Help with clean Win 7 Pro install on HP laptop requested

karlsnooks said:

cgregory,
Appears that you are doing everything correctly.

I also always install from USB. I also use DiskPart to prepare the USB drive, then I just copy the DVD over to the USB stick.

I have run across defective USB sticks.

I use the Clean ALL which is going to mark any bad sectors as bad so that when you copy over to the USB stick, the bad sectors do not get used.

If you feel up to it, then here is how I prepare a USB:

PREPARE A UFD FOR USE (USB FLASH DRIVE)


Run CMD.EXE as administrator
WIN | type CMD.EXE | do NOT hit ENTER | CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER key combo |
ALT + y key combo

WIN=key with Microsoft logo on top

Type following commands and hit ENTER key after each command.
DISKPART starts the DiskPart program
LIST DISK shows numeral assigned to disks
note the numeral assigned to your usb stick
The numeral 2 will be used in this example
SELECT DISK 2
DETAIL DISK the info shown will confirm the correctness of your selection
CLEAN ALL the entire usb stick will be overwritten with zeros
This can take awhile if usb stick has large capacity.
Keep the faith-the DiskPart prompt will eventually return.
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY create a primary partition on the USB stick
FORMAT FS=NTFS format the partition
ACTIVE the partition can contain operating system startup files
ASSIGN the next available letter is assigned to the USB stick
EXIT exit from the DISKPART program
EXIT exit from the command shell


karlesnooks,

Thank you for your help. I did precisely everything you described, prior to this point in your helpful post. But, nothing you recommended after.
===========================================

After doing this, I then right-click on the drive in windows explorer, Properties,
Tools tab | Check Now button | checkmark both boxes | Start button

Is 'the drive' the flash drive with the Win 7 Pro 64 copy?
=================================================
=================================================
karlsnooks,
Maybe this is where my problem lies. Do I now use a different flash drive to

"PUT A WIN 7-COMPATIBLE ISO FILE ON BOOTABLE UFD"?

How do I use the two drives in concert? What is the ISO and why do I need it, when I have the original MS DVD copy. Sorry to be so clueless. Your help is very much appreciated!!

Here is how I put the ISO onto a USB. I've used both methods:

PUT A WIN 7-COMPATIBLE ISO FILE ON BOOTABLE UFD

1. Prepare UFD
2. Burn the ISO file to DVD by right-clicking on a ISO file and choosing Burn disc image or by using ImgBurn free iso image burner
3. Copy DVD to UFD

OR

1. Prepare UFD
2. Extract the ISO file to the UFD using 7-Zip
7-zip archiver pack-unpack wim,zip,tar,gzip,bzip2,xz,7z unpackonly arj,cab,chm,cpio,craffx,deb,dmg,fat,hfs,ISO,LZH,LZMA,MBR,MSI,NSIS,NTFS,RAR,RPM,UDF,VHD

Again, I'm thinking you are saying I need 2 flash drives prepared precisely as you outline in the top section. I just need to prepare the 2nd and copy the ISO file to it. Again, when I boot up to the flash drive, which flash drive do I use first? And, how do I know when to take the ISO out and place the INSTALL in? Thank you for your patience with me.

Greg

No, you don't need two flash sticks. You only need to start with Steps 1 and 2 in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 as was suggested yesterday and you'd already be up and running.

gregrocker said:

No, you don't need two flash sticks. You only need to start with Steps 1 and 2 in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 as was suggested yesterday and you'd already be up and running.

gregrocker,

It's tough to be old and dense.

First, allow me to thank you for all the help you give everyone on this forum, especially the 'truly ignorant' like me.

Yesterday, I printed out the 3 pages of your 'Clean Reinstall -- Factory OEM Windows 7', 3-15-2012, prior to this, my first post. I think I figured it did not apply to me since it didn't involve the flash drive copy I made from my Win 7 Pro 64 install DVD. I guess my confusion comes from not knowing what an ISO is? Does it do a complete install, without the use of the DVD I purchased? If so, that must be my 'fatal flaw' in my thinking. It leaves me wondering why I purchased the full Win 7 Pro 64 to begin with?

When I install using 'steps 1 and steps 2' I will do so into one partition?

And, should I make an 'image' of whatever is in the SSD partition immediately after the install, and store to a backup flash drive? If so what software do I use to precisely image the install? In the event of the SSD failure, would I simply copy the backup image to the new SSD?

Thank you,

Greg

And we want to make sure you have a pristine copy of the latest official Win7 ISO with SP1, correctly written to flash stick. That's why to start with Steps 1 and 2 in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

karlsnooks said:

Greg,
Now you've got me confused.

You only need one usb stick.
You prepare the usb stick.
Then, using 7-zip or by copying from a DVD, you put it onto the USB.

Which method do you prefer?

karlsnooks,

I think I am making this harder than it needs to be -- probably because the term ISO is not familiar to me.

I think I did everything correctly in preparing the flash drive, per the first portion of your helpful post. BUT, then I simply copied the DVD contents to the flash drive. This gave me the 'driver not found' stonewall.

Instead I should have used the 'burn' command to get a good copy on the flash drive. That would get me the ISO that everyone seems to refer to, and I could install from the flash 'burned' copy. Is that correct? Thank you, once more.

Greg

gregrocker and karlsnooks,

OK guys, I'm starting to get it through my thick skull. I can't thank you both enough!!

One more thing, and I promise to go away for awhile.

Am I correct in thinking that I should make an 'image' of the SSD Win 7 OS immediately after installation, and store it as a backup on a flash drive or external hard drive. So when my SSD dies, I can just replace the SSD and copy the image to it, and be off and running? If so what software should I use to create the image?

Thank you, both, again.

Greg