Dont have the time to reinstall all the apps and set them up the way I want to.. Outlook and 50+ applications and configurations.. So.. can you help me with the question I posted ??Please?
Like Sebus said ... Clean install - If you have compressed the NTFS FS and upgrade all the way to 8.1 and you find at the end that VHD dose not like compressed file's you will have wasted a whole day for nothing. you would be best to uncompress ntfs fs and update to 8.1 and then create VHD . but for the time it take's you to install win 8.1 as a vhd right off the bat .... seem's stupid to me. you could have win 8.1 vhd installed in what 20-30 min and then spend all day putting your app's and setting's on you will have more fun this way than the other Hope that helps see you around in MDL
NTFS compression is reversible so you can test it by yourself and uncompress files if it has issues. I've compressed my Installer folder (and others) on my Win 8.1 without any issue. Sometimes MSI files are duplicated into "Installer" folder. With the help of a little search, you can find duplicated MSI files and replace its with Hard Links (one real file but it exists into several folders). This is also a tip to gain some MB and can be combined with compression.
I just did a trial run of Win 7 > 8 > 8.1 on another HDD. Worked fairly well. Will optimize it for my actual SSD Install. The last time I had to move from Win XP to Win 7 it took me more than a week... Because I wanted things a certain way, exactly how I want them Lots of path changes and what not.. crazy amount of time it took. Still stuff pending on that damn XP hard drive partition. Hopefully this will get easier with the advent of Win 10. Trust me, it was not my idea of FUN. No way Ha ha! I even created a Guide for myself (on Google Docs) to refer to in the future.. I may do so for Win 7 / 8 / 10.. Maybe once its clean.. put it up online I havent compressed anything yet. I was considering compression of some 'rarely' used folders. So, I asked if anyone had any 'experiences' with them. If I do try that thing out I will share and post back. But, thanks again for the caution and inputs.. haha! I cant stand fresh re-installing ... But, I think once I am on Win 10, I will consider doing a Fresh Win 10 install and doing a Win 10 (upgraded) to Win 10 (fresh) migration / mirror. I like this guy haha! Thanks Soulfate.. I like this idea. I am curious about "your approach" to "search" for duplicated MSIs? What paths and what tools would you use?