Upgrade vs. Clean Install

[Beerman]

I have my OS on 1 partition and all my programs and data on another. Since I use the PC mostly for Media Center recording and playback, there's really nothing I need and can start fresh but was curious.....if I do the upgrade, will this cause a problem with my data and programs on a different partition (same hard drive)?

And, should I backup Media Center? Maybe with mcbackup? I'm assuming it will work ok in W8 but have no idea.

[newfiend]

The other partition should be fine.. Just make sure you point the install to the location of your current Windows 7 installation (Most likely c:). If you point the install to the partition your backup data is on it will wipe it out..

And YES backup prior to install. That way you can restore if necessary. Make a system Image of the C: & or D: backup partition Drive prior to your installing Windows 8. This I think is good advice for anyone thinking of upgrading. If something goes wrong you have a way to restore.

Keep in mind that any previous recordings (copy protected) you made in WMC 7 will not play if you do a fresh install (wipe the c: drive) prior to installation. Upgrading should allow you to continue to view those recordings.
newfiend~

[milli260876]

MCEbackup didn't work for me... Recorded tv works but I'm in the UK and there's no DRM.

[dirtyvu]

what recordings are copy protected?

I did a clean install of windows 8 and all my old wtv files work fine.

[richard1980]

If you don't have a CableCARD tuner, you don't have to worry about copy protection. But if you do have a CableCARD tuner, the level of copy protection varies from program to program. You'll know if something is protected when you pull up the synopsis and see the words "Copy protected" at the bottom. If you have a CableCARD tuner and don't have any copy protected content, consider yourself lucky.

[choliscott]

It probably would mainly be shows recorded from the pay channels (HBO, Showtime, etc)

what recordings are copy protected?

I did a clean install of windows 8 and all my old wtv files work fine.

[adam1991]

For the record, just last night MC popped up a notice that it wouldn't record my regularly scheduled America's Funniest Videos rerun (!!) because of copy restrictions.

Something went whacky and this thing came down as "copy never". It was a one-time thing.

You never know what the cableco and/or broadcaster will do in this digital age.

[Beerman]

I assume that if you have the W8 upgrade disc, you can't install it on a new, custom built machine without a W7 key to prove it's an upgrade? For W7, you could do an install and not activate it then reinstall it fresh using an upgrade disc.

[Yoshiofthewire]

I did an upgrade and it went very wrong.
Once I installed MC the settings cruft from 7 made proper setup impossible.
So I had to F and R the box.

[kc10boom]

Peeps, use the Windows image utility. It will save you a ton of time if you have to go back to Windows 7 from 8.