Windows 7: How do i install windows on a hard disk ? (readmoresoyoucanunderstand)

I bought a new laptop two weeks ago, the os it is running now is windows 7. . There is only one hard disk insideit in 300 gb but in my computer file it is two seperate hard disk.



You can see that there are two hard disk one in 99.9 gb, and another is 198 gb. But the windows was installed in 99.9 gb but still i can access the files in 198 gb.

Now if i install windows 8 can i do the same thing ???

Also can anyone mention if i can split the hard drive into two, 150gb and 150 gb, and install win 7 on the first one and win 8 in the second one, But still i want to access the files in win 8 hard disk when i am using win 8 .....



Help me guys...

Hello KKS21199 Welcome to the SevenForums!

The 14.2gb drive seen there shouldn't even be seen as Local C but the hidden factory recovery partition to begin with. That contains all of the main prepackaged "bloat wares" as often they are referred to as well as the device drivers and utilities the manufacturer tosses into the mix of programs and options.

The D 197gb should be C not D for the main OS volume Windows is preinstalled on and the other 57.9mb volume is the System Reserved boot volume containing the BCD Store(Boot Configuration Data Store) and boot loader file.remaining items are for removable media. That looks to be about a 230gb drive you have there. When totalling up 197gb adding 14.9gb along with 57.9mb it comes upto far less then 300gb. 211.20579gb approximate

You have a typical modern setup with the OS on C and a data storage partition on D. This is all on one HD but divided into two partitions. There may even be other hidden partitions.

If you'd rather use D for your Win8 Dual Boot then follow these steps for Dual Boot Installation - Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista - Windows 8 Forums.

It would probably be best for us to see a Disk Mgmt screenshot to see if there are any possible problems we can't see in explorer. So type Disk Management in start search box, open it, maximize window, use the snipping Tool to draw a Rectangular box around the full drive map and listings, save file, attach back using Paper clip in reply box

Do not use the horrible white on black theme for the screenshot as it is trifling with critical information we must see unobstructed.

One question I could ask here would be the model number of the laptop. A look at the product page and specifications will show just what the laptop has for drives.

Generally with most laptops and pre-made desktops as well the small recovery partition and the System Reserved boot partition are hidden from view to start with. That prevents any corruption or accidental deletion of any recovery files or anything on the boot partition.

Thats ok, i installed win 8 and aso could use win 7

Please address us in full sentences which convey complete thoughts. Are you saying you installed WIn8 on C and now need to install Windows 7? Is there some reason you ignored the advice to install to D after backing up your files?

Please post back the DIsk Mgmt screenshot requested.

This is the point i stopped reading and even considered a reply...

He was able to install 8 on the same drive likely shrinking the C primary to make enough room. When stating he could use 7 he wouldn't have any need to reinstall 7.

You have to read the post itself. greg quoting KKS21199 here

A better wording would have been: "I installed win 8 and can still use 7 or run 7" while the meaning is plain as day there.

A screenshot of the DM isn't necessary at this point since the laptop only has one main drive unless he ended up nuking the 14.2gb recovery partition which would have been ill advised.

The one thing that will help however now that 8 is on is that no problems come up when booting into 7 from the 8 boot options since 8 went on after the preinstalled 7. I have to caution about what was found when seeing dual boots of 7 with the Customer Preview at first loading 8 from the 7 boot options and later the Release Preview and 7 running into problems which caused both versions to start freezing up solid when booting into 7 from the 8 boot options instead.

The Disk Check tool was able to recover both from immediate freeze ups when going to click on anything once the desktop for each version was fully loaded showing some type of bug that needed to be worked by MS. If you start running into this type of problem KKS21199 schedule the chkdsk /r at a command prompt or right click on the main drive';s icon to go to Tools on the menu bar and click the Check now button under Error checking.

In the event you are not able to either while booted in 7 boot live with the 8 dvd you burnedand go into the repair tools/command prompt option to schedule it there with the "chkdsk c: /f" command and then press Y when prompted to run the tool there while booted live from disk. This type of vulnerability seems to be present when booting into 7 from the 8 boot option and not vice versa as no problems were found when booting into 8 when an entry for the new version was added into the 7 BCD.

Well if you get it straightened out and functioning post us a shot of disc management to let us see how it looks.

Guys, i have successfully installed windows 8 on my computer and learned hoe to separate hard disks, i also could use win 7 in my laptop because i made a dual-boot.


But in windows 7 i can manage the hard disk with computer management,



How do i mange the the hard disk in windows 8.