One easy question..

Does installing windows vista delete all my files? I am being told to back up
- but is that a CAUTION?

ie. if it's a caution I only have important stuff to back up...if not I have
hours of unpleasant total backing up to do.

Would be appreciative of an answer..
Thanks.

It doesn't, no, so it is a caution only. It doesn't even delete your old
Windows, but instead renames the directory (and any other directory name it
needs to use).

"irish-grouse" <irish-grouse@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:97FEF219-868F-4483-B9DF-377E2C3AFDE7@microsoft.com...
> Does installing windows vista delete all my files? I am being told to back
> up
> - but is that a CAUTION?
>
> ie. if it's a caution I only have important stuff to back up...if not I
> have
> hours of unpleasant total backing up to do.
>
> Would be appreciative of an answer..
> Thanks.

irish-grouse wrote:
> Does installing windows vista delete all my files?

Not if the install goes properly, no.

> I am being told to back up - but is that a CAUTION?

Anyone who tells you to ignore that caution hasn't been reading this
forum very long. ALWAYS back up anything/everything on your hard disk
*before* installing a new operating system! You will be the only person
to suffer if you neglect this basic principle. No one here will be able
to restore your lost files!

It is a caution that you would never want to ignore it.

Seriously, backup everything. The unpleasant work will pay back (as your
insurance) when something unexpected happens.


"irish-grouse" <irish-grouse@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:97FEF219-868F-4483-B9DF-377E2C3AFDE7@microsoft.com...
> Does installing windows vista delete all my files? I am being told to back
> up
> - but is that a CAUTION?
>
> ie. if it's a caution I only have important stuff to back up...if not I
> have
> hours of unpleasant total backing up to do.
>
> Would be appreciative of an answer..
> Thanks.

Better still install it on another hard drive.... so anything untoward's
you can alway's swap back to a usable os.

davy

irish-grouse wrote:
> Does installing windows vista delete all my files?


That depends entirely upon the specific OS already installed on the
computer, the specific edition of Vista you're installing, and whether
or not *you* choose to perform an upgrade (assuming the option is
available) or a clean installation, which, by definition entails
formatting the hard drive.

Vista is designed to install and upgrade (when the combination of OS
editions allow) the existing operating system while simultaneously
preserving your applications and data, and translating as many
personalized settings as possible. The process is designed to be, and
normally is, quite painless.


> I am being told to back up
> - but is that a CAUTION?
>


When contemplating any major system change, such as an upgrade, back
up your data. Things can go wrong, in a small number of cases. If your
data is at all important to you, back it up before proceeding.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
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They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

Totally agree.

For myself, I always buy a brand new HDD as part of cost of the new OS.

"davy" <davy.2q9exs@no.email.invalid> wrote in message
news:davy.2q9exs@no.email.invalid...
>
> Better still install it on another hard drive.... so anything untoward's
> you can alway's swap back to a usable os.
>
> davy
>
>