Help PC Configuration/Setup Question

[old.user4556]

Hi all,

Currently I'm running a pretty decent setup, but I could really use a fair whack more RAM as I intend to get a new monitor and I am likely to be working with several large files in photoshop which already gobbles close to a gigabyte of RAM on a normal day.

I'm running Vista 32 bit with 2 GB of RAM, and I probably need at least double that again, which also means 64 bit. Given that Windows 7 is around the corner and I could get that pre ordered for a decent price, I was planning on getting my memory increase plus Windows 7.

Now, I have a Samsung Spinpoint F1 500 GB which has all my apps and all my music/porn/photographs etc on it. Given how cheap hard disks are, I am planning to buy a new and bigger Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB (the 500 GB been fast, reliable and quiet) to build my Windows 7 / 64 bit OS. My questions are:

- what's the simplest method for migrating all my data and apps over to a new hard disk?
- should I buy a 500 GB disk instead and build an OS only drive, with all my apps / porn / music / photography on my existing disk - and is there a way to migrate the apps from one Windows build to another?
- suggestions?

 

[inactionman]

You can use the (free) Windows 7 RTM, for now, it will last until March or so, although you can always wait for the retail release. Whatever you upgrade to you'll need to do a fresh install, which will include any apps.

I'd recommend buying a Tb drive, instead of a 500Gb drive, as they are so cheap, and you can flog off the old drive, or get a USB case for it and use it as an external/backup drive!

The easiest way to copy data across would be to simply connect the two drives internally, install the OS to the new drive, and copy the data across within windows.

If you are looking at 8Gb of ram, you'll need to check that your motherboard supports it.

 

[Scouse]

Yep, bad news on the apps. Before you do it I'd recommend getting copies of all your apps and saving them somewhere on your existing drive. When you install the new OS on the new drive then all you'll need to do is next>next>next for a few hours :\

As for RAM, I'd definately recommend 8Gb. I've got 4 in my new rig and I'm already running short with a single VM running on workstation. (Well, when I'm runnning L4D at the same time I am). It's very cheap at the mo too.