XP 32 to Vista 64: Migrate of user files?

Hi Andrew,

> Questions:
>
> 1) Is it correct that a "clean install" does not require reformatting or
> repartitioning of the hard disk?

True, you do not have to format or repartition, though I would not recommend
doing this without backing up any files that you do not wish to lose. Things
sometimes do not go as planned.

> 2) And therefore the installation should not erase any (user) files? (Yes
> I know about all the "health" warnings you have to make, but basically are
> the files erased or not?)

Refer back to #1.

> 3) If the user files are in the "old" XP My Documents folder then will it
> still be possible to open that folder under Vista and move the files to
> the "new" Vista My Documents folder? i.e. is the "old" My Documents
> protected under the "old" Windows login? Or should I move the documents to
> a "neutral" folder on C: before starting the installation?

They will be moved to Windows.old, and you may need to take ownership of it
before being allowed to access it. Again, I would not rely on this method to
preserve files, there is no excuse for not doing a proper backup to
removable media. Things sometimes go wrong in a setup, and there may be no
way out beyond formatting.

By the way, "My Documents" is now simply "Documents", as are many of the
"My" folders. You will see them in Vista as shortcuts, these are pointers to
the new user document folders.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Andrew Fiddian-Green" <nn@dd> wrote in message
news:ONeiuCRdHHA.4872@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>I plan to install Vista Ultimate 64 on a PC which currently has XP Pro 32
>on it; and apparently I need to do "clean install".
>
>
> AndrewFG
>
>
>
>