Windows 7 Install

I want to do a windows 7 clean install and wondering if a backup is even needed. I noticed in a vm that windows 7 creates a windows.old folder and it seems to include everything from the users/documents and settings folder and the whole windows folders. This seems like everything is automatically saved except programs. Will this happen on every installation? Even the files in the local disk directory are moved automatically

 

Well, in standard usage, a clean install is basically equivalent to a bare metal install and you start the process with a format of the target partition. In that scenario you blow everything away by design, so yes, if you want any of that information down the road, backing it up (elsewhere) is a good idea. Or am I missing the point here?

Blue

 

When you say 'backup' I assume an image of the entire system partition, not just the system files.
As for the Windows.old folder, iirc this folder appears when you do an upgrade install, your old OS gets stored there.
I presonally have no experience with 7, but I wouldn't go as far to assume that a folder with "old" extension is a backup of my current system...

 

Coolio10,

My test computer wouldn't boot from the Win7 DVD so I initiated the install from WinXP. When it was finished, Win7 contained a Windows.old folder which I recall contained all of the WinXP files and folders. Non functional of course.

 

clean or upgrade? i did clean from xp and it had windows.old

 

It was one of the betas. I inserted the DVD in WinXP and followed instructions.