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Windows 7 and my games.


Cespenar

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I have got more RAM. My first expense to move towards Windows7.

As I have one HDD with three partitions, I presume I can format C drive and install Win7. Is this correct?

I worry that the games partition may not like the Win7 as all the games have been installed on XP.

I may be a worry-wort but I'd like a bit of input from folks who have already done the job please. :cheers:

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I have plenty of games installed from pre win 7 and even vista all work fine provided you are willing to put a little effort into modding some key files.

Basically if you have and old game and find it good enough to still play chances are someone else felt the same and left a guide online.

 

One thing you will likely find yourself using lots is called 4gb patch and it allows the exe filed modified by it to utilize more than 4gb ram (vram included) something needed in 64bit scenarios. Do hope you installed win 7 64bit.

 

However if you have dos games just use dos box.

 

However because you are not clean installing you will likely end up with lots of conflicts and problems. I recommend copying save game data from the games you want to keep. Then format the drive clean install win 7 64bit, clean install of all games with modification when needed. Then copy back save game data to appropriate folders.

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I have plenty of games installed from pre win 7 and even vista all work fine provided you are willing to put a little effort into modding some key files.

Basically if you have and old game and find it good enough to still play chances are someone else felt the same and left a guide online.

 

One thing you will likely find yourself using lots is called 4gb patch and it allows the exe filed modified by it to utilize more than 4gb ram (vram included) something needed in 64bit scenarios. Do hope you installed win 7 64bit.

 

However if you have dos games just use dos box.

 

However because you are not clean installing you will likely end up with lots of conflicts and problems. I recommend copying save game data from the games you want to keep. Then format the drive clean install win 7 64bit, clean install of all games with modification when needed. Then copy back save game data to appropriate folders.

 

Yes! I will be getting 64 bit. When you say clean install, does that mean formatting the C drive and installing win7 or does it mean formatting all 3 partitions (C, D, and E) and re-installing everything?

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Yes! I will be getting 64 bit. When you say clean install, does that mean formatting the C drive and installing win7 or does it mean formatting all 3 partitions (C, D, and E) and re-installing everything?

Well personally I would format everything and have no partitions. I am assuming the last partition is for media. I would get a second hdd for all media (music, tv, movies ect.) and also do all my backups to that drive which would be of the primary hdd which would have os, apps/programs, games, documents ect.

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remember if you buy the upgrade version of windows 7 you have to have a HDD with a copy of windows vista, XP , or 7 in the system for the Key to work. I keep a drive here set up with Windows XP just for the purpose of pluggin gin and doing a fresh install of Windows 7.

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remember if you buy the upgrade version of windows 7 you have to have a HDD with a copy of windows vista, XP , or 7 in the system for the Key to work. I keep a drive here set up with Windows XP just for the purpose of plugging in and doing a fresh install of Windows 7.

 

No, not an upgrade. I'll get a full version. It is always better IMO.

Thanks for the info. A second HDD is now on the cards as well. K'ching!

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I did this for a bud's pc last week, he also had his drive partitioned, I just formated the c partition and loaded w7 on it, then reinstalled his games from the other partitions ( saved and transfered his saved game files of course ) and worked fine. Just make sure there is enough room on the c partition for w7, it takes a bit with the sp's.

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multiple partitions are actually a good thing, i applaud you for already using them.

its always nice to know you can format your OS partition, and lose little if ANY data without having to back up

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the upgrade version is actually the full version at a lower price you just have to have a drive set up with win xp, vista or 7 connected in the machine to get the upgrade version key to work.

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I have got more RAM. My first expense to move towards Windows7.

As I have one HDD with three partitions, I presume I can format C drive and install Win7. Is this correct?

I worry that the games partition may not like the Win7 as all the games have been installed on XP.

I may be a worry-wort but I'd like a bit of input from folks who have already done the job please. :cheers:

Your other partitions will be intact but you won't be able to run your games in 7 with the installs from XP - so you will have to re-install all of your programs and games.

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remember if you buy the upgrade version of windows 7 you have to have a HDD with a copy of windows vista, XP , or 7 in the system for the Key to work. I keep a drive here set up with Windows XP just for the purpose of pluggin gin and doing a fresh install of Windows 7.

Allow me to barge on in here to throw in a little bit of information not totally relevant to the original post: you can't upgrade to 7 from XP. That or Microsoft just really doesn't like me.

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To get past the "upgrade" restrictions all you have to do is install Windows once without a key - let it finish the whole process - then start a new install over the top of it with your valid key. This will bypass the stupid "you must have Windows on your HDD" restriction.

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