Formatting WIN 7 and Installing Windows 8.1

[tal1997]

Hello,
I have a Windows 7 32 bit computer with one 1TB Hard Drive. I have two partitions- C, where the OS and programs are installed, and D, where everything else goes.
If I format and install Windows 8.1, will the whole hard drive be wiped, or just the C partition?
What I mean is I want to know if I should backup all my thing to an external drive (which currently I don't have), or is it okay to leave everything on disk D and not worry that it will be deleted.

Thanks in advance!

 

[tal1997]

Can someone please help?
(I looked in the rules and didn't find a rule for not double posting, I'm sorry if it is not allowed.)

 

[dodger46]

Can someone please help?
(I looked in the rules and didn't find a rule for not double posting, I'm sorry if it is not allowed.)

By all means use D as storage. Make a note of the partition sizes. When you run the 8.1 install, at the 'Where do you want to install Windows' screen, choose 'Drive Options (Advanced)' and delete the old Windows 'C' partition and the System Reserved (100Mb) (Ensure you get the right ones by size as Drive letters won't be seen).
This will create Unallocated Space, which Windows 8 likes to be installed to. Thus install to the Unallocated Space without formatting or creating any new partitions, Setup will do that for you.