Win 7 64 bit compatibility

My current PC runs Windows XP Pro 32 bit, and archived data is stored on external mass storage USB devices. This data consists of personal info, application upgrade files, and graphic files.
I am considering a new PC build which will run windows 7 Pro 64 bit and I would be grateful for any comments on whether or not the data currently stored on my external USB devices can be accessed and imported into and used on the new PC.
If this is not possible does this mean that this archived data is no longer of any use to me?

Windows 7 mat have changed a bit but you can still access your data as you do with XP.

I assume when you say archive, you are referring to the location where you store your files.

Hi Clifford,
Yes to your question.
So, if I understand your reply correctly, the new PC (with Win 7 Pro 64 bit OS), will be able to access the data I've archived on my existing USB mass storage device e.g Seagate ST32508244 over the past several years. Many application updates saved this way will predate Win 7 so I suppose there is a possibility they could be incompatible with Win 7 64 bit.
However, my main concern is to have working access to MS Office files, and photographic images. It looks as though I do not have a problem.
Thank you for your quick reply.
Please feel free to add any furthe comments/ideas you may have on this subject.
leonard

Windows 7 still uses the same file system (NTFS) as XP. In theory there should not be any problems but I can't guarantee that will be the case. There has been a few instances where the drive needed to be formated by Windows 7 (I had one instance myself) before it could be used by both XP and 7. With that said the only way to know for sure would be to connect the drive to a Windows 7 machine.

I think I would have preferred a definite NO to my question rather than a MAYBE.
This scenario does raise some interesting points.
1. Does it make any difference if, in fact, the XP drive is connected to an external USB port (as it would be in my case) rather than directly to the hard drive controller inside the PC alongside say, the boot disc?
2. If this same archived data is burnt to a DVD would WIN 7 64 bit refuse to recognize it.
It seems to me that this issue should have been brought out into the open and debated by MS during the OS introductory stages. I've searched in vain for an answer on their website.
I wonder how many Win 7 PC owners have been totally frustrated to find that their 'precious' files cannot now be accessed by their new shiny machine.
I'm now left wondering 'is there a way round this problem'?
Any ideas?

1) My case was SATA interface that Windows 7 would not recognize. I used Windows XP to copy the data off the drive and then used Windows 7 to format and copy the data back. Please note I said both OS's would read the data. The problem I had was within the partition, for some reason Windows 7 didn't recognize the partition type until after it was formated again using Windows 7.

Note: I was dual booting both Windows XP and Windows 7 at the time, so it was fairly simple for me to do the process.

2) The use of DVD's are not a concern as far as the question that was asked.

I recently went form an XP machine to a Win 7 and just plugged in my external WD drive. No problem whatsoever.
Al my backup data is accessable. And I use it for automatic weekly system image backups.

You really shouldn't have any issues at all. Some users do, as Cliff mentioned his problem. If the drive is formatted in the NTFS format then you should not have any issues at all.

Also, since Cliff was in a dual-boot setup, that was probably causing the problem he described.

Sounds good to me.

I honestly don't know what the cause was.

Given the new information provided by Cliff and the rather special circumstances described in his case, I am inclined to think now that in my simple/straightforward setup everything should be OK.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cliff for his input.

I think we can now close this case.
Leonard