windows.old files

I have just installed Windows 7 over Vista expecting all my programs etc to be there , which there not . I do have windows.old files somehow installed on a separate partition . Can I get my old programs back somehow . I don't want to have to download everyting again . Thanks if you can help

Hi Barry,
Sounds to me like you will have to re-install your programs. Did you do an in-place upgrade when you installed Win7, or did you do a complete install? Windows usually puts your files in a Windows.Old Folder after a reinstall as opposed to upgrade. If your programs aren't in the Program Files folder of your root directory, chances are you'll need to reinstall them, as you won't be able to migrate them from your old folder. Sorry about that

I did an in-place upgrade . According to this I should have been OK http://lifehacker.com/5152335/windows-7-up...and-vista-users

I do have windows.old files somehow installed on a separate partition .

Can you access or explore that folder?

what about your User folder? did it migrate to your Windows 7 installation, or is everything under the Windows.old, like your pictures, account settings, etc?

Yes

yes, your user files are where they should be in Windows 7, or yes they are in the Windows.Old part?

They're in windows.old

darn! it does look like the in-place upgrade didn't go according to plan, and you got an install of Win7 that preserved your files, but didn't migrate them. It definitely is possible to do an upgrade that saves your installed programs/settings and makes them usable in Win7, but in your case it didn't work.

I'm going to stick with what I said before that you'll have to reinstall your programs. I've never found a way to migrate or transfer installed programs from another volume or directory, but maybe someone knows more than I do about this. Good luck!

No, once you do a clean install, you must reinstall the programs you want. The Windows.old folder contains everything that was there before the clean install, but you can't use any of the programs. You can still retrieve data, but the programs will not run.

I hope that clears things up for you.

Thanks , I've started downloading & instaling everything . The one thing I didn't back up though was my Firefox bookmarks file if you know what I mean . Any way to recscue that?

rescue

I've just been checking My Computer and My D (recovery) drive became my E drive. C &D drive letters swapped,
Windows 7 on C , D has .old files , laptop sytem files . What happened? This was supposed to be simple

I'm not sure what happened with the partitions. But yes, you can retrieve your Firefox bookmarks and your entire profile, if you wish. They would be here:

%Users%\Name\Appdata\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\xxxxxxxx.default (where xxxxxxxx is just random letters and numbers). You can take this entire profile (xxxxxxxx.default) with you and move it into your current Appdata folder (same address, but on different drive). Or you can just dig out your last bookmark backup, move it into the respective folder in your current installation, then restore it inside Firefox.

For the partitions, do this:

Type the following in at the Start Menu and press enter:

diskmgmt.msc

Maximize this Disk Management Window, take a screenshot, and post it here in your next reply.

I tried changing Firefox profiles but didn't work .

This is the discs

& this is D:

where SwSetup is my laptop files.

It's all a mess , I think the best bet is to repartition the drive so C & D are one partition, reinstall Vista from the laptop recovery disc on it. Then reinstall 7 over it. I know I'll have to reinstall all my programs but that's just time

Does this seem reasonable?