Windows 7: Formatting HDD and Reinstalling Windows 7 64 bit

Hi everyone, I have had windows 7 installed for over 12 months now but lately I am finding my pc to be a bit slow. I have just purchased some more RAM for it and I am going to get a 2tb internal HDD as well in the next few days. Then I am going to format the HDD and reinstall windows 7.

Now I already have a 600gb HDD which is partitioned into 3 drives (1 of these has win 7 installed). Is it possible when I put the windows 7 installation disc in and reformat the HDD to unpartition 2 of these drives and leave the other one untouched?

Thanks in advance.

You can manipulate the partitions per choice by selecting the format drives options during the install. See here.

Partition the Hard Drive in a Windows 7 Install

For that matter you can postpone the decision to until after the install, then tinker with partitions either with the windows utility or with a tool like Partition wizard.

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

I would initialize and partition the 2tb HD in Disk Mgmt, move files to it. Partition or Volume - Create New

Then to get the cleanest reinstall unplug the 2tb, boot the Windows 7 DVD, wipe the 600gb HD using Diskpart Clean All command: SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Follow the tips here to get a purrfect reinstall - use the ones which apply: re-install windows 7

If you don't want to wipe the 600gb, then use the booted Windows 7 DVD Custom>Drive Options to Delete the unwanted partitions, create New one(s) there, then Format before installing Windows 7 to first partition.

Hello kimmey34.


If you're going to reinsall Windows 7 it would be best, after you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media, you could use the Option Three in this tutorial at the link below to do a partition-specific wipe (secure erase) of the Windows partition to get the best possible space to clean install Windows 7 to.

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD


No matter what you do, if you do a clean install you will have to reinstall all the programs/apps that you use, they integrate themselves into the Windows registry and are not moveable from one Windows installation to another so be sure to save the program activation keys where applicable.


Be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

When you eliminate the 3 partitions on the 600 gig old drive, you will then have to consider the sizes for any new partitions you create on it.

If it is split 200/200/200 now, you may decide on:

80/520

100/300/200

80/30/490

etc. Many people allow something like 60 to 100 for Windows (C) and then allocate the remainder to data--in one or more partitions. How you partition the remainder depends on your sense of organization and what type of data you generate.

Decide if you are going to keep your data on C. If you are, then a single C for the entire drive might be the best choice.

Thanks everyone, for your responses. I have bought a 2tb hdd and have installed it, I have already copied my backup files to it. I have decided to wipe the whole 600gb hdd and install windows 7 back on the drive without partitioning it. I have windows 7 installed on a 146gb partition at the moment and have problems with space.

I will definately unplug the new hdd when I re-install windows on the other drive, will there be any problems with this hdd when I plug it back in as it will have all the backed up stuff I need on it?

For your 600gb Hd follow Greg's advice, & do a clean all.

For 2tb should not be any ploblems, but make sure your 600gb is pluged in to the first Sata port on the MOBO.

There should be no problem accessing your data if it is on storage drive when you unplug it.

It would be better to create a single 100GB partition to install Windows 7 to, some have serious issues trying to install to such large a space as 1 & 2TB partition/drives and you may save yourself some headaches, you can always extend the Windows partition to include the remaining unallocated space on the Hard Disk Drive or create additional partitions after the installation completes if you choose.