Virtualizing Windows 7 and Performing a Clean Install of Windows 10

[Ballistic Gelatin]

If I virtualize my existing Windows 7 Pro installation and perform a clean install of Windows 10 Pro on a separate partition, will I need to reinstall all of my programs? And would I need to install VMware or other virtualization software? (I know that performing an in-place upgrade will port all of my existing programs and data over to Windows 10 from Windows 7.)

 

I initially thought about configuring my Lenovo laptop (x230t) as a dual-boot system. But I worry about having problems if the main boot drive becomes corrupted or fails.

 

I have downloaded the Windows 10 ISO and I have plenty of space on my hard drive to install Windows 10 on a separate partition, for which I will allocate a minimum of 40 GB. I have an Intel i7 Sandy Bridge quad-core CPU and 8 GB of RAM, so a virtualized system should perform well.

 

Thoughts or advice, anyone?

[TheMountain]

A friend of mine advised me to partition the 1TB HDD in my old HP Envy notebook. Similar specs as your Leveno laptop. 

 

C & D partitions were specifically for OS installs. Installed Win 10 without issues. Unfortunately the current drivers weren't Win 10 compatible. Also the Micro Win 10 spying on me left me weary of their newest OS. I uninstalled Win 10 & wiped D partition. 

 

I just create a VMware Win 10 virtual drive for software testing purposes. Win 8.1 is my physical machine's preferred OS. 

[Ballistic Gelatin]

That doesn't answer my questions. Thanks, anyway.

[TheMountain]

YAW. 

 

You're looking too far ahead. 

 

PC OEM hardware limitations makes what you're asking for difficult, if not impossible to achieve. 

 

PC OEM manufacturers install new operating systems on old machines that can't handle the extra stress. 

 

The hardware requirements between Win 7 & 10 are vastly different. 

 

To sum it up, don't put the horse before the cart. 

[visualbuffs]

12 hours ago, Ballistic Gelatin said:

If I virtualize my existing Windows 7 Pro installation and perform a clean install of Windows 10 Pro on a separate partition, will I need to reinstall all of my programs? And would I need to install VMware or other virtualization software? (I know that performing an in-place upgrade will port all of my existing programs and data over to Windows 10 from Windows 7.)

 

I initially thought about configuring my Lenovo laptop (x230t) as a dual-boot system. But I worry about having problems if the main boot drive becomes corrupted or fails.

 

I have downloaded the Windows 10 ISO and I have plenty of space on my hard drive to install Windows 10 on a separate partition, for which I will allocate a minimum of 40 GB. I have an Intel i7 Sandy Bridge quad-core CPU and 8 GB of RAM, so a virtualized system should perform well.

 

Thoughts or advice, anyone?

 

 

 

the best way to install those two os in one hard drive is to partition your hard drive

you can use paragon hard disk manager to split your hard drive into 2 to 4 partition (mbr Limitation)

just create new partition and install win 10 on that newly created partition

win10 will autodetect your win7

your mbr will never get corrupted just do shutting down your pc properly and avoid power block out

 

no need to use vmware or other similar program

 

 

 

 

[Ballistic Gelatin]

43 minutes ago, visualbuffs said:

 

 

 

the best way to install those two os in one hard drive is to partition your hard drive

you can use paragon hard disk manager to split your hard drive into 2 to 4 partition (mbr Limitation)

just create new partition and install win 10 on that newly created partition

win10 will autodetect your win7

your mbr will never get corrupted just do shutting down your pc properly and avoid power block out

 

no need to use vmware or other similar program

 

 

 

 

 

visualbuffs, that's what I was planning to do (create a separate partition for Win 10). The reason I want to virtualize Win 7 is because I don't trust Microsoft's claims that I will be able to easily roll back to Win 7 if I so desire.

 

These are my current partitions:

C: Win 7 Pro

D: Data

E: Programs

F: Multimedia
 

What I'm concerned about is whether clean installing Win 10 on a separate partition will still allow all of my Programs on Drive E to work properly without reinstalling them. If just do the customary upgrade over Win 7, I know the Programs will work (or should).
 

Would creating a separate partition for and virtualizing Win 10 and be a better way of achieving my goal, leaving Win 7 'as is' ?

[visualbuffs]

49 minutes ago, Ballistic Gelatin said:

 

visualbuffs, that's what I was planning to do (create a separate partition for Win 10). The reason I want to virtualize Win 7 is because I don't trust Microsoft's claims that I will be able to easily roll back to Win 7 if I so desire.

 

These are my current partitions:

C: Win 7 Pro

D: Data

E: Programs

F: Multimedia
 

What I'm concerned about is whether clean installing Win 10 on a separate partition will still allow all of my Programs on Drive E to work properly without reinstalling them. If just do the customary upgrade over Win 7, I know the Programs will work (or should).
 

Would creating a separate partition for and virtualizing Win 10 and be a better way of achieving my goal, leaving Win 7 'as is' ?

 

 

 

the best you can do is to backup the drive c: whole partition and paragon software will also backup the MBR

you can store it to external usb or hdd

 

then clean install or use the upgrade method inside windows using windows installer from the iso

 

in case of disaster after installing win 10 and you dislike it you can restore drive c: ( where win7 and your programs installed)

 

other partition will be safe as you only delete drive c:

 

 

 

 

do not install win10 or win7 on virtual hard drive (vhd) as it will reduce the hard drive performance

especially if u always using it

 

vhd is used only for testing purposes only

 

 

well im using win10 now and all my previous win7 program worked. including sandboxie

 

this will help

 

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dn858566.aspx

 

creating vhd and install another os on there

 

performance is degraded 

 

 

[debebee]

Once you virtualize your slave OS, it will not see what apps are on the host OS...

You are left with a bare OS with no Apps on the VM.

[Ballistic Gelatin]

It sounds like virtualization is really not the answer for everyday use.

 

After performing a full image and data backup of my HDD, I'll just go ahead and upgrade over Win 7, then create a another backup of the Win 10 environment immediately after the upgrade. I'll wait until around July 22-23 to do this, then wait for the Windows 10 Anniversary release on Aug. 2. Then I'll have until mid-August or so to decide if Win 10 will remain on my laptop or roll back to Win 7.

 

Appreciate everyone's responses!

[Ballistic Gelatin]

One last question:

 

If I subsequently elect to delay installation of Windows 10 past the July 29 deadline and use the "Create GenuineTicket.xml" to activate Windows 10 later, will I still have 30 days to roll back to Windows 7? Or does the 30-day rollback option expire on July 29?

[visualbuffs]

On 7/6/2016 at 3:21 AM, Ballistic Gelatin said:

One last question:

 

If I subsequently elect to delay installation of Windows 10 past the July 29 deadline and use the "Create GenuineTicket.xml" to activate Windows 10 later, will I still have 30 days to roll back to Windows 7? Or does the 30-day rollback option expire on July 29?

 

 

buddy just install win10 and disable any microsoft spyware using O&O shut up

you're good to go