Windows 7: System Partition Error

Hello Folks,

I am in need of urgent help here.... I had Windows Vista and Windows 7 - Dual boot - on my HP laptop.
I removed Vista from the boot options using msconfig and then removed it from boot loader using EASYBCD. I then formatted the windows vista partition and restarted the system.

When i did that i got a boot error.

So i tried reloading Windows 7, however when i try that i get the following error: "Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the Setup logfiles for more information."



The options that i get on the screen, while installing windows 7, are:
Name Total Size Free Space Type
Disk 0 Partition 1: unallocated 7MB 4MB Primary
Disk 0 Partition 2 58GB 58GB Logical
Disk 0 Partition 3 57.4GB 57.4GB Logical

Similarly, there are 3 more logical partitions.


Any help would be appreciated...

Regards..

Run a startup repair with your Windows 7 disc, up to three times. Boot from the dvd just like you were doing an install and you will come to a window with the option to repair your computer.

You haven't got a large enough primary partition to act as system.

You will need to create one.

Use a 3rd party partition manager boot disc - there is a free one here.

Partition Wizard Bootable CD allows user to boot computer directly to manage partition.

You will need to convert one of the logical drives to primary.

Tried that mate, but it doesnt work.
infact i even tried to forcefully write the mbr by running bootsect.exe from the command prompt, but was getting an access is denied error.

inorder to expand my primary partition size, will i be able to merge the partitions using this app from the boot prompt?

You deleted the System boot files which were obviously on Vista. Startup Repair will write them to the Windows 7 partition when it is marked Active then run up to 3 separate times with reboots in between.

However you can't mark a Logical partition Active which is why SIW2 advised you to first convert one to Primary.

I suggest you boot in PW CD, rightclick on Windows 7 partition, select Modify>Convert to Primary, click OK.

Then rightclick again to Modify>Set to Active, again OK.

Then click on Disk # to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR, Apply all steps. Reboot to see if it starts.

Rebuild MBR may preclude the need to boot the DVD or Repair CD to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times.

Be aware that PW cannot convert to Primary if there are already more than 3 Primary in addition to the Logical partitions. You'll have to delete one or covert it to Logical.

Hi Gregrocker,

pardon my ignorance, but what is PW CD?

Partition Wizard

SIW2 had linked you to it in his post.

It's important to read everything through carefully then ask back any other questions.

Hi Folks,

I downloaded and created the Minitool Bootable CD .. i inserted the CD in my DVD drive, however when i boot using the CD the laptop shows:
Loading /boot/bzimage.............................
Loading /boot/tinycore.gz....................................

tinycore.gz just goes on and on and on...... not sure why is it getting stuck.

Any suggestions ?

Burn another ISO to CD using ImgBurn at 4x speed.

It takes awhile for the Linux disk to load.