessly for a long time. Eventually upgraded SSD and just did a clean install. No real difference at all.

I still preach the clean install option, though. Might as well do it that way in case of any problems. You can be sure it's definitely not from a previous install or crappy program already installed....
 
You insert the disk or USB drive with the installation on it, boot from disk/USB drive, delete all partitions of the hard drive you're going to install it to, then install it to the empty drive. This will delete all the data that is on that drive.

Just google clean install windows. The instructions are virtually identical for Vista, 7, and 8.
 
in windows 7, to clean install using an upgrade cd (didn't want to in-place upgrade from xp) I had to use the upgrade cd to install it, without a key first.
then use that same cd to "upgrade" over itself using the key this time.

I couldn't clean install with the upgrade cd using the key as it would complain and wouldn't let me use the key.

on google I am finding a bunch of stuff for 8 to 8.1, but nothing clear about win7 to 8.1 clean installing using an 8.1 upgrade cd and key.
 
Google clean install Windows with upgrade disk. Again, Vista, 7, and 8/8.1 are virtually identical.
 
Google clean install Windows with upgrade disk. Again, Vista, 7, and 8/8.1 are virtually identical.

^ This.. I bought the 8 Pro upgrade when MS was pitching it off for $40..

Then followed this to do a clean install. It's super simple..

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1726164

And NEVER ever do an upgrade unless you have no choice.. I didn't even like the 8 > 8.1 upgrade.. But I have no choice because of MS's weird ISO distribution policies. I still don't know why I can't grab a 8.1 ISO with my 8 key.. So much wasted time to do a reinstall.
 
On my desktop there were no problems doing an upgrade, but my notebook had some major issues.
 
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