Windows 7 upgrade or clean install

[Stargazer77517]

Thinking of making the move, Any tips for the ones that have been down this path. Thinking of a clean install since I just built the computer and really dont have a bunch of software installed. Not too keen on the hassles of the upgrade path. Mainly CS4 with several plugins, Photomatrix and such. Also Canon untilities (DPP, ect) No office yet. I do have several ext drives setup, but I guess those are just a driver update issue, along with camera drivers to be updated.
So any words of wisdom?

[MHampton]

I prefer a clean install whenever I can get away with it. Sounds like you don't have too much to install. It also helps me weed out programs that I installed long ago but never use anymore.

[revjvegas]

I always say clean install over upgrade whenever feasible.

[Rson]

Clean.

[Stargazer77517]

Thanks Guys

[Sonny]

Clean, clean, and clean.

[divenut1]

+1 on a clean install. Depending on what you have and what variant of 7 you are going to you may not have an option and clean is the only way.

[stephenpinn]

Clean if you can, just dont forget to deactivate registration for software that will allow it so that you can re-register without having to contact the vendor

[MT Stringer]

Fred, I did a clean install on my main PC. I found an OEM System Builder Pack at Fry's for $79 Win 7 Pro 64 Bit. I installed it on a SSD and kept the original drive which has now become drive F. I go back to it all the time to get stuff.

The SSD is a 96 GB and so far I have 37 gb on it including Lightrooom 3, PSE 8.0, MS Office 2003, and several other programs.

I also upgraded the memory to 8gb. All seems faster and is running well.
Hope this helps.

Edit: What Stephen said. I forgot to deactivate PSE 8 and wound up in Adobe's chat room. The tech took care of it for me and waited until I verified PSE 8 was registered and running. Took a little while but all went smoothly.

[Stargazer77517]

Thanks again all, but I may have found a hiccup with win 7 64 bit and CS4. Adobes site for CS4 under system req doesnt list wndow 7 as a compatable software. Been searching the net and have found a bunch of other folks having problems with that combination. specficially 64 bit. and I havnet found an acceptable fix yet. Didnt really want to go CS5 just to get this to work hmmmmmm.

[Stargazer77517]

Originally Posted by divenut1

+1 on a clean install. Depending on what you have and what variant of 7 you are going to you may not have an option and clean is the only way.

Yep, every thing is pointing that way, there is a upgrade procedure but its long and very involved. Im just not that much of a power user to go that way.
But , it all may be all for nothing if CS4 wont work with win 7 64 bit. It dont seen as much as an performance enhancement if I have to stay with win 7 32 bit.

[Rson]

cs4 works fine on 64 bit, I have used it a lot.
CS3 works better though.

What issues are you having?

[Stargazer77517]

Originally Posted by Rson

cs4 works fine on 64 bit, I have used it a lot.
CS3 works better though.

What issues are you having?

My system dosent seem as quick as it should be. Every once in a while I get the not responding message and seems to take longer then usual to open a program (cs4, photomatrix and copy files).
I run system mech and it shows no problems, or very minimal when it does.

Just researching. So you have no problems with the two? Thats good to know, i had read that some problems were , folks are unable to open RAW files. Getting error messages about codec problems, freezes, and other hiccups.
Well shoot if you have it working then I guess I should go ahead and order the additional 4 gig memory and software from newegg and get this party started.

[Stargazer77517]

Originally Posted by MT Stringer

Edit: What Stephen said. I forgot to deactivate PSE 8 and wound up in Adobe's chat room. The tech took care of it for me and waited until I verified PSE 8 was registered and running. Took a little while but all went smoothly.

Boy glad Stephen brought this up. I would have totally forgot to do that. thanks stephen

[scottbuckel]

You also will want to make sure you have the latest and greatest greatest drivers, in particular for your video card. I was having a couple of issues, loaded the new NVIDIA driver and the issues went away.

Scott