If I upgrade Vista to Windows7 without backup files,will I lose my files?

In general yes, you can upgrade to Windows 7 from Windows Vista, but when making significant changes to your computer such as an upgrade, it is always recommended you backup your system prior to installing a new version of Windows. In your case, you can upgrade to Windows 7 depending on edition and architecture of Windows Vista you have installed. If you are running a 32 bit version of Vista and want to upgrade to a 64 bit version (edition of Windows 7), you will have to a do clean install, this applies vice-versa.

If you are running consumer editions of Windows Vista such as Home Basic or Premium, you can only upgrade to either Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate. Also, you can do downgrades, which means, if you are running Windows Vista Ultimate now, you cannot downgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. You must do logical upgrades:

Windows Vista Home Basic > Windows 7 Home Basic, Premium or Ultimate
Windows Vista Home Premium > Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate
Windows Vista Business > Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate
Windows Vista Enterprise > Windows 7 Enterprise
Windows Vista Ultimate > Windows 7 Ultimate.

Resources:
http://www.notebooks.com/2009/10/07/using-windows-easy-transfer-in-windows-7/

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Andre Da Costa http://adacosta.spaces.live.com http://www.activewin.com

If you do an in place upgrade you will not lose any files. If you do a custom install you risk losing files on the Vista part (or partition).

Whatever is on the second part (or partition) will remain there and will not be touched. 

If you can you should back up your files just in case.




Custom Clean Install Steps

1. Run Windows Upgrade Advisor (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor ) to see if there are any known issues that might affect the installation and whether you should install the 32 or 64 bit version of Windows 7.

2. Save your files and settings on an external hard drive using Windows Easy Transfer (http://windows.microsoft.com/windows-easy-transfer ). If you don't have an external hard drive you won't be able to use Windows Easy Transfer. Alternatively, you can copy files you want to keep on a USB flash drive, CDs, or DVDs.

3. You'll need to manually reinstall your programs, such as Microsoft Office, after you install Windows 7. Gather the installation discs for your programs and any associated product/license keys. You might be able to download some programs from the Internet. For example, Windows Live Messenger can be installed from download.live.com/messenger.

4. Inset the Windows 7 DVD into your PC. When asked "Which type of installation do you want? click "Custom (advanced)."

5. After Windows 7 is installed, use Windows Easy Transfer to restore your files and settings.



What does "upgrade" mean?
Upgrade means you can install Windows 7 by simply inserting the Windows 7 upgrade software into your PC's DVD drive and follow the instructions on your screen. While you're not required to backup and reinstall your files, or reinstall your programs, it's a very good idea to back up your files and settings before you start any software upgrade. Get more information about software upgrades and best practices .




If you are running Windows XP you can buy an upgrade version of Windows 7 but you will need to perform a custom installation, which does not preserve your files, settings, or programs. For more information, see Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 . ( http://windows.microsoft.com/upgrade-windows-xp )

If you are running Windows Vista , in some cases you can upgrade directly to Windows 7 and in other cases you will need to perform a custom installation. The following table shows which editions of Windows Vista can be upgraded to Windows 7.

Windows Vista Home Basic	Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows Vista Home Premium	Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows Vista Business	Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows Vista Ultimate	Windows 7 Ultimate

  For more information, see Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 . (http://windows.microsoft.com/upgrade-windows-vista )
You can't upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit, a clean install is required. If you have questions about upgrading 32-bit to 64-bit or vice versa please see this FAQ: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/32-bit-and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions
If you have general questions about reinstalling Windows please see this site:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/Windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows

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Have Questions About Installing Windows 7? Read This:
FAQ - Common Windows 7 Installation Questions & Answers