Vista: Upgrade from XP or clean install?

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kevineugenius

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I know I know, I should do a clean install. But, it just takes so freaking long. I have to back up all my saves, emails, documents, etc etc, then reinstall every program on and on and on, then re-enter all my settings and junk and crap.
A> would it be easier to just upgrade from XP to Vista than a fresh install (or will I still have to re-enter settings and re-install programs)?
and
B> will I get a lot of quirky software problems if I do an upgrade rather than a complete wipe?
 
Vista's 'Custom install' is by far the best method if you have enough drive space available. Every trace of your previous installation will be rolled into a windows.old folder, and you can recover any data you need from there and delete the thing when you're done.

Upgrade installs are only guaranteed successful if the previous installation is a fresh, clean one. If it's been in use you need to do the homework first, uninstall incomaptible software etc etc, and even then tiny problems you might not have noticed can be magnified afterwards.

A 'custom' install is just as good (safe and reliable) as a clean install.
 
Any piece of crap on an old install, can cause major install problems, especially little bits of AV software, that don't uninstall ,even after you pull out the app. Time is better spent with the custom install, a lot less grief in the long run. JMO.:D
 
kevineugenius said:
I know I know, I should do a clean install. But, it just takes so freaking long. I have to back up all my saves, emails, documents, etc etc, then reinstall every program on and on and on, then re-enter all my settings and junk and crap.
A> would it be easier to just upgrade from XP to Vista than a fresh install (or will I still have to re-enter settings and re-install programs)?
and
B> will I get a lot of quirky software problems if I do an upgrade rather than a complete wipe?
Click to expand...

I've done both...

If you don't mind re-installing apps then choose the Custom install. As was mentioned it will do a clean install of Vista placing all your old apps and windows program into another folder you can safely delete once you are ready to. Custom installs are basically complete fresh installs. They just don't format your hard drive or erase what's already on it. It simply isolates and relocates the existing OS and installs itself in it's place.

In-place upgrades can work. I did one on my laptop that worked really well, but it only has basic windows apps, nothing special.
 
Personally, my recommendation is a clean install 100% of the time. Over the years, there's simply nothing like it to get the most performance from the hardware. Yes, it's a bitch for the most part but those persons that complain about having to back up all their data before undertaking such a task should be caned for such statements because obviously they haven't been backing up their data in the first place. :)

Shame on you... foul non-backing-upper-heathens, all of you!

</sarcasm_with_a_twinge_of_poking_fun>
 
My friend and I were more or less forced to clean installs (wouldn't install properly otherwise...long story), but I had planned for it, backed up what I wanted on a 250gb Maxtor external HDD, and did a clean install. It actually felt better afterward, in a way, knowing I had a fresh install. I'd recommend doing a clean install just for the feeling. :p Also, there's nothing like having all kinds of free space at your disposal (after putting all your backed up stuff back on, of course).
 
Always, always, always do a fresh install. If something was messed up on my system, I would rather have a clean slate than with something gunking it up.
 
I read an article on how the upgrade process was supposedly much, much better on Vista's installer, but my roommate tried it and the computer ran as slow as molasses.

Definite vote for the clean install.
 
Yeah that's what I figured. Sigh... I spend more time setting crap up than actually using it :mad:
 
I would highly suggest you reinstall a clean install. Upgrading always ends up being bugged , if it doesnt show when you upgrade it will later on.
 
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