Help with updating to Windows 7

[ArcticChicken]

So, through school I have access to a bunch of free software, including Windows 7, and I want to switch from Vista to 7.

The problem is, the version of Windows 7 I have access to is Professional, the version of Vista I have is Home Premium, so I can't just do an upgrade, I need to do a clean install.

My question is this: If I copy my Dragon Age: Origins save games onto my external drive, will I be able to copy them back to my computer and play them when I reinstall the game? 'Cause I really don't want to have to play through Ostragar again.

[SteeleDragon78]

My question is this: If I copy my Dragon Age: Origins save games onto my external drive, will I be able to copy them back to my computer and play them when I reinstall the game? 'Cause I really don't want to have to play through Ostragar again.

answer: yes
you just have to remember where they were saved when you reinstall DA

[ArcticChicken]

Cool, that's what I thought, but I wanted to make sure before I switched.

[lordlundar]

Yup, common practice actually. (though if you have any mods installed, that might cause some issues)

Best rule of thumb is do the clean install, then install the game, and run the game and make a save first chance you get to build a save pathway (games tend to only create folders as they need them). Then shut down the game and find the save folder (just in case it's different) then copy the save you have in there and you're done. I have yet to find a game that doesn't do that.

[It's me]

The problem is, the version of Windows 7 I have access to is Professional, the version of Vista I have is Home Premium, so I can't just do an upgrade, I need to do a clean install.

Actually, you don't need to do a clean install. It is possible to do a downgrade installation... it just takes a little bit of work. Basically you have to copy the contents of new install disc to the computer's hard and do a couple of edits with the registry editor:

Couple of sites with instructions:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/1...mium-editions/
http://www.unawave.de/installation/d...n.html?lang=EN

Or easier yet, use this tool:
http://www.intowindows.com/downgrade...-7-downgrader/

[roothorick]

Here's what we do at the Fun Shop:

1) Boot Windows 7 disc. Tell it custom. DO NOT TOUCH THE PARTITION TABLE; have it install in the biggest partition. It'll tell you it found an existing Windows install that it's moving to Windows.old. Let it.
2) After W7 is installed, go into Windows.old\Users\<your vista user name>, select everything, Cut, go to your new profile directory (C:\Users\<your w7 user name>), Paste.

You'll have to reinstall DA:O, but unless they did something stupid with save authentication, after you reinstall and run it, it'll find your preferences and saves and you'll be able to resume like nothing happened.