Need help regarding Hard disc partition

Hi all,
Greetings everyone. I am new to this forum.

I am going to buy COMPAQ CQ42-403AX Notebook( AMD athlon duel core P360 2.3GHz, 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 500 GB HDD) and install Windows 7 this week. How will I make 4 partitions ( 100GB, 200GB, 100GB & 100GB) of the Hard disc? The HDD has free DOS preinstalled.

Have a look at those tutorials:
SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Clean Install Windows 7
Partition the Hard Drive in a Windows 7 Install

I'm not a fan of over-partitioning, so why not just make one for the system and one for the data? Simplify.

Hello romeo2277 -

I understand and appreciate your desire to partition the drive. However, on that laptop you need to be aware of:

• Default configuration
• Consequences of changing the default configuration
• Creating backup/restore disk before reconfiguration
• Installing Win7 RETAIL (not from HP - Compaq laptop restore disk)

First off, the laptop will already have four partitions, thus in the default config you can not make more. You will have something like this:

Disk0
Partition0: SYSTEM (NTFS)
Partition1: Unnamed, C: (NTFS)
Partition2: RECOVERY, D: (NTFS)
Partition3: HP_TOOLS (FAT32)


If you change the default configuration, you will haver to delete one or two partitions. You can NOT delete 0 or 1 as those are the HP/Compaq installed Win7 partitions. You can delete 2 and 3 but:

• Make backup/restore disks per the Compaq instructions. Those files and on the 2 (Recovery) partition. Deleting that partition mean you can NOT do a hotkey recovery during bootup - will will need the recovery disk!
• Partition 3, HP_Tools, has diagnostic applications in there to test your hard drive, memory, rescue a corrupted BIOS flash etc. (that is best left alone).

Restoring from the recovery disk you made (you did make them, right?) wipes the drive, resets the partitions to default and reloads the Compaq default installation (bloatware and all).

Best solution I found (for my Compaq CQ61) was:

• Copy all of HP_Tools to a flash drive
• Make recovery/restore disk per instructions
• Purchase a retail version of Win7

• Do a fresh install from the retail version, partition as you wish during install.

• Copy HP_Tools to a directory one one of your partions. Note that these tools will NOT be accessable from your hotkey during bootup unless you have a dedicated partition IDENTICAL to the default (Partition3: HP_TOOLS (103MB FAT32)).

Good luck, it can be done (no problem) as long as you know the consequences.

Regards,
GEWB

Any good partitioning app can accomplish your partitioning. I also agree with DeaconFrost that you can over partition. I have 3 on my laptop, First: Win 7 Ultimate 64 Bit, 2nd: Win 8 DP 64 Bit, third: Data partition.

I have 2 such apps, that both work very well, but have to be started from within Windows. When you get the PC, slip in the Win 7 DVD and install it. Once done use a 3rd party app to partition the disk. I use:

Partition Wizard (free edition) or

Easeus Home Edition

These apps work very well in partitioning, resize, etc. Give them a try.

GEWB said:

• Purchase a retail version of Win7

• Do a fresh install from the retail version, partition as you wish during install.

I agree the very best reinstall of an HP preinstall would be to make the Recovery Disks then delete all partitions and create new ones using a Win7 installer.

But why would OP purchase a retail copy of Win7 if he buys a computer which comes with a $100+ value copy of Win7 which he owns for the life of the machine, and can reinstall any way he pleases by simply borrowing or finding a retail installer?

It's all detailed here including how to extract favorite HP apps from Recovery Disks: Perfect Reinstall

gregrocker said:

I agree the very best reinstall of an HP preinstall would be to make the Recovery Disks then delete all partitions and create new ones using a Win7 installer.

But why would OP purchase a retail copy of Win7 if he buys a computer which comes with a $100+ value copy of Win7 which he owns for the life of the machine, and can reinstall any way he pleases by simply borrowing or finding a retail installer?

It's all detailed here including how to extract favorite HP apps from Recovery Disks: Perfect Reinstall

As I posted, this was the best solution for me/my laptop. At the time, your method (as linked) was not available for me to follow - I did the change days after Win7 was released so there wasn't much public info on line.

Thanks for posting that link - good advice!

Regards,
GEWB

gregrocker said:

GEWB said:

• Purchase a retail version of Win7

• Do a fresh install from the retail version, partition as you wish during install.

I agree the very best reinstall of an HP preinstall would be to make the Recovery Disks then delete all partitions and create new ones using a Win7 installer.

But why would OP purchase a retail copy of Win7 if he buys a computer which comes with a $100+ value copy of Win7 which he owns for the life of the machine, and can reinstall any way he pleases by simply borrowing or finding a retail installer?

It's all detailed here including how to extract favorite HP apps from Recovery Disks: Perfect Reinstall

WHAT?

The HDD has free DOS preinstalled.

How do you install Windows 7 with a FREE DOS LICENCE?

use easeus partion master.....
u can do it easily as u wish............